Shannan & Tsetang
Cradle of Tibetan civilization, with Yumbu Lakhang, Tibet's first palace, Trandruk Monastery, the Tombs of the Tibetan Kings and the first barley field.
Shannan lies in south-central Tibet, southeast of Lhasa, crossed by the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo. Its seat, Tsetang (Nedong District), stands where the Yarlung Tsangpo meets the Yarlung River, at about 3,550 m. The Yarlung Valley is where the Tibetan Empire began: Yumbu Lakhang, the first palace in Tibetan chronicles, Sori Sotang, the first farmland, and Trandruk Monastery, the first Buddhist temple, all lie around Tsetang—hence its name, "the cradle of Tibetan civilization". Main areas: the Yarlung Valley south of Tsetang (Trandruk, Yumbu Lakhang, Sori Sotang) can be covered in half a day; 27 km southwest, Chongye has the Tombs of the Tibetan Kings and Riwo Dechen Monastery; heading west along the Yarlung Tsangpo are Mindroling and Drathang monasteries in Dranang and Gongkar Chode in Gongkar; to the east are Lhagyari Palace in Qusum and Lhamo Latso in Gyatsa. Although Samye Monastery is in Dranang County, Shannan, this site lists it under Lhasa. Best season: Apr–Oct, with the valley's barley fields at their prettiest in summer; winters are dry, cold and windy. Getting there: Tsetang is about 1 hour by car from Lhasa Gonggar Airport, and the Lhasa–Nyingchi Railway stops in Shannan, about 1 hour from Lhasa by bullet train. Sights are spread out, so hiring a car is recommended. Allow 2–3 days. The altitude is slightly lower than Lhasa's, but still watch for altitude sickness; walk clockwise around temples, and photography is banned inside many halls; some counties require a border area permit, so check before you go.
Top sights
- Yumbulagang Palace – Said to be the first palace in Tibet, with a watchtower standing on the ridge of Zhaxi Ciri Mountain, overlooking the barley fields of the…
- Tradruk Temple – An ancient temple founded during the reign of Songtsen Gampo and one of the temples built to subdue a demoness. It houses a Guanyin thangka…
- Sachu Sodang, the First Barley Field – The 'first farmland in Tibet' at the foot of Yumbulakhang Mountain; legend says Tibetan agriculture began here, with barley fields surround…
- Tombs of the Tibetan Kings – A cluster of Tubo-era royal tombs beneath Mount Muri in Qonggyai County, with a small temple atop the mausoleum of Songtsen Gampo and earth…
- Riwo Dechen Monastery – A Gelug monastery on the hillside beside Qonggyai town, across the river from the Tibetan kings' tombs, with a panoramic view of the valley…
- Mindroling Monastery – One of the six great monasteries of the Nyingma school, founded in 1676 by Terdak Lingpa and known for Tibetan medicine, calligraphy, astro…
- Drathang Monastery – An 11th-century ancient monastery in Chanang County whose halls preserve rare early Tibetan murals that blend Pala and Central Asian styles.
- Gongkar Chöde Monastery – A Sakya monastery near Lhasa's Gonggar Airport that preserves original murals by the founder of the 15th-century Chinzé school of painting.
- Lhagyari Palace Ruins – The palace of the Lhagyari dynasty, descendants of the Tubo royal family, in Qusum County, with fortress-palace ruins begun in the 13th cen…
- Lhamo La-tso – A 'soul lake' of the holy mother at about 5,300 meters in Gyaca County, where searches for the reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas and Panche…
Where to eat
- Xianzu Gudu Tibetan Restaurant – A Tibetan restaurant recommended by Shannan's culture and tourism authorities. Its signature is Tibetan yak hotpot, and…
Itineraries
- Lhasa, Shannan, Yamdrok Tso & Namtso – Travel outward from Lhasa to Shannan and two sacred lakes, covering the cradle of Tibetan civilization while skipping E…