Pudacuo National Park

National park · Shangri-La — Northwest Yunnan

Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-La, Northwest Yunnan
Photo: Colin W / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

China's first officially designated national park protects a plateau of alpine lakes east of Shangri-La, Shudu Lake sitting at 3,705 meters ringed by spruce and fir. Birch along the lake's east shore turns gold through October, framed by early snow on the surrounding peaks.

Best for: an easy alpine-lake loop with October birch

Don’t miss

  • China's first designated national park
  • Shudu Lake at 3,705m
  • Birch on the lake's east shore
Typical year

Peak: October 1–October 31

Climatological window from published records. The weather model’s elevation extrapolation isn’t reliable on this terrain, so this is the long-run normal rather than a season-specific forecast.

Source: https://govt.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202410/30/WS6721d1c7498eec7e1f725f47/explore-the-autumnal-beauty-of-pudacuo-national-park-in-shangri-la_1.html

When to go to Pudacuo National Park

Peak usually arrives somewhere between October 1 and October 31. The elevation is 3,614 m, which pulls the turn earlier.

Pudacuo National Park on the map

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Frequently asked

When does Pudacuo National Park peak?
In a typical year, color peaks around October 1–October 31. The weather model's elevation extrapolation isn't reliable on this terrain, so this is a climatological window (source: https://govt.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202410/30/WS6721d1c7498eec7e1f725f47/explore-the-autumnal-beauty-of-pudacuo-national-park-in-shangri-la_1.html) rather than a season-specific forecast.
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