2025 Must-See Travel Guide for Yunnan Golden Monkey Scenic Area: Save 30% of Your Time and Money!

　　Essential Guide for Visiting the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area in 2025: Save 30% on Time and Expenses!

　　The Shangri-La Weixi Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey National Park Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the "Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area") is located in Tacheng Town, Weixi County, Diqing Prefecture. Situated in the heart of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, a World Natural Heritage site, it's a paradise where humans, nature, and animals coexist harmoniously. It's a vital part of Greater Shangri-La and an ideal destination for photography enthusiasts, nature education, family trips, and summer camps. Besides Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, the national park boasts a rich biodiversity, including many rare plants and animals. The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, a snow mountain sprite, possesses a face remarkably similar to humans—rosy cheeks, double eyelids, and alluring red lips, complemented by a cool mohawk hairstyle. It's arguably the most beautiful primate in the world.

　　Currently, around 800 Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys inhabit the park. It serves as a crucial window for China to showcase and promote the achievements in snub-nosed monkey conservation. With a population smaller than giant pandas, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey is an endangered species. We hope more tourists will pay attention to this rare red-lipped sprite. This is the only place in China where you can observe Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys in the wild. It's a must-choose destination for study tours and family trips, offering freedom and affordability. Those planning a trip to Shangri-La should consider this. Visitors to Shangri-La must visit the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys. The scenery at the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area varies with the seasons! There are also discounts during holidays. What about transportation to the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area? What should be noted?

　　I. Simple Route Introduction:

　　Day1 Arrive at Shangri-La Station, check into the hotel, and enjoy free activities.

　　Day 2 Shangri-La - Nishi Tu Tao Village - Qizong - Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area

　　Day3 Arrive in Lijiang - First Bend of the Yangtze River (passing Laojun Mountain, Jīgōngshí, and Damo Zushi Cave) - Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area

　　Day 4 Shangri-La (arrive by high-speed rail) - Meili Snow Mountain - Lisu Origin (Tongle Village) - High-altitude Heigu Production Area (Pan Tiange) - Mary Masa Cultural Village - Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area

　　Day5 Arrive in Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge - First Bend of the Yangtze River - Damo Zushi Cave - Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area

　　II. Detailed Itinerary and Attractions:

　　Day 1: Arrive at the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area, check into the "Expert Villa" hotel, visit the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Museum, and hike the ancient Tea Horse Road.

　　Day 2: Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area (monkey watching, hiking)

　　The Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area is praised by experts as a high-altitude natural oxygen bar and is a national 3A-level tourist attraction. It is home to fewer than 3,000 Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys worldwide, known as the most beautiful animal—the red-lipped sprite.

　　Day 3: Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area + Damo Zushi Cave

　　The Damo Zushi Cave has been a Buddhist holy land with a constant stream of pilgrims since ancient times. Weixi County, Tacheng Town Qizong Village This is a Tibetan village with beautiful scenery, where farmhouses nestle beside mountains and rivers, shaded by various fruit trees. About 6 kilometers east of the village is a mountain called Ahailuo Mountain, also known as Damo Mountain because of the Damo Zushi Cave. This mountain is lush with trees, and its peak features a giant cliff face. The Damo Zushi Cave is located on the cliff. This cave was a natural formation. After Tibetan Buddhism spread to Diqing, folklore says that Damo Zushi meditated in this cave for ten years and became a Buddha, leaving behind an image of his meditation and the imprint of his feet. The cave thus got its name. Around the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Buddhist believers built several meditation rooms by stacking wood along the cliff face and next to the cave, making the Damo Zushi Cave a holy site and place of practice for Buddhists.

　　Day 4: Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area + Mary Masa Ethnic Village

　　Unveiling the mystery of the Mary Masa people in Yunnan, with their unique culture and language, numbering only about 2,000 worldwide.

　　The legendary Mary Masa people are an ethnic group living in Tacheng Town, Weixi County, Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan Province, numbering around 2,000. They have their own language and culture. However, during the ethnic identification in the 1950s, the Mary Masa people were classified as a branch of the Naxi people. They are mainly concentrated in several natural villages in Haini Administrative Village and Kona Administrative Village in Tacheng Town, Weixi County. "Mary Masa" means "the prey doesn't escape, the hunter doesn't die," a blessing given by parents to their children when they leave home to hunt. The Mary Masa people are a minority group on the border, and they have gradually attracted more attention from the outside world in recent years.

　　Day 5: Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area + Tongle Village (primitive village) - end of the trip and return journey

　　In the heart of the Three Parallel Rivers, lies the largest Lisu village in China, renowned for its "Achimukuagua" dance. Here, well-structured wooden houses stand in orderly fashion, showcasing intangible cultural heritage. The Lisu people are warm and sincere, and the village scenery is vibrant throughout the year. The Lisu people, one of Yunnan's unique ethnic groups, are mainly distributed in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture and Weixi Lisu Autonomous County in Yunnan. Weixi Lisu Autonomous County is the only Lisu autonomous county in China and one of the main Lisu settlements in Yunnan Province. Tongle Village is located in Yezhi Town, Weixi Lisu Autonomous County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Situated in the core area of the "Three Parallel Rivers" (referring to the Jinsha River, Lancang River, and Nujiang River), it is the most ethnically distinctive and well-preserved Lisu village in Weixi County and even the world.

　　III. Precautions + Transportation Guide

　　Before visiting the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area, you must first understand the time issue. It takes about 2 hours to reach the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area from Shangri-La and Lijiang, and the road is winding and narrow.

　　(I) Precautions

　　1. The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area is located in a hilly area with a large temperature difference between day and night. Bring a jacket and an umbrella.

　　2. The weather in the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area is changeable; it can vary greatly even within short distances. Weather forecasts are unreliable.

　　3. Try to avoid traveling during peak tourist seasons. A less crowded trip will provide a better experience and allow for a clearer understanding of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys.

　　4. The best time to observe the monkeys is crucial. They are most active between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM while foraging. After 11:00 AM, they take a nap, and the park closes at 11:30 AM for the protection of the monkeys. You will have to wait until the next morning.

　　(II) Transportation Guide

　　Airplane: Shangri-La Airport is 135 kilometers from the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area. There are flights to Shangri-La from Guangzhou, Shaanxi, Beijing, Kunming, Shanghai, and other places.

　　Train: Shangri-La Railway Station is 135 kilometers from the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area. High-speed rail service has been opened, and the journey from Lijiang to Shangri-La now takes just over an hour.

　　Car: There are bus stations and rural passenger services in Shangri-La City. The former has buses to Tacheng and Weixi (via Tacheng). The latter mainly operates in the morning and afternoon, but requires reservations. You can also contact the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area for assistance with booking a car.

　　Self-driving: The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area has many winding and narrow mountain roads. Driving requires caution and reduced speed. Self-driving is not recommended for those without sufficient mountain driving experience!

　　IV. Local Cuisine + Itinerary Meals

　　V. In-depth Travel Experience

　　Why is the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey scenic area a must-choose destination for research study tours and family tours? Listen to this story.

　　The Legend of the Origin of the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey

　　——Zhong Tai

　　In the hearts of the indigenous people of the Baima Snow Mountain, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey is a member of their tribe, because according to generations of legends, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey was originally a mountain dweller, just like them.

　　A long, long time ago, there was a very poor family living on the Baima Snow Mountain. They made a living by slash-and-burn agriculture, and their lives were very difficult, often having food one day but not the next. They were forced to frequently go down the mountain to borrow money and food from wealthy families in the plains. In years of good harvests, the mountain people had some income at the end of the year, barely enough to repay their debts, but in bad years, they could hardly even feed themselves, let alone repay their debts.

　　Although the mountain people's lives were difficult, they had two boys, bringing much joy to the family. However, the second boy born to the mountain people was a hairy child. This news quickly spread throughout the surrounding areas, causing unease among the people. Everyone wondered whether this never-before-seen "monster" was a blessing or a curse? No matter what people said, the mountain people did not dislike the hairy child at all; they were even very proud and would tell everyone, "Our second son never has to worry about clothes."

　　In this way, under the loving care and upbringing of his family, the hairy child grew up healthy. The hairy child was very intelligent and studious, and he was also very capable, mastering all life skills by the age of 16. Through his hard work and wise financial management, his family's life gradually improved. Not only did they repay all their debts, but they also accumulated savings and surplus food. After 10 years, the hairy child's family had reached the living standard of wealthy families in the plains.

　　Because the hairy child was well-liked and willing to help others, and the interest he charged for lending money and goods was reasonable, more and more mountain people in the surrounding areas borrowed money and food from his family, and the hairy child's reputation and fame grew higher and higher in the Baima Snow Mountain area.

　　At this time, the owner of a wealthy family in the plains who practiced usury discovered that since the hairy child's family on the mountain became wealthy, no one had come to borrow money or goods from him, and even the laborers had disappeared, causing his family's circumstances to become very poor. Therefore, the wealthy man's husband began to think of ways to find opportunities to retaliate against the hairy child.

　　One day, the wealthy man's husband asked his son to invite the hairy child to his home as a guest, saying, "I really want to learn from the hairy child about financial management, but I am old and frail, so I would like to ask the hairy child to come down the mountain to teach me." Seeing that someone had personally come to ask for help, the hairy child hurriedly prepared to go down the mountain. The hairy child's family was very familiar with the wealthy man's character and worried that his invitation had ulterior motives, so they persuaded the hairy child to refuse the invitation. However, the kind-hearted hairy child did not want to disappoint the person who had asked for help, and no matter how his family persuaded him, he resolutely went down the mountain to the wealthy man's house. Many mountain people, hearing this news, rushed to dissuade the hairy child on his way down the mountain: "That man is unreasonable; he must have bad intentions in inviting you." The hairy child, however, did not take it seriously, saying, "If they weren't really in trouble, they wouldn't have gone all the way up the mountain to ask for help. I can't let them down."

　　When the hairy child arrived in the plains, he saw the wealthy man standing at the gate to greet him from afar, which further strengthened his judgment. The man flattered the hairy child with polite words while leading him into the parlor and inviting him to sit in the seat of honor. Unexpectedly, the man had placed a red-hot iron chair in the seat of honor. As soon as the hairy child sat down, his buttocks were immediately burned and his skin was torn. The hairy child screamed in pain and hurriedly fled the wealthy man's house.

　　On his way back, the hairy child met a poor man he had once helped. Seeing his benefactor so cruelly wronged, the poor man burst into tears and quickly took off his linen shirt, cut it into short white pants, and put them on the hairy child, repeatedly urging him to go home and apply medicine to his wounds and not to trust others easily again.

　　The hairy child climbed back home, enduring the excruciating pain of his burns. His family and the poor people he had helped were filled with righteous indignation at the hairy child's plight, and they gathered together to prepare to take revenge on the evil man. However, the hairy child, disregarding his own pain, tried his best to persuade everyone not to go, saying, "Vengeance will never end; we cannot destroy the peace of the people's lives because of me." After persuading everyone, the hairy child remembered to treat his wounds. However, it was too late; the linen shorts were already stuck to his body and could not be removed. In this way, the hairy child became a hairy man with white shorts and black and white fur.

　　VI. Why Choose Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area

　　The Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area offers unexpected features and charm, adding an unforgettable memory to your life.

　　Welcome to the starting point of your dream journey—the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area. The Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area accompanies you on a journey through Tacheng, a secret land of three rivers, the back garden of Shangri-La, allowing you to carefree enter the home of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey! Here, it is a magical door for travel, each opening takes you into a wonderful unknown world. It is not just a simple transit station, but a vibrant and creative space.

　　Here, you will find:

　　The staff at the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area, your chosen beautiful woman (handsome man), are like storytellers, narrating the legends of each scenic spot, making you feel as if you are in a long scroll of history. Accompany you on a relaxing journey through Lingling's home.

　　The information desk acts as a beacon of wisdom, guiding your way forward and illuminating every step of your journey. The Expert Villa Hotel is like a warm harbor, allowing you to find comfortable support when you are tired and regain your energy. The transportation hub is like a time-travel machine, quickly taking you to every destination you long for.

　　The Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area is a place where dreams and passion converge.

　　It is a traveler's companion; our staff accompanies you on every journey filled with anticipation.

　　Here, there are no constraints, only endless possibilities.

　　Come, embark on your adventure, let the staff of the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area accompany you, making it the most unforgettable stop on your journey!

　　VII. Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area (Accompany you on a journey through the Three Rivers Secret Realm)

　　1. Provide consultation, booking of scenic area interpreters, booking of chartered scenic area sightseeing vehicles, guided tours (accompany you on a journey: half-day tour of the Bodhidharma Ancestor Cave, one-day tour of beautiful Bazhu, one-day trek through the ethnic villages Xiangguqing to Tuoluoding, trek through the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey National Park Tea Horse Ancient Road, monkey watching, one-day tour of the Lisu origin Tongle, one-day tour of Nanjieluo, trek through the Three Rivers Secret Realm, etc.),

　　3. There are many scenic areas under development in Weixi Tacheng, and the infrastructure is relatively underdeveloped. Remember not to enter areas that are explicitly prohibited.

　　4. Do not carve or write on any buildings or natural landscapes in the scenic area; practice civilized travel.

　　5. The Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Scenic Area has a large temperature difference between morning and evening; bring appropriate clothing according to the season.

　　6. The distance between some scenic spots is relatively far; prepare some dry food and snacks for emergencies.