White Horse Mound, one of the most beautiful—and most mysterious—places in Tibet, holds sacred meaning for the Tibetans. Tucked away in Yalung Zangbo Grand Canyon, Medog (Motuo) has no public roads or clear access trails. Visitors reach Medog by helicopter or on foot. Two massive snow-covered mountains stand guard over the region and the sole mountain pass can only be traveled between July and October. Even summer brings dangerous rainstorms and mudslides. The difficult journey is well worth the effort, though—awestruck visitors marvel at this isolated and primitive land's pristine natural beauty. Only the most adventurous trekkers or the most devout Buddhists reach this breathtaking oasis of sky and mountain. more >>

Around 5 kilometers northeast of Nyingtri lies a delightful wood of wild peach trees, attracting many varieties of birds and other animals. Peach Blossom Gully is bordered by green mountains on three sides, with crystal clear creeks crisscrossing the magical wood. The annual Peach Blossom Festival takes place at the height of the trees's wild blooms. Locals prize the tree not just for its beauty, but also for the special medicinal properties of its peaches. more >>

Yarlung Tsangpo River means "water running from the highest peak" in Tibetan. The world's highest river encircles a Tibetan peak at 7,787 meters above sea level, forming the largest canyon of the world. That canyon, the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, is a fascinating geological landmark as well as a diverse home for thousands of animals and plants. The immense canyon hosts dozens of huge waterfalls, enormous rock formations and astounding varieties of plant and wildlife. Totaling 504.6 kilometers, the unique U-shaped canyon stretches 56 kilometers longer than the famous American Grand Canyon. more >>

Nyingrtri guide | Tibet flights | | Tibet guided tours Tibet on the China Travel Blog Just to the east of the fork in the road that heads in one direction to Mount Everest and Zhangmu and in the other to Mount Kailash and Ali, the new town of Lhatse (Lhatse Xian) is a convenient stop for tourists headed to either of the holy peaks. The new town doesn't have much to offer beyond a slew of roadside Chinese and Muslim restaurants and cheap hotels. The old village of Lhatse, however, and the collection of cultural sites scattered around it—temples, forts and monestaries, some still standing, others in ruins—make for a pleasant off-the-beaten-path experience. Both Lhatses occupy a harshly beautiful region of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley, roughly 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level.  Given the difficulty of obtaining Tibet travel permits, it's likely that yo... more >>