Yamdrok Lake – Top Tourism Attraction near Lhasa Famous 1 Day Tour Option

Yamdrok, Yamdroktso (ཡར་འབྲོག་གཡུ་མཚོ།  ), or Yamdrok Yumtso, is a breathtaking lake lying between the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, and the town of Gyantse. Yamdrok Lake is viewable along the old Friendship Highway that links Tibet with Nepal, and is a favorite route for those heading to Everest Base Camp.

Lake Yamdrok is also known as “Yumu Lake”, “Baidi Lake”, and “Yamuruk Lake”. Yumu Lake, Tibetan means “Swan Lake”. Because the lake is near Baidi, it is called Baidi Lake. The Tibetan “Yangzhuo” means “upper pasture”, “Yong” means “jasper”, and “Tso” means “lake”, which collectively means “upper pasture jasper lake”. The Chinese language is also called “Yangzhuo Yong Lake”, referred to as “Yang Lake” for short. Yangzhuo Yongcuo is the fifth largest lake in Tibet and the largest inland brackish lake in southern Tibet. The lake is named the three sacred lakes in Tibet with Nammutuo and Mapangyongcuo.

Yamdrok Lake Tibet Photography Tour

Yamdrok Lake Legend

According to folklore, Yangzhuo Yonghu was transformed by a fairy in the sky. According to records, Yang Zhuo Yongcuo resembled a scorpion. There are nine small lakes. The empty line mother Yixi Cuojie was worried about the death of many living things in the lake. He threw 7 gold into the air and prayed and chanted. The small lake is connected as a whole, which looks like a lotus-shaped hand-held iron scorpion. Some place names in the watershed are related to scorpions, such as Reye Baibiwu in the upper reaches of the lake, Qulong Reye in the hot area, and the left and right corners of the scorpion, which means that the place is located at the right and left corners of the scorpion; the circle at the heart of the scorpion On the island of Budo, there is a ruin of the Ningma School that was built in the middle of the 16th century by Ren Zengjian and Ruongong. There are the handprints of the master of lotus flowers near the temple, and the Sandin temple in the southwest of the lake, so it is called one of the three sacred lakes in Tibet. 

Yamdrok Lake Photo Trip of Lhasa, Tibet

How to get to Lake Yamdrok

Go west of Lhasa, pass the Yarlung Zangbo River Bridge in Qushui County, and travel 170 kilometers south along the Laya Highway. Beyond the 5,030-meter Gambala Pass, the beautiful, jasper-like Yangzhuo Yongcuo is in front of us. It takes about 30 minutes from the mountain pass to the shore of Yangzhuo Yongcuo Lake, and then you can enjoy the view of Yangzhuo Yongcuo along the road beside the lake. This beautiful mirror will gradually disappear into your view until you approach Langkazi County after driving another 60 kilometers. Taking this route, you can see Ningjin Kangsha Peak within 40 kilometers after passing the Langkazi county seat. Travel 100 kilometers south from Lhasa, about 2 hours, can be chartered or shuttled. If you take a shuttle bus, you can first sit by the Yarlung Zangbo River Bridge (Qushui Bridge), and then take a taxi to explore Yangzhuo Yongcuo. However this is only for Chinese travelers. If you hold foreign passports, you will need to book a private Tibet tour or package tour.

View from Gangbala to Lake Yamdrok – Tibet Landscape Tour

Tibet Yamdrok Lake Travel Guidelines/Tips for Travelers

  • Tickets price: Low Season November 1-April 30 CNY 60; High Season May1-Oct.31: CNY120
  • A licensed tour vehicle (private or shared) with driver is a must needed service;
  • 280 km round-trip, beautiful 1 day landscape tour out of Lhasa;
  • On the way to Gyantse, Shigatse, it is in any longer tour itinerary to the west of Tibet;
  • Only if you have 2-3 people, private tour is more affordable, 1 person better not book a private tour;
  • A licensed tour guide is a must, otherwise you are not able to get there;
  • Follow your Tibetan guide’s instruction and the photograph policy;
  • It is accessible all year around, but winter season may have black ice on the road (sometimes it happens)
  • Please take passports, permits.
Sheep at Yamdrok lakeshore – Tibet Wildlife Tour

Take a Customized tour  to include Yamdrok Lake Attraction

Here let Tibetan guide recommend you some Tibet tours packages you may be interested. They are the 3 nights 4 days Lhasa tour, 6-7 days Lhasa Lake Yamdrok Gyantse Shigatse tour, 8-9 days Lhasa Everest Base camp/Nepal, and the 15-20 days Kailash Manasarovar Tours. All these are small size quality group tours of Tibet. These tours cover the most big highlights attractions of Tibet. 

Yamdrok lake is not a far distance attraction out of Lhasa. A private tour is only suitable for group with no less than 2 travelers at a time. And if none of these tours above meets your needs, please write email to info@tibetlocalguide.com for a customized private Tibet tour. So you can include any interested Tibet tour attractions to your program. Tibet local guide travel service provides full solution for Tibet vacation arrangement. We can provide Tibet travel permits, Tibetan guide, tour vehicle rental, train and air ticketing and accommodation booking. Our offers are the most affordable in Tibet, while we help you save a lot of valuable time when you book a tour of Tibet.

LEAVE A COMMENT

email Email Usborder_color Enquire Nowx