Places to Visit in a Lifetime, Ali in Tibet

Without Ali, there is no Tibet. The real Tibet is in Ali. With an average altitude of over 4500 meters, it is known as the "Roof of the Roof of the World", the "Third Pole of the World", and the "Forbidden Zone of Life". - Mount Kailash is among the mountains. Mount Kailash is the main peak of the Gangdise Mountains and is world-renowned. With an altitude of 6656 meters, it is not prominent on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The main peak is not sharp, but the four walls are magically symmetrical, shaped like a pyramid; the Buddhist "swastika" formed on the southern snow wall adds a touch of "divinity". It is regarded as the "center of the world" by many followers of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, Bon, and Jainism. - The Lion Spring River, known as Sengge Zangbo in Tibetan, originates near Sengge Khabab in the north of Mount Kailash, at an altitude of 5164 meters, and is the upper source of the Indus River. - Ali Observatory, at an altitude of 5100 meters, is the highest observatory in the world, named alongside the world-famous observatories in Hawaii and Chile. Stargazing at night is breathtaking. It is not far from the center of Ali, Shiquanhe Town. - Lake Manasarovar is known as the "Eternal Undefeated Jade Lake" and is one of the "Three Sacred Lakes" along with Namtso and Yamdrok Lake. In the hearts of Bon, Hindu, and Tibetan Buddhist followers, it is the most sacred and beautiful place in the world, and the "paradise" on earth. - The Guge Kingdom is an ancient plateau city that has been dormant for thousands of years. The predecessor of the Guge Kingdom can be traced back to the Zhangzhung Kingdom. The kingdom was established in the 9th century after the collapse of the Tubo Dynasty, which unified the Tibetan Plateau. By the end of the 17th century, 16 kings had successively inherited the throne. - Zanda Earth Forest, with its deep brown color, is hesitant, like a solid city wall, like brown waves, layer upon layer, winding for hundreds of kilometers, extending to the snow peaks, magnificent and grand. - Lake Rakshastal, also known as the Ghost Lake, means "poisonous black lake" in Tibetan. It is separated from the sacred Lake Manasarovar by a road and is a slightly saline lake, so its water is not drinkable by humans or animals, hence the name "Ghost Lake". - Purang is located at the junction of China, India, and Nepal. It is a place "surrounded by snow-capped mountains" in the Ali region. From Purang County, heading east for about 10 kilometers, you reach the Kojarnath Temple, built in 996 AD. Every year, believers from the Ali region and overseas from Nepal and India come to worship. - Pangong Lake, in northern Ali, has fresh water in the east, brackish water in the middle, and saline water in the west. There are various islands on the lake, including Bird Island. - Rinchengang Monastery is located on a mountain top resembling a lying elephant. Built according to the mountain's shape, its pavilions and halls are exquisite and elegant, with unique architectural layout and style. From a distance, it has the majestic appearance of the Potala Palace.