Lake Namtso is located in Nagqu Prefecture, about 260 kilometers from Lhasa City and 60 kilometers from Damxung County. From Damxung to Lake Namtso, you have to drive on a gravel road and climb over a snow mountain. In the rainy season, the road, which may be destroyed the heavy rain, will make it difficult for the minibuses with low chassis to drive on.
Lake is as the sky fell to the ground, hence the name ‘Hevenly Lake’, while the Tibetan people say it’s because of the high altitude of the Namtso Lake. Namtso Lake receives its water from the rain and melted snow. In the middle of Namtso Lake are five islands as well as there being five bylands. Furthermore, there are several grottos in the Namtso Lake area as well as other rocks, peaks and natural forms. The best time to visit Namtso Lake is during the summer when many birds come back to lay their eggs, herds travel through the area and other animals enjoy the warm summer months.
Tibetan Buddists believe that the Namtso is one of the four mighty lakes of the Tibetan Buddhism. Legend has it that circumanbulation around the lake once in goat year of Tibetan calendar is way better than hundreds of thousand times of that during other time because every goat year the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and safeguarding God assemble in Namtso Lake and set up altar for utsava. Tibetan people journey a long way to the Namtso Lake for cirmanbulation and the utsava culminates on April 15th.There are numerous marnyi stones all over the shoreline of Namtso Lake, which carries the prayers of the Tibetan people. Several pilgrims come to walk clockwise around the Namtso Lake to receive a blessing from the gods and there is one temple where people stop and worship. Namtso Lake is a popular travel destination.
Summer is the best time for Namtso Lake. Wild yaks, hares and other wild animals leisurely look for food along the expansive lake shores; countless migratory birds fly here to lay eggs and feed their young; sometimes lovely fishes in the lake jump out of the lake water, enjoying the warmth of the sunshine; sheep and cows herds are like flowing white blanks on the green grassland which can stretch as far as your eyes can see; the dulcet songs of Gauchos resound through the valleys. This time of the year Namtso Lake is full of life and activity. Therefore it is no wonder Tibetans take Namtso Lake the symbol of goodliness and happiness. Really Namtso Lake is a blessing from nature.
Besides the beautiful scenery in Namtso, it is also a famous sacred Buddhist place. There is a Zhaxi Temple in Zhaxi byland. In every Tibetan year of sheep, thousands of Buddhism adherents will come here to worship. As a rule, they will walk clockwise along the Namtso Lake in order to receive the blessing of the gods.
