Shangri-La: A Travel Guide to the Himalayan Dream (Bradt Travel Guide)

Shangri-La: A Travel Guide to the Himalayan Dream (Bradt Travel Guide)

by Michael Buckley (Author)

Synopsis

Shangri-La is one of the most evocative myths of our time -so powerful that it has entered the dictionary as a synonym for paradise.As myths go, it is a young one: Shangri-La made its debut with the 1933 publication of British author James Hilton's novel, Lost Horizon. No sooner was Shangri-La created by Hilton than a host of places staked claims to being the real location that inspired the book.This guide to the mythical site of Shangri-La is rooted in the glorious reality of the Himalaya, encompassing parts of southwest China, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim and Ladakh. It forms a concise guide to the most remote areas of the region, with a focus on major mountain peaks, and some well-chosen treks in each area.Practical information and maps will ensure that visitors can make the most of their trip to this other-worldly destination, while armchair readers can browse and dream...* First and only guide on the market blending exploration of the myth with practical advice on visiting the contested sites* Focus on the region's legendary sacred peaks and monasteries, including acclimatisation hikes, as well as tougher treks* Provides background on oddball adventurers and seekers of lost kingdoms of the Himalaya* Sidebars on esoteric topics like Tracking the Yeti (Bhutan) and Crazy about Hockey (Ladakh)* Illustrated wildlife appendix - a concise field guide to the most unusual animals* Extended color photo sections to illustrate the concept of Shangri-La

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 248
Edition: First edition
Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides
Published: 01 Nov 2008

ISBN 10: 1841622044
ISBN 13: 9781841622040

Media Reviews
'This is an esoteric but interesting guide to vast stretches of the Himalayas. While not exhaustive, it comes at places that have been written about ad infinitum from left field. It proves there are always new ways of looking at the same thing.' Sunday Telegraph 'The book is a good read which carries lightly its formidable research. The writing style is lucid, indeed rather racy and even colloquial in parts...which means that the considerable detail can be absorbed with ease. It is an extremely well-produced volume with excellent appendices and some wonderful coloured photographs.' Richard Hughes, The James Hilton Newsletter
Author Bio
Michael Buckley has travelled widely in Tibet, China, central Asia and the Himalaya, visiting many Tibetan enclaves. He is author of Eccentric Explorers, a book about the exploits of ten fearless adventurers to the Tibetan plateau, and of a travel narrative, Travels in the Tibetan World. For Bradt, he has also authored Shangri-La: A Travel Guide to the Himalayan Dream - a concept guidebook that covers contenders for the Shangri-La crown across the Himalayan range. In the course of numerous journeys to Tibet, Buckley has hitchhiked overland from Chengdu to Lhasa, trekked around Mount Kailash and mountain-biked from Lhasa to Kathmandu.