Self-Drive Tibet: An Incense Quest on the Roof of the World

Travel is turning passion into life. Having traveled around China for so long, compared to my early days of checking off sights, I now enjoy my current state more. When it comes to destinations, I no longer blindly chase after scenery. Instead, I choose places that allow me to settle in, savoring an alternative life lived elsewhere.

This journey begins and ends in the holy city of Lhasa.

The sacred lake of Nyingchi: Basum Lake.

Jieba Village by Basum Lake.

One of Tibet's three sacred lakes: Yamdrok Lake.

The loneliest temple in the world: Rituo Temple.

Overlooking Yamdrok Lake.

Golden sunrise over the lakeside mountains.

For self-driving travel, I focus more on my own needs, choosing travel companions that please me. With the rise of Chinese brands in recent years, I've grown fond of domestic cars that combine good looks with solid capability.

Majestic Tibet, with its mysterious Tibetan culture, has also nurtured unique local products. Tibetan incense, a crystallization of snowland plateau ethnic medicine and culture development, is one such product. Thus, on this trip, we drove to the sacred land of Tibet, embarking on a quest for incense.

Driving to Tibet, we witnessed the stunning winter landscapes at Basum Lake; encountered jade-like lake and mountain scenery at Yamdrok Lake; listened to the power of faith at the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple. Throughout the journey, the second-generation Changan CS55PLUS was by our side. Its idol-like looks not only made for great photos but also caught many eyes. It triumphed with solid performance, making long drives easier and safer, and the journey more carefree and exhilarating. Meanwhile, its refined quality ensured driving comfort.

Winter in Tibet on a self-drive: my spiritual homeland, searching for thousand-year-old Tibetan incense. About the itinerary:

D1-D2: Nyingchi · Basum Lake

D3-D4: Shannan · Yamdrok Lake

D5: Lhasa · Potala Palace + Jokhang Temple

From my experience, when first arriving in Tibet, it's best not to head straight to very high altitudes. You can spend some time in Lhasa city, allowing your body to slowly adapt to the plateau environment. So we went to Barkhor Street, aiming to find Tibetan incense.

Shops around Barkhor Street are all distinctly Tibetan, with many interesting local markets full of character.

In Lhasa, there are many small workshops dedicated to making Tibetan incense, usually near temples. Incense is an indispensable daily item for Tibetan people. On one hand, it's used for pilgrimage, worship, and warding off evil spirits; on the other, burning incense made from medicinal herbs purifies the air and lifts the mood. Tibetan incense accompanies Tibetans through life constantly, with a production history of over 1,000 years.

Traditional incense-making techniques use dozens of ingredients like cypress trunks, musk, and white sandalwood. The process: first saw the cypress into sections, peel off the bark, then grind it into cypress mud using a water mill. Mix with various spices, knead together, then press the mixture into a yak horn to extrude strings. After two to three days of drying, the incense is ready.

We wandered through small shops on Barkhor Street, talking with shopkeepers about the history and methods of incense making. When leaving, I bought a sachet and placed it in the car to accompany me on this journey.

Lhasa to Nyingchi: encountering Basum Lake. For first-time visitors to Tibet, Nyingchi is a good choice. Known as the 'Little Jiangnan' of Tibet, its altitude is even lower than Lhasa. We planned to first acclimatize in Nyingchi before moving to higher places.

The Linzhi–Lhasa Expressway is one of the most scenic highways in the world. What used to take a whole day now takes just four hours since the expressway opened.

Coming to Tibet in November, it wasn't as cold as expected. The autumn colors along the highway were perfect.

The highest point of the Linzhi–Lhasa Expressway is about 4,460 meters, at the Mira Mountain Tunnel. If not taking the expressway, you'd need to cross the 5,000-meter-plus Mira Mountain Pass.

Driving further toward Nyingchi, the vegetation on both sides grew lusher. On the road to the village by Basum Lake, cattle and sheep roamed freely.

I drove the second-generation Changan CS55PLUS in Tibet. With its ultra-continuous split dual-screen design, floating center console, and integrated sports seats, driving comfort was top-notch.

The 540-degree HD panoramic camera allows easy switching between 2D and 3D views, giving a clear picture of the surroundings no matter how complex the terrain—city or countryside.

For entertainment, the car comes with built-in apps like QQ Music and AutoNavi Maps. The intelligent voice interaction system lets you control navigation and music easily.

The IACC integrated adaptive cruise system enables smart assisted driving, freeing your feet for automatic following.

Basum Lake: Also known as Tsozhi Lake, in Tibetan it means 'green water.' With a surface elevation over 3,700 meters and an area of more than 6,000 acres, it lies in the high gorge of the upper Ba River, over 50 km from Gongbo'gyamda County in Nyingchi. It's a famous holy lake and sacred site of the Nyingma school. Majestic snow mountains, holy lakes, dense forests, and rare wild plants combine to give Basum Lake the reputation of 'Little Switzerland.'

The color of Basum Lake's water is stunning, especially in autumn. Surrounding it are colorful forests and snow-capped peaks, and driving along the lakeside road deep into the area is a special experience.

In winter, there's no entrance fee for Basum Lake. If you book a guesthouse inside, you can drive your car in; otherwise, you'd need to buy a sightseeing bus ticket.

I highly recommend driving in yourself, because only then can you truly experience the depth of Basum Lake's beauty.

We stayed in a small village inside the lake area called Jieba Village. It's a mysterious and beautiful cultural place, seemingly forgotten by time. Entering here feels like stepping into a Tibetan paradise, as if in another world.

Morning sun over the pastoral fields, farmhouses under peach trees, simple villagers and children, roosters crowing, dogs barking, chimney smoke curling—all complemented by the hardworking figures of Kongpo people, dreamy, fantastical, and intoxicating.

Snow mountains, lakes, and my striking CS55PLUS with its continuous sculpted body lines.

The front grille's 'light and shadow' progressive design catches the eye.

Star-ring wheels exude tech and sportiness.

The star-ring daytime running lights, with their three-segment design, light up a new lifestyle form with a modern, techy urban feel.

The star-ring LED taillights, with red strip ring design and leather-textured interior touches, release elegance under the smoked finish.

The tech-aesthetic cabin: The overall interior uses a sleek, slim design with the central large screen trim and hidden air vents subtly integrated for a seamless feel. Borderless geometric ring buttons, soft-touch materials, and refined details create a minimalist style imbued with tech luxury and quality.

Lake Islet: The most unique feature of Basum Lake is a small island at its heart, called Zhaxi Island, home to Tsozong Gongba Temple. Gazing at Zhaxi Island from afar, the lake and mountain scenery on both shores unfolds like an immortal realm.

Tsozong Temple, on the lake islet of Basum Lake in Nyingchi. Construction dates back to the late Tang Dynasty, with over 1,500 years of history. It belongs to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Enshrining Guru Rinpoche, it's a sacred place in local hearts. Though small in scale, its religious influence is great. Originally there was a temple chronicle, but it was destroyed in the 1960s; now its history can only be traced through oral tales of local elders and a brief geography of Basum Lake.

Sacred Lake of Tibet: Yamdrok Lake. Leaving Basum Lake, we set off for our next stop, one of Tibet's three sacred lakes: Yamdrok Lake.

The autumn colors along the way made us reluctant to leave this land. The villages by the Yarlung Tsangpo River appeared especially peaceful.

On the winding mountain road to Yamdrok Lake, we encountered a rough section, but thankfully our car performed well—even at high altitude, the power was strong and we barely felt bumps.

Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet's three great sacred lakes, has an average annual temperature of 2.6°C. It lies in Nagarze County, Shannan, on the south bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo. Crossing the 4,500-meter-plus Kambala Pass, there's a viewing platform to overlook Yamdrok Lake—the most common vantage point.

Below Kambala Pass is a small Tibetan village, one of the few places by the lake where you can find family-run guesthouses. The village is tiny; besides a few guesthouses, there's nowhere to eat. That evening, the owner made each of us a bowl of noodles. Perhaps due to scarce supplies, even a simple egg noodle soup tasted exceptionally good.

The wind by Yamdrok Lake is strong, and after sunset it gets very cold. At around 4,500 meters, staying here is a huge challenge. But seeing the beautiful lakeside scenery, it all felt worthwhile. It had been too long since my last Southeast Asia beach trip; seeing such colors reminded me of that familiar hue.

In Tibetan, Yamdrok Yumtso means 'turquoise lake,' and it resembles a coral branch, hence it's also called 'the coral lake above.'

Tibetan villages by the lake. Waking up in the morning, through the window of my room, I could see the golden sunrise on Lhagoigangri Mountain's peak—Noijin Kangsang, 7,206 meters, the most important sacred mountain in Tsang region and one of Tibet's four traditional sacred mountains. The Lhagoigangri range stretches over 360 km, separating the Yarlung Tsangpo and Yamdrok Lake. Tibetans call its main peak 'Noijin Kangsang,' meaning 'the yaksha god dwells on the noble snow mountain.' Its body is imposing, with jagged crags, a sharp cone-shaped summit, and perennial snow that has given rise to many glaciers, the famous Karola Glacier lies on its southern foot.

The road around Yamdrok Lake is rough; we followed it toward Rituo Temple, with about 50% unpaved dirt road. Fortunately, the second-gen CS55PLUS had ample power, and its four-wheel independent suspension maximized ride comfort. Yamdrok Lake's beauty comes from its many colors. Passing a red marshland, our eyes were again stunned. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, with few cars around—it felt like we had the entire lake to ourselves.

At the 5,100-meter Zhila Pass, Yamdrok Lake reveals a completely different scene. Crossing this pass brings Rituo Temple close. Rituo Temple means 'stone on the mountain.' It's the only building on this peninsula: one lake, one temple, one monk, one lifetime. It has quietly passed 700 years of springs and autumns, sunrises and sunsets, washing away strife. To practice here is to stay until it becomes an inseparable way of life—hence some call it the loneliest temple. Here lies an unknown face of Yamdrok Lake.

Built on the hillside, Rituo Temple is small yet fully dignified and sacred. This living temple seems like a devout elder, guarding an end of the world, accompanied by the brilliant blue Yamdrok Lake, cleansing the world's clutter.

Parking by the lake, opening the sunroof, and playing Xu Wei's 'The Third Pole,' I basked in the plateau's winter sun. By the lake, a Tibetan grandmother ran a little makeshift stall—just a tent and a few simple seats, offering instant noodles, butter tea, sweet tea, and oil cakes. Though not lavish, against such scenery, everything was delicious. I ordered a pot of sweet tea, sat by the lake, and soaked in nature's beauty. Sharing my tea were adorable Tibetan gazelles and seagulls. Many mistake Tibetan gazelles for Tibetan antelopes; their most distinctive feature is a heart-shaped white rump. Winters in Tibet can be warm; seagulls come here to overwinter.

Holy city Lhasa: Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa. Returning to Lhasa, the place where my dreams began. I booked a room at the Shangri-La Hotel with views of the Potala Palace from every angle—room, bathroom, balcony, all clearly visible. Although I've been to Lhasa many times, the sight of the Potala Palace always stirs my heart.

Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple. Potala Palace: Another big perk of visiting Tibet in winter is that the hardest-to-get ticket, for Potala Palace, is free! I recall in August, a ticket was nearly impossible to obtain, with scalper prices soaring to 600, 800, even 1,000 yuan... In winter, it's free. Such a huge bargain—don't miss it…

Perched on Red Hill at 3,700 meters, the Potala Palace has 13 stories and rises 110 meters from the foot to the summit. It comprises the White Palace on the east and the Red Palace in the middle. Despite a constant stream of visitors, the Potala Palace remains serene, bringing peace.

With over 1,000 years of history, to reduce damage and stress on these ancient relics, visitors' touring time is strictly limited, and photography is prohibited inside. So the only photos I have are a few exterior shots.

But for those who love Tibetan culture, the Potala Palace is absolutely worth visiting. Inside, the murals and Buddha statues are exquisite national treasures.

Jokhang Temple: Located in the heart of Lhasa, Jokhang Temple boasts over 1,300 years of history and holds supreme status in Tibetan Buddhism. Also called 'Zuglagkang' or 'Jokhang' (meaning 'Buddha's Hall' in Tibetan), it was built in the 21st year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty by King Songtsen Gampo to commemorate Princess Bhrikuti's arrival in Tibet. Jokhang Temple is the most splendid surviving structure from the Tubo period, the earliest timber-and-earth building in Tibet, and pioneered the Tibetan flat-style temple layout. Every day, countless devotees prostrate outside, and many devout Tibetans travel thousands of miles from Sichuan, Qinghai, and Yunnan, kowtowing every three steps, all aiming for the 12-year-old Jowo Shakyamuni statue inside.

Without Jokhang Temple, there would be no Lhasa. In the old days, 'Lhasa' actually referred to Jokhang Temple. The main enshrined Shakyamuni statue was brought by Princess Wencheng when she entered Tibet, and the city's 'sacred land' fame is linked to this statue. The temple was originally called 'Rasa,' which later became the city's name and evolved into today's 'Lhasa.'

Over the centuries through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, the temple was expanded and renovated to reach its present scale. The main hall has three tiers, crowned with Tibet's distinctive golden roofs that glitter in the sunlight.

We always see worshippers gathering at Jokhang, prostrating in devotion; we always hear of its sacred solemnity that draws countless admiration; when we come to Tibet, we always walk around Jokhang to pray and seek blessings for ourselves and our families.

Barkhor Street: The inner circumambulation around the Shakyamuni hall in Jokhang is called 'Nangkhor'; the outer circuit around Jokhang's walls is 'Barkhor'; and the streets radiating from Jokhang are Barkhor Street, also known as the Octagonal Street. Here, you'll find both the old Lhasa charm and the most devout pilgrims. Lined with shops, you can buy many goods from Nepal, India, and neighboring countries.

Tibet—a place you must visit at least once in your life. Here, the azure sky, pure air, sun-drenched city, fluttering prayer flags, snow mountains piercing the blue, and lakes mirroring the clouds. Some seek faith, others are captivated by the scenery. No matter which type you are, Tibet always surprises you beyond expectation.