With a population just above 3,000 people, Nyingtri (also written Nyangtri and called Linzhi in Mandarin) is a good place to get a feel for a different kind of Tibet than the one you'll find in Lhasa and the west. The people in town and the surrounding area still practive the indigenous Bon faith, which predates the arrival of Buddhism in Tibet by centuries. For those interested in Tibetan religion and culture, there are three Bon monasteries—Neche Goshog, Yungdrungling and Sigyal—to visit, as well as Bonri, one of the religion's most sacred mountains.

Along with the nearby town of Bayi, with its famed Buddhist Buchu Monastery and Lamaling Temple, and the dramatic Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon and Tsangpo Gorges, Nyngtri makes for a wonderful—if rugged—stopover on a tour of southeastern Tibet.
 

Due to its remote location in the midst of southeastern Tibet's mountains and forests, Nyingtri has maintained a firm grasp on its deeply rooted culture. Nyingtri residents are generally members of the either the Menpa or Lhoba peoples, both of whom possess long-standing reputations for devotion to tradition. Indeed, the ancient Bon faith still dominates in the area, many centuries after Buddhism displaced it throughout most of Tibet.

The Menpa and Lhoba are closely related to mainstream Tibetan culture, though they are considered separate ethnic minorities by the Chinese state and they each have their own distinct languages and cultural practices.

Nyingtri was a much more active town before 1950 and the Chinese invasion, home to several Bon schools in addition to its temples. Nonetheless, it has managed to retain many of its traditional ways in the face of encroaching change.
 

With an elevation of 3,000 meters, Nyingtri has a milder climate than the rest of Tibet. Rainfall is common to the area. Even in winter, temperatures remain fairly mild, rarely dropping far below 0 ˚C (32 ˚F). The summer monthly average is around 30 ˚C (85 ˚F).