Gerze County Overview
About Gêrzê County
Gêrzê County is located in Ngari Prefecture of the western-central Tibet Autonomous Region of China, with a total area of 135,600 square kilometers. The county is rich in tourism resources, mainly including natural landscape and cultural heritages.
‣ Basic Information of Gêrzê County
- Chinese Name: 改则县
- Location: Located in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, China, Asia
- Population: 22,000
The Climate of Gêrzê County
Gêrzê County belongs to the plateau subalpine monsoon climate zone, which is drought with strong wind, large difference in temperature day and night and long sunshine duration. There are hail, snow accumulation, drought, sandstorm and other destructive weather in Gêrzê County.
The Attractions in Gêrzê County
Gêrzê County, a wonderful and brilliant district famous for its attractive natural landscapes and brilliant cultural relics, has dozens of attractions to appeal the visitors including: Dongcuo Lake（洞错）, Mami Lake（麻米湖）, The Northern Eco-tourism Scenic Spot（北部生态旅游景区）, Xianqianlian Ruins（先遣乡遗址）, Zhajiang Monastery（扎江寺）, Mami Monastery（麻米寺）, Luobu Kangla Monastery（罗布拉康寺）, Chabocuo（查波措）, Chanacuo （查那措）, Bairebucuo（拜惹布措）, etc.
Natural Landscape
▪ Mami Lake（麻米湖） is located in Mami Township, 90 kilometers away from Gêrzê County. It is known as the right eye of the fabled Lake Manasorovar and is one of the most famous holy lakes in China.
▪ The Northern Eco-tourism Scenic Spot（北部生态旅游景区） which has a large number of plateau lakes, meadows, snowy mountains and wildlife resources is an ideal place for exploration, scientific examination and sightseeing. In the Northern Changtang Nature Reserve（北部羌塘自然保护区）, there are hordes of leisurely Tibetan wild ass, Tibetan antelope, goa, and mighty wild yaks, which forms a natural harmonious picture of men and nature being together with the shepherd smoke and vast plateau. The Northern Eco-tourism Scenic Spot is the main area of the domestic development of ecological tourism.
▪ Dongcuo Lake（洞错）which means the bleak lake, is located in Gêrzê County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. Dongcuo Lake covers an area of 87.7 square kilometers with an altitude of 4,396 meters. The weather around this area is cold and dry with an annual average temperature of 0 ℃, and the annual average rainfall of 150 ~ 200 mm. The lake is mainly supplied by surface runoff. It was listed as the provincial nature reserve on October 29, 2010 because its beautiful scenery, abundant natural and mineral resources.
▪ Chabocuo（查波措） which means the rock lake is located in Gêrzê County Ngari Prefecture. Covering an area of 32 square kilometers, Chabocuo Lake is 4,505 meters above sea level. There are natural pastures, wild yaks and Tibetan antelopes in the lake area.
▪ Chanacuo （查那措）means black rock lake in Tibetan Language, which is located in Gêrzê County, Ngari Prefecture. It is 4,543 meters above sea level with an area of four square kilometers.
▪ Bairebucuo（拜惹布措）means lucky lake in Tibetan Language which is situated in Gêrzê County, Ngari Prefecture with an altitude of 4,958 meters and a total area of 122 square kilometers. There is naked carp produced in the salt water lake with the natural pastures, yaks and Tibetan sheep in the lakeshore.
Cultural heritage
▪ Luobu Kangla Monastery（罗布拉康寺） is located in the verdant mountains of Dongcuo Town, Gêrzê County, Ngari Prefecture. When you see the white tower, you can see the monastery with towers on the hills. There is a valuable Tibetan medicine factory in the monastery.
▪ Xianqianlian Ruins（先遣乡遗址）Located in the land of advance, about 140 kilometers away from the county, Xianqianlian Ruins is an important cultural landscape for the development of red tourism and patriotic education base in China.
▪ Zhajiang Monastery（扎江寺）: Located in Gêrzê County, Zhajiang Monastery is one of the larger Monasteries which belong to the Kagyu sect. The architectural style has the characteristics of Tibetan Buddhist monastery architecture, which combines the characteristics of Tibetan and Chinese architecture, and is an important platform for understanding the burial culture.
▪ Mami Monastery（麻米寺） is located in Guchang Valley, Mami Town, Gêrzê County with a history of nearly 800 years. It is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist temples in Gêrzê County. The temple collects many Tibetan Buddhist scriptures and other books. It is the window to understand the culture of Tibetan Buddhism.
Local Products in Gêrzê County, Ngari
In 2007, Ngari Tourism Bureau has organized making officially souvenirs. It has background patterns like Kailash, Mansarovar, Guge ruins, Zanda, Gêrzê and so on. With Crystal raw materials and fine craftsmanship,the souvenir is very popular and can be the best gift for friends and family.
The roasted barley and barley wine is very famous,visitors can not miss that. It will be a worthwhile trip.
There are a large number of high-quality wool and cashmere used as raw material of fine carpets and arts and crafts in pastoral areas.With the sophisticated technology, superior quality and reasonable price, they are the wonderful souvenirs you can not miss.
Festivals and Activities in Gêrzê County
Tibetan New Year Festival
The present Tibetan Calendar regards 1027 as the first year of an era. Tibetan New Year Festival is the first day of New Year. Tibetan New Year Festival is the grandest and most solemn festival in Tibet. There is a series of entertainment activities will be held during Tibet New Year Festival. In most prefectures of Tibet, the Tibetan New Year Festival is held on January 1st in Tibetan Calendar. But Tibetan New Year Festival is held on October 1st in Tibetan Calendar in Nyingchi Prefecture, and held on December 1st in Tibetan Calendar in Shigatse Prefecture. The Kongpo District in Eastern Tibet has the custom of spending New Year Festival in summer.
Gar Qiaqin Festival
Gar Qiaqin Festival is the most solemn and grandest festival of the year in Ngari Area. From October tenth to fifteenth in Tibetan calendar, there will held Qiaqin Grand Festival for five days. During the festival, there are activities held such as the horse racing, equestrian performances, shooting, and cabaret and goods trade.
Shoton Festival
Shoton Festival means "the festival for eating yogurt". It is a festival symbolizes harvest. Since Tibetans will gather in Lhasa to perform Tibetan Opera, it is also named "Tibetan Opera Festival". It is one of the largest festivals of Tibet.
Saga Dawa Festival
In Tibetan Calendar, April 15th is the day when Sakyamuni born, passed away and became Buddha, as well as Princess Wencheng came into Tibet. It is said that Tibetans in every place will circumambulate and worship Buddha on this day. Saga Dawa Festival was with rich religious color in early period. Later, it gradually changed to Mass Park Traveling. Thousands of people will circumambulate Lingkhor. In the afternoon of this day, people who circumambulate will go boating, sing songs and dance in Dragon King Pool. Tibetans in other districts will circumambulate local holy mountains or holy lakes.
Gêrzê County Travel Tips
Traveling Routes
There are two main tourist routes in Gêrzê County. One is known as the south route which will pass three township and a town (Dongcuo Township洞措乡, Wuma Township物玛乡, Mami Township麻米乡, Gêrzê Town改则镇) along the highway, including the amorous feelings of Xiagang Snow Mountain（夏岗江雪山风情） and Mami Lake麻米湖, the religious culture of Mami Monastery麻米寺 and Zhajiang Monastery扎江寺 as well as the folk culture of Seguo（色果民俗文化）. Tourists can choose a route with all these characteristic tourist products. The second is the northern line with the three northern villages including Chabu Township察布乡, Xianqian Township先遣乡 and Jimu Township古姆乡. There are some characteristics tourists’ products such as the Xianqian Ruins Red Tourism, the wildlife of Tibet and the Eco-tourism.
The best travel time is from May to October, but it is also the peak season.
Considerations
Because of the strong sunshine and the ultraviolet ray in Tibet, visitors need to prepare to carry oxygen piece resisting against the high reactivity, sunglasses, sunscreen, sun hat, and sun umbrella. Otherwise, the local climate seems to be really dry, so visitors also need to prepare a lip balm and moisturizer to resist the dryness.
Ngari is with high elevation and harsh natural conditions, there are only one air route Chengdu-Lhasa-Ngari and only several months suitable for driving.
Ngari Kunsha airport was opened in 2010, there is only one route Chengdu- Lhasa - Ngari by Air China in every Tuesday and Friday. It takes two hours from Chengdu to Lhasa, stop 40-50 minutes, and then fly 1 hour 40 minutes from Lhasa to Ngari. Kunsha Airport is 50 km southwest to Shiquanhe Town, Gar County, where is the location of Ali administrative office. Then you can take a shuttle bus to Gêrzê County.
Gêrzê County Transportation
Ngari is with high elevation and harsh natural conditions, there are only one air route Chengdu-Lhasa-Ngari and only several months suitable for driving.
Ngari Kunsha airport was opened in 2010, there is only one route Chengdu- Lhasa - Ngari by Air China in every Tuesday and Friday. It takes two hours from Chengdu to Lhasa, stop 40-50 minutes, and then fly 1 hour 40 minutes from Lhasa to Ngari. Kunsha Airport is 50 km southwest to Shiquanhe Town, Gar County, where is the location of Ali administrative office. Then you can take a shuttle bus to Gêrzê County.
