Himalaya

The western Himalayas rise south of the upper Sutlej valley, where the old kingdom of Guge occupied a dry and deeply cut landscape. Streams descending from the Himalayan heights join the Sutlej as it flows west through the Tibetan plateau. The contrast between snow-covered ranges and the eroded slopes of the valley gives this country its stark appearance. In the valley stood the fortified capital of Tsaparang and the monastery of Tholing.