NAM-TSO LAKE & KORA

Driving from Lhasa we traveled North through huge valleys and storms that never seemed to touch the ground

The second highest salt water lake Nam-Tso Lake at about 16,000ft . Beautifully crisp and like its another world

The shores of Nam-Tso. The beginning of the kora, sacred walk around the island. The altitude was definitely making us feel the journey

The holy hands draped with curtains of prayer flags and scarves. These two rocks represent the balancing qualities of male/female dualities and squeezing in between erases sin

Local woman who had 4 children and was starting her kora around the local shrines. I found it amazing just how "burned" the average Tibetans skin was. The high altitude and lack of cover baked any exposed skin. 

Local sunburned stonecutters that inscribed prayer stones for tourists and pilgrims. Had a little dog that would keep him company in his little rocky workspace

The Woman/Male sacred rock towers, holy because they represent Buddhas hands in prayer . The white streaks are scarves that pilgrims have tossed up on the  rock walls. The higher the scarf, the better chance the prayer will be answered. Mines up there somewhere.

Older nun who asked us to come into her small room and have some yak butter tea. The room was carved out a cliff and covered by a natural limestone roof

At the start of the loop kora there is a small temple residence with a large prayer wheel. The woman would take your written prayers and place them in the wheel before it would start spinning

Under a large deep cave was a small shrine and its caretaker who cleaned and maintained the statues. Sat me down and told me about the night he saw a giant sacred dragon flying over the lake during a thunderstorm. So had our Tibetan guide.

The shrine and living quarters of the local monks where daily chants, drumming and prayers were given to various deities

The great expanse of Nam-Tso Lake with its clear turquoise water and crystal clear skies. The mountains still had snow in July and the air was thin as tissue paper 

A grandfather and son wandering over the kora trail. they would take turns looking after each other and the granddad would occasionally prostrate on the ground and pray

George walking around the shore on Nam-Tso Lake watching the afternoon thunderstorms build for the spectacular storm that evening

Jameson holding up a prayer flag that covers the entrance to what is considered the Buddhist limbo or purgatory. Just around the corner was the gateway to hell and heaven. Fairly intense

We stayed in a canvas tent as these huge thunderheads built and grew in this incredible deep blue sky

Sunset over Nam-Tso Lake and chortens. The place is so far north and high that sunset isn't until 10:30 PM. On the other side of the lake was a massive lightning storm heading towards us

White and black yaks wandered through the temple grounds as the clouds broke and a full moon emerged over the encampment. A rather surreal event walking around watching the lighting glow on the glaciered peaks and the bright moons reflection bounce off the tranquil lake