Written by Clementine |
Yamdorktso Lake is one of the “Three Holy Lakes in Tibet”Ā (Namtso Lake, Manasarovar Lake and Yamdorktso Lake), bearing the Tibetan meaning “the above coral twig”, corresponding with its shape well. ItĀ is famed as “the Most Beautiful Lake in the World”Ā and the holy moral in Tibetan’s heart as “the Scattered Kallaite Earrings of Fairy”Ā as it couldn’t be gotten its full perspective by visitors on the ground. It locates at the Ngarzhag County of Lhoka Prefecture, the south side of the Yarlung Zangbo River.
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- Yamdrok Lake Overview
- Essential Travel Information:
- Cultural and Spiritual Significance of Yamdrok Lake
- What to See and Do at the Yamdrok Lake
- Best Time to Visit
- How to Get to and Travel around
- Tips for Visiting
- FAQs about Yamdrok Lake
- Plan Your Tibet Tour with Yamdrok Lake
Yamdrok Lake Overview
As a plateau Barrier Lake over the sea level about 4441m, Yamdorktso Lake was formed about 100 million years ago due to the choked river way by the glacial debris flow. The water area measures about 630 km2, equal to 70 the West Lake in Hangzhou. There are three other lakes creeping on the earth with Yamdorktso Lake, connecting each other together and consisting of an endless holy lake beyond our horizonāthe beautiful body of the lake on this land is more than 130km long. When looking it from map or sky, you will surprisingly the lake embedded in this land, glittering like an earring under the sunshine at different time.
This lake bears irregular shapeāmany branches, winding coastline and three small adjunctive lakes. In the history, it had ever been an exoreic lake with the water flowing into the Yarlung Zangbo River, however it became an endorheic lake due to the shrinkage and broke into several small lakes. Among those divided lakes, there are 21 tiny islands independently standing in the water. The biggest one is about 180,000km2Ā over where green grass covers and wild bird flock live.
One special feature of this holy lake is its injecting water resource and evaporation. The snow on the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains supply the endless water for the Yamdork Lake, suffusing the holy lake throughout all years. However, Yamdork Lake has no any outfallāthe way how it keep a proper water level is achieving a good balance between inflow and the evaporation naturally.
Essential Travel Information:
- Chinese name: ē¾åéé (Yang Zhuo Yong Cuo)
- Location: At the junction of Ngarzhag County and Gongar County in Lhoka Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region
- Altitude: 4,441 meters
- Ticket: It is free when appreciating it on the highway or from a long distance while it takes CNY120 per person when travelers need to be close to the lake at the bank or the viewing deck.
- Opening hours: 08:00 – 18:00
- Best time to visit: Autumn and winter
- Time needed: 3 – 4 hours
- What to do: Take photos of inverted reflection of snow mountains in the lake, wander along the lakeside road, explore the Tibetan villages and Sangding Temple, experience paraglider, observe birds and starry sky.
Cultural and Spiritual Significance of Yamdrok Lake
Holy lakeĀ for Buddhists
About Yamdork Lake, devout Buddhist followers regard it as holy lake and spend about one month to make pilgrimages around the lake which is equal to the pilgrim to Lhasa. They could receive bless from Buddha for one year by doing so.
Legend associated with the Lake
Another legend about Yamdork Lake is its function in assistance to find the reincarnated soul boy. When the old Dalai Lama is dying, the other top monks would follow his order to find his reincarnated soul boy. The first step to find the soul boy is that the wizard and living Buddha to figure out the rough location, then they need to pray and chant at the Yamdork Lake and throw treasures into it for a more detailed instruction for the boy’s location, finally the people who presides over the ritual would see what they want from the lake. If all the steps show the same direction, they would find the reincarnated soul boy accordingly.
What to See and Do at the Yamdrok Lake
Enjoy the Breathtaking Scenery of the Lake
At the No.1 viewing platform in Ganbala Pass with a height of 4,998 meters, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the lake, which looks like blue silk ribbon winding through the mountains. Also, you can take photos of prayer flags and stone tablet of 4,998 meters. At the Langbuqi Viewing Platform, tourists can have an interaction with Tibet Mastiff, yak and goats closely, and take pictures at popular camera positions. Lakeside viewing platform is opened for free, where you can walk to the lakeside to touch the lake water and feed the brown-headed gulls circling around.
Explore Tibetan Culture
Sangding Temple, a Buddhist temple, is the only temple in Tiebt presided over by a female living Buddha. It is located on the north mountain slop of the lake, abundant murals and Buddhist scriptures are preserved here. Besides, travelers can pay a visit to the nearby Tibetan villages, taste some unique local foods like yak butter tea and tsampa with butter and cheese, try on characteristic Tibetan clothes to take pictures and learn about the local Guozhuang Dance.
Experience Outdoor Activities
You can rent a bicycle or enjoy a self-driving tour along the lake to the explore the bays, islands, Ā salt fields and glacial relics. If permitted, experience paraglider to overlook the lake scenery at the height over 5,000 meters. In summer, the tourist boat service is available, allowing you to get close to appreciate the islets and snow-capped mountains in the lake. You may encounter wild yellow ducks and black-necked cranes during the tour.
Observe the birds and starry sky
The bird island of Yamdork Lake is the largest waterbird habitat in southern Tibet, and the number of bird species is rare even in China with more than 30 kinds of birds inhabit there, including 22 kinds of rare species. At dawn and dusk, tourists can feed and interact with the birds. In the evening, the sky is clear, so you may see the milky way full of shining stars.
Related reading: Top Things to Do in Tibet
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Yamdork Lake is autumn and winter, compared with spring and summer, in response to the following three reasons:
- There is no too much rain in autumn and winter days.
- During autumn and winter, there are lots of visitants spend winter at Yamdork Lake.
- The snowy mountains around the lake have their best time in winter and autumn.
How to Get to and Travel around
How to Get to: The most recommended way is to self-drive or book a charted bus from Lhasa city to Ganbala Pass, it usually takes about 2 – 3 hours to arrive at the scenic area. For convenience, package tour with guides and transports is also a popular choice, so that you can enjoy a relaxing tour. Choose one-day highlight tour or two-day in-depth tour according to your needs.
As for public transportation, take shuttle bus at Lhasa West Suburb Passenger Station to Nagarze County at 08:30 and get off at Ganbala Pass on the way. But the schedule is fixed and the return journey is inconvenient.
How to Travel Around: Usually, tourists prefer to travel along the lakeside road by car or bike to enjoy the lake scenery. Or hike to the nearby villages or scenic spots to feel local culture. In summer, taking a boat to the islands in the center of lake is also recommended.
Tips for Visiting
- Travelers are suggested to take first-aid packet and some commonly used drug during the tour time.
- Tents and sleeping bags are goods suggested to be in your luggage not only for Yamdork Lake tour but also all Tibet tours (except Lhasa). They will help a lot as it is quite cold in the night here.
- You should better prepare some convenient food with high calorie to support your travel here because it is hardly to find good restaurants in the way to this lake.
- Please note that taking photos with the yaks at the lake is NOT free although sometimes you wouldn’t see their owners around them. Once you put your shot on them, you will be charged by the local people suddenly coming out. Of course, if you really want to take a photo with those typical Tibetan animals, you can bargain with the local people to get a better price.
FAQs about Yamdrok Lake
What birds are in Yamdrok Lake?
Except the common birds such as Brown-headed Gull, Tadorna ferruginea, Yellow Duck, Swan, Fish Gull, Sand Gull, Common Coot and Tufted Duck, there is also the first-class protected animal in China: black-necked crane. The total number is about 50 – 80 and it lives through the winter in Yamdrok Lake from October to April in the next year. Bar-headed goose is the dominant resident bird with about 2,000 inhabit here throughout the year.
Is Yamdrok Lake a freshwater or saltwater lake?
Yamdrok Lake is a low concentration saltwater lake with a salt content of 1.18-1.5ā°. In history, it used to be aexoreic freshwater lake, but due to the climate change and the shrinkage of the lake’s surface, it became an endorheic saltwater lake.
What is the average temperature at Yamdrok Lake?
In different seasons, the average temperature varies and the temperature difference between day and night is large. In spring and autumn, it is usually -2 – 12 ā with dry and windy weather. In summer, the temperature is between 8 and 22 ā with strong ultraviolet rays at noon. While in winter, it is quite cold ranging from -15 to -5 ā.
Can I take a boat ride on the lake?
Yes, but only in summer from June to September. The other months are not available due to strong winds or icing.
Are there accommodations available near the lake?
Accommodation around Yamdrok Lake are mainly budget homestays and resorts, with no high-end hotels. And in Nagarze County, there are several family inns gathered with simple condition, but it is convenient for the tour on the next day. If you pursue better environment, choose starred hotels in downtown area of Shigatse.
Related reading: Tibet Travel FAQs and Tips
Plan Your Tibet Tour with Yamdrok Lake
Since Yamdrok Lake is at an altitude of 4,441 meters, there is high possibility for tourists from plain areas suffering from high-altitude sickness. And the transportation to the scenic area is not convenient. So it is highly recommended to travel with our agency. We can offer an experienced local guide to ensure your health and safety during the Tibet tour and arrange a driver to take you to the destination directly so that you can enjoy a relaxing and comfortable tour. So do not hesitate to contact us.
