Originating from a glacier on the northern side of the middle Himalayas, over 5,300 meters above sea level, Yarlung Tsangpo River runs across the south of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from west to east, through India and Bengal, and finally flows into the Bay of Bengal. Altogether more than 2,900 kilometers long with a catchment area of 935 thousand square kilometers, it is the fifth longest river in China. With a large number of branches, its natural hydropower capacity reaches up to 79,116 thousand kilowatts, just second to the Yangtze River in China.

Yarlung Tsangpo River is praised as a Galaxy in the heaven and a Sky River (Tianhe) on the earth. In Chinese, Yarlung Tsangpo River means water flowing down from the crest. Found in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as 'the roof of the world', this is the biggest river in Tibet and also holds the position as being the river found at the highest altitude across the world.

Yarlung Tsangpo River Grand Canyon
Yarlung Tsangpo River cuts through the Himalayas making a unique u-turn round Mt. Namcha Barwa before reaching Motuo (Medog County) and the famous Yarlung Tsangpo River Grand Canyon. The canyon is 496 kilometers long and is deeper than the Grand Canyon in America. It is, in fact, the deepest canyon in the world. In the innermost recesses of the canyon lies Motuo, the only county in China without a single road. It is like an isolated and mysterious 'Xanadu' seemingly outside the earthly world.  Needless to say, it is best traveled on foot.

Yarlung Tsangpo River Grand Canyon is rich in forest resources, owning 2,644 thousand hectares' of virgin forest. Rare and unique plants and animals along with a natural treasure house of wildlife such as yew and Zoraptera insects can be found here. From the Pottery shard and stone objects of the Neolithic Period discovered in Nyingchi County, the ancient culture of Yarlung Tsangpo River can be traced back thousands of years. To some extent, it is the cradle of Tibetan civilization.

Yarlung Tsangpo River Grand Canyon is absolutely a highlight. It is the largest and deepest canyon in the world, being 504.6 kilometers long and 6,009 meters deep at its deepest. The average depth is 2,268 meters. Nine Natural Vertical Zones ranging from the Alp Ice-snow belt to tropical seasonal forests are represented in this area. All kinds of wildlife exist here, so the Great Canyon is regarded as 'the Gene Pool of Biological Resources', whilst enjoying fame as a 'Geological Museum' due to the various geological phenomena found.

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Travel Tips
Add:Milin County, Nyingchi County, Tibet of China
Entrance Fee: Cny 240
Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00

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