Nam Ha National Park is the second-largest and most visited nature park in Laos. It is located in the Luang Namtha region in the northwest of the country and was established in 1993 by ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA) to protect the fragile ecosystem and valuable biodiversity of northern Laos. The mountainous Nam Ha National Park extends over an area of 222,000 hectares to the border of China.

Within its borders, a variety of habitats can be found. Tropical and subtropical rainforests are crisscrossed by caves, the 3 huge river courses of the Nam Tha, Nam Fa and Man Long and waterfalls. About 2,000 different plants are native to the Nam Ha National Park, including the award-winning Aquilaria tree, which had to be put on the list of endangered species due to its excellent wood (eaglewood).

The wildlife of the Nam Ha National Park offers a wonderland for bird and butterfly lovers, as well as over 30 different mammal species, such as the Asian elephant, armadillos, tigers, leopards, black bears and the Gaur, the world's largest cattle. (franks-travelbox.com)

This beautiful town, with 40,000 inhabitants, is located between the mountains and Erhai Lake. The beauty of the region and its banana pancakes attract tourists to the area.
Somewhat too crowded today, Dali is still an impressive city. The Bai minority founded it about 3,000 years ago and 1.5 million Bai still live in the area.
Famous sights in Dali are the three Pagodas created in the 9th century, the tallest of which stands at 70 meters.

Lijiang is Yunnan's pride and joy. UNESCO World Heritage Site, a city of music, flowers, water channels, and 300 bridges - with unique architecture. In addition, clear air, a mild climate, lush vegetation, and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,596m) at your feet.
Lijiang means "city by a beautiful river", a very fitting description: girls are selling small, lotus-shaped polystyrene boats with candles on the streets. Light the candle, make a wish, and send the boat on one of the many canals of the city. When you walk through the narrow cobblestone streets late in the evening, the canals of Lijiang shine in a myriad of glowing boats.
Of course, in a city like Lijiang, you are not alone. Eleven million tourists come here every year, and the numbers are rising rapidly. For them, the old town is being extended more and more, because in China, buildings do not have to be really old to be old. What really counts is the spirit.

The Tiger Leaping Gorge is 16 kilometers long and the elevation difference between the Yangtze River and the snow-covered peaks of the mountains of Haba Shan is about 3,900 meters. It is possible to ride down the gorge by motorcycle and stop at Tina’s Guesthouse.
From the guesthouse, there is a 40-minute walking trail down to the Tiger Leaping Stone.
A legend says that a tiger once jumped over the Yangtze River from this stone ...

Shangri-La, formerly known as Zhongdian, is the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is located in Yunnan Province, in southern China. Shangri-La is a Tibetan word meaning 'land of holiness and peace'.

Shangri-La is unique for its Tibetan culture and mountainous landscape and is known for its snow-capped peaks and spectacular gorges. More than 20 national minorities live there; the Tibetans make up the majority of the population. The place offers an opportunity to get in tune with the Tibetan lifestyle and religion.

The best place to do this is the famous Sumtseling Monastery, which stands on a hill north of the city of Shangri-La. It was built in 1679 by the fifth Dalai Lama, largely destroyed in 1959 and restored in 1983. The largest monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in Yunnan used to be home to up to 2,000 monks, today around 700 live here and fill the place with life. Due to its size and importance, the monastery is often referred to as the "little Potala Palace".

Lamaling Temple is a stunning building in a beautiful setting. It has recently been restored, is full of Buddhas, prayer wheels and yak butter candles and offers a truly Tibetan experience.

Namco Lake (Nam Tso in Tibetan) is the world’s highest lake (of substantial size) and one of the most beautiful natural sights in Tibet. It is also one of the last places where you can see Tibetan nomads, the so-called drokpas, and catch a glimpse of their way of life, which is highly endangered.
At the tip of a peninsula on the southern shore of the lake is Tashi Do Monastery, consisting of several small chapels. With the turquoise water of Namco Lake and the snowy peak of Nyenchen Tanglha as a backdrop, they offer a truly spectacular sight. If the altitude (15,800 ft.) leaves you with enough breath and power you can go on a short kora, a traditional pilgrim circuit around the monastery and see prayer flags, hermit’s caves, and ancient rock drawings. With a little luck, you may even watch some pilgrims undertake a ritual washing in the lake.

Today we ride to the Everest Base Camp. This is as close to the mountain as you can get without actually climbing it.
Getting there is already spectacular. It is also quite difficult and exhausting since the road features more than 100 hairpin turns and takes us all the way up to Pang-La pass (17,200 ft.). From here you can catch the first glimpse of Everest and his neighbors Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Makalu. The road is open for traffic all the way to Rongphu Monastery, which is famous for the fact that it is Tibet’s (and the world’s) highest, at 16,600 ft. From here we have to take a bus for the last four kilometers to reach Base Camp. The ultimate reward: A photo of you at the legendary Base Camp marker and possibly a phone call, telling folks at home that you made it (there is cell phone coverage at the camp!).

In the 7th century Tibet was unified for the first time and Songtsen Gampo, the King, made Lhasa his capital. The Jokhang, the heart of the Tibetan Old Town, dates back to that era. Later the center of power shifted to other places in Tibet, but in 1642 the fifth Dalai Lama moved his court back to Lhasa. He built the Potala Palace, by far the most famous structure in Tibet, a symbol for the Dalai Lama, for Tibetan Buddhism, for the country and its struggle for freedom.
Modern-day Lhasa counts close to 500,000 inhabitants, around 20 times the number of 50 years ago. At least two-thirds are Han Chinese. Lhasa’s most famous landmark is, of course, the Potala Palace, a massive fortress-like structure sitting high on a hill west of the Old Town. For more than 300 years it has been the home of the Dalai Lamas and the seat of the Tibetan Government until, in 1950, China invaded Tibet. Since the escape of the current 14th Dalai Lama to India in 1959, the Potala has been lifeless and dormant like a museum, aside from the 2,300 tourists that are allowed inside each day.
Tibet’s most revered religious structure is the Jokhang, a temple founded around 640 AD. “Thick with the smell of yak butter, echoing with the murmur of mantras and bustling with awed pilgrims, the Jokhang is an unrivaled Tibetan experience” (Lonely Planet). The area around the Jokhang is called Barkhor, an interesting blend of pilgrim circuit and Tibetan market. These three attractions alone could keep you busy for days!

Enclosed within massive walls, gates, and turrets built of rammed earth and stone the White and Red Palaces and ancillary buildings of the Potala Palace rise from Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley at an altitude of 3,700 meters. As the winter palace of the Dalai Lama from the 7th century CE, the complex symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet. The White Palace contains the main ceremonial hall with the throne of the Dalai Lama, and his private rooms and audience hall are on the uppermost level. The palace contains 698 murals, almost 10,000 painted scrolls, numerous sculptures, carpets, canopies, curtains, porcelain, jade, and fine objects of gold and silver, as well as a large collection of sutras and important historical documents. To the west and higher up the mountain the Red Palace contains the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas. Further west is the private monastery of the Dalai Lama, the Namgyel Dratshang. (whc.unesco.org)