[2025 Rutog Attraction] Travel Guide for Jieshan Daban (Updated May)

【Introduction】: The desolation and magnificence of Ngari will subvert your imagination of travel. Whether you come for faith or scenery, this land will teach you to revere nature and life with its ultimate solitude and sanctity. Remember to burn incense and pray before departure, and may you find your own answer in the snow of Mount Kailash! 🛬【Itinerary】: Classic route planning (7–10 days) Route 1: Mount Kailash + Lake Manasarovar + Zanda Earth Forest (7 days) • Day 1: Lhasa → Yamdrok Lake → Karola Glacier → Shigatse (stay in Shigatse) ◦ Highlights: Autumn scenery of Yamdrok Lake, ice tongue of Karola Glacier. • Day 2: Shigatse → Mount Everest Base Camp (stay in base camp tent) ◦ Tips: You need to apply for an Everest border pass, and the night sky is extremely clear. • Day 3: Mount Everest → Saga (stay in Saga) ◦ Note: The road condition of Saga section of G318 is poor, it is recommended to depart early. • Day 4: Saga → Zhongba → Lake Manasarovar → Darchen (stay in Darchen) ◦ Highlights: Lake viewing platform on the west bank of Lake Manasarovar, overlooking Mount Namo Nanyi. • Day 5: Darchen kora (Mount Kailash outer kora, 2 days and 1 night, see the previous guide). • Day 6: Darchen → Zanda Earth Forest → Ruins of the Guge Kingdom (stay in Zanda) ◦ Things to do: Aerial photography of the earth forest landform, sunset at the Guge ruins. • Day 7: Zanda → Shiquanhe → Return trip Route 2: Ngari Grand Loop Line (13-day deep dive) • Day 1–3: Lhasa → Yamdrok Lake → Mount Everest → Saga (same as above) • Day 4: Saga → Zhongba → Lake Manasarovar → Darchen (kora) • Day 5–6: Mount Kailash kora (same as above) • Day 7: Darchen → Zanda Earth Forest → Ruins of the Guge Kingdom • Day 8: Zanda → Xiayigou (Red Earth Forest) → Shiquanhe • Day 9: Shiquanhe → Pangong Lake → Doma Township • Day 10: Doma Township → Jieshan Daban → Rutog • Day 11: Rutog → Gar County (Shiquanhe) → Return trip ⛺【Must-see attractions】: West Bank of Lake Manasarovar: Golden sunlight shines on the lake at sunrise, with Mount Namo Nanyi in the background. • Ruins of the Guge Kingdom: Drone aerial view of the geometry of the castle and earth forest (apply in advance). • Zanda Earth Forest: The red earth forest has interlaced light and shadow at sunrise, and golden textures at sunset. • Meditate at Zhire Temple: Sit quietly at the starting point of the Mount Kailash kora in the morning and feel the power of the believers' faith. • Overnight stay at the Ruins of the Guge Kingdom: Talk to the stars and imagine the glory of the Guge Kingdom thousands of years ago. 🍩【Must-eat delicacies】: • Tibetan stone pot chicken (Darchen "Aluo Cang" restaurant, more delicious with palm ginseng); • Pulan yogurt (sweet and rich after adding sugar, available at Darchen Night Market); • Air-dried yak meat (freshly cut from Zanda herders' homes, served with chili powder). 🏨【Accommodation Guide】: • Darchen: ◦ Mount Kailash Hotel (standard room CNY 400/night, oxygenated room); ◦ Pingcuo Kang Sang Youth Hostel (bed CNY 80/night, suitable for backpackers). • Zanda: ◦ Guge Dynasty Hotel (Tibetan courtyard, standard room CNY 300/night); ◦ Zanda Yunjv Inn (panoramic view of the earth forest, CNY 150 per person). • Shiquanhe: ◦ Mount Kailash Hotel (the most high-end in Ngari, standard room CNY 600/night). 🚌【Transportation Guide】:• Plane + chartered car: Fly from Lhasa to Shiquanhe Airport (capital of Ngari), and then charter a car to Mount Kailash/Zanda (about 6–8 hours by car). • Self-driving/carpooling: Lhasa → Ngari South Line (G318 extension) → Mount Kailash → Zanda → Shiquanhe, the whole journey is about 13–15 days. • Carpool: Local travel agencies in Lhasa organize carpools (cost about CNY 3,000–4,000/person, including food and accommodation). 🧡【Tips】:• Border pass: Apply at the place of household registration or Lhasa, indicating "Pulan County, Zanda County, Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture". • Vehicle pass: If you are driving yourself, you need a vehicle pass in Tibet Autonomous Region (applied in Lhasa).

Travel from Tibet to Xinjiang on an 8-day journey! Discover beautiful scenery and check out this detailed guide to start your dream trip! / 🚩Itinerary: DAY 1: Lhasa River > Gamba La Mountain > Yamdrok Lake > Karola Glacier > Palcho Monastery Travel through mountains and rivers, enjoy the plateau scenery, and explore the mysterious charm of glaciers and ancient temples. DAY 2: Tashilhunpo Monastery > Gyatso La Pass > Everest Base Camp Experience Tibetan Buddhism, cross the pass, and see the magnificent Mount Everest. DAY 3: Shishapangma > Peiku Lake Look up at the snow-capped mountains, stroll along the quiet lakeside, and feel the tranquility and power of nature. DAY 4: Mount Kailash > Lake Manasarovar > Lake Rakshastal Visit sacred mountains and lakes, and experience the close connection between Tibetan religion and natural scenery. DAY 5: Mount Kailash > Ruins of the Guge Kingdom Visit the sacred mountain again, trace the historical sites of the ancient kingdom, and savor the passage of time. DAY 6: Shiquan River > Rutog Rock Paintings > Pangong Tso > Pangong Lake Walk along the river, explore ancient rock paintings, and feel the weight of history in the lakes and mountains. DAY 7: Jieshan Daban > Kangxiwa Martyrs Cemetery Cross the pass, remember the martyrs, remember history, and pay tribute to the fearless spirit of the brave. DAY 8: K2 > Kashgar Old Town Look up at the majestic snow-capped mountains, stroll through the streets of the ancient city, and experience the rich Western style. / Tips: - Food: Tibetan yak hot pot 🍲 and butter tea 🍵 are Tibetan specialties, don't miss them! - Photo spots: Potala Palace Square and Nanshan Park Mirror Lake are ideal photo spots. - Souvenirs: Tibetan tsampa and suyou cake 🍰, take home some special gifts. - December weather: Lhasa is sunny but has a large temperature difference between day and night, so remember to keep warm 🧣. - Price: Compare prices when buying souvenirs and consume rationally 💰. Come to Tibet and Xinjiang to experience a different style! 🌄✨ / After traveling through the snow-capped mountains of Tibet and the grasslands of Xinjiang, don't forget to leave your story and footprints of praise! 🌟

First time visiting Tibet and Xinjiang? Don't miss this carefully prepared 8-day itinerary to help you explore both places and enjoy the beautiful scenery! -------- 🚩Route suggestion: 8-day in-depth tour from Tibet to Xinjiang Day 1: Lhasa River -> Gamba La Mountain -> Yamdrok Lake -> Karola Glacier -> Palcho Monastery 🏞️Cross the Lhasa River, climb over Gamba La Mountain, visit the holy Yamdrok Lake, admire the magnificent Karola Glacier, and finally visit Palcho Monastery to experience Tibetan religious culture. Day 2: Tashilhunpo Monastery -> Gyatso La Pass -> Everest Base Camp 🏔️Go on a pilgrimage to Tashilhunpo Monastery, cross Gyatso La Pass, and head straight to Everest Base Camp to admire the world's most spectacular scenery up close. Day 3: Shishapangma -> Peiku Lake 🌄Enjoy the morning light of Shishapangma, then head to Peiku Lake to experience the tranquility and beauty of the plateau lake. Day 4: Mount Kailash -> Lake Manasarovar -> Lake Rakshastal 🙏Circumambulate Mount Kailash, visit the holy Lake Manasarovar, and then head to Lake Rakshastal to experience the unique landscape of two worlds in one lake. Day 5: Mount Kailash -> Ruins of the Guge Kingdom 🏛️Look back at the sacred Mount Kailash, then explore the Ruins of the Guge Kingdom and trace the vicissitudes of history. Day 6: Shiquan River -> Rutog Rock Paintings -> Pangong Tso -> Pangong Lake 🎨Travel along the Shiquan River, admire the primitive art of Rutog Rock Paintings, and then head to Pangong Tso and Pangong Lake to experience the unique charm of the plateau lake. Day 7: Jieshan Daban -> Kangxiwa Martyrs Cemetery 🕊️Cross Jieshan Daban and arrive at Kangxiwa Martyrs Cemetery to pay tribute to the martyrs and remember history. Day 8: K2 -> Kashgar Old Town 🏰Admire the majestic K2, and visit Kashgar Old Town before the end of the trip to experience the rich Western style. -------- **Notes**: 📸 Photo spots: Potala Palace and Yamdrok Lake in Tibet, Tianchi Lake and Kanas Lake in Xinjiang are all beautiful places to take photos! 🛍️ Specialty prices: Compare prices when buying specialties. Tibetan medicine in Tibet and dried fruits in Xinjiang vary greatly in quality and price. ✈️ Airport transportation: Both Lhasa Airport in Tibet and Urumqi Airport in Xinjiang have convenient transportation. Remember to book an airport transfer in advance. 💡 Altitude sickness: Both places are at high altitudes, so prepare common medicines, rest properly, and avoid strenuous exercise. 🍽️ Food safety: When trying local delicacies, choose clean and hygienic restaurants to avoid food poisoning. -------- From Tibet to Xinjiang, the beautiful scenery never stops. For more detailed guides and private tips, remember to follow me and explore the unique Northwest China!🌄👍

The news I got from various channels is that the road conditions are extremely bad and the journey is dangerous. I actually walked it and talked about my feelings. Road conditions: There are three sections of the road that are relatively difficult to walk. 1. Between Jieshan Daban and Dahongliutan, there are intermittent washboard roads, each section is about 100 meters. 2. Going up and down Mazada Ban are all washboard roads. Because the tunnel through the mountain is being built, the repairs have been abandoned. You need to drive carefully and slowly. It will save a lot of time when the tunnel is repaired in the future. (Just past Thirty Mile Camp, there is a Heiqia tunnel that was opened to traffic last year. It is the first 1.5H) 3. Arriving at Yecheng, you will climb up and down a certain board, a 30km wall, and your legs will feel weak. Scenery: Bangong Lake, Red Clay Daban, Longmu Co, Clouds The fairy-like Kunlun Mountains, these scenery are good. After passing the barracks for twenty miles, it was really ordinary.