Perched at at 4,500 meters (nearly 14,800 feet) on the edge of the northern Chang Tang Plateau, Nagchu (Naqu in Mandarin) is one of Tibet's highest towns (the highest is Wenzhuan, along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway at the border over 200 kilometers to the north at 5,100 meters).

Nagchu is also, unsurprisingly, one of the coldest and windiest cities in Tibet, conditions that deter both visitors and agriculture. Despite the harsh environment, Nagchu is home to nearly 70,000 people as well as many more hardy sheep and goats—they're the staple here, where oxygen levels are just 60% of those found at sea level.  If you find yourself in Nagchu, keep in mind that even those acclimated to Lhasa's altitude are likely to feel the effects of the height and thin air here. 

Although Nagchu doesn't really offer any tourist attractions, an annual August Nagchu  Horse Racing Festival attracts some 10,000 nomads eager  to show off horsemanship skills, trade for tools and supplies, and celebrate the brief Tibetan summer.

The Tibet-Qinghai (Qingzang) Railway Nagch stop is designated as a station with a vista point. In recent years, special permits have not been required to visit Nagchu, though you'll want to check ahead to be certain. 

History

Evidence of human occupation more than 2,000 years ago has been unearthed in various locations around the plateau where present-day Nagchu stands. For most of its life, the town was most likely a nomadic settlement used only during the summers. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Nagchu became more of a permanent village, slowly evolving into a town, boosted by its position on the caravan route to Amdo. In the 17th century, the Horse Racing Festival was established as a way to bring the area's nomads into the young township to exchange ideas, inventions and goods—a kind of nomad Expo. Within the next century the gathering had become the most popular and important event of its kind in the Northern Plateau.

Little changed for almost two hundred years in and around Nagchu, until the Cultural Revolution hit Tibet and the culturally significant Horse Racing Festival was banned. The festival has recently been revived, delighting increasing numbers of  tourists every year along with the remaining nomads, many of whom are as likely to roll into town on a motorcycle as they are to arrive on horseback.

Climate

Nagchu is one of the coldest inhabited destinations in all of China. The average year round temperature is just 1°C (34°F). The town is frequented by wind gusts and storms, which bring temperatures down around -30°C (-35°F) during the icy winter months. Nagchu's only break from the cold is during the peak of summer where temperatures average in the high teens Celsius (65-70°F).

You won't find any four-star accommodations in this part of Tibet. However, Nagchu does offer several clean and close-to-comfortable places to stay just off its main road. Rooms usually run 100-500 RMB per night; spending more sometimes gets one a private bathroom, but not much more. Be warned, several places in town do not have licenses to accommodate foreigners, including the temptingly named  Western Hotel; sometimes you can get around these rules, but certainly don't count on it. It is also important to keep in mind that if your travels take you to Nagchu during the Horse Racing Festival it is essential to book your rooms in advance. This can be a difficult task but is necessary unless you don't mind bunking with the locals.

The cuisine in Nagchu does not cater to Western tastes, but it does provide enough caloric intake to keep a body warm and alive. Yak butter tea is plentiful, as is the usually foreigner-preferred sweet milk tea. Food is hearty and can be quite bland, although there are a couple of descent Chinese restaurants in town. Chuan Wei Tsi Fu serves spicy Sichuan food but costs about twice as much as a meal in a Tibetan restaurant. If you're worried about food, it's a good idea to stock up on instant soup or granola bars before hitting Nagchu.

Around Nagchu

Public transportation in Nagchu includes buses and taxis both of which are quite affordable—buses a little more so (but also a bit more rustic).

To and from Nagchu

Train

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway has a stop in Nagchu, its highest station, but you have to catch the train in Lhasa.

Bus

Two long-distance stations in Lhasa have buses traveling to Nagchu daily. The Beijiao Bus Station (0891 6922 104) bus leaves at 8 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10 a.m., 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The Xijiao Bus Station (0891 6824469) has buses that leave every hour from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. everyday. It takes about four hours to reach Nagchu on either bus. Nagchu Bus Staion (0896 3822 159) has buses heading to various locations throughout Tibet. Buses to Lhasa leave every 15 minutes and arrive at the Xijiao Bus Station.

Qiangtang Market, Naqu Market and Renmin Shangchang, all located on the main drag of Zhejiang Zhong Lu, offer cashmere goods combed straight from the goats bred here (the locals refer to it as "soft gold"). Among the Chinese, Nagchu is also known for its in rare and expensive medicinal herbs, including caladium, wormgrass, Saussurea involucrate and musk.

Bars & Clubs

There are no clubs in the town of Nagchu and only a few bars scattered around town. Popular with the teenagers is the first floor bar of the Post Hotel. Cruise down Central Zhejiang Lu to find out the newest spot where locals are warming themselves both before and after dinner.

Performing Arts

Although you can always spot monks, nuns and lay people in town performing their daily Buddhist rituals you won't find any other type of performances in Nagchu other than during the Horse Racing Festival. Always taking place in mid-August, here you'll find locals and nomads showing off their traditional dances and archery skills and of course, there is plenty of horse riding and racing to observe.

Festivals & Events

Nagchu's Horse Racing Festival (daqiong) has become the largest cause for celebration on the Changtang. The festival occurs during the Northern Plateau's "golden grassland period," the first week of August each year (confirm the dates beforehand). More than 10,000 nomads travel to Nagchu, setting up a tent city just north of town. Tibetans dress themselves and their horses in their finest clothes and costumes while showing off their horsemanship, archery proficiency and craftsmanship, as well as competing in various feats of strength, from tug-of-war to wrestling to heavy-stone weightlifting. The equestrian competitions can be especially thrilling. 

Nights see bonfires on the plateau with singing, dancing and card playing. Many dances and songs have deep traditional roots; the Tibetan epic ballad of the feats of ancient King Gesar, for example, and the Reba and Gordo dances are all fascinating expressions of the nomad's unique identity. Even without a lick of Tibetan, visitors can easily pick up on the depth of feeling and meaning present in these centuries-old rituals.

Other festivals include: 

The Thunder Festival (March 10-20 by the Tibetan lunar calendar)
The Sheep-Neutering Festival (March by the Tibetan lunar calendar)
THe Newborn Calf Festival (March by the Tibetan lunar calendar)
The Sheepshearing Festival (April by the Tibetan lunar calendar)
The Medicinal Herbs Culling Festival (September by the Tibetan lunar calendar)