The expedition team started their mission on November 20 from Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Kekexili lies in the border areas of Tibet, Qinghai and Xinjiang and was founded in 1995. It covers 45,000 square kilometers at an average elevation of 4,600 meters.

Kekexili is home to many rare species of animals including the Tibetan antelope, the yak, wild donkey and other plateau animals.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2005)