Nyingchi, Throne of the Sun in Tibetan, is located in Southeast Tibet. The Himalayas and the Nyainqentanglha Mountains extend from west to east, like two huge parallel dragons, to join the Hengduan Mountains in the east, which mark the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. With green mountain slopes, snow-capped peaks and crystal-clear rivers, Nyingchi is a fantastic place for natural scenery. Nyingchi is the home of the spectacular Grand Canyon section of the Yarlung Zangbo(Yaluzangbu in Chinese) River. It is adjacent to Yunan and Chamdo to the east and northeast, Nagqu to the north, Lhasa to the west and Shannan to the southwest. It is a neighbor to India and Myanmar to the south. Nyingchi Prefecture, with a total area of 117,000 square kilometers and a population of more than 140,000, has seven counties under its jurisdiction: Nyingchi, Mainling, Gongbo'gyamda, Medog, Bome, Zaya and Nang.

Full Name: Nyingchi Prefecture

Population: 158,200  

Area: 117,000 square kilometers (45,173 square miles) 

Nationalities: Tibetan, Han

Administrative Division: 7 counties (Nyingchi, Kongpo Gyamda, Mainling, Medog, Bomi, Zayu, Lanxian) 

Seat of the Prefecture Government: 21, Shuangyong Lu, Bayi Town, Nyingchi County   

Useful Telephone Numbers: Tourist Complaints: 0894-5998811
                                        Weather Forecast: 121
                                         Zip Code Inquiry: 184

China Post Nyingchi Branch: 13, Zhuhai Lu, Bayi Town, Nyingchi County
 
Location: Located in southeastern Tibet Autonomous Region  on the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo River), Nyingchi is the gateway to Tibet from Yunnan and Sichuan. It neighbors Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province in the east and is bordered by Lhasa in the west. In the south, it shares a boundary with India and Burma. The regional government is seated in Bayi Town, over 400 kilometers east of Lhasa.

History: Nyingchi is one of the important cradles of ancient Tibetan civilization having been settled as early as four or five thousand years ago. It was under domination of the Tupo Kingdom for two hundred years (7th century to the 9th century). Since its liberation in 1951, it has moved away from its long past as a feudal society.

Physical Features: Nyingchi is noted for its verdant mountainous terrain and clear waterways. The Himalayan and Tangula mountains wend their way from west to east to join the Hengduan Mountains. Because of the large number of river valleys and alpine gorges, Nyingchi is sometimes referred to as the 'Switzerland of Tibet'.

Climate:  Due to the high Indian Ocean winds, Nyingchi enjoys temperate semi-humid weather. This climate promotes the growth of lush, green forested areas. Milder weather prevails most of the year but the winters are cold with average temperatures of 32F.   

When to Go: October through April is probably the ideal period to visit although winter months can be cold. May though September the weather is warmer; however, this is also the region's rainy season.

Special Local Products: Chinese herbal medicines; Menba wooden bowls; bambooware; pottery and fruits such as oranges, apples and grapes.