1. Why Is Yila Grassland Of Napa Lake So Special?
1.1 Introduction
Napa Lake means "lake behind the forest" in Tibetan. It is a typical seasonal lake. At the turn of summer and autumn, here is a grassland, all kinds of wild flowers compete to bloom on the vast grassland,like rose-red wild peonies, wild chrysanthemums and various unnamed fragrant flowers etc, flocks of cattle and sheep undulate with the grassy sea. In winter, it turns into a wide expanse of water again, like a huge mirror, so the scenery is very spectacular and worth visiting.
1.2 Geographical Location
As the largest and most beautiful grassland in Shangri-La, Yila Grassland of Napa Lake is located about 6 kilometres northwestern Shangri-la City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunan province, it covers with a total area of 13 square kilometres. Also, it is a seasonal alpine lake with an area of about 3,125 square kilometres with an altitude of 3,266 meters. When the beautiful Napa Lake connect with the ancient Yila Village nearby, therefore forming a beautiful picture scroll.
1.3 Natural Resources & Travel Information
1.3.1 Nature Features & Ecology Landscapes
Yila Grassland of Napa Lake is a nature reserve and has been listed as an important international wetland park. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and connected to the Jiantang Dam on the south side. In late summer and early autumn, the lake area reaches its maximum, forming a large area of lake surface, it is worth noting that the lake surface shrinks and turns into a large area of marsh meadow in winter and spring.
Apart from this, there are some national conservation birds such as black-necked cranes, black storks, and grey cranes, as well as wintering waterbirds living in the wetland ecosystems of Napa Lake Nature Reserve.
1.3.2 Travel Information
Yila Grassland of Napa Lake does not require the entrance fee, but activities such as horseback riding may incur some additional charges. Tourists can choose to travel there by self-driving, chartering a car or renting an electric bike.
In general, the Yila Grassland of Napa Lake is a tourist destination that combines with natural beauty, ecological diversity and rich cultural experiences together, it is thus suitable for all tourists seeking nature and tranquility.
2. How To Get There?
2.1 Recommended Visiting Route
There are multiple route options to reach Yila Prairie of Napa Lake, mainly including self-driving, cycling and walking.
Self-driving: Start from the lake-loop road and enter along the asphalt road to directly reach the lakeside.
Cycling: Ride along the lake-loop route and enjoy the scenery along the way. Recommended routes include Shika Snow Mountain, Highland Barley Shelf Landscape Avenue, Gaoshan Biezhuang, Hamugu, Napa Sea Observation Deck, Alpine Botanical Garden, and Wangchika. The whole journey is about 40 kilometres.
Walking: It is a good way to experience the grassland sightseeing, which is suitable for tourists who are keen on hiking.
2.2 Opening Time & Ticket Information
Opening time: 08:00-18:00
Time needed: Half a day
Ticket: Free (Extra fares will be charged if you attend activities like horseback riding.)
Suited to: Nature lovers, photographers, birdwatchers, horse lovers
3. Best Time To Go
The best travel time for Yila Grassland is from May to October every year. During this period, the climate is pleasant, the grassland scenery is enchanting and the lake water is crystal clear, it is really amazing for various outdoor activities.
From May To June: Tourists can spot a lot of wide flowers in full bloom on the grassland, genuinely beautiful.
From July To August: The abundant rain makes Napa Lake full of water, some part of Yila grassland is covered by lake water, forming a unique wetland landscape. But some of the grassland is still full of greenery at this time, tourists can engage in various outdoor activities such as horseback riding and hiking.
From September To October: Wolf poison flower is in full bloom in Yila prairie, very spectacular. The weather at this time is relatively stable with more sunny days. It is also a good time for tourists to watch the sunrise and sunset.
4. What To Do And See In Napa Lake (Culture & Activities)
In Yila Grassland, tourists can experience activities such as horseback riding and traveling around the lake. In addition, they can also visit the buildings nearby and experience local cultural activities. Meanwhile, this is also a paradise for photography enthusiasts for birds watching, where they can capture beautiful natural scenery and local life scenes.
4.1 Napa Lake 纳帕海湖泊
It is a seasonal alpine lake with clear water which is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and grasslands. When tourists hike along the lake in the Napa Lake Nature Reserve, they can enjoy many beautiful and unforgettable natural landscapes along the way. For example, the vast grassland wetland and rich aquatic plants allow tourists to feel different natural charms. If tourists choose a relatively flat route for hiking, they will avoid many rugged mountain roads and the travel experience will be even more wonderful.
4.2 Yila Grassland 依拉草原
It is a part of Napa Lake scenic area and also the largest and most beautiful grassland in Shangri-La. Not only with rich vegetation and flowers, but also with flocks of cattle and sheep, so it is a great place for travelers to experience grassland scenery. Most importantly, going for bird watching in Yila Grassland shouldn't be missed, which is from late October to March of the following year, it is the season for migratory birds to migrate and inhabit during this period, like black-necked cranes, bar-headed geese, white cranes, teals and other birds. Tourists should not forget to bring binoculars, so that the viewing experience will be much better. In addition, horseback riding on Yila Grassland is a wonderful experience. Tourists can ride horses across the vast grassland and experience the nomadic lifestyle of the Tibetan people.
4.3 Eight-petal Lotus White Pagoda 八瓣莲花白塔
It is located at the entrance of the scenic area and is a white pagoda with characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism. This white pagoda has a unique shape and exquisite craftsmanship, which make it one of the landmark buildings of Napa Lake.
4.4 Highland Barley Racks 青稞架
They are one of the unique landscapes of Napa Lake and full of strong Tibetan flavor, these racks are arranged in an orderly manner on the grassland and blend with the surrounding natural scenery to form a unique landscape.
4.5 Shika Snow Mountain 石卡雪山
It is on the west side of Napa Lake, tourists can overlook the magnificent scenery of the snow mountain here. When the snow mountain, grassland and lake set off each other, they form a beautiful picture and deserve to be recorded.
4.6 Observation Deck 观景台
Standing on the observation deck of Napa Lake, tourists can overlook the entire panorama, which means the grassland, lake and snow-capped mountains are all in full view, so the scenery is absolutely marvelous. What's more, this is also an excellent place to enjoy the sunrise and sunset, tourists may notice the lake surface has become dreamy and extremely beautiful under the sunlight.
4.7 Tibetan Villages 藏族村落
There are some Tibetan villages nearby the Napa Lake, they are with the following unique characteristics.
Unique architectural style: The houses in Tibetan villages mostly adopt the traditional Tibetan architectural style, such as tower-like houses and flat-roofed houses. These houses are usually built with natural materials such as stones, wood and earth, and have strong ethnic characteristics.
Rich cultural activities: The villagers in Tibetan villages retain traditional Tibetan culture, such as Tibetan Buddhism, singing and dancing, painting and so on. Tourists can participate in these cultural activities and deeply understand the connotation of Tibetan culture.
Delicious Tibetan cuisine: Tourists can taste authentic Tibetan cuisine in Tibetan villages, such as buttered tea, highland barley cake, yak meat and so on. These delicacies are of strong local characteristics and leave a lasting aftertaste.
Exquisite handicrafts: The villagers in Tibetan villages are good at making various handicrafts, such as Thangka, Tibetan carpet, silverware and so on. These handicrafts are exquisitely crafted with high artistic value, so it is the unmissable destination for tourists to explore more possibility since they have never experienced this before.
5. Attractions Nearby
5.1 Songzanlin Monastery 噶丹··松赞林寺
Ganden Songzanlin Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province, it has a pivotal position in the entire Tibetan area and is renowned as the "Little Potala Palace". This monastery is built on the mountain and its appearance looks like an ancient castle, what is worth mentioning is that it combines the great achievements of Tibetan plastic arts and is also known as the "Tibetan Art Museum". Therefore, it is very worth a visit for the tourists after visiting Yila Grassland of Napa Lake.
5.2 Potatso National Park 普达措国家公园
It is located in Shangri-La City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, with a total area of 1,313 square kilometres. It is composed of Bita Sea and Shudu Lake eco-tourism areas. Since this park is located in the central area of "Three Parallel Rivers" in northwest Yunnan with a large altitude drop, so there are many unique small landscapes such as fault cliffs, forest brooks, and deep ravines and canyons interspersed in the middle. What's more, it also contains relatively original and complete forest shrubs, alpine meadows, wetland lakes, geological relics, river canyon ecosystems, etc. Therefore, these tourist areas are also termed as the plateau pearls and Pudacuo National Park was also awarded a national 5A-level tourist attraction.
5.3 Meili Snow Mountain 梅里雪山
Meili Snow Mountain is situated at the southern foot of the Himalayas and in the heart of the world-famous landscape "Three Parallel Rivers" (Lancang River - Mekong River, Jinsha River, Nu River - Salween River) in the Hengduan Mountains, so it is the most beautiful and sacred snow mountain group in Yunnan Province and is very worth a visit.
The name Meili Snow Mountain in Tibetan means "The king of Medicine", it is said that there are a lot of valuable Chinese herbal medicine has been found in the mountain. Therefore, Tibetans also call this Mountain "Medicine King Mountain". The real charm of Meili Snow Mountain lies in its holiness and sacred beauty, it is a pilgrimage holy land of Tibetan Buddhism and ranks first among the eight sacred mountains in Tibetan areas. What's more, there are more than 10 snow-capped peaks above 6,000 meters above sea level. Among them, the main peak Kawagebo is the highest peak in Yunnan Province, with an altitude of up to 6,740 meters, it is a virgin peak that no one has climbed so far.
6. What To Eat?
There are many delicious food in Yila Grassland of Napa Lake, here are some recommendations for tourists as below:
Tibetan-style mutton eaten by hand: This is one of the characteristic delicacies of Yila Grassland. The mutton is tender, juicy without any gamy smell. If you pair it with a special sauce, that may taste very delicious.
Buttered tea: It is a traditional drink of the Tibetans, made from butter, tea, salt and other raw materials. It has a rich milky fragrance and a unique taste, taking a sip can make people feel very warm and comfortable.
Tsampa: It is a traditional staple food of the Tibetans, made from highland barley flour and can be eaten with buttered tea, yogurt, etc.
Yak meat hot pot: Yak meat is one of the characteristic ingredients of Yila Grassland. Yak meat hot pot uses yak meat as the main ingredient and is paired with various vegetables and seasonings, so it tastes delicious and is very nutritious.
Yak yogurt: It is one of the traditional drinks of the Tibetans. It has a rich milky fragrance and a unique taste, tourists will love the taste even only taking a small sip.
Highland barley cake: As the traditional staple foods of the Tibetans, it is made from highland barley flour and can be eaten with buttered tea, yogurt, etc, the unique taste and its rich nutrition may leave a very deep impression to many tourists.
In addition, tourists can also taste other characteristic Tibetan delicacies in Yila Grassland of Napa Lake, such as highland barley wine, milk residue, etc. While tasting delicious food, the beautiful grassland scenery and Tibetan cultural customs will make tourists linger and forget to return.
7. Useful Travel Tips
When heading to Yila Grassland of Napa Lake, there are some precautions that travelers need to pay attention to.
Altitude sickness: Napa Sea is at a relatively high altitude, so altitude sickness may occur among some tourists. It is recommended to carry relevant medications to deal with altitude sickness.
Costs: There may be some irregular charging points set up privately around Napa Sea. Tourists should be careful to distinguish when playing.
Accommodation: If time permits, tourists can stay overnight in a small wooden house on the grassland or camp to conveniently experience the peaceful beauty in the early morning and evening. They can also book our high-quality hotel services and then enjoy very different services and experiences.
Precautions for horseback riding: There are many horse rental services around Napa Lake, but the quality of horses varies. It is recommended to rent horses through regular merchants or recommended by local hotels. Confirm the safety of horse gear before riding.
Other precautions: Bring warm clothes and sunscreen supplies especially in plateau areas, the temperature variation between morning and evening is large and the sun is relatively strong.
