Yamdrok Yumtso

Yamdrok Yumtso, meaning “Swan Lake” in Tibetan, is one of Xizang’s three sacred lakes, also known as Yamdrok Lake (locals usually refer to it as “Yamdrok Yumtso”), because in Tibetan, “Tso” means “lake.” Geographically, it belongs to Nagarze County in the Shannan region. The lake surface is at an elevation of 4,441m, with a total shoreline of 250km and a total area of 638 square kilometers. The average depth of the lake is 20–40m, making it one of the larger inland lakes on the northern foothills of the Himalayas.Yamdrok YumtsoWith numerous branches resembling coral, it is called the “Upper Coral Lake” in Tibetan. The lake contains over 10 small islands, with the larger ones capable of accommodating five or six households, while the smaller ones are only about 100 square meters in size. The lake is rich in fish such as fine-scaled fish, Xizang schizothoracin, and plateau naked carp. It is also one of the larger waterbird habitats in southern Xizang. During winter, flocks of birds migrate here, and the lakeshore and central islands are teeming with swans, water pigeons, yellow ducks, fish eagles, and bar-headed geese. The view from afar is much more beautiful than up close. After crossing the 5,030-meter-high Gampa La Pass, it takes about 30 minutes to descend along the road to the lakeshore. This route offers excellent angles to admire the lake, with multiple viewing platforms along the way where you can stop and take photos.