Zanda Earth Forest

Chinese name: 扎达土林(Zha Da Tu Lin)
Location: Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet
Ticket: Free
Estimated time of tour: 2-3 hours
Recommended time of visit: April to October
Nearby attractions: Ruins of Guerge Kingdom, Tuolin Monastery, Lake Raksas Tal, Mount Memo Nani, Lake Manasarovar, etc.

Zanda earth forest locates north outskirt of Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture. It’s about 250km south of Shiquanhe Town, the administrative centre of Ngari Prefecture. Gunsa airport is about 200km away from the site. The site is about 3700 meters (about 11,000 feet) above sea level, some 1700km(about 1100 miles) away from Lhasa

The earth forest is the product of long time erosion by the endless force of flood and wind. Earth forests are visible when you drive out of Zanda county. Earth forests are not uncommon scene in the world. But the one in Zanda County is unique for its shear size. Hundreds of square kilometers of areas are covered by earth forest. More interestingly, the earth forests are still in the making. Constant erosion by forces of nature are still shaping this terrain year by year. People say that the best time to see the earth forest is by the time of dusk. When the last ray of sunlight shines on the forest, the scene would be majestic.

Apart from the spectacular natural scene, there is also a human story to it. 11 centuries ago, this site was home to a kingdom, Guerge. The origin of Guerge Dynasty could be traced back to the era of Zhuang zhung, an even older civilization which adapted many customs and practices that shaped modern day Tibet.

Guerge dynasty is the one of great significance in the history of Tibet. It was the continuation of the Tubo Dynasty. People of Guerge were direct descendant of Tubo. They were the ones who brought Buddhism to the centre stage of Tibetan lives. 1100 years ago, this was the site of temples and palaces, the sign of a booming civilization. All that left now is ruins of Palaces and places of worship. History will remember that at the height of 4000 meters, the Guerge Kingdom made magnificent contribution to Tibet culture.

Access: Earth forest locates in Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture. This remote part of China is neighbored by India’s Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Its a bout 10 minutes drive away from downtown of Zanda. If you want to arrive by air, the nearest airport is Ngari Gunsa airport, which is about 200km away from the site and requires a 3 hours drive.