# Pangong Tso (班公错)

Ngari, Tibet Autonomous Region · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pangong-tso
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** Free
- **Opening hours:** 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day
- **Time needed:** 1–2 hours
- **Address:** Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region
- **Getting there:** Located northwest of Shiquanhe Town, along the Xinjiang–Tibet Highway. The road conditions are very poor.
- **Good for:** Waterfront, Wildlife, Nature

## About Pangong Tso

In Tibetan the lake is called "Tso Mo Ngar Rinpoche," meaning "Long-Necked Swan." It covers 604 square kilometers and is 150 kilometers long, but its average width is only 25 kilometers, and at its narrowest point it is just 5 meters across. The lake teems with fish and waterbirds, and every summer tens of thousands of Mediterranean black-headed gulls come here to breed. You can rent a boat to explore the lake, or visit Bird Island to see clusters of nests and eggs and watch gulls and bar-headed geese.
Pangong Tso lies partly in Ngari, China, and partly flows into India. It is a long, narrow lake. Interestingly, although it is one lake, the water on the Chinese side is fresh, while the water on the Indian side is salty, bitter and undrinkable, and no fish live there.

## Tips from the guidebook

- 1. The eggs on the island are protected. Under no circumstances may they be taken away.
- 2. Boat rental costs ¥80 per person, but you can bargain.
- 3. The lake is rich in a scaleless freshwater fish called liefuyu (裂腹鱼). Because of the high-altitude environment, it grows slowly, but its flavour is exceptionally delicious.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 594. 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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