Tingri (ཏིང་རི་) is a small town along the Friendship Highway about 190kms before the Nepal border. Tingri, also known as Old Tingri, is a one street town that has plenty of small restaurants guesthouses, shops...and dogs. Most people stay in Tingri for a night on their way from Mt. Everest Base Camp. Though it isn't the most comfortable place to stay along the route from Lhasa to Nepal, the excellent views of the Himalaya's make it a worth while stop. The view looking south of the town offers a sweeping view of the Himalaya's including Everest and Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world. Great views of Cho Oyu (below) can be seen about 20kms south of Tingri heading towards Everest.
Tingri has several good guesthouses to stay in and all of them have restauratns serving basic Tibetan and some wesern food. All of the guesthouses offer clean sheets and plenty of blankets. Tingri sits at 4300m/14,105 feet and has some very cold winters. No place in town has rooms with private bathrooms or showers, but most of the guesthouses have a separate shower house with plenty of hot water. Showers are around Y10 per person. Tingri often has limited electricity with the power coming on until around 7pm and staying on until around midnight.
For more information about Tingri or travel advice for Tibet, please send an email to thelandofsnows@gmail.com
You are right about the dogs. There are many of them and this is the only place in Tibet we had problems with the mastiffs.
Even the locals walk down the street carrying rocks.
Posted by: Rob | June 15, 2009 at 08:59 AM