Nyingchi Transportation - Get to & around Nyingchi

By Flight

Flying to Nyingchi within 2 hours helps you save much more time than taking a over 40-hours-long train to Lhasa, Tibet. Nyingchi Mainling Airport offers large convenience of air traffic. Currently, there are only some domestic flights operated to Nyinghi. Thus, tourists can take non-stop flights to Nyingchi from one of the 5 domestic cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Xian and Lhasa. Chengdu has the most frequent flights of all cities, reaching to 5 flights every day. Rest cities have mostly one daily flight and may have more available flights opened in high seasons. If you will fly to Nyingchi from Beijing or Shanghai, connecting flights which needs transfer in major gateway cities – Chengdu/Chongqing are available. Besides, Lhasa runs a regular daily flight to Nyingchi by Tibet Airlines, which only takes about 40 minutes. This round-trip flight between Lhasa and Nyingchi is very convenient for travelers who like to enjoy two different kinds of sceneries.

Nyingchi Mainling Airport

Nyingchi Mainling Airport (林芝米林机场 - LZY) is located in the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley – the largest canyon in the world. With an altitude of only 2,949 meters (9,675 feet), Nyingchi Mainling Airport is the lowest airport in Tibet but it is the most challenging airport for flight operation. Directly connected with Chengdu, Chongqing, Lhasa, Guangzhou and Xian, usually Nyingchi is recommended as the earlier destination than any cities in Tibet due to its lower altitude and higher oxygen level.

The airport is about 50km to Bayi Town, Nyingchi downtown area and 18km from Mainling County. There are available taxis which cost about 150 CNY from Nyingchi Airport to Bayi Town. And shuttle buses starting from Mainling County to the airport is at 7:20 and 7:40 in the morning, costing about 25CNY in 0.5 hour. TibetDiscovery also provides you convenient and comfortable airport pick-up and drop-off services included in our Tibet tour packages.

Bayi Town → Basumtso Lake, Mila Pass (Lhasa)

If you miss the Basumtso Lake and Mila Pass on you way to Nyingchi from Lhasa, you can visit them after you get accommodated in Bayi Town. The Basumtso Lake is about 120km from northwest Bayi Town and can get to within 2 hours riding. No coach is available between Bayi and Basumtso Lake, except renting a car or taking our tour car. By the way, you can visit the Ghading Valley (2980m), 24km from Bayi Town. Going farther, you will find Mila Pass, about 260km from Bayi Town and needs to drive for 4.5 hours in all.

Bayi Town → Mainling → Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon & Namjagbarwa Peak

Mainling County, about 70km away and an hour’s drive from Bayi Town, is the location of Nyingchi Mainling Airport. There is few scenic spot in Mainling County, thus, another drive to east Pai Town for more than one hour, where is the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon Entrance is needed. It is one of the good viewing points of Namjagbarwa Peak (7787m) together with Segrila Pass. Tripe (Zhibai) Village is only 5km to the spectacular Namjagbarwa Peak, and also is the last sight spot in Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon Scenic.

Bayi Town → Segrila Pass & Lulang Forest → Tangmai → Bome → Ranwu Lake

Move forward to Bome on National Hwy 318, tourists will pass through the famous Segrila Pass (4720m) – another good view place of Namjagbarwa Peak when weather permits. The pass is nearly 50km from Bayi Town and needs driving for one hour. Well-known Lulang Forest later appears 80 km away west Bayi Town, costing about 2 hours riding. As a vast mist-shrouded woods in east Tibet, oxygen in Lulang must be the highest of all. Tourist will get a chance to take some beautiful pictures of Lulang Forest when parking along the National Hwy 318.

Watch out the following Tangmai Natural Barrier between Lulang Town of Nyingchi County and Bome County – site of the second largest debris flow area in Asia. Every driver has to drive carefully for two hours for the 14km narrow and dangerous ghat reaching to Bome.

Bome is very famous for picturesque peach flowers in spring when lots of tourists come to witness the blossom. Popular sites for enjoy peach flowers like Runa Village, 32km of Bome County, 43 km - far Qyingdo Town and Songzong Town are the best view points. Midui Glacier, the lowest ocean glacier in China, lies in Yupu Village of Bome. Just drive from Bome County for 2.5 hours at a distance of 105km, 8km close to National Highway 318, Midui Glacier stands there and twinkle all year round. Suppose you are going to visit the green Ranwu Lake in Qamdo Prefecture, you need to spend extra three more hours riding.

1. Best Time to Visit Nyingchi. Late spring and early summer, Autumn are proper to tour Nyingchi when much natural splendor only reveals its authentic beauty in good weather. It’s better to watching wild peach flowers in spring and view magnificent Namjagbarwa in Fall.

2. Must Have Permits. Since Nyingchi is adjacent to India and Burma, more obligatory permits including Aliens’ Travel Permits, Militery Permit are required as well as Tibet Entry Permit.

3. High Altitude Precaution. Although Nyingchi is at a relatively lower elevation area, some places of high elevation like Mila Pass (5013m) may easily cause altitude reaction. Better take some medicines for relief and keep warm all the time.

4. Prepare Food and Drinks. Since tourists have to spend 8 hours on travelling from Lhasa to Nyingchi, you are suggested to get some snacks, fruit and water ready before the long riding journey. Bring your warm cloths and rain gear is always a good idea if you go to Nyingchi in summer.