Shangri-La Niding Forest｜No Crowds During National Day! Hiking the Magical Forest of Yunnan with a 5-Year-Old

🌲Do you want to stroll with your child on a moss carpet? The road, trees, and stones are covered with thick green moss. Long pine lichens hang like pearl necklaces on the mottled pine trees. Creek water flows along the side of the mountain path. White and red small mushrooms dot the decayed wood lying in the forest. Hiking here feels like entering a magical forest. Since I was traveling with my little daughter Bozhu and my parents, the trip was not rushed. We stayed two nights in Niding Village—early morning we went to the viewing platform to gaze at the sea of clouds, then returned to the guesthouse for breakfast. After eating well, we packed the guesthouse’s butter tea and fried rice cakes, and took Bozhu and my parents to hike in Niding Forest. In the afternoon, we returned to the guesthouse for free-range chicken hotpot, and at night watched the stars in the guesthouse courtyard—relaxed and comfortable. ✅ Short route, little elevation gain, family, pet, and elderly friendly ✅ Creek + small waterfall + primeval forest + alpine pasture ✅ Altitude 3300m, low risk of altitude sickness ✅ Few people and beautiful scenery, no crowd even during holidays 📍 Transportation ▫️ Navigate to Niding, all cement roads ▫️ 2 hours self-drive from Shangri-La or Deqin 🗺️ Hiking route ▫️ Total 7.8km, elevation gain 280m ▫️ Niding Village (hiking entrance) → Niding Primeval Forest → Dongla Pasture → return along the tractor road ➡️ Outbound: 4.8km one way, winding trail along the creek inside the primeval forest, longer but very rewarding experience ⬅️ Return: 3km one way, wide dirt road along the forest edge, straight and shorter route 📓 TIPS ✔️ Niding Forest altitude 3200-3400m, low risk of altitude sickness ⚠️ Weather is changeable, bring a raincoat