The magical grassland that changes with the seasons

Napa Hai (Yila) Grassland is located 8 kilometers northwest of Shangri-La City (formerly Zhongdian County), Yunnan, and is a seasonal high mountain lake and also a subalpine swampy meadow. This grassland is a fault structure with a wetland area of 2083 hectares, and the average annual temperature ranges from 1°C to 13°C. On one side, it connects with the Dazhongxun Basin, where the lake and grassland merge into one. At the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, this place becomes a large lake with a small patch of grassland by its side. When the dry season of winter and spring comes, the lake shrinks or even dries up, turning into a vast swampy meadow, which is the Yila Grassland. According to legend, Bao Mountain, standing to the north of Napa Hai (Yila) Grassland, is a sacred mountain, and thus the local Tibetans call this grassland Yila Grassland. Napa Hai (Yila) Grassland is the largest grassland in Shangri-La, and when autumn arrives, it turns into a golden sea, fully displaying the primitive natural beauty of the grassland. In the deep winter, the black-necked crane, a bird unique to China, will fly to the swampy meadow to overwinter. There are hardly any shopping spots around the lake of Napa Hai Grassland, so visitors need to prepare their own provisions and water in advance. You can either take the 2 yuan lake-circling bus or rent an electric cart for 80 yuan a day to enjoy a leisurely visit. If you have arranged for a photographer to take portraits on the grassland, be aware that holding a lamb for a photo costs 20 yuan per time, and bargaining is possible.