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The holy Yamdrok Yumtso Lake means 'swan pool' in Tibetan, lies in the south of Yarlong Tsangpo River in the Shannan Region of Tibet. The lake is one of three holy lakes in Tibet. Yamdrok Yumtso is the largest freshwater lake at the south foot of the Himalayas with an area of about 638 square kilometers. The lake is 130 kilometers long and 70 kilometers wide with a surface of 4,441 meters above the sea level. It is said that the Yamdrok Yumtso Lake is the female Guardian of Buddhism in Tibet. People here believe that it will bless and protect them. So every year, many religious followers in Tibet and from other places would come here for pilgrimage.
Some of them start on foot and give one prostration every three steps even from hundreds of kilometers away. All of these visitors bring much mystery and dignity to the charming holy Yamdrok Yumtso Lake. The Yamdrok Yumtso Lake has some beautiful and vivid names such as Coral Lake or Green Jade Lake. The name Coral Lake is derived from its irregular shape because this lake has many short streams winding into the nearby mountains and it just appears like the coral. The name Green Jade Lake implies its beautiful appearance for the pure clean water looks like as smooth as the surface of fine jade.
Looked from the nearby high mountain, the Yamdrok Yumtso Lake just like a holy sapphire, set in the group of mountains. In the lake, are dotted several small islands where fertile grasses and groups of wild birds betray peaceful. Embraced by the snow-capped mountains and lying under the clear blue sky, the Yamdrok Yumtso Lake appears so holy and evokes solemnity.That’s why every visitor would like to list Yamdrok Yumtso Lake as a must go destination while travelling Tibet. Here are some guide information for your tour to Yamdrok Yumtso Lake. Address: south of Yarlong Tsangpo River in the Shannan Region of Tibet.. Admission Fee: CNY 40. Contact Number: 86- 10-85968802
The Yamdrok Lake altitude is 4,441 meters/ 14,570 ft above sea level. The best lake viewpoint is located even higher, just below the Kambala Pass (5,300 meters) at an elevation of 4,800 meters.
Yamdrok is famous for its incredible turquoise color. Its water is rich in minerals, that give the lake this color. The color can range from light turquoise in direct sunlight to deep rich blue in cloudy weather. The water of the lake is crystal clear with low sediment.
Summer is warm. Because of the strong wind, it might seem colder than it actually is, and we recommend wearing a light long-sleeve jacket or a shirt. The sun is always very strong in Tibet. You should be ready with sunscreen, a hat or baseball hat, a pair of sunglasses and a lip balm.
In winter weather is getting much colder near the lake. You will need a warm jacket to visit it. At the same time winter weather is usually clear and it is the best time to see the incredible colors of the lake.
The lake freezes only for a short time in the middle of winter. The mountains surrounding the lake are covered with snow, making the landscape look dream-like.
If you travel to Yamdrok Lake in winter, you can also see migrating birds. They travel from Western areas of Tibet to spend winter in the valley between Lhasa and the lake.
Fish live in the lake, and you can sometimes see it when you get close to the water. However, Tibetans don’t eat fish. First of all, they believe that spirits living in the lake should have fish for themselves. The second reason is that Tibetans would never disrespect the sacred lake, that’s why they don’t take anything from it and don’t swim in it.
The lake is filled up by water from precipitation and melting snow and ice from the surrounding mountains. The water level remained high as Yamdrok was only feeding one tributary of Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra River). In recent years, construction of Hydropower Station was completed on the lake. It generates energy from the Yamdrok Lake water dropping over 800 meters through a tunnel to the Yarlung Tsangpo River.
Yamdrok Lake is located in Nangartse (Nakartse) County of Shannan Prefecture. It is 110 km southwest of Lhasa and about 90 km to the East of Gyantse. It is surrounded by high snow-capped mountains. On a clear day, you can see the peak of the Mount Nojin Kangtsang (7,191 meters).
The viewpoint place is located on the mountain road going from Lhasa to Gyantse and then further to Shigatse.
One of the largest towns on the lake is Nangartse, although travelers rarely stay there. Most of the tours visiting Yamdrok Lake, continue towards Gyantse and Shigatse. The town of Nangartse is relatively small, with some old buildings. One of the main attractions is the Samding monastery 10 km to the East of Nangartse.
Vast pasture land surrounds Yamdrok Lake, and you can see many herd animals grazing on its shore.
From must-visit Buddhist monasteries in Lhasa and heavenly lakes located in its surroundings to the epic road trip to Everest Base Camp, Mt. Kailash and Manasrovar kora and onward overland tour to Kathmandu, etc., we handpick the best traveler-choice itineraries and ingeniously make them into the best budget Tibet group tours for worldwide travelers. With tourist-friendly service and quality guarantee, we make sure you enjoy the authentic Tibetan experience, with the affordable and reasonable budget.