Mount Namjagbarwa is the highest mountain in Nyingchi Prefecture. It is the most beautiful snow-capped mountain in China. It, soaring 7,782 m above sea level, is situated on the eastern edge of the Himalayan range in southeast Tibet. Mt. Namche Barwa and Mt. Gyala Peri (7,150 m) climb thousands of feet from 2 sides of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, creating the world’s deepest valley-Namche Barwa Valley. The average depth of the valley is 5,000 m, with the lowest point 5,382 m. In 1994, the Great Canyon of the Namjagbarwa Valley was confirmed as the largest in the world by both the American Geographic Committee and the Guinness Book of World Records.

In the Tibetan language, Mount Namjagbarwa literally means “burning thunders”. In The Epic of King Gesar, Mt. Namjagbarwa was described as a “spear pierced into the sky”. It is worshiped as one of the residences of gods. The best-known legend tells the story of Namche Barwa and his younger brother, Gyala Peri, both of whom were formerly sent by god as guardians of southeast Tibet. Since Gyala Peri later turned out to be the more talented, the jealous Namche Barwa was driven mad that one night he killed his brother and threw the head away. As punishment, Namjagbarwa was turned into a guarding mountain of his brother while the latter prolonged his existence as Mt. Gyala Peri, a round-peaked mountain north of Mt. Namche Barwa over the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

Shooting Location

1. Mount Segyi La Observatory：You can shoot the solemn Mount Namjagbarwa with a gentle angle of view as the Segyi La pass has a broad vision. However, the composition of the photo is slightly dull and lacks of conversion of foreground. You have to wait for appropriate light and shadow.

2. Tripe observatory ( also called ‘clouds of heaven’)：You can take a low angle to shoot the snow mountain. There are more flexible foregrounds and sites to choose from. The only drawback is that the mountain in front blocks the snow-capped peak.

Tips of Mount Namjagbarwa

1. Brahmaputra River Grand Canyon is the ideal place to shoot Mt. Namche Barwa.

2. Segyi La Mountain is also a very popular spot to shoot Mt. Namche Barwa, but the weather of Segyi La Mountain itself is sometimes hard to predict.

3. You can drive directly to Namjagbarwa without a border pass, but sometimes there are checkpoints inspecting your ID card along the way.

4. The climate changes frequently on Mount Sejila, and the weather at the foot of the mountain can only as a reference. Preparing some warm clothes will never be wrong.