Doris Duke cared deeply for the natural environment. At Shangri La, her passion spurred the creation of the Mughal Garden. During her travels, Duke visited many Mughal gardens in South Asia including those in India, Kashmir, and Pakistan and she decided to build her own version in Hawaii. She wrote that she was particularly influenced by Shalimar Garden in Lahore, Pakistan.

At Shangri La, the Mughal Garden is composed of a long, narrow brick pathway with a water channel running down the center, geometrically shaped planters, and chinikhanas (niches for oil lamps) at one end. At night, with electric candles lit in the chinikhanas, a magical effect was produced when water cascaded in front of the lights and into the channel below. Additional water springs forth from a series of lotus-shaped fountains in the water channel. The garden mimics the four part garden scheme typical of historic Mughal gardens, but on a much smaller and narrower scale.