Lake Namtso, in Tibetan meaning "the Heavenly Lake" or "the Heavenly Pond", lies about 200 kilometres northwest of Lhasa with an altitude of more than 4,700 metres. With a surface area of1, 940 square kilometres, it is the crown jewel of the lakes of Tibet, and is the highest large salt water lake in the world.

Lake Namtso is also rich in its products with its gorgeous and enchanting sights. Lush pasture around the lake produces a fine natural pastureland. The lake is full of islands and islets in varied forms with birds sporting over the water surface. There is a peninsula in calcareous stone southeast of the lake, called "Zhaxiduo Island", on which stands a forest of strange-shaped stones, among which occur numerous fantastic caves. lake Namtso also has abundant resources of fish. The annual volume of fishing goes up to 350,000 or more kilogrames. The views around Lake Namts every evening at dusk are even more varied, beautiful and fantastic.

A yak standing by Namtso Lake

Pious Buddhists worship Lake Namtso as a divine lake. In the 5th and 6th month of the Tibetan calendar each year, many Buddhists come to the lakeside on pilgrimage to pay homage and pray. Deep tracks are worn into the lakeshore due to this activity. In history, monasteries stood like trees in a forest around Lake Namtso attracting large numbers of pilgrims with eminent monks in Buddhist temples developing body and character and extending Buddhism.

An old Tibetan woman living beside Namsto Lake