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As an in-depth enthusiast of Tibetan tourism, an announcement released by the Mount Everest Administration at the beginning of 2019 went viral on WeChat Moments.
According to an announcement released by the Mount Everest Management Bureau of Dingri County, from December 5, 2018, no unit or individual may enter the core area above Rongbuk Monastery in the Mount Everest National Nature Reserve for tourism.
This means that from now on we can no longer go deep into the Everest Base Camp to see Mount Everest. Our visit ends at Rongbuk Monastery, and the bustling Everest Base Camp camping check-in point has become history.
This is undoubtedly shocking news for those of my fellow travelers who are planning to travel to Tibet. We will not be able to feel the holiness and beauty of Mount Everest more truly and deeply.
I couldn't help but feel fortunate that I caught the last bus to the Everest Base Camp early, and then I felt proud of my own experience brought by the market gap. Not only have I been to the heart of Tibet that you have never been to, but I have also been to places that you may never be able to go to again.
Let us now take stock of the scenic spots that have been closed in Tibetan areas in recent years.
Photographed by @Lancet
The Punogangri Glacier is 6,800 meters above sea level, 90 kilometers northeast of the Shuanghu Special District in the northwest of Qiangtang. It belongs to the core area of the national Qiangtang Nature Reserve. It is the third largest glacier in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. It is known as the world's third pole and is also the largest glacier in the latitude region.
There are many lakes and deserts distributed extremely rarely around the Puruogangri Glacier. The lakes are close to the glacier but do not freeze, and the deserts are close to the water source but no grass grows. Glaciers, lakes and deserts, these three geographical phenomena that are difficult to coexist, coexist harmoniously and complement each other here. This is also an extremely rare natural landscape in the world.
Giant ice sheets tens or even hundreds of meters thick cover the mountain, sparkling and translucent in the sun. In addition, there are seracs of various shapes, rows of ice ridges, and ice caves that are ingeniously crafted.
Photographed by @Sun Husheng
Tips:
At the end of May 2018, the Puruogangri Glacier in Shuanghu County, Nagqu City, Tibet will enter a period of ecological recovery. To ensure that the ecological environment in the glacier area continues to improve, all types of tourism reception services will be suspended from June 1.
Glacier No. 40, also known as the Tsogyal Glacier, stands at 5,300 meters above sea level in Nagarze County, Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, near the border with Bhutan. It is named after Boundary Marker No. 40, located adjacent to the China-Bhutan border. It is the most accessible land mountain glacier discovered, allowing for close encounters without the need for special equipment.
Due to the inconvenient transportation in Shannan area, the glacier was discovered accidentally in 2016. With its beautiful scenery and relatively intact original appearance, it became a popular internet destination that year.
The scenery of 40 Glaciers remains basically unchanged throughout the year, but the best season is winter. After National Day, Pumoyongcuo along the glacier will freeze to form a blue ice lake.
The main attractions of the 40 glaciers are: moraine, moraine lake, ice tongue, ice tower forest, ice stalactites, ice cracks, ice lake, ice cave, etc.
Tips:
On December 16, 2018, the People's Government of Langkazi County, Shannan Prefecture, Tibet issued a notice: Due to weather conditions, drivers and tourists are temporarily prohibited from visiting Glacier 40 (Gangbu Glacier). When conditions permit, the public will be informed in a timely manner through the media.
Jiuzhaigou, located in Jiuzhaigou County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, is a mountain valley over 50 kilometers deep, covering a total area of 650.74 hectares, mostly covered by forest. The valley is named after the nine Tibetan villages of Shuzheng, Heye, and Zechawa, nestled among a cluster of alpine lakes. The Nuorilang Waterfall, at 320 meters wide, is the widest waterfall in China.
Tips:
On June 28, 2018, Jiuzhaigou was temporarily closed due to natural disasters such as mountain torrents and mudslides caused by continuous heavy rainfall for several days and has not been open to the public since then.
Nestled in the heart of the snow-capped mountains, Ram Lacuo lies in the Qukejie Mountains of Gacha County, Shannan, Tibet, about 65 kilometers from the county seat. At an altitude of 5,080 meters, its name, "Lake of Auspicious Heaven" or "Holy Mother," means "Lake of Auspicious Heaven" in Tibetan. It is also considered a sacred lake by Tibetans, where the spirit of Bandan Lhamo, the guardian deity of the Jokhang Temple, resides.
Tips:
In May 2019, the Tourism Development Bureau of Gacha County issued a notice: Due to the recent snowfall, the Ram Lacuo Scenic Area has been closed. The opening hours of the scenic area will be notified separately depending on the road traffic conditions.
Nianbao Yuze (also known as Nianbao Yesheze), located in Suohurima and Baiyu Townships of Jiuzhi County, Qinghai Province, is known as the birthplace of Golog. Its main peak, at 5,369 meters, is covered in snow year-round. Its spectacular glaciers, steep cliffs, and 180 lakes give Nianbao a mysterious veil.
Tips:
In order to protect the environment, Nianbao Yuze was completely closed on April 10, 2018 and officially stopped receiving tourists.
However, after Nianbao Yuze is closed, we can still visit its other side, Lianbao Yeze. Lianbao Yeze and Nianbao Yuze belong to the same area, with the section in Qinghai being called Nianbao Yuze and the section in Sichuan being called Lianbao Yeze. The two peaks share significant similarities in geology and landscape, with majestic mountains and numerous lakes dotted throughout.
Although we cannot see many beautiful sights for the time being due to various reasons, there is still good news: the Holy Elephant Gate of Namtso Lake in Tibet is open.
The Holy Elephant Gate is located in Bange County, Nagqu Prefecture. It is a rock shaped like a giant stone elephant standing on the Chaduolangka Island on the north bank of Namtso Lake. According to legend, the wedding of the Nyainqentanglha Mountain God and the Namtso Goddess was held here.
The shape of the rock resembles a naturally formed giant stone elephant. Between the elephant's body and trunk is like a huge holy gate leading to heaven.
Starting from April 10, 2017, the Bange County Tourism Bureau carried out renovations on the Shengxiang Tianmen Scenic Area and temporarily closed the area for one year. The closure area starts from 58 kilometers away from the scenic area and is not open to any tourists, organizations, individuals or institutions.
Photographed by: @善友
As the number of tourists visiting Tibet increases, the ecological environment of scenic spots has been damaged to a certain extent, and more and more scenic spots have chosen to close to prevent environmental damage.
Therefore, friends who want to come to Tibet must seize the time and not leave regrets in their lives.
