May we all find our own Songzanlin Monastery (with guide)

Songzanlin Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan and the center of the Gelug (Yellow) Sect in the Sichuan-Yunnan area. The monastery is built against the mountain, resplendent like a castle, and is also known as the 'Little Potala Palace'. Under the blue sky, white clouds, and snowy mountains, Songzanlin Monastery is solemn and sacred, yet exceptionally beautiful. However, many people complain that Songzanlin Monastery is quickly turning into a tourist area: inside the monastery, there are young men and women with delicate makeup and colorful Tibetan costumes, including myself. It cannot be denied that the unrestricted travel photography has brought too much secularism to the monastery. But the monks who shuttle through it still live their own lives every day, chanting and praying, quietly and peacefully watching the tourists, which is both tolerant and compassionate. 🪷 Travel and photography tips You can drive directly to the entrance of the scenic area, where there is ample parking, 3 yuan/hour. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance of the scenic area, either manually or self-service. 55 yuan + 10 yuan for a one-way/20 yuan for a round-trip scenic area shuttle bus. Online, there is only a 90 yuan package that includes a guide. The No. 3 bus is the most convenient for the return trip, with the bus station and the scenic area shuttle bus located outside the monastery gate, 2 yuan to the North/East Gate of the ancient city. The outbound trip stops outside the scenic area. From the entrance to the monastery gate is a 2-3 kilometer one-way trip, with not much to see. At the monastery gate is the Lamuyangcuo Lake, which is beautiful for reflections, but it is currently under major repair and fenced off. There are gaps that have been pried open where you can go down, but the staff do not recommend it, please consider for yourself. Near the outer internal parking lot of the monastery, there is an opening, which offers a beautiful view of the entire monastery. Songzanlin Monastery is at an altitude of 3300 meters, and you need to climb a lot of high steps, so please walk slowly. For those afraid of altitude sickness, there are locals who drive up to the entrance. The courtyards on both sides of the steps are called Kangshen, meaning monk community. On the high platform are the main square and three main halls. Please ascend and descend from the left side and visit in a clockwise direction. Photography is not allowed inside the main halls, and you cannot wear hats or sunglasses. Respect the faith, please do not speak loudly. It is recommended to rent Tibetan costumes in advance, most are 68 yuan per day including makeup. There are many rental places inside and outside the ancient city, so you can rent nearby. I rented mine at the entrance of the hotel alley, called Meiji, the owner is a Tibetan girl with quick actions and good aesthetics. She has two shops of her own, and you can find the clothes and makeup you want online, she basically has everything. The main square is a 'disaster area' for travel photography, with fewer people before 10 am. The left side faces the snow mountain but is backlit, so in the morning, people prefer to take photos on the right side. The red, yellow, and white walls all look great. The bell on the high door on the right side and the prayer wheels at the exit are very crowded, so go early.