Day 1: To the World's Largest Canyon, Viewing China's Most Beautiful Mountain Peak

This post begins to update the travelogue of a 6-day, 5-night group tour around Tibet. Day 1: Lhasa → Nyingchi Attractions: Niyang River, River Confluence, Palm-Shaped Sand Dunes, Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, Namcha Barwa Peak (Suosong Village) The first day's itinerary, from Lhasa to Nyingchi, was entirely on the expressway, with no scenic spots in between, only stopping for lunch off the expressway at noon. At 7:00 a.m., we gathered at the White Pagoda parking lot and set off before dawn. There were seven tourists, five men and two women, in an 8-seater car driven by a Tibetan. From Dazi District, we drove onto the Lhasa-Nyingchi Expressway. Everyone was asleep, except me, as I kept staring out the window. We drove eastward along the Lhasa River Valley, the altitude gradually rising from 3,600m to over 4,000m, and the vegetation on the mountains becoming increasingly sparse. There weren't many cars on the expressway in winter. The sunrise shone on the bare slopes, resembling the golden glow of sunshine on snow-capped mountains. After passing Gongbo'gyamda County, the expressway left the Lhasa River Valley, the mountains on both sides gradually drew closer, and the scenery outside the window also changed. Tibetan songs played in the car. The driver broke the silence first, jokingly offering to introduce the handsome guys in the car to Drolma. This joke was played on us all the way, which was quite funny. After everyone woke up and started chatting, the atmosphere in the car improved significantly. Since I was sitting in the passenger seat, and I strongly dislike sleeping in cars, I took on the tasks of chatting with the driver, announcing the route, and forecasting meal times for the next few days. We arrived at the Mila Mountain Tunnel, the highest point of the Lhasa-Nyingchi Expressway. After exiting the tunnel, we entered the Niyang River Valley, and the altitude began to gradually decrease. The number of snow-capped mountains on both sides of the narrow Niyang River Canyon began to increase, presenting another kind of scenery. As the altitude decreased, the vegetation on the mountains gradually increased. Passing Gongbo'gyamda County, the mountains ahead were suddenly covered with snow. The driver said it must have snowed last night. We were so lucky. Except for the expressway surface, the river valley, forests, and mountains were all covered in white, which looked extremely beautiful against the blue sky and white clouds. We arrived at Bayi Town, an expressway exit leading to Basum Lake Scenic Area, where we got off the expressway for lunch. There were many tour groups here, and the meals were pre-ordered. The taste, well, it was the worst meal we had in these six days. We continued on the expressway, the altitude getting lower and lower, and the Niyang River getting wider and wider. The emerald green river water, towering snow-capped mountains, and the canyon scenery became more and more beautiful. We arrived at Nyingchi City. After passing the urban area of Nyingchi, we left the Lhasa-Nyingchi Expressway and drove onto the Nyingchi Airport Expressway. On the way, we saw the Sichuan-Tibet Railway and Nyingchi Railway Station under construction. Getting off the expressway, we were about to turn into the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon. At a small viewing platform on the roadside, we saw the confluence of rivers (Yarni Wetland), where the Niyang River and Yarlung Tsangpo River meet. Continuing forward, we arrived at the Palm-Shaped Sand Dunes, a huge sand dune hill by the river. The driver also told us a related legend. The river water displayed different shades of blue and green under the influence of sunlight and shadows. The altitude here is less than 3,000m, with abundant water vapor and a very comfortable environment. Continuing deeper into the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, the canyon became narrower and narrower, and the oppressive feeling of the snow-capped mountains on both sides became stronger and stronger. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in winter has fewer people and is free of charge, so the journey was very smooth. At 3:00 p.m., our car was the first to arrive at Suosong Village. After viewing Namcha Barwa Peak from the viewing platform outside the village, we went to check in. Then the driver took us further in, visually getting very close to Namcha Barwa Peak. The low altitude of the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon further highlighted the towering height of Namcha Barwa Peak (7,782m), but the cloud cover made it difficult to see the main peak. We had dinner at Suosong Village, a hot pot with chicken cooked in a stone pot. Although everything except the soup base was vegetarian, we, having been in the car all day, ate with great relish. After dinner, we happened to catch the sunset and witnessed a near-perfect golden glow on Namcha Barwa. The main peak of Namcha Barwa, rarely seen by most, appeared faintly behind the clouds. When the other surrounding snow-capped mountains gradually dimmed, only Namcha Barwa Peak shone with golden light, showing its towering figure to the tourists who came to admire it. Although Suosong Village is not large, Namcha Barwa Peak has made this small mountain village famous. The evening activities were also lively. If it were summer, one can imagine the popularity here, it would definitely be hard to find a room.