Trankdruk Monastery, Tsetang

Drak Yerpa, also named Brag Yer-pa, Yerpa, Dagyeba, Dayerpa or Trayerpa, is one of the holiest cave retreats in Tibet. It is located in the spectacular limestone cliffs of the Yerpa Valley, at an altitude of about 4000 meters. The entrance to the Yerpa Valley is about 16 km northeast of Lhasa on the northern bank of the Kyichu River. From there, it is another 10 km to the famous ancient meditation caves.

Located in the north of Dazi County, Drak Yerpa was built by Songtsan Gampo for his wife during middle of the 7th century. (Songstan Gampo (604-650 CE) was the 33rd king of the Yarlung Dynasty and first emperor of a united Tibet). It was said that there were originally 108 caves at Drak Yerpa, but now only a dozen of them remain. Among them, the earliest one is the cave of Songtsan Gampo. The cave, located in the side of the cliff, originally contained a Buddhist Niche in which was an ancient mural and statue of Songtsan Gampo. Many individual temples were built around the cave, then after several expansions, they were consolidated forming the well-known temple. The site is deeply peaceful and has stunning views. There are a number of small temple shrines and hermitages, and the cliffs contain some of the earliest known meditation sites in Tibet, some dating back to pre-Buddhist times. Among them the most famous are those traditionally associated with Songtsan Gampo. Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche (late 8th to early 9th century), also meditated and practiced yoga with his yogini Yeshe Tsogyal here.

Drak Yerpa is open from 09:00 to 18:00 with an admission fee of CNY20.00. Buses to Drak Yerpa regularly depart from Jokhang Temple Square between 07:30 and 08:00, at a cost of a ticket CNY20.00 per person for a round trip. The buses usually return to the city at 12:00 or 13:00; you need to ask the driver for the time schedules in advance. The road is in good condition and the trip from Lhasa to Drak Yerpa takes only 30 minutes.

If you take the regular bus to Drak Yerpa, you will only have half a day for visiting as the bus returns to the city at around noon. However, for those who want to see all the caves, we suggest you charter a car or jeep so that you may enjoy a whole day there. The price is generally CNY4.00 /km. It is also suggested that you bring a packed lunch or snacks as there is nothing good to eat around the site.

Palkhor Monastery, Gyangtse

After visiting the site, on return to your hotel in Lhasa you can find something nice to eat in the city area. We are sure that you will have had a glimpse of the real Tibet at the end of the tour day.

Drak Yerpa is a place that has deep meanings in the Tibetan spiritual culture. There is a saying goes like this: "Lhasa is the shrine of Tibet, Drak Yerpa is the shrine of Lhasa. Not seeing Drak Yerpa in Lhasa is just like making a dress without the collar."