Ranwu Lake means “goats’ milk-like lake” in Tibetan language. It is located by the 318 National Road, 89 km away from Baxoi County in the east and 127 km from Bomi County in the west. It is the main source of Parlung Zangbo River, a branch of Yarlung Zangbo River.
Covering an area of about 22 km2, Ranwu Lake is known as the largest lake in eastern part of Tibet. Primary source of the water is the ice and snow from the mountains and glaciers around. When the ice begins to melt into water, the water will flow to the lake. Therefore, constant source of Ranwu Lake can be guaranteed. The whole surface of Ranwu Lake is 3,850 meters above sea level, yet the lake can be divided into two parts: the upper part and the lower part. Generally speaking, water of the upper part of the lake is purer than that of the lower part, and the upper part is more suitable for taking pictures.
In spring, colorful wild flowers on the meadow on the shores of Ranwu Lake will be in full blossom, and cattle and horses will graze leisurely on the pasture. Water of the Lake is clear and pure, reflecting the white snow-capped mountains around.
Summer is the show time of the large reach of rapeseed in the farmland next to Ranwu Lake. They look just like a beautiful golden pattern on the green barley fields. When you travel to Ranwu Lake, one thing that can’t be missed is the early sunrise. Yet because it often rains during this period, you can’t see the sunrise easily, and water of the lake will be turbid.
Autumn is the best season to travel to Ranwu Lake. Rainy season has already gone in autumn, so the water of Ranwu Lake begins to become clear and pure, vividly reflecting the meadow, forest and mountains around. Besides, the weather is usually sunny and the air is clean, so you can see starry sky more easily during this period.
Ranwu Lake is a freshwater lake, so the water will get frozen when the temperature is below 0 degree. Winter is the best time to watch the sunrise at Ranwu Lake. When the Sun rises from the horizon, you can water vapor diffusing over the lake. And the lake is like a round mirror, reflecting the sky, clouds and snow-capped mountains. As the weather during this period can be freezing cold, do keep yourself warm while watching the sunrise.
Spring and winter is the best time to take photos of Ranwu Lake, because the water is the clearest during this period throughout the year. In summer and autumn, the water of Ranwu Lake will become turbid because of the sediment brought by rainfall and melting water from ice and glaciers. There are three viewing platforms for tourists to take pictures of Ranwu Lake: one at the upper part of the lake, one at the lower part of the lake, and one nearby the Parlung Zangbo River.
1. Star gazing: The best time to watch stars should be the five days before and after the first day of each month of lunar calendar. The moonlit during this period won’t be too strong, so that it won’t illuminate the whole sky and weaken the starlight.
2. Photography equipment: study and stable tripod, wide-angle or standard lenses.
3. Recommended camera settings: M mode; the aperture can be fully open, exposure 30-40 seconds; ISO changes according to the difference of aperture shutter; automatic white balance.
4. Other props: If you want to take pictures of a person under the starry sky, a flashlight or a laser pointer would be much helpful.
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