Best time to go: August is the peak season for Qiang Tang Grassland. From August 10 to 16,Nagqu Qiangtang Horse racing Festival will be on.

Qiangtang, the meaning of "northern highland", refers to the north Tibetan plateau. Located in among kunlung mountains,Tanggula mountains and Ganddis mountains,its land area covers 2/3 of the whole Tibet.It's total area is over 600 thousand square kilometers averaging about 4000 meters above sealevel. Cold, Windy and snowy for 8 or 9 months in a year and frozen land can be seen everywhere. An old folk song sings like this: "The mysterious Qiangtang, it is so wild and desolate when you are here the first time; it becomes your lovely hometown when you get to know more."

The north of Qiangtang Plateau is even called No People Area,thus the place becomes the ideal living area of rare animals,including the north of the Gangdisi Mountains and Nyainqen-tanggula Mountains and the wide area south of Kunlun Mountains.Qiang Tang Grasssland breeds thousands of wild animals,and 40 of them are specially proteced by the state or regional government.Such rare animals as Wild yaks,Bharals,Tibetan wild donkeys,White-lipped deer,etc.are being well preserved in the area.Also it is the best preserved area in which rare animals researches are being carried out.

In Qiangtang Nature Reserve,there are vast prairies and glaciers,numerous mountains and lakes,hot springs,terrestrial heats.The golden season is the period from June to September,during which the temperature can reach 7-12C and the north of Tibetan plateau will take on a specutacular view before you with gentle wind,mild sunshine,lush grazing and large number of cattles and sheep.

It is also the main base for animal husbandry, having a large range of pasture land and grass of high quality. The famous "plateau boat" Yak and Tibetan antelope just live in this area. The herdsmen's homes "dong wozi" are mostly located by the foot mountains and the sides of lakes. When summer comes, they put their simple packing on horseback, wandering and herding around the boundless prairie, the melodious songs accompanying with their changing footsteps. The herdsmen shake away the long loneliness by hardworking and singing in the harsh nature, creating their beautiful and colorful life.



Nagqu Qiangtang Horse racing Festival

Time: August 10 to 16

Venue: Northern Plain in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

What's On: Tens of thousands of herdsmen in their holiday best go camping outside of Nagqu City. On the vast expanse of grassland are scattered many camps, lasting several miles. After a grand opening ceremony, various recreational and trade activities will start, such as horserace, yak race, tug of-war, carrying rocks, doing sgor-gzhas (Tibetan group dance), and performing Tibetan operas.

The Horse racing festival held in Nagqu is the grandest of the racing festivals and events held throughout Tibet each year. Dressed in traditional military attire, the Tibetans proudly display their riding skills, attracting enthusiastic crowds of locals and pilgrims. Lasting several days, many songs, dances, and performances of Tibetan drama take place during the festivities to celebrate the heroes of Tibet's past.

August is the peak season for Nagqu grasslands, with big wind and rain in the night and shines bright at daytime. The annual grassland horse-racing festival is held. There is a wide lawn at the north side of Nagqu. The local people called this as "Zhong Yin Ka Duo" grassland. During the horse-racing festival, there will be thousands of tents setting up on that area. It makes the grassland look like a small town. The horse racing festivals and fairs are the traditional occasion for horse trade. The buying and selling of horses at these fairs attracts Tibetans from near and far for celebrations during the colorful week of activities.