Lhamo La-tso
ལྷ་མོའི་བླ་མཚོ
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 Panchen Lamas begin with observing the lake.
Lhamo La-tso is regarded as the soul lake of the protector goddess Palden Lhamo. Tibetan Buddhism holds that its surface reveals images related to reincarnated children, so before searching for a Dalai Lama's reincarnation, the search party must come here to observe the lake. Trips usually start from Qiongguojie Monastery (founded in 1509) at the foot of the mountain, then go by car or horse to the pass, followed by a roughly 1-hour hike to a viewing platform overlooking the small lake. From Tsetang it is about 170 km east along the Yarlung River, so the trip takes a full day round trip or an overnight stay in Gyaca. The altitude is high and the weather changes quickly, so prepare for cold and altitude sickness, and check current access regulations before setting out.
Opening hours
Daytime (road closed in winter)
Nearby sights
- Lhagyari Palace Ruins
- Yumbulagang Palace
- Sachu Sodang, the First Barley Field
- Tradruk Temple
- Riwo Dechen Monastery
- Tombs of the Tibetan Kings
- Mindroling Monastery
- Drathang Monastery