Nyalam Town & Nyalam County (Tips, Photos & Maps)

Nyalam refers both to Nyalam Town (聂拉木镇) and Nyalam County (聂拉木县). Nyalam Town is the seat of Nyalam County in Shigatse of Tibet. Nyalam County administrates two towns – Nyalam Town and Zhangmu Town as well as five Townships including Yalai (亚来), Suozuo (琐作), Nailong (乃龙), Menbu (门布) and Borong (波绒).

The jurisdiction of Nyalam County in Shigatse, Tibet. (Google)

ABC of Nyalam County

Nyalam County occupies an area of 8684.39 square km with a population of over 12,000. Among them, there are 5,000 Sherpa people. Nyalam County is located between the Himalayan Mountains and Laguigangri Mountains.

Nyalam County is within the Qomalangma Natural Preseve Zone with two core zones – Shishabangma Peak 8012 and Xuebugang core area. Nyalam County has one peak over 8,000 meters – Shishabangma Peak 8012 and 8 peaks over 7,000 meters with stunning views. So Nyalam county is a wholesaler of high snow mountains.

ABC of Nyalam Town

Nyalam Town is the seat of Nyalam County in the Shigatse Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, near the Nepal border.

It is 30km drive from Nyalam Town to Zhangmu town in the same county, which is the point of entry to Nepal. Nyalam Town is situated at 3,750 metres above sea level.

Drive from Tingri to Nyalam Town 211km

On August 26, we started for Zhangmu Fort ( entry to Nepal) from our Qomolamgma Hotel at Pelbar ( Baibacun ) of Shelgar ( New Tingri) in Tingri County at 5:00am. Today we had to reach Zhangmu port of entry and see off my group members who would enter Nepal through the Zhangmu Fort.

To get to Zhangmu Fort of Entry, we first drove through Nyalam County via highway G318. The 211m drive from Tingri (Baibacun, or Pelbar ) to Naylam Town was quite exciting with stunning views.

Drive from Tingri to Nyalam Town 211km (Google)

We drove on the Highway G318 with the company of the Shishapangma Peak 8012 bathing in the sunrise, the 14th higheast peak in the world.

We were lucky to see the clouds-shrouded Shishapangma Peak in the sunrise glow.

We drove through Zhongla Pass at 5000m and entered the jurisdiction of Nyalam County.

We drove through Zhongla Pass at 5000m

The road between Tingri to Nyalam County was one of the most magnificent sightseeing drives in our 7 day trip in Tibet, high snow mountains, deep valleys, blue sky and white clouds…

The scenic drive from Tingri to Nyalam Town
Passing by a small Tibetan village
Encounter the Tibetan villagers in the early morning

We stopped at the checkpoint at Nyalam Town. So please get ready for your Alien Travel Permit.

We stopped at the checkpoint at Nyalam Town.

Drive from Nyalam Town to Zhangmu Town 32km

Nyalam Towm is situated in the valley at the altitude of 3500m. It is the seat of Nyalam County. We found some tourist group from India coming from Zhangmu and stayed overnight here in the town.

Drive from Nyalam Town to Zhangmu Town (Google)
We passed throguh Nyalam Town

We drove from Nyalam Town at the sea level of 3500m down to Zhangmu town at 2300m. So in the short distance of 30km, we had to drive down for over 1000m at the sea level. The 30km National Highway 318 driving took us one hour. The road was very steep and zigzag.

We drove from Nyalam Town at the sea level of 3500m down to Zhangmu town at 2300m.

The views of the mountains on both sides of the road are amazing, tall and ancient trees, water falls downpouring from the high mountains. It is a mesmerising road trip in our Tibet tour.

Drive from Zhangmu Town to Zhangmu Fort 10km

Actually the town of Zhangmu is built on the hillsides with a one major zigzag street. Viewed from a distance, the town looks like a fairly big mountain town.

Zhangmu Town is built on the hillsides with a one major zigzag street.

The long, narrow and zigzag street is very busy and packed with street front houses, apartments, restaurants, stores, inns, hotels and trucks loading and downloading.

The busy and narrow street in Zhangmu Town

The 250km from Tingri to Zhangmu port of entry ( to Nepal ) would take us about 5 hours due to the national highway G318 winding in the valleys of the high mountains with a deep gorge of the Matsang Tsangpo or Sun Kosi as it is known in Nepal.

Zhangmu port of entry ( to Nepal )

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:

Lhasa Tour
Tibet Travel
Lhasa Tibet Group Tour
Lhasa Tibet Private Tour
Beijing Lhasa Tour
Lhasa China Tour

Further Readings

Best Time to Visit Lhasa
Top 10 Attractions in Lhasa
Lhasa Tourist Traps, Tourist Scams Lhasa
Where to stay in Lhasa
Makye Ame Lhasa Restaurant – Your Kitchen in Lhasa
Lhasa Airport, Lhasa Gonggar Airport
Xian Lhasa Flight Experience, Xian Lhasa Flight
Lhasa Railway Station Transportation, Taxi, Public Bus
Get around in Lhasa with Pedicab or Trishaw
lhasa Taxi
Best Places to Take Picture of Potala Palace Lhasa

4-Wheel Drive Trip from Lhasa to Ranwu
Tips for Visiting Drak Yerpa (Tips, Photos & Map)
The Pilgrim Kora in Lhasa, Lhasa Pilgrim circuits
How to Visit Sera Monastery in Lhasa
Beijing Road in Lhasa
Lhasa River in the City of Lhasa (Tips, Photos & Map)
Lhasa Great Mosque, the Mosques in Lhasa
Lhasa Yamdrok-Tso Lake Road Trip

Qushui Bridge in Qushui County, Tibet (Tips, Photos & Map)
Nagarzê County and Scenic Road Trip to Gyantse
Gyantse County and Road Trip to Shigatse
Shigatse Trip (Tips, Photos & Map)
Shigatse Lhatse Tingri Road Trip
Drive from Tingri to Mt.Everest Base Camp
Gangkar Town ( Gangga Town ), Tingri County
Tingri County (Tips, Photos & Maps)
Nyalam Town & Nyalam County (Tips, Photos & Maps)

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