The undated photos show the Namco (Namtso) Lake under the setting sun in Tibet Autonomous Region. It's also the "holy lake" to the Tibetan Buddhists. Pilgrims walk around the lake repetitively as a kind of practice.

With an area of 1,940 square kilometers, the Namco Lake, the largest inland saltwater lake in the region, is one of the 50 most beautiful tourist attractions along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway which started operation on last July 1.

Namco, once dubbed as the highest inland lake in the world, is located at an altitude of 4,718 meters. The sacred lake attracts lots of pilgrims and visotors each year.

Situated at north Tibet, Namco areas boast numerous scenic spots and diversified geographic features, such as snowbergs, wetlands, Gobi deserts, lakes and swamps.

(China.org.cn January 4, 2006)