The monastery was founded in 1679 under the Fifth Dalai Lama and became the most important Gelug institution in the region, housing well over a thousand monks at its height. It is built in the form of a small hilltop complex of white and ochre buildings with gilded roofs, deliberately echoing the Potala Palace in Lhasa, and it is the spiritual center of the Tibetan community of northern Yunnan.
The complex
The main assembly hall and the two principal colleges are the buildings to visit, with gilded roofs, painted pillars and large statues inside. The route climbs the hillside past monks' quarters, prayer wheel rows and small chapels. In the early morning the monastery is often wrapped in mist from the lake below, and the butter lamps and chanting inside make it one of the more atmospheric sites in Yunnan.
Getting there
Songzanlin is about five kilometers north of Shangri-La's old town, and there is a bus and a shuttle from the entrance gate. The walk up from the road to the main hall is a real climb at 3,300 meters, so pace yourself.
Practical notes
Allow two hours. Dress with shoulders and knees covered, remove hats inside the halls, and walk clockwise around the buildings and the prayer wheels. Photography is often restricted inside the main halls, so ask. Combine the visit with the Pudacuo National Park or the old town of Shangri-La, both within half an hour. The clearest weather is usually from October to April.
