Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Raka
Raka (4925m, kilometre marker 1912) is a tiny settlement near the junction of the northern
and southern routes, and 115km from Sangsang. If you're taking the northern route, this is
pretty much the last accommodation for 240km, though you could camp at Tagyel-tso.
There's decent Sichuanese food on the main street and very rustic guesthouse accommoda-
tion if you need it.
Zhangmu (Nepal Border) to Saga (280km)
The scenic short cut from Zhangmu to Saga saves 250km (at least a day of travel) and is
used mostly by 4WD groups visiting Ngari directly from Nepal.
Past Nyalam the road climbs to the 4950m Tong-la and then the 4845m La Lung-la. Not
long after, the short cut branches west off the Friendship Hwy (kilometre marker 5265-66;
113km from Zhangmu), rounding some hills at the entrance of a vast stony plain. From
here to Saga it's about 170km or four hours of driving.
About 24km from the junction is Petse, huddled below a ruined hilltop dzong (fortress),
and then Siling (Seylong) village, where travellers must pay ¥180 per person and ¥400 per
car (your guide also must pay ¥180 so arrange beforehand who will pay this - you or the
tour agency) for entry to the western section of the Qomolangma Nature Reserve.
To the south come views of sand dunes and then massive Shishapangma (8012m),
known to the Nepalese as Gosainthan, the world's 14th-tallest peak and the only 8000m-
plus mountain planted completely inside Tibet. The road provides access to the mountain's
north base camp before skirting the beautiful turquoise Peiku-tso (4590m). This is one of
Tibet's magical spots, and there's fine camping by the lakeshore, with stunning views of
snowcapped Shishapangma and the Langtang Range bordering Nepal to the south. If you
do plan to camp, bring your own drinking water and be well acclimatised. Also try to find
a sheltered camp site as winds whip up in the afternoon.
The bumpy route then enters a side gorge before passing the turn-off to the scenic but
off-limits Kyirong Valley and the border crossing with Nepal at Rasuwa (closed to foreign-
ers). After passing small, salty Drolung-tso you climb to two passes and then drop steeply
down to the bridge across the Yarlung Tsangpo. From here it's 3km to Saga, where you
join the southern route.
 
 
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