Shishapangma

March 10, 2009

Shishapangma

Shishapangma is the 14th highest mountain on earth and rises to an elevation of 8013m/26,289 feet. It is the highest mountain that sits entirely in Tibet. Other mountains in Tibet, such as Mt. Everest, sit on the border with Nepal or India. Shishapangma, known in Nepal as Gosainthan, means "crest above the grassy plains" in Tibetan. Shishapangma is an impressive mountain that few foreigners see. I recently traveled there and my driver told me that in his 15 years of working as a tour driver in Tibet, it was his first time driving to Shishapangma. Most guidebooks on Tibet provide little information on this area.

The journey out to Shishapangma is stunning, though the road is quite rough in spots. To get to Shishapangam you need to turn west off of the Friendship Highway just north of the Lalung La mountain pass. The turn-off is approximately 72kms south of Tingri or 81kms north of Nyalam. The mountain is a 1 1/2 hour drive from the turn-off. When I did this journey in February '09, I saw just about every type of wildlife Tibet has to offer. I saw wild asses, gazelle, deer, foxes, rabbits, black-necked cranes, vultures, wolves, marmots along with the standard yaks and sheep. After driving for about an hour, you will come across the small village of Seylong. Near the village there is a checkpoint where your driver will need to register and your guide will need to show your permits. You will also have to buy an entrance ticket for the Qomolangma Nature Preserve. The entrance ticket is Y65 per person and Y40 for a vehicle entry ticket. About a half an hour past Seylong along a rough dirt road, you will come to Shishapangma Base Camp.

The elevation at Shishapangma Base Camp is 5000m/16,405 feet. There is an old stone marker there listing the elevation written in Tibetan, English and Chinese. Besides a brick bathroom there really isn't anything else at base camp. Unlike Everest Base Camp, there are no tent hotels, guesthouses or shops. Still, Shishapangma and the scenery along the way make it well worth going to. If you are going to go to Shishapangma, you also need to go out to Peiku Tso, one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in Tibet. Peiku Tso is about an hour past the small village of Seyong.