Photo from CRI shows the beautiful Namtso Lake in Tibet.
Photo from CRI shows the beautiful Namtso Lake in Tibet.
As the highest lake in the world with an elevation of 4,718 meters above sea level, the Namtso Lake is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet and receives high respects among the local people.
The lake is 72 kilomters long from east to west and 30 kilometers wide from south to north, covering an area of 1,940 square kilometers.
The Legend has it that Namtso Lake is the beautiful daughter of nearby Bam Lake. She was married to the Mt. Nyainqentanglha. As time went by, she could not stand the frigid weather and loneliness any longer and so, with a sad heart, threw all her jewels, ornaments, and necklaces into the lake. Thus it is said that there are boundless treasures at the bottom of Namtso Lake.
Tashi Monastery on Tashi Peninsula in Namtso Lake is a sacred place to Buddhists. Thousands of pilgrims travel a long way to worship here on the Tibetan New Year.
On the Tibetan year of sheep, pilgrims from faraway come here to walk around the lake. It takes more than 10 days to circle the lake once.
Five or seven tourists can hire a mini bus from Lhasa to go and back in three days for 1,700 -- 2,000 yuan. The journey takes eight hours.
