Tashigang village residents greet guests with silk scarves known as khata. [Photo provided by Erik Nilsson/China Daily]

Nyingchi is a place where an extreme river and canyon shape life among relatively moderate elevations and weather in Xizang to generate a destination unlike anywhere else on Earth. These natural conditions have fostered a mystique that has, in turn, shaped its culture.

From the highest point of Mount Namjagbarwa to the lowest depth of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, it's worth exploring from top to bottom — and everywhere in between.