# Basum Tso Lake (巴松错)

Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 5/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/basum-tso-lake
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥120 (May–October), ¥60 (November–April)
- **Opening hours:** 8:30–20:30 (May–October); 9:00–18:30 (November–April)
- **Time needed:** 2–5 hours
- **Address:** Xueka Township, Gongbo'gyamda County, Nyingchi
- **Getting there:** Long-distance buses run from both Lhasa and Bayi Town. Get off at the bridge in Bayi, and the ticket office for Basum Tso is right there. You can also hire a jeep from the post office in Bayi Town, which costs about ¥500 per vehicle for a round trip.
- **Good for:** Temples, Hiking & Outdoors, Photography, Nature

## About Basum Tso Lake

Basum Tso, also known as Cuogao Lake, means “Three Rocks, Three Lakes” in Tibetan. It is a famous sacred lake and pilgrimage site of the Nyingma school. The water is so clear that you can see straight to the bottom. Snow-capped mountains surround the lake and are reflected in its surface, while birds such as ruddy shelducks, gulls, and cranes drift quietly across the water. About 100 metres from the shore lies a small island called Tashi Island. Legend says it is a “hollow island,” meaning that it is not connected to the lakebed but floats on the surface. Prayer flags flutter on Tashi Island, and the exquisite Cuozong Gongba Monastery (meaning “castle in the lake”) belongs to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, known as the Red Sect. It enshrines Padmasambhava and has a history of 1,500 years.
According to local legend, on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar (around 1 June each year), a long white band emerges from the centre of the lakebed beneath the deep blue water. Locals believe it is a giant white khata offered to King Gesar. On this day, local people also observe the custom of walking around the lake.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 582. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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