Yamdrok Lake

Yamdrok Yumtso spreads through a maze of bays and peninsulas among the mountains south of the Yarlung Tsangpo. Its turquoise waters are revered as one of Tibet's great sacred lakes, a dwelling place of protective powers and a destination for pilgrims. On a peninsula stands Samding Monastery, the seat of the Dorje Phagmo incarnation line, whose female lamas held a distinctive place in Tibetan religious life.