Explore Shangri-La with Banyan Tree Ringha's New All-Inclusive Program

An unparalleled opportunity to explore Tibetan culture and customs first-hand in this mystical paradise. Guests are invited to experience this otherworld with the new “Spirit of Shangri-La” program, a unique portfolio of authentic cultural experiences coupled with all-inclusive meals, accommodation, transfers, tours and treks, a personal local guide, entrance tickets to various sites and all ground transportation, enabling guests to truly relax as they immerse themselves in the surrounding culture.

Guests will begin each day with an invigorating, instructor-led stretching exercise before embarking on series of cultural tours and treks, followed by an authentic Tibetan lunch in a variety of breathtaking settings. Other activities include screenings of films relevant to the destination, locally-inspired spa treatments at the renowned Banyan Tree Spa and hot pot dinners featuring local ingredients. Specific excursions and treks can be customized and scheduled according to each guest's needs and preferences.

A variety of excursions are available including the Shangri-La Cultural Tour, which leads guests through picturesque villages and lush green valleys, providing fascinating insight into the rhythms and realities of everyday Tibetan life. Guests can truly transcend into the world of The Lost Horizon with a tour to the Songzanlin Lamasery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province and one of the 13 renowned sites in the Tibetan Kham, a historical region of land between the present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province. Guests may visit the main chapel, receive a blessing from the High Lama and bring home a Tibetan Blessing Scarf as a souvenir of their experience. Opened just six years ago to tourists, Shiga Snow Mountain is another fascinating excursion that brings guests to a breathtaking part of the valley that makes for an ideal winter visit. The Tsalong Village Trek offers panoramic views of Ringha Valley.

After an invigorating cultural experience or hike, guests may take advantage of the Banyan Tree Spa which features treatments inspired by traditional Himalayan wellness practices and the ancient Chinese philosophy of Five Elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water). Featuring intricate carvings and handcrafted Tibetan artifacts, the six-treatment room spa is a soothing retreat from which to rejuvenate after an active day.

The "Spirit of Shangri-La" program offers two options daily for tours and treks throughout the region, with local guides providing key insight and commentary on the daily life, customs and rituals of Tibetan culture. Guests may elect to embark on a program of up to eight nights, with prices ranging from $947 USD per suite per night for two persons from April through October and $637 USD per suite per night for two persons from November through March.

Hotel Profile, more photos: Banyan Tree Ringha