Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
west of Tibet is the source of the subcontinent's four greatest rivers: the Ganges, Indus,
Sutlej and Brahmaputra. The Ganges, Indus and Sutlej Rivers all cascade out of Tibet in its
far west. The Brahmaputra (known in Tibet as Yarlung Tsangpo) meanders along the
northern spine of the Himalaya for 2000km, searching for a way south, before draining in-
to India not far from the Myanmar border.
Yak-tail hair was the main material used to produce Father Christmas (Santa Claus)
beards in 1950s America!
Kham
Eastern Tibet marks a tempestuous drop in elevation down to the Sìchuān plain. The con-
certina landscape produces some of the most spectacular roller-coaster roads in Asia, as
Himalayan extensions such as the Héngduàn Mountains are sliced by the deep gorges of
the Yangzi (Dri-chu in Tibetan; Jīnshā Jiāng in Chinese), Salween (Gyalmo Ngul-chu in
Tibetan; Nù Jiāng in Chinese) and Mekong (Dza-chu in Tibetan; Láncáng Jiāng in
Chinese) headwaters.
The Yarlung Tsangpo crashes through an incredible 5km-deep gorge here (often de-
scribed as the world's deepest) as it swings violently around 7756m Namche Barwa. Many
parts of this alpine region are lushly forested and support abundant wildlife, largely thanks
to the lower altitudes and effects of the Indian monsoon.
