Yumbulagang Palace Tibet Attraction

Yumbulagang Palace – Historical Wonder in Tibetan Cultural Cradle

Yumbulakang is the first palace inhabited by Tibetan Nie Chi Zanpu. It has a history of more than 2,000 years. The temple is filled with statues such as Songtsan Gambo and Princess Wencheng. The original Yumbulakang was only a small palace. Later it was expanded by the fifth Dalai Lama before gradually becoming a Buddhist temple. In addition to some monk houses, there is also a bedroom dedicated to the living Dalai Lama.

Tibetan History of Yumbulakang Palace

Tsetang Cultural Cradle of Tibet
Explore the Tibetan Cultural in Southeast of Lhasa

When the first Tibetan king, Nie Chizamp was in sight, people built the first palace in Tibet—Yongbulakang—on the top of the Tashi mountain next day in Zedang; the name of the Tibetan king spread quickly, and people gathered from all around Tibet. The first village, Yara Sokkar, appeared on the mountain the next day in Tashi, and then the first farmland, Sari Sodang, was reclaimed. Tibetan ancestors living by the grass began to work towards sunrise and sunset. The farming life changed, and the Yalong tribe was born. The Yumbulakang was the palace of the leaders of the Yalong tribe. Until the 33rd generation of Zampsongzankan came to power, he showed great power and led the Yalong tribe to unify the snowy plateau and establish the Tubo dynasty. Moved to Lhasa.

Yumbulagang palace
Yumbulagang palace

Yumbulakang  Altitude and ways of getting there

Yumbulakang Altitude

 Yumbulakang is located on the “Tashi Next Day Mountain” 12 kilometers away from Zedang city, at an altitude of 3700 meters. The whole building resembles a carved castle and towers above the mountain. The traveling car can only drive under the Yungbulakang Mountain foot. There are two roads up the mountain, a zigzag step uphill trail, and a sandy road for horse riders. Visitors can choose to walk to Yungbulakang for a visit, or they can choose to ride horses up the mountain provided by the villagers at the foot of the mountain, the cost varies.

How to get to Yumbulakang

Yumbulakang is located in Zedang Town, Shannan, only over 10 kilometers away from Zedang County, and about 200 kilometers from Lhasa city. Unlike the Samye Monastery, which is located on the northern bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Yungbulakang is located on the south bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River, and the Yarlung Zangbo River cannot be seen at Yungbulakang.
From Lhasa, take the airport highway to Lhasa Gongga Airport, and then continue east for more than 100 kilometers to reach Shandang capital Zedang County. From Zedan Town, Shannan, head south and drive for more than ten minutes. When there are two or three miles away from the next day of Tashi Mountain, the road turns at a foot of a mountain, and you will suddenly see a piece of it. The vast plain, a lonely castle on the plain stands on the top of the mountain, this is the “Tibet’s first palace”-Yumbulakang.

What to see at Yumbulagang

  • Buddha statue in yumbulakang
    The hall is not only for the Buddha statue of Shakyamuni, but also statues such as Songtsan Gambo and Princess Wencheng. Therefore, Yungbulakang was once used as a summer palace by Songtsan Gambo.
  • Frescoes of Yumbulakang
    The murals inside the palace vividly depict the historical story of Tibet’s first king, the first palace, and the first cultivated land. It is said that the first generation of Tibetan kings was first built in Tibet, and then the first palace, Yongbulakang, was built. Then the believers opened up the first farmland, Sari Sodang, and gathered here to have the first village in Shannan. -Yara Soka. These can be seen in the frescoes of Yungbulakang.

Tibetan Yumbulagang Palace Travel Guidelines 

Yumbulakang’s murals are located in narrow corridors and dim lights, and there is no sunlight all year round. It is because of this that the murals are preserved for thousands of years. If you want to watch the murals, a flashlight is essential.

  • Low Season price: November 1 till April 30, ticket price is CNY60
  • High Season price: May-October.31, ticket price CNY60;
  • A licensed tour guide is a must, otherwise you may not be able to enter;
  • Private or shared tour vehicle can take you there;
  • Don’t wear revealing clothes, hats or caps, sunglasses, or masks when visiting the site;
  • Follow your Tibetan guide’s instruction and the photograph policy inside.
  • Please take passports, permits (but no water, lighters, sprays, cigarettes, scissors, knives, etc, security checking is similar as at airport, or the statute of liberty, empire tower, cruises ships, etc).

Recommended Tibet Tour Programs by Tibet Local Guide

Here let Tibetan guide recommend you some Tibet tours. 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.

If you are interested in a tour of  Tibetan Yumbulagang Palace, you can read further more about  Tsetang Tour attractions here. Follow local Tibetan guide tour service, you can find lots of informative travel advice on Tibet Tourism. Should you have any questions or concerns on a tour, please feel free to email us by info@tibetlocalguide.com.

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