Where is Namtso Lake and How to Get to Namtso Lake from Lhasa

Where is Namtso Lake?

Address: Namtso Lake, Damxung County, China

Namtso Lake is a mountain lake on the border between Damxung County of Lhasa Prefecture and Baingoin County of Nagqu Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, approximately 112 kilometers away from Lhasa. It is the highest lake in the world and the third-largest saltwater lake in China, after Qinghai Lake and Siling Lake. The lake is over 70km long, reaches a width of 30km and is 35m at its deepest point.

By Renting a Private Car (Highly Recommend)

There is no direct shuttle bus to Namtso Lake. Considering the steep slopes and snow on the road, it is highly recommended to renting a private SUV car with a local experienced driver a tour guide to get to Namtso Lake from Lhasa if you have enough people in your group to share the expense. The trip on the way would be much comfortable and flexible. TopChinaTravel can offer this chartering car service with a tour guide for tour guests. If you need, just let us know.

Join a Group Tour in Lhasa

Join a tour group is a good way to get to Namtso Lake from Lhasa. Many travel agencies in Lhasa or hotels have a day trip or a two-day trip to Namtso (about 200 yuan/person). They are only responsible for round-trip travel, you need to pay your accommodation and entry ticket by yourself. The car is usually minibus or middle bus, depending on the number of passengers. It usually leaves around 7 o 'clock in the morning.

By Bus

The closest place to Namtso is Damxung Town on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. You can go to Namtso transfer via Damxung. Lhasa Xijiao Bus Terminal(拉萨西郊客运站) has a shuttle bus to Nagu. You can take the bus to Naqu first and it take 44 RMB per person. The trip will take 2 and half hours. There are still 60 kilometers to Namtso. Then you can go to Namtso by car or on foot, and you can catch a free ride when you are lucky.

Travel Tips

The lake is at 4730m so you'll need to acclimatize in and around Lhasa for a few days before heading this way. It is not unusual for visitors to get altitude sickness on an overnight stay out at the lake. Or you would better take the medicine for preventing altitude sickness in advance.

The best time to explore the most beautiful scenery in Namtso Lake is from June to September. The ticket for attraction is 120 RMB and you have to pay a management fee of 5 RMB to enter Tashi Island. The opening hour of the scenic area is 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.