Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
windswept towns in all of Tibet. Perched on the edge of the Changtang (northern plateau),
it is an important stop on both the road and railway line between Qīnghǎi and Tibet. In
fact, this is where Hwy 317 ends as it joins the Qīnghǎi-Tibet Hwy (Hwy 109) on its way
to Lhasa.
On the western outskirts of the town is the large
Shabten Monastery
(founded 1814),
a branch of Lhasa's Sera Monastery, with more than 90 monks. The main hall here is par-
ticularly atmospheric. Look in the back hall for the strings of dried tamarind pods, said to
have been brought here from India as gifts for the Buddha.
Continuing east of Nagchu look for a turnoff, south of Hwy 317, that brings you to
Dodoka Gompa
(Dámù Sì). This remote monastery in Biru County contains one of
Tibet's strangest, creepiest and least-visited sights: the mysterious
Biru's Skull Wall
(,
kūlóu qiáng admission ¥10)
. Making up the southern part of a half-open courtyard in the mon-
astery, the wall looks like any other Tibetan mani wall from a distance. But as you ap-
proach it you realise that instead of being made of engraved prayer stones, it's made of
hundreds and hundreds of human skulls.
Further along is
Sok
, a crossroad town whose claim to fame is the impressive
Sok
Tsanden Monastery
(| Suǒzàndān Sì )
perched on an outcrop in the southern suburbs.
Built in 1667 by the Mongol leader Gushri Khan, this Gelugpa monastery, home to 150
monks, looks like a miniature version of the Potala.
From Sok to Tengchen is a journey of 270km. There are several small towns to get food
and accommodation, and two stunning passes along the way: the 4460m-high pass
Chongnye-la
(Chuni-la) which offers fabulous views across nomad camps and yak herds
to the huge range of snowy peaks to the south; and the impressive 4905m-high
Shel-la
, the
highest and most dramatic pass along the northern route.
Tengchen
(, Dīngqīng), sitting at 3820m, is a largely Tibetan town and it and the sur-
rounding area of Khyungpo are strong centres of the Bön religion. The Bön
Tengchen
Monastery
, founded in 1110, sits on a hillside about 3km west of town.
The 148km stretch of Hwy 317 from Tengchen to Riwoche is littered with more monas-
teries, including
Tsedru Monastery
(| Zīzhū Sì )
, at 4800m one of Tibet's highest monas-
teries and its largest Bön monastery. The location, strung out along a ridgeline below a
series of natural cliffs and caves, is about as fantastical as you can imagine.
From the western edge of the midsize town of
Riwoche
(, Lèiwūqí Xiàn), a road
branches northwest to Yùshù in Qīnghǎi province. Near the town is the village of Riwoche
