A Weekend in Linzhou, Lhasa: Double the Joy

I can't wait to go to Linzhou!

The urge to visit Linzhou springs from life in Lhasa, where every day is the same routine, as unchanging as the Potala Palace across the river. I've been living the same days for far too long — it's time for another journey.

— Passing by Pangduo Reservoir. The road is now fully paved, perfect for novice drivers.

— On the way to Linzhou Farm, endless barley fields and rapeseed flowers stretch to the horizon. During my time in Lhasa, I often feel homesick — just as now, when I'm at home, I often miss Lhasa. Sometimes, after work late at night, I drive all the way from Princess Wencheng, cross Yingqin Bridge, pass Xianzu Island, and reach Sangbuza School on Sera Road. All along the way are Tibetan-style buildings both familiar and strange, stirring a deep loneliness of being in a foreign land. I dream of being home, where someone would leave a light on waiting for me. Here, on this plateau thousands of kilometers from home, I can only buy a few beers to dilute my longing.

— The mysterious forest in Zangga Village is breathtakingly beautiful.

Due to work, I can't travel far — just a two-day trip. After considering all the two-day routes around Lhasa, I finally chose Linzhou again, the same place I specially visited last year. Linzhou is Lhasa's granary, lying to the northeast. Imagining the golden rapeseed flowers blooming all over the fields this season makes my heart flutter.

— Looking far across Pangduo Reservoir from Silin Temple.

— What beautiful scenery along the way! I wake up in the morning, pack up, and set off. I start the car — the engine's roar sounds so sweet, and even the smell of gasoline in the air seems exceptionally fragrant. A new journey lies ahead, and no matter what comes, I'll venture out alone.

— Reting Monastery surrounded by clusters of ancient cypress and pine.

— The Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway.

Itinerary: Day 1: Lhasa – Zangga Village – Xia Temple – Silin Temple – Pingcuo Kangsang Resort, Tanggu Township. Day 2: Reting Monastery – unnamed road to see Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains – Damxung via G109 – Lhasa. Silin Temple is the biggest goal of my Linzhou trip; I want to revisit this cliffside temple. Along the way, from Linzhou Farm and Lhasa River forests to the enchanting Tibetan landscapes around Damxung — majestic snow mountains, crystal-clear rivers; the thousands of cypress and pine trees at Reting Monastery, and the occasional ruined temple walls I encounter on the road... I can hardly wait. When I wandered back to Lhasa after the trip, everything that used to seem dull and pale suddenly came alive. The year-round pilgrims circling the Jokhang Temple on Barkhor Street felt particularly endearing. Back at Sangbuza School, I brewed a drip coffee, turned on my cute little Elvis record player, and let the gentle music accompany my rest. I know people always need a change of pace, even living in a city like Lhasa.

Those who stay long in Lhasa inevitably find places to go 'linka' (picnic). Even though Lhasa is already slow-paced, after five working days, people still need a weekend escape to unwind.

Most linka spots are within an hour's drive from Lhasa city, where you can immerse yourself in nature. The Lhasa river valley is fragmented with many mountains and valleys. Zangga Village in Linzhou lies on a tributary of the Lhasa River, about an hour and a half's drive away, and is less crowded than other nearby linka valleys.

Linka means a leisurely picnic in a scenic, nature-close spot. To me, it's a tent, a blanket, a patch of shade, and some food and drinks for a lovely afternoon.

Zangga Village has all the elements of a perfect linka: mountains, water, forests, yaks, and even the chance to paddle a rubber dinghy on the river. The day I came was sunny and breezy; for a moment, I even thought how wonderful it would be to live as a cow here.

When I got tired of walking and took enough photos, I sat down in the shade. The yaks moved as they grazed, and the wind brought the jingle of bells around their necks. The breeze brushed my face; I closed my eyes and savored the moment.

📍 Address: Zangga Village, Linzhou County. 1.5-hour drive from Lhasa. ⚠️ Fee: 10 RMB parking/cleaning charge. ❗️ Suggested time: a full afternoon.

It was my first time driving a long distance alone, and I planned a loop from south to north: from Najin Township to Pangduo Township, stay overnight near Reting Monastery, then return to Lhasa via Damxung. Though it's only a few hundred kilometers, last year the road was terrible, so I was a little worried. But to my surprise, from Zangga Village onward, the road was now entirely paved, and endless fields of barley and rapeseed flowers accompanied my drive.

Linzhou is Lhasa's largest agricultural county, and on the way from Lhasa to Linzhou, you'll see many farmlands. After the peaceful liberation of Tibet, in order to cultivate the roof of the world, local cadres, cadres entering Tibet, and educated youth worked together to establish the Linzhou Farm, creating the scene we see today.

Standing at 3,800 meters, I gaze at the ordinary mountains of Tibet — not steep or towering, but grand, heavy, and monumental. Looking at them often makes one feel tiny.

My travel companion now is a drone, which lets me see the surrounding scenery without suffering from altitude sickness. Vast patches of rapeseed flowers are scattered across Linzhou's land, and in this brilliantly sunny weather, I feast my eyes on them.

I realized that across these fields is Xia Temple, a famous nunnery near Lhasa. Last time I visited, there were almost no tourists, and many stupas to walk around. But I lingered too long in Zangga Village and had to skip it.

Anyone who's been to Lhasa has likely visited Yerpa Temple. But cliff-hanging temples are not limited to that one. After winding along mountain roads, a temple appeared on a cliff face halfway up the mountain. This was the long-awaited Silin Temple — its form rivals the Tiger's Nest, though its status in Tibetan Buddhism is actually higher than the Tiger's Nest.

Silin Temple is in Pangduo Village, Pangduo Township, Linzhou County. Few people know about it, let alone tourists. This was my second visit, and I still hadn't seen a single tourist.

Silin Temple has no navigation marker; just search for 'Pangduo Township' on the map, and you'll spot it along the way. As a novice driver, I slowly drove up the mountain. There's a small house on the mountainside — the workers I met last year during construction seemed to have been replaced by a new batch.

A Tibetan uncle saw me, a woman driving alone, and quickly helped me reverse the car — 'Back, back, back' 'Stop, stop, stop' — until I was safely parked. When I took out my drone to capture a spectacular view again, the Tibetan workers gathered around curiously. Silin Temple and Pangduo Reservoir below appeared in one frame, the winding mountain road a silent testament to how hard it was to reach this place alone.

For some reason, in Tibet it's easy to connect with people. Even strangers can start chatting with just a smile. This time at Silin Temple, I didn't climb up as usual; instead, I stayed at the small house halfway and chatted with the workers.

Sometimes on a journey, it's simply about connecting with people. I may not remember what we said, but the feeling of warmth and joy stays.

📍 Address: Pangduo Village, Pangduo Township, Linzhou County. ⚠️ Fee: No entrance fee. The mountain road is high and narrow — drive slowly. ❗️ Duration: If you don't have a drone and need to climb to the temple, allow about 3 hours.

After checking in at Pingcuo, I sat down for a meal and a drink, chatting with Jiacuo. He asked if I'd ever had a moment when Pangduo Reservoir reminded me of Yamdrok Lake. The warm, emerald-green waters of Pangduo Reservoir make you stop and admire. Any reservoir in Tibet, in good weather, is stunningly beautiful.

Pangduo Reservoir is known as 'the Three Gorges of Tibet'. Every reservoir plays a vital role locally. Located on the middle reaches of the Lhasa River, Pangduo Reservoir is mainly used for irrigation and power generation, as well as urban flood control and water supply, safeguarding the people of the Lhasa River basin.

It was my first time driving such a long distance alone. I drove from one end of the reservoir to the other, and when I finally found a viewpoint, I stopped to fly my drone. The drone is a great selfie companion on the road — I often use it to take photos of myself when traveling alone, saving the trouble of a tripod.

Yaks strolling freely by the reservoir.

📍 Address: Pangduo Township, Linzhou County, Lhasa. ⚠️ Fee: Free. ❗️ Duration: 1–2 hours; usually just stop for photos.

I really didn't expect Pingcuo to have opened a hotel in Tanggu this year, given that this route is still very off-the-beaten-path and will take time to become a well-established travel route.

When I arrived, the Tanggu hotel had just started its soft opening, with rates at two to three hundred RMB a night. Last year on this North Lhasa loop, the roads weren't even paved. I remember being famished by afternoon and barely finding a teahouse next to a construction site below Silin Temple where the owner didn't even speak Mandarin. As for accommodations near Reting Monastery, they were very traditional Tibetan shared beds. After one night, I hadn't really planned to come back.

I parked in the large lot outside, and Jiacuo checked me in and showed me to my room. The room was simple yet elegant, in typical Pingcuo style, with all the necessary amenities. I never expected that coming to Tanggu again this year, I'd enjoy the scenery, embrace nature, and sleep on a comfortable zero-pressure mattress.

I lingered in the common area, had tea with Jiacuo, and asked him about nearby attractions. But the discussion basically confirmed the route I'd outlined. Tomorrow, via the new road, it's only about an hour to Damxung, and if there's time, a two-hour drive to Namtso Lake.

That evening, I ordered a couple of stir-fried dishes at the hotel and had a beer, wrapping up my first day of solo driving. Back in my room, I turned on the humidifier, took a shower at 4,200 meters surrounded by mountains, and slipped into a good night's sleep.

📍 Address: Near Tanggu Tourism Service Center, Re Ri Road, Tanggu Township, Linzhou County, Lhasa. 💰 Price: about 300 RMB per person. 📈 Tips: The hotel's restaurant serves authentic Sichuan cuisine — you can eat right there. Manager Jiacuo is super friendly, enthusiastically introduces nearby sights, and told me the Reting Tsangpo River in front of the hotel is stunning; if you have time, go sit on the grass and enjoy.

Waking up, my main destination for the day was Reting Monastery, right next to the hotel. Having shown you the beauty of Linzhou, it's time to see this famous temple. Reting Monastery is surrounded by tens of thousands of ancient cypress trees, and the Reting Tsangpo, a tributary of the Lhasa River, flows right before it.

The ancient cypress forest and this main monastery of the Kadam school have been companions for ages. This is my second visit to Reting Monastery; I wanted to explore the 108 sacred stupas nearby. Under the shade, in the cool breeze, the relics of Atisha, founder of the Kadam school, are enshrined here.

In Tibetan, 'Reting' means 'to eradicate all afflictions and transcend the cycle of the three realms'. Reting Monastery is a typical Tibetan Buddhist temple, with predominantly red halls, golden stupa peaks, monks' quarters scattered on the hillside, and lush green cypresses — the scenery is so enchanting you just want to stay longer and can't bear to leave.

Legend has it that Reting Monastery charges an entrance fee, but on both my visits, I entered freely without being asked for a ticket.

📍 Address: Tanggu Township, Linzhou County, Lhasa. ⚠️ Fee: No ticket collected. ❗️ Duration: 2–3 hours if you circle the monastery; an aerial drone shot from a distance will be even more beautiful.

From Tanggu Township to Damxung, the old road takes about 2 hours, and most navigation apps suggest Provincial Road S202. But I chose a northern detour — on the map it shows as a small road, but in reality the road conditions are fantastic: a newly paved asphalt road.

Before reaching G109, we went up and down mountains, passing many villages. I remember last year, traveling this route with Liu Wei, we brought a hand drum and played on a hilltop all afternoon. Tibet is like that for me — revisiting a place where old and new memories collide in the wilderness, piecing together a new mental map of a destination.

Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains lie in the central Tibetan Plateau, forming the watershed that separates northern, southern, and eastern Tibet. The road at the foot of Nyenchen Tanglha is National Highway G109. Just moments ago I was on empty village roads, feeling like the king of the road; now on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, it's all large trucks.

Driving alone made me drowsy, so I pulled off at a fork to rest. I'm the classic inexperienced driver: I woke up, got out for some fresh air, and left the key inside. The window was open less than five centimeters, but the car locked automatically! My phone was also inside! I was so frantic I almost cried. In the end, I had to squeeze my chubby little hand through the tiny gap to open the door — when I pulled it out, bruises had formed all over.

This little mishap canceled my plan to visit Namtso that day, but luckily I went later, so I can include the full experience in this travelogue.

From Tanggu, get on G219 and a turn later you're at Nagenla Pass entering Namtso. From afar, you can see one of Tibet's three sacred lakes, Namtso.

Later, I went to Namtso twice via different routes. One was a wild path led by Paomo, from Baingoin, taking a small detour to the Three Sacred Stones of Namtso in just two hours.

Paomo is the best driver I've ever ridden with in Tibet; even on the worst roads he'd cruise at 80 km/h. Approaching the Sacred Stones, we asked him to stop so I could fly the drone. The weather was perfect, and that familiar Tibetan blue unfolded before us.

After many bends and spotting lots of wildlife, we finally neared the Sacred Stones. Then a group sheltering from the wind behind a big rock and cooking a hotpot waved frantically at us. At first we thought something was wrong, so we drove past and then came back. It turned out they were inviting us for hotpot noodles. Even though we'd had breakfast at 8 or 9 a.m., the three of us dug in without hesitation. We also shared our snacks, fruit, and sodas.

Just as we were about to share pour-over coffee and tea, another car came by. They needed help pulling a stuck RV out of the mud with our Land Cruiser. Paomo and Xiaozhu went to tow it, while I sat comfortably by Namtso Lake and sipped my coffee.

Sometimes on a journey, it's not about distance but feeling. If every trip could be like a day camp — just setting up tables and chairs in a scenic spot and spending the whole day — I'd be more than happy.

The next time I visited Namtso, I booked the Holy Elephant Door (Shengxiang Tianmen). I hadn't been in a while. Namtso is huge; driving around the lake while stopping to sightsee takes at least two days. The Holy Elephant Door is a must-see — it's no wonder so many flock there. It's truly beautiful.

📍 Address: Namtso, Damxung County, Lhasa. ⚠️ Fee: 120 RMB for Namtso, 80 RMB for Holy Elephant Door. ❗️ Duration: It's worth staying overnight by the lake, either at Tashi Peninsula or Holy Elephant Door.

Getting There: This route is perfect for self-driving; you can stop anywhere for scenery. From Lhasa to Tanggu Township is a 2–3 hour drive, and with plenty of stops, a day is more than enough. Stay: Pingcuo Kangsang Tanggu Resort — what a delight that Pingcuo has opened here this year. The hardware is solid, and there's a restaurant with tasty Sichuan food. Itinerary: Day 1: Lhasa – Xia Temple – Silin Temple – Pingcuo Kangsang Resort, Tanggu Township. Day 2: Reting Monastery – unnamed road for Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains – Damxung via G109 – Lhasa.

For me, Tibet is a love separated by mountains and seas that cannot be flattened. It's strange: a southerner from afar, yet I keep returning to Tibetan lands. With that initial flutter, I travel thousands of miles alone, the thought in my heart simply 'I want to go to Tibet.' I used to try to understand why I'm so stubborn about this, but not anymore. When I miss it, I buy a ticket, or gather a few friends, and after a long journey of thousands of kilometers to the embrace of the plateau, I idle away my days — drinking tea, sunbathing, reading, circumambulating the monasteries — as if returning to old times, finding a bit of peace. Within a month, my heart stirs again, and I miss my hometown by the distant sea. This cycle repeats, and I rush back and forth. As long as it's on the road to reunite with you again and again, I am willing.