Shangri-La is a dream destination for many; it is also a region of unique character, serving as a microcosm of the Northern Hemisphere’s biodiversity and ecological environment. With an average altitude of over 3,400 metres, it is home to more than 1,000 species of ornamental plants, including dozens of rare and endangered species found nowhere else but Shangri-La. It is truly a mecca for flower enthusiasts from around the world. Meadow saxifrage is a quintessential high-altitude plant, and in Shangri-La you may encounter more than ten different varieties.

With its rolling mists, layered peaks, endless bamboo forests and crystal-clear streams, Wawu Mountain in Sichuan, China, provides the ideal habitat for parrotbills. Home to 232 species of passerines, it is the region in China with the highest concentration of parrotbills and is also home to numerous endemic bird species.

The vast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is home to a wealth of wildlife species unique to the region. Tibetan brown bears wander by the lakesides. Square-faced Tibetan foxes sit in patient stillness near the burrows of plateau pikas. Bearded vultures glide in circles overhead. Herds of Kiang assess drift across the grasslands, sometimes even racing the cars on the highway. Wild yaks stand guard over their territories. This is one of the last pure places on Earth, a land of natural beauty that surpasses anything the human imagination can conjure.