Body and Soul, One Must Be on the Road: My Travelogue (6)
That year, I prostrated myself along the mountain path, not to pay homage but to feel your warmth. That life, I circled mountains, waters, and stupas, not to cultivate merit for next life but to meet you on the road. “That Day, That Year, That Life” – Tsangyang Gyatso. Standing at Nagen La, the highest point in Namtso scenic area, with Tsangyang Gyatso's poem and this pure land, was intoxicatingly beautiful.
Day 4, May 1. After a few days of acclimatization, I felt ready to venture out of Lhasa, so I signed up for a group tour – a one-day trip to Namtso. Namtso is one of Tibet's “Three Holy Lakes.” I'd heard from friends at the hostel that Namtso is a must-visit when you're in Lhasa, especially for a two-night stay: one night for sunset and stars, the next morning for sunrise. But the lake had just thawed, and there were no two-day tours available, only a day-trip group costing 200 RMB. (For big spenders: you can charter a car to Namtso for 1,200 RMB per day and do whatever you want.)
Namtso lies in Damxung County, over 200 km from Lhasa. The roads are good, but Tibetan traffic regulations cap all vehicle speeds at 60 km/h, so the round trip takes about ten hours. It's truly a case of “one hour of sightseeing, ten hours in the car.” The tour fee covered only the round-trip transport and the entrance ticket (120 RMB for the May Day holiday); you had to bring your own food. But when you finally see the holy lake and snow-capped mountains, it all feels worth it.
We had to gather at the White Stupa in Potala Palace Square at 6 a.m. for departure. Our driver-guide was a handsome Tibetan guy, though his Mandarin wasn't great. Since it was early, everyone fell asleep as soon as we got in the van. Actually, in Lhasa, I wasn't really used to the daylight hours: it got light after 6 a.m. and didn't get dark until after 9 p.m., so the days felt incredibly long.
When I woke up, we'd gone from Lhasa at 3,500 m to a place at 4,260 m. Snowy peaks, grasslands, yaks – the classic Qinghai-Tibet Plateau scenery. Leaving Lhasa, we were probably following the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. I felt a tinge of regret that I hadn't come to Lhasa by train. Just as I was happily snapping photos, a yak suddenly crossed the road, scaring our driver into slamming on the brakes. Hit that yak and he'd probably have to buy it and take it home!
After about two hours, we reached the first scenic viewpoint: Nyenchen Tanglha. With morning mist lingering, the mountain wasn't very clear. In ancient Tibetan myth, Nyenchen Tanglha and Namtso are not only the most striking sacred mountain and lake but also lovers and husband-and-wife, bound in life and death. Nyenchen Tanglha appears even more handsome and towering against Namtso, and Namtso becomes more enchanting with Nyenchen Tanglha reflected in it. Our driver said, “If you see Nyenchen Tanglha, his wife is not far away.” By now we were at 4,570 m, and I felt slightly dizzy.
We drove slowly around the Tanggula Mountains. On today's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, besides snowy mountains, grasslands, and yaks, there's also its most distinctive railway. After three hours, we finally reached the entrance of Namtso Scenic Area. While waiting for the driver to buy tickets, I spotted something big: a Tibetan mastiff, kept for tourists to take photos with – 10 yuan for any number of shots. This mastiff was tame and wouldn't bite, but it had none of the fierceness of a purebred mastiff; it just looked goofy. Still, I think it's worth having a close encounter with a Tibetan mastiff. Taking a photo with a white yak costs 20 yuan! A word of caution: don't go around photographing Tibetans or their things casually, or they'll demand money. Just look how much this mastiff disdained me.
Inside the scenic area, the van started climbing, and the surroundings began to change. Shooting through the window, the colors came out really unappealing. After 20 minutes of uphill driving, my phone showed 5,110 m: we'd reached Nagen La Pass. From here, you could get a distant view of Namtso. 5,190 meters – thin air, biting cold – it really takes your breath away.
On the way down, everyone got visibly excited, wishing we were already at the lakeshore. The driver said that Namtso isn't fully open to tourists; some areas are off-limits. We drove along a straight road, with Nyenchen Tanglha on the left and Namtso on the right. Holy land, I'm here!
The parking lot was quite far from the lake, so you could opt for horseback riding to save energy and get a great view. Riding a horse cost 20 yuan per person. I managed to gallop for about 20 meters before the Tibetan handler stopped me and held the reins himself, probably fearing I'd have an accident. I'll skip the words and just share more photos. Taken from horseback, a bit shaky.
Tibetan beliefs, which I don't fully understand. I sneaked a photo of the white yak, then quickly moved on. Mani pile or Marnyi pile – I forgot the name, but it's about faith. Welcome Stone, clearly bearing ancient marks.
Limited by various factors, I couldn't visit other spots. We only had an hour here before heading back to Lhasa. Some regrets are what bring you back next time. On the return trip, a girl in the van said she hadn't taken enough photos and sweet-talked the driver. So we scored a little extra time. At 1:30 p.m., we began the drive back. After messing about for too long, oxygen deprivation was inevitable. Good thing there were oxygen canisters.
All in all, I spent ten hours in the van that day, but those ten hours of travel let me challenge an altitude of 5,000 meters and take in the sacred mountain and holy lake. One last thing: if you suffer from car sickness and altitude sickness, don't come. But those who travel with their whole lives—that's a true attitude toward living.
