Nagqu lies in the north of Tibet and the center of the Tibetan Plateau, between the Tanggula Mountains, Nyenchen Tanggula Mountains, and the Gangdise Mountains. Nagqu is the biggest region in Tibet. It’s the place where the Yangtze River, Nujiang River, Lhasa River and some other rivers originated from. Standing at an average altitude of over 4500 meters, it has a unique nomadic culture, sacred religious culture, as well as secret and stunning natural landscapes. This secret holy land attracts thousands of tourists from home and abroad with its unique charm every year. Walk into Nagqu, you will be overwhelmed by the picturesque natural scenery, such as snow-covered mountains, boundless prairies, fascinating geothermal springs, holy large lakes, etc.
The holy Lake Namtso is known to the world for its beauty and sanctity, as well as the Yampachen Hot Spring for its unique curative. In addition, the Nagqu Horse Racing Festival, a great traditional feast in the vast grassland of North Tibet, is very much worth joining in the summer. View more >>
Today, the transportation system in Nagqu is well-developed and travelers can get to Nagqu by train or road (driving).
Train to Nagqu
The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Station makes it possible for travelers to get to Lhasa by train from gateway cities such as Xian, Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing, etc. Trains heading to Lhasa and these gateway cities always have stopovers at Nagqu Railway Station, so travelers can easily board a train from Lhasa or these gateway cities to Nagqu. Traveling by train to Nagqu gives travelers the opportunity to experience a memorable journey. Travelers will see Qinghai Salt Lake, Qinghai Lake, Hohxil Nature Reserve, Kunlun Mountains, etc. It takes 3 hours 30 minutes to travel from Lhasa to Nagqu by train.
Driving to Nagqu
Some tourists travel to Lhasa by flight first before driving to Nagqu. Driving from Lhasa to Nagqu is a very long journey, but you can stop for sightseeing along the way. The distance of the road connecting Nagqu and Lhasa is 330 km and it takes about 7 hours to cover this distance. After your Namtso tour, you can continue driving to Nagqu, which takes about 5 hours to get there.
The climate of Nagqu is humid subtropical with low oxygen levels, a large temperature difference between day and night, windy, and cold climatic conditions throughout the year. Summer in Nagqu is cool and winter is cold. The town has an annual average temperature of about -0.9 °C to -3.3 °C.
The best time to visit Nagqu is May to September as the weather is relatively warm and you can enjoy the panoramic views of the beautiful prairie. However, the rainy season also happens during that period so it is advisable to take waterproof and protective clothes and shoes.
The diet of Nagqu is typical of Tibetan flavor, with beef, lamb, and pork as the main meat. Ghee, cheese, and vegetables are the main vegetarian dishes. The most famous specialties of Nagqu are cheese and beef jerky. In addition to the Tibetan restaurant, you can also find authentic Chinese restaurants and some international dishes in Nagqu.
From the end of July to the beginning of August in the Tibetan calendar (August in the solar calendar), the Qiangtang Horse Racing Festival is the grandest festival in Nagqu. It is the golden season of the grassland. Tens of thousands of herdsmen ride horses and bring various properties, gathering from hundreds of miles. Therefore in the south of Nagqu town, a temporary tent city is formed. There will be exciting horse racing and archery competitions and various equestrian performances, as well as cabaret performance teams from various regions to come to cheer. View more >>
Most of the hotels in Nagqu are located in the capital of the prefecture, Nagqu County.
Presently, there is a 5-star hotel available in the capital. The other hotels and guesthouses here are comfortable with good facilities and offer good food and services which will make you feel at home.
The highly recommended hotel for tourists is Zhongxin Nagqu. The hotel is located 10 km away from the Nagqu Railway Station and it takes about 20 minutes to travel between them.
Zhongxin Nagqu Hotel offers dining, accommodation, business, recreation and shopping to all its guests. The hotel offers different kinds of rooms of various sizes to satisfy the needs of all their guests. The rooms are spacious, well-equipped, and fully decorated. View more >>
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Great Tibet Tour is a local tour company based in Lhasa, Tibet. It was founded in 2005 and recommended by Lonely Planet as one of the best reputed local Tibet travel agencies.
With the great responsibility, professional know-how and passion for innovation, Great Tibet Tour endeavors to provide you with enjoyable, thoughtful service, and authentic culture discovery.
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