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Tibet Photo Gallery - Nyalam To Tingri - Milarepa's Cave, Tong La views of Shishapangma, Gang Benchen and Lobuche Kang

I travelled between Nyalam and Tingri in 1998, 2005, 2006, and 2010.

01 View Back Towards Nyalam From Milarepa Cave Just 10 km from Nyalam is a cave where the famous Tibetan Yogi, Milarepa, meditated for many years in the 11C. This is the view back towards Nyalam in 1998, with the Zhonggang village below.

01 View Back Towards Nyalam From Milarepa Cave

02 Village Children Outside Milarepa Cave Some local village boys ran up the hill to greet us at Milarepa’s Cave near Nyalam in 1998.

02 Village Children Outside Milarepa Cave

03 Pelge Ling Gompa Containing Milarepa Cave We walked down the hill in 1998 to the Pelgye Ling gompa, which contains Milarepa’s Cave.

03 Pelge Ling Gompa Containing Milarepa Cave

04 Peter Ryan At Milarepa Cave Near Nyalam Peter Ryan does his best Milarepa imitation at the low-ceilinged Milarepa Cave in 2005. The cave is formed by a large overhang supported by a smaller rock. Milarepa supposedly used his magic feats by raising the ceiling of the cave with his bare hands while Rechungpa slid in the other piece. You can still see his handprints in the roof.

04 Peter Ryan At Milarepa Cave Near Nyalam

05 Looking Back At The Mountains Behind Nyalam With Phurbi Chyachu On Far Right From Near Turnoff To Ngora Phurbi Chyachu (6637m) on the far right and the other mountains behind Nyalam, seen from near the turnoff to Ngora about 30km after leaving Nyalam.

05 Looking Back At The Mountains Behind Nyalam With Phurbi Chyachu On Far Right From Near Turnoff To Ngora

06 Shishapangma East Face Leads To Summit With Phola Gangchen From Friendship Highway Just After Passing Turnoff To Ngora Between Nyalam And Tong La About 30km after leaving Nyalam just past the turnoff to Ngora there is a beautiful view of Shishapangma. The east face of Shishapangma just to the left of centre leads up to the summit of Shishapangma. The peak in the centre forefront is Phola Gangchen.

06 Shishapangma East Face Leads To Summit With Phola Gangchen From Friendship Highway Just After Passing Turnoff To Ngora Between Nyalam And Tong La

07 Prayer Flags Frame The Tong La On The Road Between Nyalam And Tingri Prayer flags are strewn across the road at the Tong La (5143m), the first of the two passes between Nyalam and Tingri.

07 Prayer Flags Frame The Tong La On The Road Between Nyalam And Tingri

08 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen, Shishapangma, Porong Ri From Tong La The mountain panorama from the Tong La (5143m) between Nyalam and Tingri includes Pungpa Ri (7445m), Phola Gangchen (7661m), Shishapangma (8012m), and Porong Ri (7292m).

08 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen, Shishapangma, Porong Ri From Tong La

09 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen And Shishapangma From Tong La Here is a closer view of Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen, and Shishapangma from the Tong La (5143m) between Nyalam and Tingri.

09 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen And Shishapangma From Tong La

10 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen And Shishapangma From Tong La Shishapangma (8012m) is the star mountain visible from the Tong La (5143m) between Nyalam and Tingri. Pungpa Ri is on the far left and Phola Gangchen is the peak just to left of centre.

10 Pungpa Ri, Phola Gangchen And Shishapangma From Tong La

11 Gang Benchen From Tong La The large mountain to the north west of Shishapangma is Gang Benchen with heights variously given as 7281m, 7295m or 7299m. Gang Benchen was first climbed by an Academic Alpine Club of Kyoto Expedition led by Yoshio Kondo with Riyuko Morimoto, Kozo Matsubayashi, Kazunari Ushida, Shim Koshima, Takao Morito, Goro Hitomi, Kiyoshi Nakagawa and Hiroshi Kondo reaching the summit on April 21, 1982 and Shoichiro Ueo, Takashi Nishiyama and Rikuyo Morimoto reaching the summit the following day.

11 Gang Benchen From Tong La

12 Lobuche Kang III E, Labuche Kang, Labuche Lang II and Colangma From Tong La The Labuche Kang massif is part of a beautiful mountain panorama viewed from the Tong La (also called Yarle Shang La). The Labuche Kang massif is part of the Himalayan range in Tibet, located North-West of Cho Oyu, and half-way between Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. This massif has several summits over 7000m, from left to right Lobuche Kang III East (7250m), Labuche Kang (7367m, also called Lobuche Kang I or Choksiam), the pyramid-shaped Labuche Kang II (7072m) and to the far right Colangma (6952m).

12 Lobuche Kang III E, Labuche Kang, Labuche Lang II and Colangma From Tong La

13 Lobuche Kang III E and Labuche Kang From Tong La Lobuche Kang III East (7250m) and Labuche Kang (7367m) close up from the Tong La between Nyalam and Tingri.

13 Lobuche Kang III E and Labuche Kang From Tong La

14 Lobuche Kang From Tong La The first ascent of Labuche Kang (7367m) was completed on October 26, 1987 by the Japan-China Friendship Joint Party with Ataru Deguchi, Hidekatsu Furukawa, Keiichi Suto and Osamu Tanabe of Japan and Diaqiog, Gyala, Lhaji, and Wangjia of China. The next day another seven reached the summit.

14 Lobuche Kang From Tong La

15 Lobuche Kang II From Tong La The first ascent of Labuche Kang II (7072m) in Tibet was carried out by the Swiss Alpine Club expedition with Christian Meillard, Thierry Bionda et André Müller reaching the top on April 30, 1995; Simon Perritaz, André Geiser and Pierre Robert followed on May 2; finally, Dominique Gouzi, Carole Milz, Heinz Hügli and Doris Lüscher succeeded on May 5.

15 Lobuche Kang II From Tong La

16 Peak 6820 And Other 6000M Peaks South Of The Tong La Peak 6820 and other 6000m peaks are visible to the right of Labuche Kang south of the Tong La.

16 Peak 6820 And Other 6000M Peaks South Of The Tong La

17 Phurbi Chyachu From Tong La Phurbi Chyachu (6637m) lies to the north of Nyalam, seen from the Tong La on the road to Tingri. Phurbi Chyachu was first climbed on May 1, 1982 by Shintaro Kurokawa, Fumihito Ogawa, Hiromitsu Okamoto, Takashi Shingaki, Hajime Takigami, Ang Phuri Lama, Pemba Lama Sherpa on a Japanese-Nepali expedition.

17 Phurbi Chyachu From Tong La

18 Peak 6220, Eiger Peak, Leonpo Gang, and Gur Karpo Ri From Tong La Peak 6220 lies to the left and in front of Eiger Peak (6912m) and Leonpo Gang (6979m, also called Big White Peak), while Gur Karpo Ri (6889m) is to the right, seen from the Tong La between Nyalam and Tingri.

18 Peak 6220, Eiger Peak, Leonpo Gang, and Gur Karpo Ri From Tong La

19 Pemthang Karpo Ri and Nyanang Ri, Porong Ri, Phurephu Ri, Peak 6820 From Tong La Four of the peaks visible from the Tong La between Nyalam and Tingri are Pemthang Karpo Ri (6830m, also called Dome Blanc) and Nyanang Ri (7071m) in the upper left, Porong Ri (7292m) in the upper right, Phurephu Ri (6888m) in the lower left and Peak 6820 in lower right.

19 Pemthang Karpo Ri and Nyanang Ri, Porong Ri, Phurephu Ri, Peak 6820 From Tong La

20 Pemba Rinjii, Pasang, Ngawang, Jerome Ryan, Pemba, Gyan Tamang On Tong La With Shishapangma Behind Here is my 2010 crew on the Tong La with Shishapangma behind: cook Pemba Rinjii, cook’s helper Pasang, Tibetan guide Ngawang, Jerome Ryan, Tibetan driver Pemba, and Nepalese guide Gyan Tamang.

20 Pemba Rinjii, Pasang, Ngawang, Jerome Ryan, Pemba, Gyan Tamang On Tong La With Shishapangma Behind

21 Gang Benchen From Lalung La The road from the Tong La dips slightly and then climbs to the Lalung La (5030m) which has a nice view of Gang Benchen to the northwest.

21 Gang Benchen From Lalung La

22 Gang Benchen View From Junction To The Road To The West The road from the Lalung La descends and meets the road junction to the north face of Shishapangma and the road to Mount Kailash, again with a good view of Gang Benchen to the northwest.

22 Gang Benchen View From Junction To The Road To The West

23 Sumdo Sumo Village Between Nyalam, and Tingri After Turnoff To Western Tibet After the Kailash road junction, the Friendship Highway passes several villages like Sumdo (also spelled Sumo).

23 Sumdo Sumo Village Between Nyalam, and Tingri After Turnoff To Western Tibet

24 Ruins Behind Takoya Village Between Nyalam and Tingri The Friendship Highway towards Tingri passes the small village of Takoya with some ruins on the hill behind the village.

24 Ruins Behind Takoya Village Between Nyalam and Tingri

25 Ruins Just Beyond Takoya Village Between Nyalam and Tingri Ruins are visible on the Friendship Highway between the Kailash junction and Tingri.

25 Ruins Just Beyond Takoya Village Between Nyalam and Tingri

26 Zangla Peak Tsangla Ri With Ruins In Foreground From Friendship Highway Between Nyalam And Tingri Zangla Peak (6495m, also called Tsangla Ri) is visible to the north from the Friendship Highway between the Kailash road junction and Tingri, with more ruins in the foreground.

26 Zangla Peak Tsangla Ri With Ruins In Foreground From Friendship Highway Between Nyalam And Tingri