Nyingchi, 'throne of the sun' in Tibetan, is also called 'the Switzerland of Tibet', lies in the southeast of Tibet. Nyingchi has the average latitude of approximately 3,000 meters above the sea level while the lowest place here is only about 900 meters above the sea level, covers a total area of 117,000 square km and a population of more than 160,000. There are 7 counties are under its jurisdiction: Nyingchi, Mainling, Kongpogyamda, Medog, Pomi, Zaya and Nang. Bayi town, 406 kilometers east of Lhasa, is the political, economic and cultural center of Nyingchi County.

Nyingchi once called 'Gongpo' (presently named Nyingchi County, Miling County and Kongpo Gyamda County), it has a history of over 4,000 years and its culture-called the Nyingchi Culture by historians, is quite distinctive from the mainstream of Tibetan culture. Except for various festivals that are celebrated differently from other Tibetan areas, as one of the places where the Bon religion originated, Nyingchi is also featured by a dense flavor of the indigenous religion of Tibet. Moreover, 10% of its population (160,000 in total) is represented by more than 10 non-Tibetan ethnic groups, such as the Menba, Luoba, Naxi, Dulong, and Deng, among others. Interestingly, the Menba and the Luoba people still carry on their primitive but unique customs in the deepest part of the Great Canyon.

Nyingchi boasts both gorgeous natural beauty and profound ethnic cultures. In recent years with the rapid advancement of economic reform and opening up, the tourist industry has turned out to be a pillar industry in the reaches of the Niyang River and the relevant networks and facilities have already taken their forms. Nyingchi has become an international forest park in 'the third pole of the globe' where a wide variety of activities such as sightseeing, mountain hiking, rock climbing, exploration, white water surfing and scientific research are carried out. Its unique ethnic living customs, music and dances, sports and tournaments and so on and so forth are among the major tourist attractions.

Presently, within a convenient network of highways, the Nyingchi Region can be accessed directly from Sichuan, Yunnan, Lhasa and the Shannan Region. Bayi Town, where the Administrative Office of Nyingchi Prefecture is seated, has grown into a bustling city with an abundance of modern hotels and restaurants. Sightseeing nearby can be rewarding, especially taking an expedition to the Great Canyon and Pemako you can acquire necessary supplies.