Balagezong Shangri-La Grand Canyon National Park — Attraction in Nixi

Balagezong Canyon is jaw dropping, but the real monument here isn’t cliffs or rivers, it’s Sina Dingzhu. Born barefoot in Bala Village, blinded in one eye as a kid, he trekked five days just to see electricity for the first time. Instead of sighing and going home, he thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll just build a road through mountains that even goats side eye.’ Thirty years of struggle, ridicule, and sheer stubbornness later, he did it. In 2008 the road opened, and suddenly his village had power, phones, opportunity, and a future.

The trip itself is part theme park, part TED Talk. The bus winds through canyons while screens play documentaries about Dingzhu’s life, so you feel guilty for ever complaining about traffic jams. At the tourist center you swap buses like you’re queuing for rides, only here the rides are ancient Bodhi trees clinging to cliffs, stupas smothered in prayer flags, and Echo Valley with a glass walkway for people who like testing their bladder control. There’s even a zip line, because why not turn spiritual awe into an adrenaline coupon.

The Grand Canyon Trail is the real highlight, a peaceful boardwalk beside turquoise streams so clear the fish look like they’re in 4K. If you’re still standing, the Shambala Buddha Tower at 4,050 meters will humble you, either with mystical beauty or altitude-induced hallucinations.

Balagezong is more than scenery, it’s living proof that one stubborn dreamer can outmuscle fate. Sina Dingzhu didn’t just build a road, he built a bridge between isolation and hope. The canyon takes your breath, his story takes...

We went to the canyon lured by the "hiking paths" on all the maps. Instead we paid (220 pp) for a bus that left shagri la 9:45 and then changed to another bus that drove us to a fake a** pagoda (completely fake) and when we asked where can we hike from we were laughed at by everybody.

Turns out u have NO other option than to stay with the bus which covers 4 of the 10+ stops alond the park and gives u roughly 30m to 1 hour on each. Two are "Tibetan culture" - completely fake (honestly - they were still building the "1000 year old" village in which only personal lives!!!) And two include a walk on wooden frames built in the rock..... not for 1 meter can u actually not walk on paved road.

If u miss your buss ure screwed. All buses are full and the guide counts the ppl before they leave. No info is available for the paths! The busses dont stop close to the trailheads.

This was outrageous. I understand the hiking culture isnt strong in China but they made hiking impossible.

To go to this amazing nature and not to be able to explore it is simply...

Balakezong 巴拉克宗 is a must visit in Shangri La 香格里拉. The mountain peaks at 5,500 meters and it forms part of the Tibetan highland plateau. Entering this sacred Buddhism holy mountains brings a sense of awe. Beautiful and majestic. It takes about 5-6 hours to complete all the major shuttle bus stopovers - you cannot walk. It is an amazing place that will take your breath away. We hired a car for return journey. You can also take a public bus from Dukezong - no need private tour. Foreigners need passports to...