Tibet: Ranwu Lake, Apr 2024

Ranwu Lake (然乌湖), to the east of Nyingchi, is a barrier lake formed by landslides and debris flows blocking the river channel.  It is a long skinny mirror lake surrounded by peaks over 5,000 meters high and divided into three sections.  There are large farmland and villages between each section connected by narrow rivers.  It was snowing and freezing cold on top of the headache-causing altitude of 3,850m when I arrived.  Stopped by the Upper Lake before checking into the Ranwu International Zijia RV Camp on the shore of the Middle Lake.  I got a front row glass room with a glass ceiling but unfortunately it snowed all day and all night so no spectacular sunset or sunrise or star gazing to speak of.  The room was freezing cold, other than a space heater that couldn’t quite heat up the room, there was only a heating pad on the bed which actually was a real lifesaver!

My glass room at Ranwu Lake

My glass room with a deck right in front of the lake….would have been perfect to set up the tripod and sit inside to wait for sunrise.

Ranwu International Zijia RV Camp

Snowing as I arrived the Upper Ranwu Lake

Upper Ranwu Lake

Upper Ranwu Lake

Upper Ranwu Lake

Upper Ranwu Lake

Upper Ranwu Lake

So cold that I didn’t even take off my down jacket inside the restaurant!  Even the chef and his wife were all bundled up inside the kitchen!

View of Middle Ranwu Lake from the hotel

Ranwu Lake

Middle Ranwu Lake

Middle Ranwu Lake

Middle Ranwu Lake

Middle Ranwu Lake

Middle Ranwu Lake

Lower Ranwu Lake

Lower Ranwu Lake

After checking out the Middle and the Lower Ranwu Lake, we headed for a quick visit to the Midui Glacier (米堆冰川).  Midui Glacier is a Tibet type marine glacier and the world’s lowest glacier with the snow line only 4,600 meters above sea level.  To honest it was not impressive nor very beautiful so I have no idea why it is lauded as one of the six most beautiful glaciers in China by the China National Geographic.  Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina is a thousand times more impressive.  So the advice is don’t waste your time or money on Midui Glacier.

There is the option of riding or walking to Midui Glacier.

Midui Glacier

Midui Glacier

Midui Glacier

This is it – Midui Glacier.  I was like umm where is the glacier exactly?