Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ural sights in Tibet. It is over 70km long, reaches a width of 30km and is 35m at its deep-
est point. When the ice melts in late April, the lake is a miraculous shade of turquoise and
there are magnificent views of the nearby mountains.
The Nyenchen Tanglha (Tangula) range, with peaks of over 7000m, towers over the lake
to the south - it was these mountains that Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter crossed
on their incredible journey to Lhasa (their expedition is documented in the topic
Seven
Years in Tibet
).
The lake is at 4730m so you'll need to acclimatise in and around Lhasa for a few days
before heading this way. It is not unusual for visitors to get symptoms of altitude sickness
on an overnight stay out at the lake.
Almost all travellers head for Tashi Dor, situated on a hammerhead of land that juts into
the southeastern corner of the lake. Here at the foot of two wedge-shaped hills are a couple
of small chapels with views back across the clear turquoise waters to the huge snowy Ny-
enchen Tanglha massif (7111m).
Your initial experience of Tashi Dor is unlikely to inspire visions of Shangri La. The
poorly planned tourist base is an unsightly mess, ringed with barking dogs, litter and over-
flowing toilets. Food is overpriced and day-tripping crowds of Chinese tourists can be
heavy during summer lunchtimes. Try to ignore all this and push ahead to the monastery
and kora.
On the eastern edge of the peninsula is a bird sanctuary populated with migratory birds
between April and November. Species to look out for include bar-headed geese and black-
necked cranes.
Sights
Tashi Dor Kora
PILGRIM CIRCUIT
The short kora takes less than an hour (roughly 4km) and is unmissable. Try to tag along
with some pilgrims and do one circuit at dusk, when the light on the lake is magical. If you
have enough time, it's well worth also hiking up to the top of the western hill for good
views, especially at sunset.
The main kora path leads off west from the accommodation area to a hermit's cave hid-
den behind a large splinter of rock. The trail (now a jeep track) continues round to a rocky
promontory of cairns and prayer flags, where pilgrims undertake a ritual washing, and then
