Yumbulagang Palace
ཡུམ་བུ་བླ་སྒང
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 Yarlung Valley.
Yumbulagang is traditionally said to have been built by Nyatri Tsenpo, the first Tibetan king, and was later converted into a temple. The current structure was rebuilt in the 1980s in its original form, and the hall houses statues of the Tibetan kings and Buddhist images. The palace sits on a ridge at about 3,700 meters. Below it lies the legendary “first farmland,” Sarsodang, and from the summit you can look out over the Yarlung Valley. It is about 10 km from Tsetang town. You can reach it by taxi or hired car. From the parking area, it is about a 20-minute walk uphill, or you can ride a horse. Admission depends on current prices, and photography is prohibited inside the hall. Be mindful of altitude sickness and take the climb slowly.
Opening hours
About 09:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Sachu Sodang, the First Barley Field
- Tradruk Temple
- Riwo Dechen Monastery
- Tombs of the Tibetan Kings
- Lhagyari Palace Ruins
- Mindroling Monastery
- Drathang Monastery
- Gongkar Chöde Monastery