Hot Springs | Mushroaming - Daniel Winkler's Webpages Dedicated to Mushrooms and Nature Tours

The Tibetan Plateau is endowed with over 1000 hot springs. Since many years I am collecting whatever I can find on Tibetan hot springs. If you would like to find out if there are hot springs where you are intending to go, I am glad to supply information, since I would love to receive more information. Contact me by email:

Palden Tashi is enjoying Sori Hot Springs on the foot of Mt. So Ri (Pinyin: Mohuo Shan) just southwest of Litang town across the wide valley. April 2000, 4450m, Litang County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan © Daniel Winkler	Dzogchen Hot Springs with the majestic glaciated Trola Range (Chola Shan) in the South on the Manigango - Jyekundo (Yushu) Road about 10km to the west of Dzogchen (Zoqen) on the way to Zhechen Gompa. There is a nice photo of a nomad family from up the road. © Daniel Winkler June 1997, 4200m, Derge County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan.
Not a hot spring, but a beautiful mineral spring rich in iron along the Chamdo-Lhasa Highway. On the valley ground mineral water bubbles up and has formed little shallow pools with narrow channels draining the water. © Daniel Winkler August 24, 1998, Dengchen County (Dengqen / Dingqing Xian), Qamdo Prefecture, Tibet AR	Mineral Springs in Sog Dzong along the Sichuan-Tibet 'Road. This could be a hot spring, but I doubt it. I could not check out since this swollen river made passing impossible. Note the goat. Often livestock comes to mineral springs for licking the minerals. Also herders drive their animals to springs for keeping them healthy. © Daniel Winkler August 24, 1998, Sog Dzong (Suo Xian, Nagchu / Naqu Prefecture, TAR)
	The source of the geothermal spring pours forth through a thick layer of river sediments. Up in the air smoke from the camp of hot springers.
Dargye Tsachu or Rongpatsang Tsanung Hot Springs in the Rongpatsa valley about 30 km E of Kandze along the Derge Road. Odorless hot water wells up with bubbles from the white granite sand ground. Dig in your feet and you will enjoy a bubble bath. Alas, the temperature of the pool is slightly below body temperature (35°C / 95°F). However, the clear water and the magnificent view of glaciated mountains make this spring a special treat. May be I should mention that this is the men's pool. There is also a woman section down below near sinter outcroppings. © Daniel Winkler, August 2001, 3550m, Kandze / Ganzi County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan

Yiri Hot Springs in northern Riwoqe (Pinyin: Leiwuqi) County. In the front outcroppings from one of the 8 springs with the bath house across the creek. In 1998 a guest house was built, which offered simple rooms and some bathrooms with piped in water to hot tubs. It is about 6 hours drive from Ratsaka/ Riwoche County seat to the northeast, some hours off the road to Nangchen I seem to remember. There are eight different springs, two of them used for bathing, all of them have their specific medicinal propensities. The main spring itself is contained in a bathhouse. It is supposed to cure 404 sicknesses. Somebody had a lot of time counting possible ailments. © Daniel Winkler July 1997, 3890m, Chamdo / Qamdo / Changdu Prefecture, Tibet AR	Beautiful location in a forested area. However, photos are from 1997 and Riwoche was trying to develop these springs, which might not have improved the setting. Yiri's hottest bath right along the creek. A spring pouring out of the foot of a limestone rock at the most narrow point of the little gorge is known as `Hot Hell Spring' (Tsanyel). There used to be a "Rangjung" (self-arisen) dorje / vajra in the rock, which was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The water is supposed to cure arthritis.
Rubu Chaka Hot Springs 4 km to the SE of Daocheng County Town (Dabpa Dzong) around the picturesque place Rubu village, which is nestled at the end of a valley, is a complex of hot springs. The pure, drinkable waters are gushing forth from the granite ground at 68°C. Here the main spring, which seemingly I caught on a laundry day. The slope above this spring is adorned with three small stupas. Another spring fills a small open-air pool next to the creek. Across the creek the water powers a small prayer mill. All in all, the geothermal village is absolutely worth the short trip from Daocheng, but since I took these photos in 2000, things might have changed beyond recognition with Daocheng's tourism boom.
Some kids took me around from hot spring to hot spring once they realized how I loved their springs.