Nagri Travel Guide

Basic information Nagri District Code: 0897 Tibet Tourism Bureau complaint telephone: 0891-6834193 Medical Treatment Nagri District People’s Hospital Address: South of the Great Cross Phone: 0897-2821452 Travel tips The altitude of Lhasa is only 3,650 meters, while the vast area […]

Contents

Basic information

Nagri District Code: 0897
Tibet Tourism Bureau complaint telephone: 0891-6834193

Medical Treatment

Nagri District People’s Hospital
Address: South of the Great Cross
Phone: 0897-2821452

Travel tips

The altitude of Lhasa is only 3,650 meters, while the vast area of Nagri is more than 4,000 meters. Usually, the highest point that travelers can reach is the Dolma, which is on the mountain road in Kailash. The altitude is close to 5,700 meters.
It is recommended before travelling to Nagri, you should stay in Lhasa for two or three days, and adapt to the high altitude before going to Nagri. If you have a severe cough, have difficulty breathing, and cannot lie down, you should immediatly go back to low altitude place.
The main safety concerns relate to the extreme remoteness of the area. Always bring a couple days of food with you when traveling outside of a village, and carry a few liters of water when traveling by truck, (The driver will probably have a big jerry can, but don’t be dependent on it). In summer it can be warm when the sun is out, but change as soon as it’s overcast to wintery conditions. Hail is common, and snow not unknown in the middle of summer. Bring a good sleeping bag, and warm cloths.

Destination overview

Destination sketch

Ngari is known as the “roof of the roof of the world” and the most “Tibetan” part of Tibet. Ngari averages 4,500 meters. It’s the place where the Himalayas, the Gangdise, the Kunlun Mountains and Karakorum Mountains meet. There are great mountains, beautiful lakes, vast grasslands and spectacular snow mountains in Ngari. Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarova in Ngari are symbolized as the “Sacred Mountain and Holy Lake” of the Buddhism and are the spiritual center of Buddhists.

Consumption level

Nagri is far from many places, has a very hhard transportation condition. Many people who do business are from Sichuan who are far away from home. The price level is high, but after the tar road of the 219 National Road is repaired, prices are not so high. 600 ml of cola is generally 4 yuan a bottle, stir-fry a meat dish 20-30 yuan, accommodation in a good hotel in the county town of about 100 yuan can take a hot bath, the price of 93 gasoline has been floating at 10 yuan / liter for many years.

Language help

Most of local people can not speak Englis.

Traffic

People traveling in the Nagri area are based on self-driving and chartered vehicles. Due to the remoteness of the attractions, it is not convenient to take the shuttle bus. If you have enough physical strength and time, choosing to travel by bike is also a challenging way. In addition, although free-riding travel has become more popular in recent years, it is not recommended in the Nagri area for security reasons.

Basically, the area enjoys a plateau monsoon climate. In summer, the monsoon from the Indian Ocean may bring precipitation to this area. During winter and spring, gales and strong temperature drop may frequently occur. Its annual average temperature remains around 19C (66.2F). During daytime in August, the temperature is above 10C (50F), but it may drop to the subzero. May to July and September to October are suitable for a visit. Due to the great temperature difference in a day, warm clothes should be the prime priority. The annual rainfall here is extremely slim and mainly happens during July to early September. Road conditions are really awful at that time.

Attractions

Tholing Monastery

Tholing means ‘hovering in the sky forever’ in Tibetan, and this indicates the imposing position occupied by the monastery. The Tholing Monastery is located in Zanda County, in the Ngari Region of western Tibet. Built by the second king of the Guge Kingdom in 996, it was the oldest Buddhist temple in the region. During its heyday, it was the main centre for the translation of Buddhist scriptures and the holding of religious ceremonies. The kingdom’s dominant function in introducing Buddhism to the heart of Tibet also contributed much to this temple. In the middle of the 11th century, the high lama from India Atisha lived and gave sermons there. Then in the year 1076 a religious ceremony to memorize the nirvana of this master was held there during the peak period of this glorious monastery. In subsequent years, the Tholing Monastery weathered several vicissitudes and was finally recognized as a cultural relic of national importance under the protection of the state at its 1,000th anniversary.

Ruins of Guge Kingdom

Located in the Ngari Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Ruins of Guge Kingdom are the Old Summer Palace of Tibet. While these ruins were once an imperial estate which fell into disrepair after the civil revolt and the invasion of the allied armies of eight foreign countries, the Guge kingdom also encountered civil strife and foreign attacks which fragmented the once prosperous state. However, the legendary kingdom hasn’t been totally lost as much can be learned about it from its remains.

Established in about the 10th century, it was founded by one branch of descendants of a nearby crumbled Kingdom. It was ruled by about 16 kings with armies of tens of thousands of soldiers during the over 700 years in which it flourished. Then in the 1660s, conflicts resulting from power disputes within the imperial family emerged which engendered restlessness in society and induced civil uprisings. To win power in the disordered state, the brother of the king asked the ruler of the neighboring country Ladakh (the present Kashmir) to send his army to help. This army overthrew and conquered the kingdom. Only years later was power returned to Tibet. During its lifetime the Guge Kingdom played an important part in the economic and cultural development of Tibet. It advocated Buddhism, and many versions of this religion were created here and their teachings were spread from here into the heart of Tibet. It also served as a major center for Tibet’s foreign trade.

Mount Kailash

Mount Kailash, located in the southwest of Ngari, Tibet and to the north of Lake Manasarova, is the second highest peak in the massive Gangdise Mountains with an altitude of 6,656 meters (21,837 feet). Shaped like a pyramid with a snow-caped round peak, it’s one of the top ten most beautiful and thrilling mountains in China.

Mount Kailash is considered as the sacred mountain by many religionists. Hindus believe it is the residence of Shiva and the center of the world; Tibetan Buddhists think it represents endless happiness; Jains take it as the place where their ancestor was enlightened; Bons also believe it’s the center of the universe. For centuries, Mount Kailash is the dreamland of pilgrims and adventurers and many of them come to circumambulate the mountain for good luck. However, in history, nobody dares to climb this holy mountain and no religionists allow this.

Lake Manasarova

Lake Manasarova, meaning “Invincible Jasper Lake” in Tibetan, is located in Burang County, Ngari, Tibet and 30 kilometers (10 miles) southeast of Mount Kailash. With an altitude of 4,588 meters (15,049 feet), it is one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world and the clearest lake in China. It is also renowned as one of three holiest lakes in Tibet. Buddhists believed that the Mansarovar Lake is a treasure given by the Buddha and that can cleanse the filth of their skin and in their inner hearts, and prolong their lives. Therefore a lot of believers circumambulate the lake or bath in the lake.

Pangong Tso Lake

Pangong Tso Lake, meaning long neck swan in Tibetan, is located partly in China and the rest is in Kashmir that is controlled by India. This inland lake is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from northwestern Rutog County, Ngari District of Tibet. It is 155 kilometers (96.3 miles) long from east to west and very narrow from south to north, 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) at the widest part and only 5 meters (16 feet) at the narrowest part. The depth of water is 57 meters (187 feet). And the entire Pangong Tso Lake is 4,240 meters (13,911 feet) above sea level.

Food

The Ngari diet belongs to the system of Chiang cuisine.
The Chiang cuisine refers to the diet of the pasturing area on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The major materials are cheese, cow hoofs, acidophilus milk and ghee. Generally, only one kind of material is used for a diet, which then has the nature flavor. Chiang cuisine tastes salty, light, fresh, sour and delicious. The Chiang food can help people adapt themselves to the cold climate of the plateau.

Accommodation

In Ngari, the standard of accommodation is poor. Baths are only available in Shiquanhe Town.

Recommended Places to Stay in Ngari:
Lake Manasarova
Tourists can live at the barracks houses of the stationed frontier Chinese Armed Police. It is clean there. The Price is RMB 15 yuan a night. Tourists can have dinner at the army’s kitchen, but it is a little expensive. A bowl of noodle costs RMB 10 yuan.

Burang County in Ngari
Tourists can live at the rest houses opened by the government. Boiled water is available. Water in the vat is available for daily use. The price: RMB25 yuan per person each night.

Gangdise Hotel
It is located near Mt. Kailash (Gang Rimpoche in Tibetan). Each room holds 4 persons. Price: RMB 50-60yuan for each bed each night. Boiled water and food are available.