Millennia-old 'Salt-and-Sheep Route' thrives with new vitality

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A herder leads a sheep from the flock to prepare it for transporting salt in Yanhu Township in Ngari Prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region on July 20, 2025. /VCG

Herders strap bags of salt onto the back of a sheep in Yanhu Township in Ngari Prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region on July 20, 2025. /VCG

In Yanhu Township (literally "Salt Lake Township") in Ngari, Xizang, a community once reliant on herding and the salt trade is finding new ways to thrive.

Locals harvest coarse salt from the Salt Lake in Yanhu Township in Ngari Prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region on July 20, 2025. /VCG

An aerial view of the Salt Lake in Yanhu Township in Ngari Prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region on July 20, 2025 /VCG

Over a thousand years ago, more than 50 salt caravans operated in the Ngari area. Herders transported natural salt on the backs of sheep, making their way to Purang, Shigatse, India, and Nepal. In return, they bartered for highland barley, tea bricks, cloth, and other daily necessities – giving rise to the legendary "Salt-and-Sheep Route."

The Rock Art Heritage Park, one of the attractions along the "Salt-and-Sheep Route," is seen in Yanhu Township in Ngari Prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region on July 20, 2025. /VCG

An aerial view of the coarse salt processing plant in Yanhu Township in Ngari Prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region on July 20, 2025 /VCG

Today, the ancient trade route is being revitalized through the establishment of coarse salt processing facilities and the promotion of cultural tourism, injecting new vitality into this time-honored tradition.