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Tibet's heavenly lake During this trip in Tibet, you visit Namtso which is Tibetan for 'Heavenly Lake';a turquoise salt lake located at an altitude of 4730m. It's more or less the access gate to Northern Tibet's wilderness. This land is home to Nomadic Tibetans, meditation caves and all around the lake there's a pilgrim's route running across the Changtang plateau.We don't recommend travelling straight from Lhasa to Namtso. There's quite a significant difference in altitude between the two locations, so during this trip in Tibet, you'll want to spend the night acclimatising. It's best to visit Namtso after visiting Shigatse, after our Tibet trek or our trip to the Tibet Everest base camp. If you'd like to build your own Tibet holiday, you can choose from our range of bite-sized trips to Tibet or take your pick from one of our suggested holidays in Tibet. You can also combine your Tibet holiday with a trip to China; simply choose from our bite-sized China trips. |
| Duration |
2 days/ 1 night departs only from Shigatse |
Accommodation |
1 night in double occupancy room in guest house with shower/ toilet. Comfort level 2 (see accommodation). |
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Price |
From £203 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes |
Transport, accommodation, driver, English-speaking guide, Entrance fee Namtso National Park. |
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Transport |
Private, by Land Cruiser or minibus |
Excludes |
Meals |
Day 1: Shigatse - NamtsoTravel time: approximately 7 to 8 hoursEarly this morning, you'll begin this trip in Tibet as you leave Shigatse and take the Lhachen La pass at 5150m to Namtso Lake. Along the way you'll have a bite to eat at a restaurant in one of the small villages you pass through and you'll reach the lake early in the afternoon. Food in this area isn't much to write home about, so you may want to bring along some snacks from Shigatse... You'll stay at a small pilgrim's guest house located along the pilgrim's route to Namtso. |
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Once you're all settled in, you'll have to go for a walk around Namtso in the afternoon. You could walk along a part of the Kora around the lake along with the other pilgrims. It would only be a short portion of the entire Kora, which takes 18 days to complete. The Namtso Lake is 70km long and 30km wide. This area surrounding the Changtang plateau and vast grassy knolls is inhabited by the nomadic Drogpa people. They are the indigenous inhabitants of this area and are also known as Grass Tibetans because of their residential surroundings. As the evening comes, have a seat on on the shores of the lake and enjoy the breathtaking sunset. The 7000m snow-capped mountain peaks take on the most fascinating colours in the light of the sunset- this is sure to be a real highlight of your trip in Tibet. |
Day 2: Namtso - LhasaTravel time: approximately 8 to 9 hoursThe sunrise at Namtso is a magical moment of any trip in Tibet, so try not to miss it. Today you can visit a bird refuge the Namtso village. From time to time you'll see large swarms of cranes here. Near the refuge you'll find the Tashidor; historic meditation caves that were once used by Lamas. The caves are still inhabited by hermits. As your trip in Tibet draws to a close, you'll head back to Lhasa early in the afternoon. Along the way you'll visit the Tsurphu Monastery, located at a spectacular location on a cliff. This is the home of the Karmapa School, also known as the 'black hat sect'. At the end of the afternoon you'll be back in Lhasa. Most travellers spend one more night in Lhasa before flying on to Chengdu or Zhongdhian. |
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