Red Houses Viewpoint
观景台
A panoramic viewing platform on the hillside west of the valley mouth, directly across from the academy. The whole valley of red houses lies in full view, making it the standard spot for sunset and night photography.
Red Houses Viewpoint sits on the hillside west of the Larung Valley, directly opposite the academy, at about 4,000 metres above sea level. The scenic area shuttle runs directly to it (stop: Viewpoint), or you can walk about 30 minutes along the ridge trail from the Larung Gar Mandala. The platform offers a wide view of the red houses from the valley mouth to the ridge, with the Great Assembly Hall and the golden roof of the mandala dotted among them. For photography, arrive an hour before sunset to claim a spot, as the setting sun turns the red houses warm orange. The blue hour 20–40 minutes after sunset is the classic image, with a deep blue sky and brightly lit houses. Once it is fully dark, the lights remain spectacular. A telephoto lens captures details of the monastic quarters, while a wide-angle lens on a tripod is best for panoramas. Night exposures are long, so bring a tripod and spare batteries, since batteries drain quickly in cold weather. The viewpoint is very windy, and temperatures can drop below zero at night, so bring a down jacket, a hat and gloves even in summer. The platform has railings, so do not climb over onto the hillside. In peak season, it gets very crowded in the evening, so arrive early. After the night view, take the last scenic area shuttle down, which usually departs around 9 p.m. (check the notices on site). If you miss it, the walk down takes about an hour.
Opening hours
Follows scenic-area shuttle hours, about 08:00–21:00
Nearby sights
- Larung Gar Buddhist Academy
- Larung Gar Mandala (Tanchen)
- Sertar Sky Burial Site
- Luoruo Town
- Sêrtar Town & Jinma Square
- Yarlung Monastery
- Jinma Grassland
- Dongga Monastery