Xianggelila Black Mamba Homestay (Dukezong Ancient City Branch)

Bring a warm jacket. It was snowing when I arrived in fantastic Shangri-La, and the old town, especially the market square, was kind of cool. The most fascinating part was finding little Tibetan family-run food shops and trying buttermilk, yak yoghurt, barley breads, and flatbread. When paying with Alipay, I always gave them more than they asked for, and they’ll love you forever. Get up early, while it’s still dark, and you might see horses roaming town and yak herds nearby. Incredible.

Shangri-La is wonderful.

Dukezong Ancient City is more than 1,300 years old and lies in Shangri-La City, within Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. It’s one of China’s largest and best-preserved old towns with traditional Tibetan architecture. The name “Dukezong” can mean “city built on rocks” or “moonlight city,” and the city sits about 3,300 meters above sea level. It began as a town on the Ancient Tea and Horse Road, a major trading route linking China with Tibet and western regions. Wooden houses, cobblestone lanes, and shared living spaces reflect traditional Tibetan culture. The old town is also home to people from Tibetan, Naxi, Yi, Lisu, Bai, Hui, and Han ethnic groups, giving it a rich mix of cultures. Moonlight Square is a busy place for cultural activities. Guishan Park has a famous giant prayer wheel, around 21 meters tall and weighing more than 60 tons. It's seen as a symbol of the old town, and people believe spinning it brings good luck. Square Street is the main street, lined with cafes and traditional craft shops selling things like carpets, yak wool goods, and traditional jewelry. There are local eateries and handicraft shops around town as well. A major fire on January 11, 2014 destroyed a large part of the old town, including many homes and shops. The community and government worked together afterward to rebuild and restore it while preserving its traditional character for tourism. The weather is cool all year, so visitors should bring warm clothes. Dukezong is right in Shangri-La city, around 4-5 hours by bus from Lijiang. From central Shangri-La, you can walk to the old town, take a taxi, or rent a bicycle.