Pudacuo National Park: Shudu Lake, Bita Lake and a High-Altitude Visit
Visit Pudacuo National Park from Shangri-La: Shudu Lake and Bita Lake above 3,500 m, opening hours, 138 yuan ticket, bus and taxi options.
Photo: 风二中 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Contents
Pudacuo National Park is a high-altitude lake landscape 22 kilometres from Shangri-La in northwest Yunnan. It combines the Bita Hai nature reserve with the Shudu Lake area in the Haba section of the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage property. This is a day for water, meadows and forest, not for city sights: Shudu Lake and Bita Lake are its main attractions.[1]
Two lakes above 3,500 metres
Bita Lake lies at 3,538 metres. It is a fault-formed lake fed by snowmelt streams, with a wooded island in the middle that carries an old Buddhist hall. Rhododendrons and meadows frame the shore.[2] Shudu Lake, at 3,595 metres, is 2.8 kilometres long and 0.7 kilometres wide. It is known for morning mist and reflections, rhododendrons in spring and colourful forest in autumn. A 3.3-kilometre wooden boardwalk leads you through the old-growth forest beside it.[3]
Between the two lakes, the Miritang meadow lies at about 3,700 metres. Its name means “Buddha’s eye meadow” because the grassland is long and narrow like an eye.[1] The air is thin up here, so walk slowly, take breaks and bring warm layers.
Things to Do
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Opening hours and tickets
The park is open all year, from 08:00 to 16:30. Hours change between low and high season and around public holidays, and some areas of the park are closed. Admission is 68 yuan and the sightseeing bus is another 70 yuan, so a ticket costs 138 yuan per person. You can book online, or call the ticket hotline on 0887 8232533.[1]
Getting there from Shangri-La
The park is about 22 kilometres from central Shangri-La, a drive of 30 to 40 minutes on a mostly paved road with a few winding mountain stretches.[4] Buses run from Shangri-La Coach Station in the morning, with departures between 08:00 and 10:00, and return in the afternoon, the last one at 16:30. The ride takes about half an hour.[2] By taxi or chartered car, agree a pickup time with the driver and take their phone number, because it is hard to find a taxi at the park gate.[4][2]
Plan the day
Come early. Take the bus from Shangri-La in the morning, walk the boardwalk at Shudu Lake while the mist is still on the water, and catch a bus back in the afternoon. Allow half a day at least, and more if you want to see both lakes without hurrying.
For wider trip planning, see our China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Diqing Tourism Group Co., Ltd., Pudacuo Tourism Branch (park operator): Pudacuo National Park official site: tickets, opening hours, overview. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [2] Diqing Tourism Group Co., Ltd., Pudacuo Tourism Branch (park operator): Bita Lake. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [3] Diqing Tourism Group Co., Ltd., Pudacuo Tourism Branch (park operator): Shudu Lake. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [4] Diqing Tourism Group Co., Ltd., Pudacuo Tourism Branch (park operator): Pudacuo National Park visitor guide. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shudu Lake and Bita Lake are the main attractions. The Miritang meadow lies between them. Some areas of the park are closed.
No. Pudacuo is part of it. The park combines the Bita Hai nature reserve with the Shudu Lake area in the Haba section of the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage property.
Bita Lake lies at 3,538 metres and Shudu Lake at 3,595 metres above sea level. Walk slowly and take breaks.
Both lakes are the main attractions, but some areas of the park are closed. Ask at the ticket office which sections are open on your day.
The park is about 22 kilometres from central Shangri-La, a drive of 30 to 40 minutes. Buses run from Shangri-La Coach Station in the morning and return in the afternoon, and you can also go by taxi or chartered car.
The park is open all year from 08:00 to 16:30. Hours change between low and high season and around public holidays.
A ticket costs 138 yuan per person: 68 yuan for admission and 70 yuan for the sightseeing bus.
Allow half a day at least, and more if you want to see both lakes without hurrying. The lakes lie above 3,500 metres, so walk slowly and take breaks.
