羊卓雍措

Sitting at roughly 4,790 meters on the mountain pass between the Yarlung Tsangpo valley and the lake basin, this overlook reveals the famous first panorama of Yamdrok's branching turquoise arms below.

After descending from Kamba La Pass, Provincial Road S307 hugs the shoreline for dozens of kilometers, offering quiet pull-offs where you can walk right up to the water's edge away from the pass crowds.

Perched on a peninsula hillside overlooking the southwestern reaches of the lake area, this quiet monastery is famously headed by a female reincarnated lama, Dorje Pakmo, and offers sweeping views over surrounding pastures.

Higher and far less visited than Kamba La at nearly 4,960 meters, this viewpoint looks down over the intricate eastern inlets and islands of the lake.

Kamba La Pass sits nearly 1,100 meters higher than Lhasa, so spend at least two or three days adjusting in the city before heading up, and move slowly at the viewpoints.

Locals station decorated yaks and Tibetan mastiffs at the main overlooks for tourist photos; always agree on terms first and never take pictures of the animals without permission, or handlers will demand payment.

Even on sunny summer afternoons, fierce winds sweep across the pass and shoreline, so a windbreaker, sunglasses, and high-SPF sunscreen are essential.

Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit to enter the region, which must be organized through a registered travel agency weeks before your trip.