Today is the third day after the cycling trip ended.
On the first day, I went to the 57 service station to return the bike and collect the medal for cycling the Sichuan-Tibet Line. Then I visited the Jokhang Temple for the kora, followed by a trip to the Potala Palace and Medicine Buddha Mountain. At noon, I went to the Guangming Teahouse for some sweet tea and Tibetan cuisine. The afternoon sun was too intense, so I returned to the hotel to rest for a while and then started writing the strategy for the last day of the Sichuan-Tibet Line cycling trip.
On the second day, which was yesterday, we both got up early, had breakfast, and then took the bus to Drepung Monastery.
Today is the third day, and we had signed up for a group tour in advance, with a gathering at the parking lot next to the Potala Palace at 7 o’clock.
We set an alarm for 6 a.m. to get up. The hostel we stayed at is located behind the Potala Palace, which is about a ten-minute walk away.
We arrived around 6:40 a.m., not wanting to be late and hold others up, but it turned out that we were delayed by others, sigh, speechless.
We set off after half-past seven, and along the way, the driver, who also served as our guide, drove while explaining some important precautions.
After leaving the city area, we stopped by an outdoor equipment store. Since the altitude of Namtso Lake is over 4000 meters, altitude sickness might occur. If anyone needed to buy an oxygen cylinder, they could purchase it here.
The distance from the Potala Palace to Namtso Lake is quite far, about 220 kilometers. Once we left the city, the altitude began to rise gradually.
We stopped at a service area to take a break and use the restrooms.
Not to mention, the high altitude is truly therapeutic. Looking up, you see white clouds and a blue sky that stretches as far as the eye can see.
For us, who have been working long-term in the so-called metropolises, surrounded by concrete jungles, it feels incredibly refreshing for both body and mind.
We were traveling in this small white minibus. After about 15 minutes of rest, we continued on our way.
We booked the group tour on Meituan, and the prices were very affordable. Initially, we planned to sign up for a two-day, one-night tour to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Milky Way at night—it’s such a longing. However, the recent cloud cover at Namtso has been quite thick, and the weather hasn’t been great, so we ended up only booking a one-day round-trip group.
After that, we traversed a section of mountainous road where we encountered considerable rain in some areas. With such weather conditions, it is indeed challenging to spot the Milky Way.
This is the highest viewing platform along the way, at an altitude of 5190 meters, where you can see the panoramic view of Namtso Lake.
Due to the high altitude, it’s extremely cold. We put on our fleece jackets before getting off the bus, but it still felt very chilly, so be sure to bring warm clothing.
This is also why it’s recommended for those who haven’t been to high altitudes to buy a bottle of oxygen. The pass here is at 5190 meters, and the upcoming altitude at Namtso is around 4700 meters, making altitude sickness quite likely.
After taking in the panoramic view of Namtso Lake, we continued downhill along the highway all the way to the entrance of the Namtso Lake scenic area.
After arriving at Namtso Lake scenic area, you need to collect your tickets at the ticket office and then board the internal bus to the lakeshore of Namtso Lake.
However, it is important to be aware of altitude sickness, as Namtso Lake has an altitude of around 4700 meters. On our way back to the ticket office in the afternoon, we experienced altitude sickness. One of our friends suddenly felt very weak, as if intoxicated, and had to rely on oxygen to recover, which was quite dangerous。
After reaching the lakeside of Namtso, our group first went to take photos by the lake. The tour we booked includes a drone video recording service, so we went to complete that service first.
I didn’t dare to walk too quickly as it consumed a lot of energy. There were many local tourism services by the lake, such as opportunities to take photos with yaks, so there were plenty of yaks around.
This is where we recorded with the drone. When we first arrived, many people were taking photos here, so we had to wait for almost 20 minutes before we could start our filming.
This place is so vast that it’s impossible to cover it all in just one and a half hours, so we just explored the areas nearby that we could walk to.
The lake water is incredibly clear. I seem to have heard somewhere that the water of Namtso and Yangzhu Lake is potable-grade, although, I definitely won’t drink wild water directly again.
On the day of cycling along the Nu River, it was so hot and sunny that I finished all the water I brought. I couldn’t resist and drank water from a roadside pipe.
Later, someone told me to be aware of parasites in wild water, so I never drank water from the roadside again because life is too fragile.
This place is nothing but beautiful, like a sea at high altitude. I feel it’s mainly because I’ve spent too much time in the concrete jungle of big cities, to the point where I can’t even see the whole sky when I look up. That’s why cities can feel so oppressive.
Here, one truly releases their nature. Looking up, the boundless blue sky stretches out, and it feels like you could touch the white clouds if you just reach out.
I make a wish, hoping that one day I can be far away from the city and return to a place where the sky is all you see when you look up.
There are also many birds by the lake, much like seagulls.
As we walked back, we saw many yaks by the lake that were there for photo opportunities with tourists. A warm reminder:
Even in summer, the temperature at Namtso is quite low. When we came here, we were wearing our fleece three-in-one jackets. Always bring warm clothes, or check the Namtso weather forecast in advance to see the temperature
It’s time to head back.
We walked from the lakeside to the scenic area highway to catch the shuttle bus back to the ticket office. In the afternoon, there were quite a few people returning, and we waited for about ten minutes before we could get on the bus.
On the way back, it was quite magical; suddenly there was a heavy snowfall, very unexpected.
In just a few minutes, the road was covered with a thick layer of snow. Fortunately, it was a localized snowfall, and after that stretch of road, it was sunny again.
When we arrived back at the Potala Palace, it was just after 7 pm. In Lhasa, it doesn’t get dark until after 9 pm, so it wasn’t too late.