How to plan a trip to Namtso, Tibet?

I used to go to Namtso in Tibet with a very experienced friend. Namtso was my heart. The moment I saw it, I was shocked by the beauty in front of me! Based on my travel experience, I will plan an itinerary for you. I hope it will be helpful for your trip to Namtso~

Namtso is roughly divided into two scenic spots:

1. Tashi Peninsula, located on the south coast of Namtso, is relatively easy to reach and is a place visited by many traditional tourists.

2. The Holy Elephant Gate, located on the north bank of Namtso, is a newly developed Internet celebrity attraction in recent years.

ps: It is impossible to check in both Namtso scenic spots in one day, because they are far apart and need to be checked in separately.

Let’s first talk about the scenic spot of Namtso Holy Elephant Gate, because this scenic spot has become more popular in recent years:

? Self-driving guide: It basically takes two days to go to the Holy Elephant Gate. Time

Departure from Lhasa on the first day and arrive at around 2pm.

Return to Lhasa on the second day.

The overall time: Lhasa-Namtso Township is about 5 hours, Namtso Township-Holy Elephant Tianmen is about 2.5 hours. The road to Shengxiang Tianmen is not easy to walk, it is a washboard road, so be mentally prepared! On the other hand, there are only ruts along the way, so people who have never been there can easily go wrong.

Tickets: 80 yuan/person (you need to make an appointment to purchase tickets on the WeChat official account three days in advance, or purchase tickets on Meituan)

Namtso opening hours: 6:00~ every day 18:00

Address: Tibet Namtso Nature Reserve, Bangor County, Nagqu City

Holy Elephant Tianmen Highlights Holy Elephant - the iconic building of the Holy Elephant Tianmen. Gaoya—a perfect place to enjoy the panoramic view of the Holy Elephant Gate. Moon Bay - Climb the high cliff and overlook the crescent-shaped Moon Bay. Three Lives Stone - Legend has it that couples in this life can come here to seek marriage for three lives.

Highlights:

There are two places worth seeing in the Holy Elephant Gate. One is the high landscape, which overlooks the Holy Elephant Gate and the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains in the distance. the commanding heights. The altitude here itself is quite high, and the slope of this hill is quite steep. Stumbling and slowly, we climbed to the top of the mountain. Amidst a wave of sighs, I saw the Holy Elephant Tianmen that I had longed for.

The second point is under the Holy Elephant Gate. This is the closest point in many videos. You can pass through the door hole of the elephant's trunk. Opposite the lake is the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains.

Travel tips:

Namtso is at a high altitude, so do not exercise strenuously, rest more, and carry anti-altitude medicine and oxygen bottles.

Namtso has a high altitude and low temperature, so be careful to keep warm. The weather is changeable and the temperature is even lower at night, so you need to wear a down jacket.

Naganla Pass is an excellent place to overlook Namtso, but the wind is very strong, so it is recommended to wear a jacket.

Be careful when taking photos. If you take photos of the Tibetan cattle and sheep surrounding you, you may be charged.

There is a unified price for horse riding in Namtso. Negotiate the price first before riding, otherwise the price may be sky-high.

The Tashi Peninsula is also worth a visit, let’s take a look at the guide~

Address: Namtso Tashi Peninsula Scenic Area

Tickets: 110 Yuan/person; sightseeing bus 105 Yuan/person

Tashi Peninsula travel time: 1 day

Recommended itinerary

Departure to Namtso at 7:30 ( Passing the Qinghai-Tibet Highway)

10:00 Northern Tibet Prairie (snowy mountains and grassland scenery along the way)

12:40 Nagenla Pass (far away from Qingtanggula Mountain)

13:10 In-depth tour of Namtso (Tashi Peninsula, Blue Holy Lake)

14:40 Return to Lhasa (you can soak your feet in hot springs on the way)

Highlights of Tashi Peninsula The Welcome Stone - the door god of Namtso's Gassho Stone - the must-visit place to check in and take photos, the Good and Evil Cave - God's warning to the world, Tashi Island Temple

Tour tips: Drone aerial photography, 360-degree panoramic recording , you stand there and you are already the scenery. Natural hot spring experience, natural hot spring on the plateau, a novel life experience. Look at the holy blue sky lake in the dream, the water and sky are the same color, this is the color palette of nature, it is incredibly blue. Standing at Nagenla Mountain Pass, the prayer flags are swaying in the wind, reflecting each other with the snow-capped mountains in the distance, full of sacredness and immortality.

About accommodation:

The accommodation conditions in Shengxiang Tianmen are limited and not very good, so you must be mentally prepared.

If you don’t want to stay at Shengxiang Tianmen, you can choose to stay in Damxiong. The accommodation conditions will be much better. You can book on Meituan in advance.

There is no place to eat in the scenic area. It is recommended to go back to Lhasa to eat. There are many delicacies in Lhasa. I recommend some Lhasa delicacies:

Qianzhan Yak Yogurt Shop (Bugong Branch) )

Recommended review package? The highland barley yogurt cake has a very refreshing taste. The rose yogurt has a sour and sweet taste. There are singers on site and the atmosphere is great. It is the first store I went to in Lhasa!

Per capita?20

Zomu jelly

The location is not close to the business district, but it is really worth it! Recommended? Fried potatoes and cold noodles. The cold noodles taste better than the jelly! It's spicy and acceptable. You don't need a bicycle for five yuan a bowl!

Per capita? 15

? Atiao·Tea (Jokhang Temple Store)

How can you come to Tibet and not drink Atiao milk tea? This is the one I drank It is conveniently located next to the Jokhang Temple. I recommend the Gesang Meiduo milk tea, which is fragrant and sweet. Overall, the taste is average, the price-performance ratio is not very high, and the cup is very beautiful and suitable for check-in.

Per capita? 20

Lao Guangming Gang Qiongtian Teahouse

The door is relatively small and you can follow the navigation. The environment is generally more down-to-earth and the store is large. Some of them are locals. You can take the cup by yourself and put it on the table. Just put the change on it. It costs one yuan a cup. If you use large banknotes, you can get change. You will be charged once for each drink. You must go to this restaurant to experience it!

Per capita? 2

? Xunshi·Tibetan seasonal set meal (Bakuo Street store)

The store recommended a review set in a small alley and I ordered it ?Tibetan wild mushroom chicken noodle soup is more recommended. The wild mushroom soup is more delicious. The noodles/noodles are really fragrant and you can refill them for free. Next time I go to Lhasa, I will definitely come here to eat!

Per capita?55

Travel Tips: The local altitude is about 4,718 meters, which is more than 1,000 meters higher than Lhasa. It is easy to suffer severe altitude sickness, so it is recommended to rest for two days in Lhasa. Relax and adapt before going. The terrain is very high, the weather is changeable, and the temperature is extremely low at night, so bring warm clothes. It is common for attractions to close due to bad weather. To avoid losses, it is best to check the weather forecast in advance and choose suitable weather to visit. The epidemic and weather have a great impact on the operation of scenic spots. It is recommended to follow the official public account "Namtso National Park" for real-time updates. There is no food in the scenic area, so you need to bring your own.