Yunnan · China

PLATEAU REJUVENATION

Tibetan wisdom & modern wellness — Lijiang to Shangri-La

Wellness Retreat · 5N6D

A layered rejuvenation system through body, breath and mind — from Naxi Lijiang to the monasteries and healing herbs of Shangri-La.

RouteLijiang → Shangri-La
Duration5N / 6D
Highest StayShangri-La 3,280 m
StaysSongtsam Lodge & Linka
BookingPrivate · price on request

Design Philosophy

A rejuvenation practice, not a sightseeing route

"This is more than a journey; it is a systematic rejuvenation practice, following ancient wisdom and tailored specifically for you."

The itinerary is meticulously crafted around the profound life wisdom of Tibet, progressing through the body, breath and mind. It begins by awakening body and spirit with breathing meditations amidst the ancient charm of Naxi culture in Lijiang, then journeys deeper into Shangri-La — into the silence of Songzanlin Monastery, the vibrant pigments of Thangka art, the vital energy of Tibetan healing herbs, and the resonant waves of ancient chanting.

Body, breath & mind身息心三层修复

From regulating the breath with Himalayan Breathe Meditation, to soothing the nerves with the Singing Bowl Night Ritual and Tibetan Herbal Foot Baths, to purifying thoughts with Floating Meditation — a step-by-step modern adaptation of traditional Tibetan healing.

Tibetan healing, modern science藏地疗愈智慧

Scattered fragments of Tibetan healing wisdom are integrated into an experiential system, combined with modern treatments like the LA MER plateau-repair SPA to scientifically address the high-altitude environment.

Cultural flow through craft文化心流体验

Calm the mind through the focused practice of Thangka painting, perceive plant energy while crafting a Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer, and resonate with harmonic waves in the Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting.

Naxi heritage of Lijiang纳西古韵

Walk Dayan Old Town along the route of Peter Goullart's 'Forgotten Kingdom', and hear Naxi ancient music — a living fossil that preserves melodies of the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties.

The Songtsam way松赞式照料

Native guides who grew up with the culture they interpret, a private fleet suited to plateau roads — Songtsam is the world's exclusive commercial operator of the new Land Rover Defender — and lodges built in respect of local nature and communities.

Trip Highlights

What makes this journey

The body–mind rejuvenation system

·Himalayan Breathe Meditation with the Tibetan Nine-Cycle Breathing practice
·Singing Bowl Sleep-Enhancing Night Ritual on your very first evening
·Tibetan Herbal Foot Baths that ease altitude adaptation
·Floating Meditation on the lodge's tranquil waterside

Tibetan cultural flow

·Paint your own Thangka at the Shangri-La Linka Experiencing Center
·Craft a Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer to soothe travel fatigue
·Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting — an evening ritual of gratitude
·Handmade Tibetan cone incense to cultivate focus and stillness

From Naxi Lijiang to Tibetan Shangri-La

·Dayan Ancient Town along the 'Forgotten Kingdom' route, ending in Zhongyi Market
·Tiger Leaping Gorge and the bird-filled marshes of Napa Lake en route
·Songzanlin Monastery, the 'Little Potala Palace', with butler narration
·Songtsam BBQ lunch on the grassland beneath the monastery

Wellness, the luxury way

·60-minute LA MER Repairing Facial Treatment formulated for plateau skin
·Horsemanship and traditional Tibetan archery, or a Dukezong Ancient Town walk
·An evening of Naxi ancient music, China's musical 'living fossil'
·5 nights across two Songtsam properties with private guide and vehicle

Stays

Two Songtsam homes on the plateau

2 nights at Songtsam Lodge Lijiang (2,400 m), its dark-wood galleries hugging the hillside like a secret hamlet, then 3 nights at Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m), a 15-minute walk from Songzanlin Monastery.

Built in respect of local nature, culture and community

Wellness retreatLocal hostsSpa & meditation spacesMonastery views

Itinerary

6-Day Itinerary

Plateau Rejuvenation JourneyYUNNAN · CHINA

Altitude profile

Highest point 3,280 m · gradual ascent for acclimatization

DAY 1

Arrival in Lijiang — Singing Bowl Night Ritual

Touch down at Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, where your Songtsam driver is waiting, and settle into Songtsam Lodge Lijiang at 2,400 m. The lodge welcomes you with architecture of dark wood and polished stone — galleries opening onto the hills, intimate patios and lounges with discreet fireplaces — its volumes hugging the natural slope like a secret hamlet. If you arrive early, take the afternoon slowly with tea on the terrace and let your body acclimate to the plateau. After dinner at the lodge, the rejuvenation system begins with the Singing Bowl Sleep-Enhancing Night Ritual: guided by the resonance of sound, meditation and singing bowls draw you quickly into deep relaxation and teach techniques for sustaining profound calm. Note that Sunday and Monday cannot be scheduled as Day 1.

Songtsam Lodge Lijiang check-in
Acclimatization afternoon tea
Singing Bowl Sleep-Enhancing Night Ritual

No hiking today · 2,400 m altitude

Terrain: arrival + acclimatization + hotel
Transport: Private transfer from Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, about 40 minutes
Meals: Breakfast: not included; Lunch: not included; Dinner: included
Stay: Songtsam Lodge Lijiang (2,400 m)

DAY 2

Lijiang Wellness Day — Breath, Incense & Floating Meditation

A full day devoted to regulating breath and stilling the mind, with practices set by the day of the week. On Wednesday or Saturday mornings, the Himalayan Breathe Meditation teaches the Tibetan medicine practice of Nine-Cycle Breathing — simple inhalation, retention and exhalation that harmonize the body's energy flow; on Thursday or Sunday, the Tibetan Prostration Wellness Morning Practice awakens a sluggish body, stretching the meridians with each full-body prostration. After lunch at the lodge, craft handmade cone incense in the Tibetan Incense Making session (Wed/Sat), or float on the lodge's tranquil waterside in a Floating Meditation (Tue/Fri), your weight held by the rippling water as cluttered thoughts dissolve. The evening closes with dinner and a performance of Naxi ancient music — a 'living fossil' of China's musical heritage dating to the 14th century, blending Tang, Song and Yuan melodies with Taoist Dongjing ritual music.

Himalayan Breathe Meditation or Tibetan Prostration Practice
Tibetan Incense Making or Floating Meditation
Naxi Ancient Music performance

No hiking today · 2,400 m altitude

Terrain: wellness + meditation + hotel
Transport: No transfers today; full day at the lodge
Meals: Breakfast: included; Lunch: included; Dinner: included
Stay: Songtsam Lodge Lijiang (2,400 m)

DAY 3

Dayan Ancient Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge & Napa Lake — to Shangri-La

With your private guide, step onto the time-worn stone paths of Dayan Old Town, strolling the route Russian writer Peter Goullart described in 'Forgotten Kingdom' and uncovering the former glory of this vital Tea Horse Road town. The walk ends at Zhongyi Market, immersed in the daily life of the Naxi people and their local ingredients. After lunch at the lodge, drive towards Shangri-La, stopping at Tiger Leaping Gorge, the dramatic canyon where the Jinsha River — a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze — thunders between cliffs. Continue past Napa Lake, a seasonal plateau lake and marshland that is both the largest spring pasture in Shangri-La and a paradise for birds. Check into Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La at 3,280 m. After dinner, an in-room Tibetan Herbal Foot Bath boosts circulation and oxygen supply to ease altitude adaptation (if tonight's slots are full, it moves to Day 4).

Dayan Ancient Town & Zhongyi Market
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Napa Lake
Tibetan Herbal Foot Bath

2 kmDistance+50 mAscent−50 mDescent3,280 mMax altitude

Terrain: old town walk + gorge viewpoint + scenic drive
Transport: Private drive Lijiang to Shangri-La with stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge and Napa Lake, about 4 h
Meals: Breakfast: included; Lunch: included; Dinner: included
Stay: Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m)

DAY 4

Songzanlin Monastery, Grassland BBQ & Thangka Painting

Spend the morning at Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan and the most important in southwest China, often called the 'Little Potala Palace'. With the butler's insightful narration, immerse yourself in its breathtaking religious ambiance and exquisite Tibetan artistry, and gain a deeper understanding of the Tibetan worldview. Lunch is a Songtsam BBQ — a refined grill of locally sourced ingredients served on a vast grassland dotted with tall barley racks, the monastery rising behind you. In the afternoon, visit the Shangri-La Linka Experiencing Center to learn how Thangka developed, then follow the teacher's guidance to paint your own — no painting skill required, only reverence. After dinner, join the Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting: a small evening ritual of gratitude, listening closely to the wisdom of this land. Guests who missed last night's herbal foot bath can take it tonight.

Songzanlin Monastery with butler narration
Songtsam grassland BBQ lunch
Thangka painting class
Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting

2 kmDistance+80 mAscent−80 mDescent3,280 mMax altitude

Terrain: monastery + grassland + thangka
Transport: Short drives around Shangri-La, about 20 minutes each way
Meals: Breakfast: included; Lunch: included; Dinner: included
Stay: Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m)

DAY 5

Vajra Hammer Making, Horsemanship or Dukezong — LA MER Facial

The morning is given to Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer Making — time-honored healing wisdom refined through centuries. The herbal hammer you craft can be used any time during the trip to soothe fatigue and ease back and muscle aches from travel and altitude. After lunch at the retreat, choose your afternoon: learn horsemanship and traditional Tibetan archery under professional instructors (40 minutes of riding and 20 arrows), or take a city walk through Dukezong Ancient Town, over 1,300 years old and home to China's best-preserved and largest Tibetan residential complex — once the first major caravan stop on the Tea Horse Road into Tibet, enjoyed here over afternoon tea with a Songtsam host's stories. The evening crowns the journey with a 60-minute LA MER Repairing Facial Treatment: iconic repair formulas in luxurious dosages, the exclusive Ocean Rhythm Massage Technique and thermal-infused care, strengthening skin against the plateau environment.

Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer Making
Horsemanship & Tibetan archery or Dukezong Ancient Town
LA MER Repairing Facial Treatment (60 mins)

No hiking today · 3,280 m altitude

Terrain: wellness + horseback + old town
Transport: Short drives around Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast: included; Lunch: included; Dinner: included
Stay: Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m)

DAY 6

Departure from Shangri-La

Morning light and breakfast are both gentle gifts. Wake without an alarm, take a last slow breakfast at Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La, and let the practices of the past five days settle — the rhythm of the Nine-Cycle Breathing, the resonance of the singing bowls, the scent of the incense you made with your own hands. Your vajra hammer and the techniques you learned travel home with you, a portable piece of the plateau's wisdom. When it is time, your Songtsam driver transfers you to Diqing Shangri-La Airport for your onward flight, closing a journey that restored body, breath and mind in equal measure.

Slow lodge morning
Transfer to Diqing Shangri-La Airport

No hiking today · 3,280 m altitude

Terrain: departure + transfer
Transport: Private transfer to Diqing Shangri-La Airport, about 20 minutes
Meals: Breakfast: included; Lunch: not included; Dinner: not included

Cost Details

What your journey covers

Included

Stay & meals: 2 nights Songtsam Lodge Lijiang (2,400 m) and 3 nights Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m)
Breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the lodges as per itinerary
Songtsam BBQ grassland lunch beneath Songzanlin Monastery
Wellness programme: Singing Bowl Sleep-Enhancing Night Ritual and Himalayan Breathe Meditation / Tibetan Prostration Morning Practice
Tibetan Incense Making or Floating Meditation, in-room Tibetan Herbal Foot Bath
Thangka painting class, Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer Making, Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting
60-minute LA MER Repairing Facial Treatment
Experiences & transport: Private Songtsam guide and dedicated vehicle throughout
Dayan Ancient Town walk, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Napa Lake stops, Songzanlin Monastery visit
Horsemanship & traditional Tibetan archery or Dukezong Ancient Town city walk
Airport transfers: Lijiang Sanyi Airport arrival, Diqing Shangri-La Airport departure

Not Included

Not included: - Flights to Lijiang and from Shangri-La
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Anything not listed — the exact scope is confirmed in your personalized Songtsam quotation; pricing for this wellness journey is fully on request

Difficulty

Trip Expectations

A gentle wellness journey — the only real consideration is altitude, and the itinerary is designed around it.

Highest stay

3,280 m (Shangri-La)

Activity level

Easy — gentle walks & practices

Longest drive

Lijiang → Shangri-La, with scenic stops

Altitude

You sleep two nights at 2,400 m in Lijiang before rising to 3,280 m in Shangri-La, a natural acclimatization curve. The programme itself helps: Tibetan herbal foot baths promote blood circulation and oxygen supply to ease altitude symptoms, and the vajra hammer you craft soothes travel fatigue. Day 1 deliberately leaves the afternoon free to rest and adjust.

Activity

Nothing here is strenuous: town strolls through Dayan and Dukezong, easy monastery visits, and meditation, craft and spa sessions at the lodges. The optional horsemanship session (40 minutes of riding and 20 arrows) is taught by professional instructors and suitable for beginners. Day 2 morning practices vary by weekday — see booking notes.

Weather & packing

Plateau sunshine is strong year-round — bring high-SPF sunblock, sunglasses and a brimmed hat. Evenings are cool even in summer at 3,280 m, so pack warm layers. Comfortable walking shoes are enough for the stone lanes of the old towns; loose, comfortable clothing serves the meditation and prostration practices best.

About the Area

Songtsam & the road to Shangri-La

Northwest Yunnan climbs from the Naxi old towns of Lijiang to the Tibetan plateau of Diqing Shangri-La, along the corridor of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. It is a landscape of extremes held close together: the Jinsha River forcing its way through Tiger Leaping Gorge, the seasonal marshes of Napa Lake filling with migratory birds, and the golden roofs of Songzanlin — the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan — rising above barley fields at 3,280 m.

Songtsam has ventured deep into the heart of Yunnan, Tibet and Sichuan, building each of its hotels in remote areas of breathtaking beauty, constructed in respect of local nature, culture and environmental standards and blending into the surrounding communities. Most Songtsam guides are native to the area, serving as mediators of Tibetan culture as much as travel hosts.

The journey runs on Songtsam's own motorcade — vehicles chosen for plateau road conditions, in global strategic partnership with Jaguar Land Rover; Songtsam is currently the world's exclusive operator of a commercial fleet of the new Land Rover Defender. Self-owned lodges, trusted guides, bespoke routes and a professional fleet together create a home away from home in the distant corners of the globe.

Journey details

Plateau Rejuvenation Journey — Lijiang & Shangri-La 5N6D

A layered plateau rejuvenation system that progresses through body, breath and mind — awakening among Naxi culture in Lijiang, then deepening into Tibetan healing wisdom at Shangri-La, from singing bowls and floating meditation to Thangka painting and a LA MER plateau facial.

This itinerary is meticulously crafted around the profound life wisdom of Tibet, offering a layered plateau rejuvenation system that progresses through the body, breath, and mind. Begin by awakening your body and spirit with breathing meditations amidst the ancient charm of Naxi culture in Lijiang, then journey deeper into Shangri-La. There, immerse yourself in the silence of Songzanlin Monastery, the vibrant pigments of Thangka art, the vital energy of Tibetan healing herbs, and the resonant waves of ancient chanting — all while experiencing profound cultural immersion and energetic restoration. You stay 2 nights at Songtsam Lodge Lijiang (2,400 m) and 3 nights at Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m), with a private Songtsam guide and vehicle throughout. This is more than a journey; it is a systematic rejuvenation practice, following ancient wisdom and tailored specifically for you.

Route: Lijiang → Tiger Leaping Gorge → Napa Lake → Shangri-La
Stops: Lijiang · Tiger Leaping Gorge · Napa Lake · Shangri-La
Departure city: Lijiang
Suitable for: Couples · Solo travelers · Wellness seekers · Culture lovers
Highlights: A body–breath–mind rejuvenation system: Himalayan Breathe Meditation, Singing Bowl Sleep-Enhancing Night Ritual, Tibetan Herbal Foot Baths and Floating Meditation, capped by a LA MER plateau-repair facial · Tibetan cultural flow experiences — paint your own Thangka, craft a Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer, and join the Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting · Songzanlin Monastery, the 'Little Potala Palace', with a Songtsam BBQ lunch on the grassland beneath its golden roofs · Naxi Lijiang heritage: Dayan Ancient Town along Peter Goullart's 'Forgotten Kingdom' route and an evening of Naxi ancient music, the 'living fossil' of China's musical heritage · Scenic transfer day via Tiger Leaping Gorge and Napa Lake, the largest spring pasture of Shangri-La · 5 nights in Songtsam's own lodges — 2 at Songtsam Lodge Lijiang, 3 at Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La

Before you book

Included: 5 nights' accommodation: 2 nights Songtsam Lodge Lijiang (2,400 m) and 3 nights Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La (3,280 m) · Meals as per itinerary — breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the lodges, plus the Songtsam BBQ grassland lunch beneath Songzanlin Monastery · Full wellness programme: Singing Bowl Sleep-Enhancing Night Ritual, Himalayan Breathe Meditation or Tibetan Prostration Morning Practice, Tibetan Incense Making or Floating Meditation, Naxi Ancient Music performance, in-room Tibetan Herbal Foot Bath, Thangka Painting class, Nightly Auspicious Tibetan Music Chanting, Tibetan Medicinal Vajra Hammer Making, and a 60-minute LA MER Repairing Facial Treatment · Guided experiences: Dayan Ancient Town walk ending at Zhongyi Market, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Napa Lake stops, Songzanlin Monastery visit with butler narration, and horsemanship & traditional Tibetan archery or a Dukezong Ancient Town city walk · Private Songtsam guide and dedicated vehicle throughout, including arrival pick-up at Lijiang Sanyi International Airport and departure transfer to Diqing Shangri-La Airport
Excluded: Flights to Lijiang and from Shangri-La · Travel insurance · Personal expenses and gratuities · Anything not listed in the itinerary — the exact scope of services is confirmed in your personalized Songtsam quotation
Booking notes: No Tibet Travel Permit required — the whole journey stays within Yunnan Province (Lijiang and Diqing Shangri-La). · Sunday and Monday cannot be scheduled as Day 1 of the itinerary — the Day 2 wellness practices run on fixed weekdays (Himalayan Breathe Meditation Wed/Sat, Tibetan Prostration Practice Thu/Sun, Tibetan Incense Making Wed/Sat, Floating Meditation Tue/Fri). · Pricing is fully on request: Songtsam quotes this wellness journey individually by travel date and party size. Submit an inquiry and your consultant will confirm a tailored quotation. · Stays rise from 2,400 m (Lijiang) to 3,280 m (Shangri-La). The itinerary is built for gentle acclimatization, including Tibetan herbal foot baths designed to ease altitude adaptation. · LA MER Repairing Facial Treatment accommodates up to three guests simultaneously; for groups of four or more, staggered appointments (such as before and after dinner) are arranged.