Lake Namtso means "holy lake" in the Tibetan language. With over 30 kilometers from north to south and over 70 kilometers from east to west, Lake Namtso covers a total area of more than 1,900 square kilometers, being the second largest salt lake in China. At an elevation of 4,718 meters, it is also the highest-altitude salt lake in the world, the furthest depth being more than 33 meters.

In the late third century and the early fourth century, Lake Namtso dented to be a huge basin as a result of the Himalayas movement. Later, as the climate of Tibetan Plateau became drier and drier, the size of Namtso decreased drastically to be what it is now. Now the beaches of the lake are a beautiful natural pasture, offering ideal condition for animal husbandry. It is also an ideal habitat for animals and birds.

Summer is the most active time at the Namtso Lake, when wild animals, among them yaks, gazelles and hares, graze happily on the broad grasslands and many migrating birds arrive from the south, to lay their eggs, hatch and raise their broods on islets and lakeshore, Fish often leap out of the water, revealing their silvery scales. Leisurely herders tend their horses, sheep and cattle ,filling the valleys with their lovely echoing songs.

Because of the extreme cold here, the lake freezes in October and the ice does not melt until May the following year. When it does melt, the ice emits thunderous cracking noises that can be heard miles away, and is one of the sights of Namtso.

Mani stone mounds can be found everywhere along the Namtso Lake. Every Tibetan Buddhist throws a stone on every mound he or she comes across. To throw a stone represents to recite the scriptures once. With the elapse of time, separate stone mounds have joined together to form a grand sight of Mani wall, which is over one hundred meters long and about one meter high.

Surrounded by vast grassland, the lake looks like a huge mirror. With the clear blue sky over the dark blue lake, white snow, green grass, colorful wild flowers and herdsman's ox-hair tents make a beautiful and appealing natural landscape. Regarded as a holy lake by pious Buddhists, the lake attracts pilgrims from as far as India and Nepal.