Get to know Comai County
Photo adjustments
EXIF orientation normalized; resized without changing aspect ratio; converted to WebP. No subject edits.
- Administrative area
- County · 县
- Part of
- Shannan
- Chinese name
- 措美县
- Local areas
- County guide
Area & population
- Area in the source
- 4,177.21 km²
- Population · 2020
- 12,132
Source: cited geographic source, as of the dates shown.
A curved lake in the grassland
Zhegu Lake lies at the seat of Zhegu Town (哲古镇), about 4,600 metres above sea level. It covers roughly 66 square kilometres and is fed mainly by melting snow and ice. Its name means “curved knife” in Tibetan, referring to the lake’s shape. Local tradition associates it with ancient Bon (苯教) pilgrimage, alongside Yarlha Shampo (雅拉香布), the snowy mountain rising behind the lake.
Pasture and waterbirds
Wet grassland along the shore provides grazing for cattle and sheep. Bar-headed geese, greylag geese and swans are among the birds described on the lake. The wider Zhegu Grassland lies northeast of the county town; Tibetan wild asses, argali, black-necked cranes and blue sheep inhabit this natural pasture.
Sources for this guide
走进措美之哲古景区 · Shannan City Government, Comai County Tourism Development Bureau
Original English written from the listed sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer. Updated 2026-09-27.
Entry & permits for Tibet (Xizang)
Foreign tourists need Tibet entry approval, commonly called a Tibet Travel Permit, and an organised visit arranged through a specialist travel agency in China. Confirm your approved route before booking transport. Requirements differ for Taiwan residents and for travellers using mainland or Hong Kong/Macao Chinese resident documents; check the document guide before you book.
Check the travel-document requirements →Policy scope verified: 2026-09-06. UK FCDO: China regional travel advice ↗ State Council Taiwan Affairs Office: Tibet entry approval ↗ Xizang Department of Culture and Tourism: Medog border permit notice ↗
Explore Comai County
Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.
Places to explore around Comai County
Zhegu Lake · Plan your visit
Getting there
Comai County is about 95 km in a straight line from central Shannan. Search for 措美县 in a map app to find stations and your accommodation.
Where to stay →Build your route
Start with Zhegu Lake. The linked place guides have entrance and visit details.
Continue with Shannan →More in Shannan
Sources & geographic information
Administrative names and parent areas: Official geographic directory · Reference date 2026-09-06.
Photo: Zhegu Lake · Source photographer · License not provided. EXIF orientation normalized; resized without changing aspect ratio; converted to WebP. No subject edits.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins mark approximate centres, not entrances or boundaries.