Lake Pelku: A highland gem in Xizang

Marvel at the breathtaking purity and majesty of Lake Pelku in Shigatse, Xizang, where crystalline waters mirror snow-capped peaks in perfect natural harmony.

Lake Pelku is the largest inland lake within the Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve. Situated at an altitude of 4,590 meters, it spans roughly 300 square kilometers. Shaped like a gourd, the lake is surrounded by mountains on three sides. About 60 kilometers to the south rises the 8,027-meter-high Mount Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world.

As a tectonic lake, Pelku features a distinctive water composition – freshwater in the south and saline water in the north. The lake region is rich in biodiversity, home to Gymnocypris waddelli, a high-altitude cold-water fish, as well as other wild animals such as Tibetan gazelles, Tibetan wild asses, and black-necked cranes.