Park of ChinaOverview
| Designation | National Park of China (second batch) |
| Province | Tibet |
| Location | Southern Shannan (Lhoka), Tibet |
| Latitude, longitude | 29.3, 91.5 Google Maps |
| Area | 920 km² |
| Nearby cities | Lhasa |
| Nearby sites | The Potala Palace, Lhasa 57km, Yamdrok Lake 96km, Namtso and the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains 181km Search nearby |
| Themes | Mountain, Snow Mountain, Glacier, River, Culture, Ancient Building, Tomb |
About
The Yarlung River scenic area in southern Shannan, Tibet, 920 km², has snow mountains and glaciers, farmland and pasture, river flats and alpine vegetation arranged in belts by altitude.
The Yarlung rises in the Yarla Shampo range and flows 68 km north to join the Yarlung Tsangpo near Tsetang. Its valley is the cradle of Tibetan civilisation and the birthplace of the Tibetan people.
Yumbulagang, Tibetan for “mother and son palace”, stands on a hilltop on the east bank south-east of Nedong; said to date from the time of Nyatri Tsenpo in the second century BC, it is Tibet’s first palace, enshrining statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng and the Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti.
Samye, Tibet’s first monastery, stands on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo in Zhanang County.
Tradruk Temple, about 2 km south of Nedong on the east bank facing Tsentang Temple, was built in the 640s under Songtsen Gampo.
The Tombs of the Tibetan Kings on Muri Mountain opposite the Qonggyai county seat are the burial ground of the tsenpos of the seventh to ninth centuries, 19 tombs over 3 km, all square with flat tops; Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng and several kings before and after are said to lie here.
Tradruk Temple and the royal tombs are national protected sites.
Samye Monastery: begun in 762 and completed in 779, the first monastery in Tibet with Buddha images, scriptures and ordained monks. Its layout follows Buddhist cosmology: the central hall stands for Mount Meru and the surrounding halls for the four continents.
It is in the second batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1988.
Travel tips
Getting there: go first to Lhasa and then by road along the Yarlung Tsangpo to Tsetang in Shannan, about three hours. Lhasa Gonggar airport lies on the way and can be used directly.
Entry: foreign visitors need a Tibet entry permit and related paperwork; domestic visitors do not, but should carry ID.
Acclimatising: Tsetang is about 3,500 m above sea level; allow a day or two to adjust and avoid strenuous activity at first.
Main sights: Trandruk Temple is in Tsetang town, Yumbulagang stands on a hilltop on the east bank of the Yarlung River, the Tombs of the Tibetan Kings are in Qonggyai county, and Samye Monastery lies on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo in Zhanang county.
Getting around: these sights are twenty to thirty kilometres apart and need a hired car or your own; Yumbulagang requires a climb, on foot or by horse.
Time: at least a day around Tsetang; with Samye and the tombs, two days is comfortable.
Season: April to October is the better time; winters are cold, and roads and some monasteries are harder to visit.
Where to stay: Tsetang town has the most lodging, and there are guesthouses near Samye.
Nearby
| World Heritage | The Potala Palace, Lhasa 57km, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary 289km |
| National parks | Namtso and the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains 181km |
| Detailed guides | Yamdrok Lake 96km |
| AAAAA attractions | Jokhang Temple 56km |
| AAAA attractions | Samye Monastery 5km, Chuzhu Monastery 26km, Yumbulagang 31km, Tibet Natural Science Museum 52km |
| Historic cities | Lhasa 56km |
| Cities | Lhasa 58km |
| Historical sites | Kangsong Sangkarling 5km, Langselin Manor 6km, Songka Stone Pagodas 8km, Mindroling Monastery 16km |
| National geoparks | Yangbajing National Geopark 131km |
| Nature reserves | Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve 60km |
| Historic towns | Changzhug Town 26km, Jiedexiu Town 41km |