Chonggu Monastery & Pearl Lake
冲古寺 / 卓玛拉措
The short Yading route: gaze up at Chenrezig from the Chonggu meadow, then walk up to the emerald Pearl Lake, where the sacred mountain is reflected.
Chonggu Monastery is a small Tibetan Buddhist temple at the foot of Chenrezig. The open Chonggu meadow in front of it is the first stop after the sightseeing bus reaches Zhagonbeng. From Chonggu Monastery, a trail climbs about 1 km, gaining roughly 200 m, to Pearl Lake (Drolma Tso in Tibetan). The water is emerald green, Chenrezig is reflected in it, and in autumn coloured forests surround the lake. The round trip takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, and the difficulty is low, which makes it a good way to acclimatise on your first day. It is included in the entry ticket and the sightseeing bus. The altitude is about 3,900–4,100 m, so take it slowly.
Opening hours
Follows scenic area hours, approx. 07:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Yading Village
- Yading Nature Reserve
- Luorong Pasture
- Milk Lake & Five-Color Lake
- Kasi Village & Kasi Valley
- Shangri-La Town (Riwa)
- Gongga Langjiling Monastery
- Echu Mountain