Yamdrok Tour & Travel Guide

White Snow, Blue Waters & Green Pastures!

Yamdrok Lake (Yamdrok Yumtso), one of the largest sacred lakes of Tibet is a fresh water lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and joined by various small streams. Situated in the Langzika County, Shannan Prefecture, this lake has the towns of Gyantse and Lhasa as its neighbors. Cozily located among the grey and green mountains, this lake shimmers with a number of radiant blue shades like turquoise and sapphire when the sun shines at different angles. This is a fan shaped lake with a number of islands. According to the Buddhist beliefs, Lake Yamdrok helps to find the reincarnated soul of the Dalai Lama. According to the Buddhist religion, lakes are also sacred as they are the dwelling places of deities and vested with divine powers. Buddhist pilgrims go around this lake every year.

Lake Yamdrok is smaller and quieter than the other lakes which attract many migratory birds during winter. The transportation is also more convenient. The best place to view the Lake is from S307 pass which gives a panoramic view of the lake. The major attraction of the lake is its scenic beauty which encourages photography. Travelers love to watch the migratory birds which add to its spectacular view. Hiking is another activity that the travelers can be engaged with. Tourists also pose with the local animals like Tibetan Mastiffs, goats and yaks on payment. The lake is also known for its freshwater fish and is deemed as “fish treasure of Tibet”.

Samding Monastery is at the western side of Lake Yamdrok. Nagarze, a small town to the south of the lake provides basic bed and food facilities for the travelers. Karola Glacier is a small glacier between Lake Yamdrok and Shigatse on the Gyantse/Nagarze border. According to the Tibetan beliefs, Yamdrk Yumtso is seen as the scattered turquoise earnings by fairy. This lake is linked to three other lakes, Kongmucuo lake, Chen Co lake and Bajiucuo lake. Lake Yamdrok is associated with Padmasambhava, the second Buddha who was the pioneer of Buddhism in Tibet. An old fort called Pede Dzong is found in one of the lake’s islands. Other must see places near Lake Yamdrok are Samye Monastery(first Buddhist Monastery in Tibet known for its sacred mandala design), Trundruk Monastery(one of the ancient monastery of Tibet), Yumbulgang Palace(meaning Mother and Son palace in Tibetan), Mindroling Monastery and tombs of early Tibetan kings.

Apart from being the holy lake, it is also considered as a natural reserve as the world’s highest hydroelectric power is located there. This larger than life lake boasting its pollution free radiant water, its importance as a holy lake and home to various animals and birds, is without any doubt a success visit for any traveler. This lake when translated in ancient Tibetan is “jasper lake of the upper pasture” and provides landscapes ranging from snow capped mountains to glaciers, islands, hot spring and grasslands.