Zutulpuk Monastery
祖楚普寺
The endpoint of the second day of the outer kora, home to Milarepa’s meditation cave, with guesthouses nearby as the main lodging for the second night.
Zutulpuk Monastery (also known as Zunzui Pu and Zutu Monastery) sits in the Zongqu valley on the eastern side of Mount Kailash. It is one of the four great monasteries of the outer kora and belongs to the Drukpa Kagyu school. Its name means “cave of miraculous transformation.” According to legend, the Kagyu master Milarepa meditated here and held a contest of powers with the Bon practitioner Naro Bonchung. The monastery preserves Milarepa’s meditation cave, where a handprint is said to remain on the rock ceiling. It takes about 4 to 5 hours to descend from Drolma La Pass, and there are guesthouses and small restaurants nearby. On the third day, it is a gentle 14 km walk down the valley back to Darchen, or to the shuttle pickup point for leaving the mountain.
Opening hours
Daytime (open when monks are in residence)
Nearby sights
- Gyangdrak Monastery
- Darchen
- Mount Kailash & Kora
- Tarboche Flagpole
- Drolma La Pass & Gauri Kund
- Chuku Gompa (Nyenri Monastery)
- Dirapuk Monastery
- Chiu Gompa