Lhasa to Namtso Lake: The Best Day Tour from Lhasa

If you plan to have a trip to Tibet, you should never miss the itinerary from Lhasa to Namtso Lake. The fantastic scenery on the trip and the wonderful environment there will glut your eyes, which will leave you a deep impression in your whole life. As for what to do there, how to get to Namtso from Lhasa, the best time to visit there and some necessary tips, you can check out the following paragraphs to help you to some degree.

Why Namtso Lake

It is really worthy of going to Namtso Lake once in your lifetime for its magnificent natural sceneries and the Tibet regional culture there. It can purify your soul and meet your needs of getting away from the hustle and bustle in cities temporarily.

You can see the major supply of Namtso Lake from the melted snow and ice on the Nyenchen Tangula Mountains, which is fantastic. The grass near the lake on the vast land is growing lushly, which has turned into the best pasture place in northern Tibet. This is really an ideal habitat fro numerous precious birds and other wildlife creatures.

You can also view the 5 islands in the lake. Besides, the 5 peninsulas reach into the Namtso Lake allows tourists to get a chance to enjoy the karst caves, stone forest, naturally formed bridges and other special scenery, which will glut travelers’ eyes to a great degree.

At the time when the ice on mountains around Namtso Lake melts in late April, tourists can have the opportunity to appreciate the miraculous shade of turquoise and fantastic scenery in the nearby mountains. The intoxicating wide open spaces will make you feel high, which is dotted with the local nomads’ tents.

Numerous pilgrims coming from Tibet and nearby regions get to this lake every year. The pilgrimage will take about 20 to 30 days to circle the whole Namtso Lake. The Tibet culture is quite attractive to travelers all over the world.

What to Do in Namtso Lake

For those who are fond of taking pictures, Lake Namtso may be the best place in the world to record the beautiful sceneries. The best time for taking photos is within half an hour of sunrise or sunset, for during this short period of time, the mountains from the Tashi Peninsula makes them glow orange in the coverage of the low-lying sunlight. Travelers can also make great efforts to climb to the top of the Tashi Peninsula to catch a gorgeous view of the Nyainqentanglha Range and Namtso Lake. Photography lovers can get quite spectacular pictures in some other wonderful shooting places around this lake, such as the Yingbin Stone, the Gassho Stone and so on.

There are lots of other things can be done here besides photography. If you want to stargaze, you can come here in spring and fall, for there will be less clouds and the sky will be dotted with numerous stars. The clear air here can make humans feel more wonderful compared with noisy cities. Its elevation is about 4800 meters, which allows tourists to enjoy the starry lights clearly and you will feel the stars are quite near to you. Many travelers come here to obtain a perfect view of the heavens with the help of the thin air, clear sky and the fry atmosphere. The Milky Way can be seen clearly in the sky when the night falls, which seems like a foggy cloud. Visitors can walk the kora around the Namtso Lake or take in the fantastic peninsulas of Zaxi and Tashi-dor.

Travelers can also get to know the traditional culture in Tibet via communicating with the locals and some pilgrims. Tourists can also take a biking tour from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, or enjoy a hiking trip around the holy lake. Generally, the Lhasa-Namtso Lake bike tour takes about 8 days, including few days Lhasa city tour for adapting to the high attitude. To hike around the Lake Namtso, you can spend several hours to walk along the lake side, or take more days to do the kora around Lake Namtso just like the local pilgrims do.

Please note that if you want to hike or bike to Namtso, your body and mind should get well prepared, for the process requires much physical power and courage.

How to Get to Namtso Lake from Lhasa City

As for how to get to Lake Namtso from Lhasa, first you need to arrive at Lhasa for some days’ acclimation. You can go to Lhasa by train or by air according to your needs. The Tibet train enables tourists to enjoy the amazing scenery on the way, which has become the most popular transportation in Tibet. If you want to get there quickly, taking a flight to Lhasa is the most convenient means. However, taking a train can make you acclimate Tibet high altitude much better than flying there. As for the altitude of Namtso Lake is much higher than Lhasa, it is suggested to stay in Lhasa for at least two days to adjust to the high altitude.

The most popular method to go from Lhasa to Namtso is by car, which may take you 5 hours to get there. The road on the way to Namtso Lake is paved well, which is quite easy for driving, and you can appreciate the landscape and the Nyainqentanglha ranges scenery along the way to Damxung County. The road from Damxung to Nsamtso is about 60 km, and the car needs to climb across the Nagenla Pass with about 5200 meters above the sea level. You should know that this is the land mark of Namtso Lake. You can take a picture there to record your coming, for you will reach the Namtso Lake quickly.

The Best Time to Visit Namtso Lake

The best time to have a trip to Namtso is from June to September, with warmer weather and higher oxygen content. You can view the greenest and most lush grasslands there. Lots of valuable medicinal plants can be found here, such as the Chinese caterpillar fungus, fritillaria, and the snow lotus flower.

Throughout summer, sheep and yak herds can be seen getting the most nutritious grass around the lake with the nomads’ management. The nomads have become an important part of the traditional culture of Tibet, which plays an essential role in the history of Tibet.

From December to March, the road to Namtso is typically closed due to heavy snow. The weather from April and November is still quite cold and dry. Sometimes the traffic is still closed for bad weather. Heavy snowstorms and treacherous road conditions make it hard for tourists to travel to Namtso Lake after October.

Accommodation around Lake Namtso

When it comes to the accommodation there, experienced tourists may be sensible to spend the night on the lake together to save money and enjoy the Namtso lake beauty in the early morning as well as in the twilight.

Tourists can also live in some earth houses, which can accommodate at most nine people. The local army service station can also be used to spend the night there. In the peak season, there are lots of tent eateries for you to have good meals. If you want to spend the night in Tashi peninsula, you can make use of the simple tent guesthouse.

Travel Tips for Your Lhasa Namtso Lake Tour

1) Please walk clockwise while you are visiting Lake Namtso and other places as the other pilgrims do.
2) You’d better ask permission before you take photos inside some temples or monasteries.
3) Do not do lots of activities, for the high altitude sickness will make you uncomfortable.
4) Bring some warm clothes with you even in summer time to keep you warm at cold night.
5) Take much water with you on the road and remember to pack your sunscreen and sunglasses.
6) If you have time, Tibet Vista recommends you spend one night there to appreciate the breathtakingly beauty of the sunrise and sunset.
7) Bring some necessary medicines with you before you go to Namtso Lake as your doctor suggests you.
8) You should know that the road to Namtso is closed in winter due to heavy snow.