Xinlu lake is located at the foot of Trola Mountain in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is by the side of the road that connects Derge county and Garze county;
Location
The Xingluhai Lake is located at the foot of the Trola Mountain in the northern section of the Hengduan Mountains, within the territory of Dege County, adjacent to the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. It is 98 kilometers from the Garze County town and 100 kilometers from the Dege County town, and approximately 13 kilometers west from Manigango
Brief
Xinlu lake also known as “Yulhun Lhatso” in Tibetan language. “Yulhun” is the compliment of the beautiful wife of King Gesar; “Lhatso” means the holy lake. In memory of King Gesar’s wife, people name this lake “Yulhun Lhatso”
The water source
The glacier tongue of the Duopuo’eza peak, which is over 6000 meters high, extends directly into the lake from the east. The melting of the glacier has formed the lake, and the water source is supplied by the melting of the Trola Mountain glacier and snow. The stream flowing out of the lake is one of the headwaters of the Tsochu River
Numbers of the lake
The lake is situated at an altitude of 4018 meters, with a surface area of approximately 6.2 square kilometers. It is longer from north to south and narrower from east to west, with a total length of about 5 kilometers and a width of 1 kilometer, narrowing to just 300 meters at its narrowest point. The average depth is 10 meters, reaching a maximum depth of 15 meters.
The largest glacial Moraine-dammed lake
Xinlu lake is the largest glacial Moraine-dammed lake in China, and it was formed in the late Last glacial period. The lake area has an alpine temperate monsoon climate. The annual average temperature is only 5.5℃. The average temperature in January is -15℃, and the extreme minimum temperature is -32℃. The lake is frozen from late September to the next March. The freezing period lasts for half a year and the ice thickness could reach 60cm.
Nature Reserve
Xinlu lake is also the Xinluhai White-lipped Deer Nature Reserve. With a total area of 2381.5 hectares, it mainly protects the natural ecological environment of the plateau and the white-lipped deer and other wild animal and plant resources. It is the largest white-lipped deer reserve in China.
The excellent ecological environment here provides a good natural habitat for many species. There are nearly 180 species of wild animals in the area, including white-lipped deer, snow leopard, leopard, blood pheasant, Chinese monal, Himalayan vulture, musk deer, white-tailed deer, blue sheep, Tibetan snowcock, blood pheasant, golden eagle, goitered gazelle, red fox, and more. The area also boasts rich resources of plants such as the Sichuan spruce, Chinese fir, and snow lotus.
Environment
The southern side of the lake is dominated by towering glaciers and snow-capped peaks, while the northern side features lush pastureland of Tsoba Village. The eastern and western slopes are covered with dense spruce forests, and downstream from Xingluhai Lake, on the terminal moraine of the glacier, the spruce trees grow around the lake, among which the spruce forest on the glacier side moraine in the upper reaches of the Xinlu Lake is over 100 years old; The spruce forest on the moraine ridge of the glacier in the lower reaches of Xinlu lake is even more than 580 years old.
The ecology of Xinlu lake and its surroundings is primitive and complete. The large, crystal-clear glacier lags directly into the grassland of the lake from the grain snow basin at an altitude of 5,000 meters. The lake is surrounded by plateau spruces, firs, cypress trees, rhododendron trees and meadows. The blue sky and white clouds, snow-capped peaks, glaciers twinkling, green hills melting, green grass, sparkling waves. Rare birds and animals appear on the shores of the lake, wild ducks flock in the lake, and fish swim. In the summer and autumn, mountain flowers bloom, and it is just like a live fairyland.
Its pristine ecology, dramatically different scenic beauty in winter and summer, as well as the captivating stories of Gesar and Zhumu passed down through generations, have increasingly drawn attention to this natural landscape in recent years.
Composition of the rivers
The Yuqu River, named after passing through Yulong, is part of the Yalong River. It flows through Wogong, Manigan, Yulong, and Cuo-ah (referred to as Yuqu in the upper reaches and A-lo-qu in the lower reaches), and flows eastward into the Yalong River within the territory of Garze. In the Dege area, the river basin has a length of 87.2 kilometers and a basin area of 1876.9 square kilometers, with a theoretical reserve capacity of 11,000 kilowatts.
The southern and northern 200-kilometer sections of the Trola Mountain have significant outcrops of strata, exhibiting typical glacial landforms, with over 30 glaciers and a total area of nearly 75 square kilometers.
Legend
Xingluhai, known as Yulong Latso in Tibetan, where “yù” means “heart” and “lóng” means “to love in one’s heart, and to be reluctant to leave once seen”; “Lacuo” means “holy lake.”
According to legend, the heroine Druma (an incarnation of the White Tara) from the famous Tibetan epic “King Gesar’s Epic” came to the lakeside and was attracted by the beautiful scenery and tranquil environment. She lingered by the lake and forgot to return, her heart filled with longing for the beautiful mountains and rivers, sinking to the bottom of the sea. To commemorate Druma, the lake was named Yulong Lacuo.
Today, the area still retains the remains of the tent and wine cellar built by King Gesar’s queen, Druma. There is also a very majestic local earth deity named “Shu-chong Dorji Yongzhong” in the vicinity.
Xinlu lake Data
Address
13 km west from Manigango
Opening hour
Full day
Altitude
3,980 meters above sea level
Entrance fee
RMB 30 per person
RMB 20 per person for camping
*Camping gear be brought by your own
How to get to there
The closest airport is Garze airport, from which you can use daily flight to come from Chengdu .
The distance from Garze airport to Xinlu lake is 65 kilometers. There is no shuttle bus from Garze airport to this lake, you can hire local taxi or chartered vehicle to get to Manigango first, and then get to this lake;
There is no bus come for this lake only, however, the long distance bus bewteen Garze and Derge shall pass through this lake almost every day, you can take the bus to stop by the lake, it is only about 100 meters from the stop to the entrance of the lake
Garze Gesaer Airport
Address: Laima village
IATA Code: GZG
Altitude: 4,061 meter
Garze Bus Station
Address: No, 164, Chuan-Zang Road
Phone: +86 836 752-2353
Altitude: 3,780 meters
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