Tingri County （Tips, Photos & Maps）

Plan your trip to Mt.Everest in Tibet? Then Tingri County ( 定日县 ) is the last place to get youself refreshed before you are on your challenging expedition to the north base camp of Mt.Everest. Having some basic information on Tingri County is very important for your successful trip to Mt.Everest.

Tingri County administrates two major towns ( Shelkar Town and Gangkar Town ) and 19 townships.

Shelkar Town (New Tingri)

Shelkar Town used to be a village. On June 27, 1960, the People's Government of Tingri County was established. It was stationed in Shelkar Village and later the government was moved and stationed in Gangkar ( now called Old Tinfri) in August of the same year.

In July 1968, it moved back to Shegar Village. After that, Shelkar was built into a town. It has become the political, economic and cultural center of Tingri County. Now Shelkar is now known as "New Tingri" and Gangkar as "Old Tingri".

Pelbar (Baibacun) in Shegar Town, Tingri County

The National Highway 318 passes through Pelbar or Baibacun on Google Map. Most travelers stay overnight at the hotels in Baibacun of Shegar Town. Pelbar or Baibacun is the township under the jurisdiction of Shelkar Town in Tingri County.

Pelbar or Baibacun is about 7km east of the center of Shegar Town. Baiba Township is about 14km away from the fork at the National Highway 318 leading to the special mountain road (100km) to Mt.Everest.

Gangkar Town (Old Tingri)

Gangkar Town (岗嘎镇） is also known as Gangga Town (Old Tingri) due to the fact that it used to be the seat of Tingri County. In 1968, the local government of Tingri was moved to the present Shegar Town. But people sometime still call Gangkar Town ( Gangga Town ) the “Old Tingri”.

Gangkar Town is about 60km southwest of Shegar Town (Baiba Township). From Gangkar Town, travelers can have a short cut to Mt.Everest, about 70km starting the National Highway 318 to the base of Mt.Everest. The mountain road is worse than the road starting from Shegar (Baiba Township). If you enter Tibet from Zhangmu Fort, you may explore Mt.Everest from Old Tingri ( Gangkar Town ) by using a jeep. It is impossible to take a bus from Gangkar Town to Mt.Everest.

Apart from the two towns, Tingri County also administrates 19 townships including Zha Xiang, Zhaxizong Xiang, Zhaguo Xiang, Yunqiong Xiang, Basong Xiang, Dongba Xiang, Changsuo Xiang, Baiba Xiang, Jiacuo Xiang, Nixia Xiang, Qudang Xiang, Quluo Xiang, Kema Xiang, Lamudui Xiang, Nanguo Xiang, Pengji Xiang, Rongxia Xiang, Cuoguo Xiang and Wengga Xiang.

Hassle-free Lhasa & Tibet Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for guided tours to Lhasa and Tibet:

Further Readings

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