Yarlung River Scenic Area

Zetang Town

Zetang Town lies on the south bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, southeast of Lhasa. It is the seat of the Shannan City government and the economic, cultural and religious centre of the region. It is home to Yumbulakhang, the first palace in Tibet, and Trandruk Temple, where Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng once lived. Zetang is one of the birthplaces of the Tibetan people.

Yamdrok Lake

Yamdrok Lake is said to have the most beautiful water in the world. If you are lucky enough to pass by on a clear day, your trip to Tibet will have been worth it. Yamdrok Tso (羊卓雍错) lies in Nagarzê County of Shannan City and is an important stop on the old road from Lhasa to Shigatse, often known simply as "Yamdrok." It is one of Tibet's three sacred lakes. At an altitude of 4,441 meters, it measures 130 kilometers from east to west and 70 kilometers from north to south, with a total area of 638 square kilometers. The lake is long and narrow, looking more like a vast river that has come to rest in the valley. Because the mountains are so high, the weather changes dramatically. In rain or fog, it feels like climbing 1,000 meters vertically inside a tin box. Only when you see the prayer flags at Kampa La Pass does the hardship end. This stretch has the best road conditions of the whole journey, yet it still feels daunting. On the other side of the pass lies the beautiful lake, a calm haven under the blue sky, its pure colour so gentle and serene that you feel an urge to make it your own. After stopping briefly at the pass, the car heads down toward the lakeshore, and for a long stretch the road follows the water, continuing even in your dreams after you have grown tired and fallen asleep.

Free · 1–3 hours

Lhamo La-tso

“Lhamo La-tso” means “Lake of the Goddess's Soul”. The lake is not large, but it holds a special place in the hearts of Tibetans. Between the 4th and 6th Tibetan months each year, many people come here to make pilgrimages and enjoy the view. To reach the lake, you must climb a hill of 200–300 metres; the summit is very windy and hung with prayer flags. Seen from the top, Lhamo La-tso resembles a gourd, round at both ends and slightly narrower in the middle.

¥50 · 1–2 hours

Samye Monastery

Samye Monastery is known as “Tibet's First Monastery” and was the first temple in the history of Tibetan Buddhism to house the complete Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Its murals are rich in content; the most famous is the 92-metre-long “Historical Records” mural, which narrates religious accounts of Tibetan history and ancient legends.

¥40 · 2–3 hours

Chimphu Retreat

Chimphu is as famous as Samye Monastery; Tibetans say that visiting Samye without going to Chimphu is like not having been there at all. Eminent masters such as Śāntarakṣita and Padmasambhava practised here, leaving many sacred traces. Chimphu sits on the slopes of the Nari Mountains, 15 km northeast of Samye Monastery, at an altitude of 4,300 metres. Today, many ascetic practitioners who have travelled from afar still meditate here, and many Tibetans and visitors regard it as a holy site.

1–2 hours

Yumbulagang

Yumbulagang was the first palace in Tibetan history and has a history of more than 2,100 years. Its interior murals vividly depict the stories of Tibet's first king, its first building and its first cultivated field.

¥60 · 1–3 hours