Basum Tso Lake

Basum Tso Lake, or Basomtso Lake is located about 300 kilometers east of Lhassa. It is a stunning alpine lake at the middle and upper reaches of the Ba River, which is the largest tributary of the Nyang River (also transliterated as Niyang or Nanpan).

Basum Tso means "green water" in Tibetan language. The lake covers an area of 25.9 square kilometers, with an altitude of 3,538 meters. The deepest part is about 60 meters from the surface. The pristine waters of the green lake reflect the picturesque snow-capped peaks surrounding the lake. The entire area around Basum Lake is so beautiful that thoughts of the inspiring Swiss Alps come to mind as one stands on the shoreline of this majestic lake. Fish are shoaling in the water; birds are circling in the air and beasts are roaming in the nearby forest. Animals are living a comfortable and easy life in Basum Tso Lake.

On the south bank of the lake, there is a hole in a gigantic stone. Legend has it that，the hole was blessed by Buddha Padmasambhava. If a woman prays for being pregnant with a son, it will work!

Awesome views aside, Basum Tso is also a notable holy lake of Nyingmapa of Tibetan Buddhism. A small Nyingmapa monastery of 1500 years' history is seated on the Zhaxi Islet, where Buddha Padmasambhava has been worshiped for centuries.

Basum Tso Lake is a place interlaced with beauty, religion and attractive legends. The lake was listed as one of the must-see lakes in Tibet by the Tibet Tourism Bureau.