How to Plan a Trek from Tsurpu Monastery to Yangpachen

The trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen is the best choice for travelers who want to explore both Tibetan culture and wildness. This trek journey generally starts from Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet, as your first stop of your Tibet tour. Known as “The City of Sunlight”, Lhasa boasts a lot of historical sites and scenic spots, such as the Potala Palace , Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery , and Barkhor Street. Besides, there are also many exciting things to do in Lhasa . For that, travelers often stay a couple of days in Lhasa for a short trip before doing the real trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen. When it comes to the trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen, there are so much to say. It is a semi-difficult trek that covers many smaller and less-well known sites like Yanapachen Hot Spring, Turphu Monastery, and Yangpachen Monastery. Along they way, travelers have chances to get a close look at the Tibetan herders and their semi-nomadic lifestyle. Want to know more details about the trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen? Just read the following text to get it.

Tsurphu Monastery

Part 1. How Hard It Is to Trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen
Part 2. The Best Trekking Itinerary from Tsurphu to Yangpachen
Part 3. The Best Time to Trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen
Part 4. What to Eat and Where to Stay While Trekking
Part 5. Attractions Along the Route
Part 6. Important Tips for Trekking

Part 1. How Hard It Is to Trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen

This is a subjective question. It depends on the total number of kilometers you trek each day, the elevation, physical conditions, terrain and weather conditions. Generally, you’ll require a higher level of fitness in areas with altitude above 1000m than that are located at a lower altitude. It’s easier to trek in a good weather than trek in a bad weather…The best way to see if this trek is difficult for you is to experience one day trek.

Tsurphu to Yangpachen Trek

Part 2. The Best Trekking Itinerary from Tsurphu to Yangpachen

Considering factors as the experience of mountain walking, physical conditions, acclimatization of high altitude, terrain and elevations of trekking, we design a 9-day Tsurphu to Yangpachen trek  route for you. It is a reasonable route that suites all abilities and experience levels of travelers. More importantly, it allows your body enough time to adjust to the altitude by ascending slowly from lower altitude to higher altitude, from gentle short days in Lhasa to longer, demanding days heading up to Yangpachen.

Tsurphu to Yangpachen Trek Map

Part 3. The Best Time to Trek from Tsurphu to Yangpachen

The best time for trekking from Tsurphu is generally from March to May and from September to October. The temperature during these months are neither too hot nor too cold, neither too wet nor dry. Summer and winter treks are also possible, though the summer rains and winter snows can cause problems with transportation.

Best Time for Trekking from Turphu to Yangpachen

Part 4. What to Eat and Where to Stay While Trekking

All food you need for trek should be purchased in Lhasa. Shops at Tsurphu Monastery sell mainly religious items, candy, soft drinks, beer and instant noodles. A restaurant near the Gompa entrance offers butter and sweet tea, momos and thukpa. There are no overnight facilities, so you are recommended taking tents and stoves. You don’t have to worry about the accommodation, for there are many settlements on the way up the valley.

Part 5. Attractions Along the Route

1. Tsurphu Monastery and Tsurphu Kora

Before starting the trek to the Yangpachen Valley, consider spending at least two nights at Tsurphu to acclimatize if you arrive by vehicle rather than on foot. During your 2 or 3 days in Tsurphu, you can spend some time visiting the Tsurphu Monastry. With six major temples and many monks’ residences, Tsurphu Monastery is one of the largest monasteries in Central Tibet. Additionally, you can also make a Tsurphu kora in Tsurphu. This pilgrimage circuit generally takes you one day to complete. During this trek, you can see an extensive succession of mani wall piled high with beautiful crafted prayer stones, Karmapa lingka, Tsurphu’s sky-burial site and many other sceneries. 

2. Yangpachen Monastery

Yangpachen Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Yangpachen, in the Lhasa Prefecture of Tibet. It is historically the seat of Shamarpas of Karma Kagyu, a widely practiced and probably the second-largest lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. This monastery was attacked around 1996 during the Cultural Revolution, but is now being rebuilt.

Yangpachen Monastery

3. Yangpachen Hot Spring

If your time allows, you can take a bath in Yangpachen Hot Spring after visiting Yangpachen monastery. Yangpachen hot spring is the world’s highest hot spring surrounded by snow mountains. From the outdoor pool you can see the beautiful blue sky and majestic snow mountains. And the beautiful natural scenery will eliminate your fatigue of tour.

Yangpachen Hot Spring

Part 6. Important Tips for Trekking

1. Tibet Entry Permit  is needed for your trip to Tibet.
2. Consult your doctor for a physical examination to make sure if you are suitable for high altitude tour.
3. Bring enough thick clothes to keep you warm at night, because nighttime temperature is really low than that in the daytime.
4. Remember to pack all necessary clothes and gears for trek. This post (what to pack for trekking in Tibet) has everything you need for a trek.