Yamdrok Lake in Shannan, Tibet
Lying on the southern edge of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, Lake Yamdrok (Yamdrok Tso or Yamdrok Yumtso) in Nagarze, Shannan, is the largest inland lake at the northern foothills of the Himalayas as well as one of the Great Three Holy Lakes in Tibet, along with Namtso and Manasarovar Lake.
Located around 114km to the southwest of Lhasa, this stunning lake with an altitude of 4,441 meters has been one of the most attractive sights on the Land of Snows. Traveling along G318 Friendship Highway and S307 National Road, you can take a break at the crest of the Kamba La Pass, the ideal place to get the best vista shots of Yamdroktso with the imposing Mt.Nojin Kangsang standing tall in the far distance. Strolling along the lake-shore, you may encounter the devout Tibetan pilgrims prostrating in full length, observe the beautiful turquoise-blue water changing the color with the sunlight, get a closer look at the fish living freely in the holy lake, take fabulous pictures with Tibetan Mastiffs dressed in their colorful ruffs, etc. By the way, do not forget to bring your camera and wide-angle lenses to capture the starry night sky and migratory birds on the islands.
What’s more, Lake Yamdrok Yumtso is a major hub for trips to Potala Palace in Lhasa, Mount Everest Base Camp in Shigatse, and Mount Kailash and Manasarovar Lake in Ngari. Please follow our in-depth guide below and make the most of Yamdrok Lake tour.
Basic Facts:
Chinese name: 羊卓雍错Yángzhuō Yōngcuò
Location: Nagarze County, Shannan, Tibet, China; or southern edge of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, around 114 kilometers to the southwest of Lhasa City
Altitude: 4,441 m (14,570 ft)
Type: one of the Great Three Holy Lakes in Tibet; the largest inland lake at the northern foothills of the Himalayas
Opening Hours & Ticket: all day long; 40CNY/Person (all year round)
How to Get There: No direct bus to Yamdroktso Lake; you may either hire a private car or choose our clean and safe tour vehicle with seasoned local tour guide and driver. It often takes 2 hours 30 minutes to drive 114km from Lhasa to Yamdrok Lake.
Yamdrok Lake Photo Gallery
All Articles about Yamdroktso Lake
To make sure you can enjoy the best Yamdrok Yumtso Lake travel experience available, we kindly prepare the latest and most easy-to-use Yamdrok Lake tour and travel guides below for you. From Lhasa to Yamdrok Lake distance and Yamdrok Lake tour planning to Yamdrok Lake photography and bird watching guide, etc., you can follow the insider’s tip and won’t miss the single moment when visiting the turquoise blue Yamdrok Tso in Tibet.
100 kilometers southwest of Lhasa lies a large body of water known locally as Yamdroktso, or Yamdrok Lake. The lake covers an area of around 638 square kilometers, with an average depth of around 30 meters. Spread out to the south, with more narrow parts in the northern end, the lake is surrounded by mountains and has hundreds of small bays and inlets around its shore. And there are numerous lake crossings of the Yamdrok Lake, like the corals. This widespread lake is one ......
View MoreLying around 100 kilometers to the southwest of Lhasa, Lake Yamdrok is one of the Great Three Holy Lakes of Tibet. Lying on the southern edge of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, this stunning lake, with its beautiful turquoise-blue waters is one of the most attractive sights of the plateau close to the Tibetan capital. Lying in Nangartse County of Lhokha Prefecture, the lake is said to have been formed by a goddess who wanted to ensure the survival of the land and people ......
View MoreYamdrok Lake, one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet, is a freshwater lake in Tibet. It is about 100 kilometers south of the region's capital Lhasa. The lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains means the Lake of Jade in Tibetan language. Located in the southern part of the Yarlung Zangbo River, it is about 70 times the size of the West Lake in Hangzhou, with 21 isolated islands scattering around, on which different kinds of migrant birds inhabiting ......
View MoreOne of the Great Three Holy Lakes of Tibet, Lake Yamdrok is one of the most stunning attractions close to Lhasa. Just 75 kilometers from the Tibetan capital, as the crow flies, this beautiful lake is an awesome sight, and one that can only be seen after a couple of hours driving. Lying on the southern edge of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, to the southwest of the Tibetan capital, Lake Yamdrok is one of the most sacred lakes in Tibet, and is believed to ......
View MoreLying on the southern edge of the gray and green Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, Lake Yamdrok is one of the Great Three Holy Lakes of Tibet, and one of the most stunning tourist attractions close to Lhasa. Located close to Lhasa, the lake lies on the road from Lhasa to Gyantse, and is one of the first great attractions you will see when taking a classic tour across the plateau to Shigatse and Mount Everest. Shaped roughly like a Chinese character, this beautiful lake is the ......
View MoreAs one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, Yamdrok Lake is always on the to-do list of most travelers to Tibet. Surrounded by rolling hills, Yamdrok Lake is like turquoise, reflecting different kinds of green and blue under the sunshine. Usually, the photos of Yamdrok Lake we see are just a part of it. Its actual area is much larger than what we have seen. With an area of 675 square meters, Yamdrok is the largest inland lake in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, with ......
View MoreWith the altitude of 4441m, Yamdroktso Lake is located at the Nangartse County of Shannan Prefecture, about 110 km to the southwest of Lhasa. It is one of three Holy Lakes in Tibet, and the other two holy lakes are Namtso Lake and Lake Manasarovar. All year round is the best time to visit Yamdrok Lake due to climate and weather and beautiful picturesque scenery. A tour from Lhasa to Yamdrok ......
View MoreFacts about Yamdrok Lake:
Travelling from Lhasa to Shigatse, tourists will pass one of the most famous alpine lakes in Tibet, i.e. turquoise Yamdrok Lake. Overlooking the Yamdrok Lake from Gangbala Pass, you may find that the lake looks like a sapphire embedded in surrounding mountains.
Facts about Shigatse:
The second largest city next to Lhasa in Tibet; Home to the world’s summit— Mt. Everest(8844.43m); also the Seat of successive Panchen Lama; best place to enjoy panorama of Himalayan Range
Yamdrok Lake and Namtso Lake, together with Lake Manasarovar are believed by most of the locals as the three most sacred lakes in Tibet. Regardless of their religious and spiritual aspects, merely a glimpse at any view of them is enough to trigger the recognizable tremble in your heart. So, which one is better to choose for different travelers is seemingly become a tough question that baffles most of the visitors in Tibet. Before you make the decision, just follow us to get acquainted with the top things you need to know about Namtso Lake and Yamdrok Lake and make the optimal and well-suited plan for your trip.
View MoreRecommended Tibet Tour Itineraries Including Yamdrok Tso
After visiting Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple and acclimatizing well in Lhasa, you can travel to the holy Lake Yamdrok to appreciate the alpine Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains and shoot the crystal blue water and lovely fish, even travel further to Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, and Kathmandu, Nepal, etc. Check the top 4 highly recommended Tibet tours with a short visit to Yamdrok Lake.
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View Details - 7 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Small Group Tour: Traverse from the North Side to the South Side of Mt.Everest for the Best of the Himalayas
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View Details - 15 Days Kailash and Manasarovar Small Group Tour: A pilgrim’s final fantasy and the greatest overland trip in Tibet.
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