Picture of Shangri-La Mountain in Bitahai Nature Reserve

Bitahai Lake Nature Reserve is widely recognized as the most attractive sight in Shangri-La. In order to protect the Bitahai Lake Nature Reserve, the visitors are required to ride 22 km from Zhongdian County to Shuangqiao and then to walk or ride on horseback. Located at an elevation of 3500 meters, Bita Lake offers easy treks and horse riding through dense coniferous forests. Wild flowers, moss covered woods and spectacular autumn colors are featured in this highland lake reserve. Right around the lake there is a dense azalea forest, with flowers always in full bloom. In the fifth month of the Chinese lunar year, visitors can see a peculiar sight, the fallen azalea flowers afloat on the water, while the fish amuse themselves in the shallow water of the lake, swallowing the fallen azalea flowers. The fallen flowers are little poisonous, and will cause them to appear "drunk" as they float on the surface of the lake, so it is called "azalea making fish drunk”...