Location: Located in the southeast of the Tibet Autonomous Region on the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo River 雅鲁藏布江), Nyingchi (lín zhī 林芝) Prefecture is an inevitable pass to Tibet from Yunnan (yún nán 云南) and Sichuan (sì chuān 四川). It neighbors Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (dí qìng zàng zú zì zhì zhōu 迪庆藏族自治州) of Yunnan Province in the east, and is bordered by Lhasa (lā sà 拉萨) in the west. In the south, it shares boundary with India and Burma. The government of Nyingchi is seated in Bayi Town (bā yī zhèn 八一镇), over 400 kilometers from Lhasa.

 
History: Nyingchi is one of the important cradles of ancient Tibetan civilization. As early as four or five thousand years ago, ancestors of Tibetan began to live and work on this vast land. It was under domination of Tupo (tǔ bō 吐蕃) Kingdom for two hundred years (7th Century - 9th Century). Then, it mooned away the feudal serf society since the liberation of Tibet in 1951.

  
Physical Features: Nyenchen Tanglha Mountain (niàn qīng táng gǔ lā shān mài 念青唐古拉山脉), east section of Himalayas and offshoots Gangdise Mountains (gāng dǐ sī shān 冈底斯山) lay east and west respectively in northern, southern and northwestern Nyingchi. The Hengduan Mountains (héng duàn shān 横断山) lies in the east of the region. Between the mountains, there are river valleys and alpine gorges distributed. Its terrain basically declines from northwest to southeast. Alpine gorge and river valley between mountains are typical landforms in this region.

  
Climatic Features: Southeastern Nyingchi belongs to north tropical and subtropical humid mountain climatic zone, while the rest part of the region enjoys a temperate semi-humid or humid plateau climate. It has long winter without clear summer. Its annual average temperature in winter is above zero (32 degree Fahrenheit), and in summer falls around 20 degree centigrade (68 degree Fahrenheit).

  
When to Go: May to September is the rain season of the region. Therefore, October to April the next year is the ideal period to Nyingchi.

Special Local Products: precious Chinese herbal medicine, Menba (mén bā 门巴) wooden bowl, bamboo weaving product, pottery
 
  
Local Highlights: Apart from the religious ritual of saluting full body kowtow and moving around and around sacred mountains or lakes, the New Year's Day in Kongpo Gyamda (gōng bù jiāng dá 工布江达) County is held in October, 1st in Tibetan Calendar (November in Gregorian Calendar). In the first day of the eighth month in the Year of Horse of Tibetan Calendar, Niangbulasu Festival (niáng bù lā sū jié 娘布拉苏节) will be held in Kongpo Gyamda County. Sacrificing activities, horse racing, folk performances and trading fairs are held during the festival. 

                                                                

Useful Telephone Numbers:
Tourist Complaints: 0894-5998811