Hidden in the hills of northwest
Yunnan, in southwest China,
among snowy mountain
peaks and lush green valleys, is
a set of boutique lodges unlike
anything we’ve ever stayed in before,
seamlessly mixing Tibetan culture
and hospitality with vibrant colours
and beautiful local furnishings. The
Songtsam Lodges were set up by
award-winning CCTV documentary
film director and Shangri-La native
Baima Duoji, who had a desire to
share his love for his home region
and Tibetan culture with the world.
Since the first lodge opened
in 2001, Duoji has opened in an
additional four locations, with plans
for properties in Lijiang, Lhasa and
Linzhi, allowing guests to enjoy
travel between Yunnan and Tibet in
maximum comfort and Songtsam
style. A stay with Songtsam can
be completely personalised, from
a one-night stop in the Shangri-La
lodge to a multi-day trip covering the
current Songtsam circuit.
We begin at Songtsam Shangri-La,
the brand’s first lodge with 22
guestrooms situated at an altitude
of 3,300m. It is located in a small
village bordering Shangri-La, the
former city of Zhongdian that was given the name of James Hilton’s
fictional location in 2001. The area,
known to Tibetans as Gyaitang,
is also home to the resplendent
Songzanlin Monastery and
picturesque Lamuyangcuo Lake.
When we arrive, the sun is setting
and infusing the area with a golden
glow, made even sweeter by the
welcome offering of ginger tea and
homemade biscuits.
Up the hill is
the much larger
Songtsam Retreat –
with 75 guestrooms,
a spa and more dining
options – which offers
'Tibetan breathing
classes' and yoga
in the morning,
plus cultural dance
ceremonies and butter-tea-making
demonstrations in the evenings.
Although we could imagine
staying happily ensconced in the
Shangri-La lodge for days, weeks,
or even months, we venture out
with our local driver and guide to
explore the villages, landscape
and lodges that lie beyond. The
area is surrounded by the Yangtze,
Mekong and Salween rivers, and we
feel immediately refreshed by the abundance of trees and wildlife, the
clean air and the crisp, clear water.
Heading northwest towards the
Benzilan Lodge, we drive past the
peaceful Napa Lake, where our
guide tells us that Songtsam can
arrange for guests to go horse riding
and enjoy a picnic lunch. Also en
route, guests can arrange a visit to
Nixi village, where they’ll learn how
to make black pottery
items before feasting
on a luscious and
warming Nixi chicken
hotpot cooked in the
area’s traditional
black pots.
After the 80km
drive, we fall
immediately in love
with the Benzilan
Lodge (at a more manageable
altitude of 1,900m). With ten guest
rooms, and located in a village of
only 17 families, we feel completely
at peace in this isolated spot.
From here, we head out on an
easy two-hour hike, walking paths
surrounded by trees and packed
with leaves that crunch underfoot.
We pass by cows and yaks, eat wild
strawberries and drink fresh water
from the local stream. At the end of the walk we are met by the Benzilan
staff who have arranged a picnic for
us among the trees.
From Benzilan, guests can
continue on to the Meili Lodge,
located at an altitude of 3,600m
in the tiny village of Gujinong and
with views over the Meili Snow
Mountain Range. This even more
remote setting provides the
perfect opportunity to disconnect
from the rest of the world and
embrace local village life and the
epic natural surrounds.
All the Songtsam lodges offer
freshly cooked meals and afternoon
teas, so eating well is never an
issue. Expect a delicious mix of yak,
chicken or pork meat, accompanied
by fluffy white rice and heaving
plates of local vegetables (the
Benzilan Lodge even has a large
vegetable garden that provides
organic produce). And don’t skip a
bottle of the surprisingly balanced
and moreish locally-made Shangri-La
Alti wine.
Although an optional extra, the
benefit of a guide comes with the
serendipitous encounters you’ll
have with the locals you meet along
the way. Our guide, Ring, who spent
a year working at Meili, and two at Benzilan Lodge, knows the area and
locals like he’s been there his whole
life. It’s this knowledge that leads
us to meet local incense makers in
a tiny village (translated as 'Village
11' in English). The artisans allow us
into their workroom, handing us off-cuts
of juniper wood to sniff, while
showing us how they lay tray after
tray of incense sticks.
Similarly, in Meili, Ring
introduces us to a local Tibetan
family of farmers, who welcome us
into their home and offer us butter
tea, yak cheese and tsampa (a
traditional staple of roasted flour).
Although this kind of visit would
normally feel like an imposition,
our affable guide makes these
interactions fun and relaxed, and
the family is warm and chatty before
sending us upstairs to help hand
print lung ta (prayer flags) in their
prayer room.
Travel in this part of northwest
Yunnan may conjure up images
of rough and ready hostels and
guesthouses, but after even a few
nights staying in the wonderfully
comfortable Songtsam Lodges,
it’s hard not to feel at home with the
warm hospitality, big smiles and
kindness that oozes from the staff
who are scattered throughout these
wildly scenic and remote locations.
Essential info
A one-night stay in the Songtsam
Shangri-La Lodge starts from
1,380RMB including breakfast and
afternoon tea (with a discounted rate
available for multiple-night stays). A
one-night stay at Songtsam’s Tacheng,
Cizhong, Meili or Benzilan lodges starts
from 2,180RMB, including breakfast,
lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (again,
with a discounted rate available for
multiple-night stays).
Tours can be arranged from two days
to a full nine-day circuit, with prices
starting at around 4,800RMB for two
people for a two-day tour including all
meals and activities, plus transfers and
a local guide. Contact info@songtsam.com for more details regarding
customised tours.
Getting there
There are flights to Lijiang from Beijing
daily, starting from around 1,700RMB
return on Ctrip.com. Songstam can
arrange transfers from Lijiang. For
more information on the Songtsam
Lodges, visit songtsam.com, email
info@songtsam.com or call +86 887
8288 8886