Top 9 Must-See Attractions in Ali, Tibet

The more we explore the magic and beauty of Ali, the more we can discover the surprises this land brings to us. It seems to be uninhabitable, but it once gave birth to the glorious culture of the Xiangxiong and Guge Kingdoms. It is famous for its height and coldness, but it is full of rivers and lakes. It is the place where the Gangdise Mountains and the Himalaya Mountains meet here, and the Brahmaputra, Indus, and Ganges originate here. Looking down from the sky, you’ll be amazed by the holy lakes with various colors. Please follow our Ali travel guide to explore the top 9 most beautiful scenic spots in the roof of the roof of the world.

Mount Kailash, Gang Rinpoche

Mount Kailash, also known as Gang Rinpoche, is regarded as the King of Sacred Mountain by the four major sects, which means "the heaven of the gods" in Hindu mythology. Approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983, it was opened to religious countries such as India and Nepal. (Due to the COVID-19, it just opens to the foreign friends who live or study in China right now.)

Ticket Fee (Kailash & Manasarovar): CNY 300

Mount Kailash, Gang Rinpoche

Manasarovar Lake

Lake Manasarovar, regarded as the Holy Lake, is as famous as Mount Kailash. Located to the south of Mount Kailash and the north of Mount Namunani, Manasarovar Lake is believed by pilgrims that the holy water can wash away the filth on people's skin and the five poisons (greed, hatred, delusion, laziness, and jealousy) of people's hearts. Besides, the admiration of Indians for Lake Manasarovar rises from the fact that the ashes of the famous Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi were scattered in Manasarovar Lake. So every summer and autumn, numerous pilgrims from India, Nepal, and Tibet come here to make sincere pilgrimages, bathing for merit. They also bring the holy lake water back home for thousands of miles as a precious gift for relatives and friends.

Ticket Fee (Kailash & Manasarovar): CNY 300

Manasarovar Lake

Ruins of Guge Kingdom

Located in Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, the Ruins of Guge Kingdom is an entire castle built from the ground to the top of the mountain. Lying along the banks of the Xiangquan River, it consists of more than 300 houses and caves, three 10-meter-high pagodas, four temples, two halls, and two underground passages. It is not only a large-scale and magnificent ancient city on the plateau, but also provides important materials for the study of Tibetan history and ancient Tibetan architecture.

Ticket Fee: CNY 50

Ruins of Guge Kingdom

Zanda Earth Forest

Zanda Earth Forest also called as Zanda Grand Canyon, is the most magnificent landscape area in Zanda County. The large area centered on Tholing Town is the best-developed earth-forest landforms in Zanda. It is the most typical and largest earth forest in the world, which is formed by the weathering of Tertiary strata.

Covering an area of 500 miles, the Zanda Earth Forest is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, which is a miracle of nature after hundreds of millions of years of vicissitudes.

The famous Zanda Grand Canyon is located at the border between Tibet, China, and India.

Another scenic spot you shall not miss is the Xiayi Valley. It has four small canyons (ditches) with their characteristics. Under the blue sky, the strange silver-white, silver-gray, and beige weave with each other, making it look like a wonderful planet in a sci-fi movie.

Ticket Fee: None

Zanda Earth Forest

Tholing Temple

Created in the early 11th century by the Prince of Guge, Issiwo, Tholing Temple (Tholing means to fly) has a history of nearly a thousand years. It is one of the first batches of national key cultural relics protection units. Located in Tholing Town, Zanda County, Tholing Monastery is about 250 kilometers away from Shiquanhe Town.

Ticket Fee: CNY 50

Tholing Temple

Pangong Lake

The eastern section of Pangong Lake in China is a freshwater area with lush aquatic plants and animals that attracts tens of thousands of water birds to come and thrive. There are many islands in the Lake, including Mouse Island, Moon Island, Swan Island, Grass Island, Bird Island, etc. Among them, Bird Island is the most famous one where you can catch the spectacular view that hundreds of kinds of birds breed on the island from May to August every year.

Ticket Fee: CNY 100

Pangong Lake

Piyang Donkar Cave Temple Site

There are many ruins of large and small cave paintings in Zanda County. Among them, the most famous one is Piyang Donkar Cave Temple, located 62 kilometers north of Tholing Town. It is the largest Buddhist cave site ever discovered in Tibet and is known as the "Second Dunhuang" in China.

Ticket Fee: CNY 25

Piyang Donkar Cave Temple Site

Ritu Rock Paintings

The Ritu Rock Paintings scatter in an area of nearly 200 to 300 square kilometers at the south and east of the Pangong Lake. You can easily find it along Xinjiang-Tibet Highway in Ritu. The frescoes are chiseled with hard stones or other hard objects on the rock. The lines and strokes are deep and shallow, and there are a few painted rocks. The content of rock paintings is very extensive, including hunting, religious rituals, riding, grazing, farming, sun, moon, mountains, cattle, horses, sheep, donkeys, antelopes, houses, figures, etc.

Ticket Fee: None

Ritu Rock Paintings

Magaer Grassland

Under the jurisdiction of Deru Village and Ritu Village, Magaer Pasture is located in the west of Ritu County, adjacent to National Highway 219 and bordering Pangong Lake. Thanks to the township regulations that only horses can be raised here, the Magaer Meadow has become a paradise for horses to thrive. With the water level of Pangong Lake rising year by year, part of the Magar Grassland has been submerged by the lake water. Under the brilliant sunshine, the lush pastures, blue sky, clear lake, majestic peaks, and galloping horses have become a beautiful landscape in the eyes of photographers.

Ticket Fee: None

Conclusion

Above top nine tourist attractions, Ali (Ngari), Tibet has more to offer, like Korjak Monastery, Zhari Namco, etc. After making an in-depth exploration around Ngari, you can enjoy a cozy bath in the natural hot spring with the jaw-dropping view of Mount Kailash and Manasarovar Lake. Wanna tailor out your own Kailash trip? We, travelKailash, are ready to help you out.