Yigong & Tongmai
Yigong Lake and the Yigong Tea Plantation near Tongmai on the Sichuan–Tibet Highway — highland tea gardens ringed by snow peaks and glaciers, plus the Parlung Tsangpo gorge, in one of Tibet's wettest hidden corners.
Yigong & Tongmai lies in western Bomê County, Nyingchi, Tibet, in the deep gorges where the Parlung Tsangpo meets the Yigong Tsangpo; National Highway 318 (the southern Sichuan–Tibet route) passes through. Warm, moist air from the Indian Ocean flows north up the Yarlung Tsangpo valley, making this one of the wettest parts of Tibet: the valley floor sits at only around 2,000 m and is covered in subtropical to temperate forest, while overhead rise the permanently snow-capped peaks of the eastern Nyenchen Tanglha range. There are three main areas. First, around Tongmai: the "Tongmai Death Zone" that once terrified Sichuan–Tibet truck drivers, the Pailong cliffs, the Tongmai Bridge and the Yigong National Geopark exhibition hall. Since the Tongmai Grand Bridge and its tunnels opened, the road is no longer dangerous and you can safely pull over to admire the gorge. Second, Yigong Township about 20–30 km to the north: Yigong Lake, formed when a massive landslide dammed the river in 2000, Tibet's largest tea plantation, the Yigong Tea Plantation, and the General's House. Third, toward Bomê to the east: Guxiang Lake, the Gangxiang spruce forest, Galang Wetland and, in spring, Bomê's Peach Blossom Valley. Best seasons: Mar–Apr for peach blossoms, and Sep–Nov for autumn colors and the clearest views of the snow peaks; Jun–Aug is the rainy season, with frequent mudslides and landslides, and the Yigong branch road may be cut off. Getting there: from Nyingchi (Mainling Airport) it is about 5 hours east along the G318 to Tongmai, or about 3 hours from Lunang; Yigong Township is on a branch road north of Tongmai. Stay in Zhamo, the Bomê county seat; Yigong and Tongmai have a few guesthouses. Allow 1–2 days; it is often combined with Lunang, Rawok Lake and Midui Glacier on a Sichuan–Tibet road trip. Note: mountain weather on the plateau changes quickly, so check conditions on the G318 and the Yigong road before setting out; entry to Tibet requires the proper permits; stop only in safe spots along the way and do not linger in rockfall zones.
Top sights
- Yigong Lake (Yiong Tso) – A high-mountain lake formed when an ancient landslide dammed the Yigong Zangbo. Surrounded by snowy peaks and forests, it was transformed b…
- Yigong Tea Farm & General's Building – Tibet's largest highland tea garden, with terraced tea rows at the foot of snow peaks. The General's Building in the grounds dates from the…
- Tongmai Bridge – The suspension bridge on the Sichuan–Tibet Highway where the Yigong and Parlung rivers meet. It was a landmark of the once-feared Tongmai G…
- Tongmai–Pailong Gorge – A roughly 14-km stretch of Parlung Tsangpo cliff road between Tongmai and Pailong. Once the most dangerous section of the Sichuan–Tibet roa…
- Parlung Tsangpo Gorge – The deep Parlung Tsangpo valley along National Highway 318 east of Tongmai, where emerald water rushes between snow peaks and forests. It i…
- Yigong National Geopark Museum – A geopark exhibition hall beside Tongmai Bridge that explains the Yigong landslide, glaciers and the formation of the Parlung Tsangpo gorge…
Itineraries
- In-Depth Self-Drive Tour of Nyingchi, Bome, and Mêdog – From Sosong, Lulang, and Yigong to Bome, drive along the Zhamo Highway into Mêdog, staying three nights to fully experi…
- Sichuan-Tibet Highway G318: Chengdu to Lhasa – Traverse Western Sichuan and Eastern Tibet along National Highway 318, crossing high mountain passes, glaciers, and lus…