Ngari Travel Guide

Situated in western Tibet, Ngari Prefecture connects Xinjiang in the north, Shigatse and Nagqu in the east and borders India and Nepal in the South and Kashmir in the west. Covering an area of 345,000 km² and with a population of 86,300, the area has the lowest population density in the world and there is nearly no infrastructure. The capital of Ngari is in Shiquanhe Town, Gar County.
 

History

Ngari has a long history and was called Xiangxiong in ancient times. It was once the heart of the ancient Tibetan Guge kingdom. The area got its name in the ninth century AD when the last Tibet Tsenpo’s descendent escaped to this area and established a kingdom. Before 1949, Ngari was ruled under the feudal serf system and the system was abolished in 1959.
 

Attractions

Ruins of Guge Kingdom lying on a hilltop near a river represent the brilliance of the Guge Kingdom with magnificent murals, sculptures and stone inscriptions. Tholing Monastery built by the prince of Guge Kingdom is a famous Buddhist temple in Tibet. It is a famous Buddhist temple in Tibet with a collection of over one thousand deer antlers, pictographs and hieroglyphics. Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarova are considered as the 'Sacred Mountain' and 'Holy Lake' by Tibetans. The local people even regard it as the center of the world.
 

Transportation

Ngari is extremely remote area with nearly no infrastructure. Ngari Gunsa Airport is located in the southwest of Shiquanhe Town. There is flight from Chengdu to Ngari via Lhasa gets off at 5:50am every Tuesday and Friday. Every Friday, there is a flight from Xian to Ngari via Kashgar.

Travelers can arrive at Burang County in Ngari by renting a car or hitching a ride from Urumqi along the Xinjiang-Tibet Road.

There are two routes from Lhasa to Ngari: North Route and South Route. Both routes require travelers to rent vehicles or hitch a ride as there is no public bus. South route has better road condition and is closer to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarova.
 

Weather and Climate

Ngari has a plateau monsoon climate with big difference between day and night temperatures. In summer, the daytime temperature could be above 10℃(50°F), but may drop to the subzero at night. The area is cold and dry with limited rainfall and an annual average temperature of around 0℃(32°F). Rainy season lasts from June to August and winter lasts from November to April. Road condition is bad for travelling during the periods.
 

Food and Restaurants

Due to the extremely remoteness and harsh climate, food in Ngari is very limited and expensive, especially vegetables and fruits. However, there are some restaurants in most towns and counties serve Tibetan cuisine, Sichuan food and Xinjiang dishes.


Peacock Restaurant in Burang County offers a decent range of Chinese dishes. Half of the main street of Zanda County is gathered with Chinese, Tibetan and Muslim restaurants. Hong Man Tian Restaurant has an English menu and Chinese food is good. Sichuan Restaurant in the town of Shiquanhe supplies typical Sichuan dishes such as Pot-braised food and Sichuan-flavored fish.
 

Shopping

Burang International Market is the main shopping area in Ngari. Tibetan, Nepalese as well as Indian goods can be found in the market. Businessmen bring their goods for sale or exchange sheep and wool with local people. Another market 3 km supply local Tibetan goods.
 

Accommodation

Ngari does not have very favorable accommodation conditions due to its remote location.

Shiquanhe Hotel
Address: No.1, Hebei District, Shiquanhe

Heng Yuan Guesthouse in Ngari
Address: No.1, Beijing South Road, Shiquanhe

Guge Kingdom Hotel
Address: Binghe South Road, Shiquanhe

Gangdise Hotel
Address: near Mt. Kailash
 

Travel Tips

1. Shigatse or Lhaz is better place to hitch a ride to Ngari.
2. May to July and September to October are best time to travel to Ngari.
3. Bring enough water and food as the journey on the road is long.
4. Take medicine to avoid altitude sickness.
5. Bring flashlights, matches and down coats with you.
6. Pack as little as possible so you won’t be too exhausted to enjoy the scenery.
7. Most towns and counties have Agricultural Bank of China, post office and telecom office.