Ngari
This large building was constructed around 1470. The beautiful murals were repainted around 1630, shortly before the fall of the Guge kingdom. The…
Must-see attractions in Ngari
Ngari
The large Lhakhang Karpo holds the oldest paintings at Tsaparang and is probably the most important chapel in all of Ngari. The murals date back to the…
Ngari
This small building was a private shrine for Tsaparang’s prefect or regent. The caretaker has named it the ‘Drölma Lhakhang’ after his own sculpture of…
Ngari
The Tagyel Chutse (King Tiger Hot Springs) are a Yellowstone-style collection of bubbling hot springs and puffing steam outlets that seem to lead straight…
Ngari
Sacred Mt Kailash dominates the landscape of western Tibet through both its unique geographical allure and its sacred, metaphysical role as the religious…
Ngari
South of Chiu Monastery on the shore of Manasarovar, this charming 16th-century monastery has long been part of the Manasarovar kora but can now be…
Ngari
One excellent half-day or overnight excursion from Tsochen is to Tsari (Zhari) Nam-tso, a huge and spectacular salt lake that remains totally undeveloped…
Ngari
The citadel of Tsaparang, 18km west of Zanda, is one of Western Tibet's great hidden gems. Dozens of ruined residences and chapels dot a naturally…
Ngari
The dramatically situated Drapsang Monastery is a worthy detour off the main highway. Nuns will show you a skull-shaped rock and statues of Guru Rinpoche…
Ngari
This large turquoise lake is one of Tibet's most beautiful and is a fine place to camp if you’re prepared for the cold and especially the altitude (around…
Ngari
Founded by Rinchen Zangpo in the 10th century, Thöling Monastery was once Ngari’s most important monastic complex. Atisha stayed here for three years…
Ngari
Seralung was built in 1728 to atone for a war against Ladakh. The most revered image is the central Jowo Katasapani; to the right is a statue of Kunchog…
Ngari
The village of Piyang (4180m) lies at the foot of a large ridge honeycombed with thousands of caves and topped with a ruined monastery and two caves with…
Ngari
Down the Sutlej Valley, 3km past Khyunglung (曲龙, Qūlóng) village, is the extensive ruined cave city that is thought to have been Shangshung, western Tibet…
Ngari
Fans of inner Asian art should visit Dungkhar (4250m) for its 800-year-old Kashmiri-Central Asian style wall paintings. There are three main caves in a…
Ngari
The atmospheric blood-red Korjak Monastery (3790m) has been an important centre for the Sakya order since it was founded by Rinchen Zangpo in 996 as the…
Ngari
The charming, white-painted traditional village of old Rutok huddles at the base of a splinter of rock, atop which is Rutok Monastery, flanked at both…
Ngari
Once the main building in the Thöling complex, Yeshe Ö’s Mandala Chapel was also known as the Golden Chapel. All the images have been destroyed but the…
Ngari
The Sakayapa-school Tradun Gompa just to the north of town is of importance as one of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo’s demoness-subduing temples, in this…
Ngari
The entry to this side chapel is marked by a finely carved deodar (cedar) door frame that originated in India. Inside are vibrant 15th- and 16th-century…
Ngari
The dimly lit chamber of the dukhang has especially fine wall murals, showing strong Kashmiri and Nepali influences; bring a powerful torch (flashlight)…
Ngari
In 1985 prehistoric rock carvings, or petroglyphs, were found at several sites in Rutok County, the first such carvings found in Tibet. The most…
Ngari
This ruined monastery towers over Purang town from its dramatic hilltop position. In 1949 the Swami Pranavananda described this Kagyud monastery, which…
Ngari
The murals in this small chapel are painted red and gold, and are almost solely devoted to wrathful deities in ecstatic yab-yum pose, such as Demchok …
Ngari
Accessed by a steep and easily missed eroded staircase (now with an iron railing in place), the palace is an amazing ant nest of rooms tunnelled into the…
Ngari
From the four chapels at the base of Tsaparang, the path to the top climbs up through the monastic quarters and then ascends to the palace complex atop…
Ngari
About 8km north of Rutok Xian, the road hits the east end of lovely turquoise Pangong-tso (4241m). It’s worth the detour for views of the lake and camping…
Ngari
At the east end of the 2km-long town, walk through the Tibetan quarter along Guangxi Lu to this small friendly gompa with 18 monks. The atmospheric inner…
Ngari
Located 33km south of Darchen, Chiu (Sparrow) Monastery enjoys a fabulous location atop a craggy hill overlooking Lake Manasarovar. The monastery name…
Ngari
A few steps east of the Thöling Monastery compound in Zanda is the recently restored Serkhang chörten. A similar chörten stands in total isolation just to…
Ngari
On the banks of the Sutlej, only a few hours’ drive northwest of Darchen, the hot springs at Tirthapuri are where pilgrims traditionally bathe after…
Ngari
Trugo has a great location on the southern shore of Manasarovar, at a spot where many Indian pilgrims make their ritual immersion in the lake. The main…
Ngari
The monastery dukhang (assembly hall) here has the stone footprints of Guru Rinpoche and his consort Yeshe Tsogyel to the right of the altar. Outside the…
Ngari
In the hills north of Purang are many meditation retreat caves formed around the cliff-side Gokung Monastery. A ladder leads up to a couple of upper-floor…
Ngari
If you fancy a relaxing post-Kailash soak or just need to get clean after a kora, the small hot springs beside Chiu village are piped into clean, private…
Ngari
If you have time to kill in Zanda, drive 4km east of town to this ancient iron link suspension bridge over the Sutlej River. It's thought to be one of the…
Ngari
It's worth a quick stroll to this hilltop pagoda for panoramic views over Ali and it's dramatic surroundings. Be careful not to photograph the army…
Ngari
This newly renovated Bönpo monastery has some interesting murals, though the caretaker will likely call the PSB upon your arrival. The dramatic cliff-side…
Ngari
North of the main entrance to Tsaparang a trail follows a green river valley down about 700m to a cave on the left that holds the mummified remains of…
Ngari
This ruined chapel is flanked by an ancient-looking chörten. Only the feet of the main statue remain inside but there are some lovely old thangkas on…
