Yushu city is located in Qinghai province and it once was a trading hub between Tibet and China. Culturally it belongs to the Kham Region of eastern Tibet. This small county went through a hard time due to a severe earthquake in 2010. Many lives were taken and lost properties as well.
Physically, the town is recovered from the tragedy and heading toward the new face of Yushu city. In some ways, it feels like a village, with its venerable, wise ambiance, and in others like a proper city, since there are so many wells managed facilities, historical landmarks, and great restaurants.
It’s impossible to see everything in one visit. Which begs the question: What should you do when you reach Yushu city? How do you decide what to do?
To help you make the most of your limited time in this iconic town, here is the list of my top 3 things to do in Yushu city:
1. Walking Tour around Yushu City
It’s a small city which is easy to walk around and explore. There are so many places to see such as local Tibetan markets, museums, night markets, and circling dance. The local Tibetan ancient market is located opposite to government museum, locals sell antique Tibetan handicrafts and jewelry. In the evening, walking around Gesar square would be nice to see locals dancing in a circle.
2. Visiting temples and monasteries
There are some famous monasteries and temples in Yushu like Jiegu monastery, Tangu monastery, Wencheng temple, Banchen monastery, and Gyanak Mani temple.
Jiegu monastery is situated on a small hill in Yushu city. It is constructed in 1398 by Dagchen Sherab Gyaltsen at the site where Drogon Chogyel Phakpa gave his first teaching in Jegudo. The monastery has been visited over its history by illustrious pilgrims such as Mongol prince Gaden Qan and the 9th Panchen Lama who passed away here in 1937.
Tangu monastery is located near Batang airport. it was a newly-built monastery, the old monastery was destroyed during an earthquake in 2010. It’s about 15km from Yushu city which is on the right side of the highway to the airport. Driving further inside the valley, there is the Wencheng temple.
Princess Wencheng temple, this small, sacred, and age-seasoned temple marks the spot where the princess paused for a month en route from Xi’an to Lhasa. The inner chapel contains a rock carving (supposedly self-arising) of Vairocana (Nampa Namse in Tibetan), the Buddha of primordial wisdom, which allegedly dates from the 8th century.
Consider stopping by on the way to the airport if you are flying out of Yushu as the temple is en route and the taxi driver should only ask for a bit extra to visit. You can also hire a taxi which cost around 50 RMB.
Banchen monastery is located next to Batang village. It is a Kagyu monastery in Yushu that was founded in 1380. It is described as a branch monastery of Tsurpu. It is a seat of the Sanggye Nyenpa incarnations. Along the way, you will see the sky burial site as well.
Then we have Gyanak Mani temple, which is the world’s largest field of Mani stones, approximately one square kilometer in area. It is the most sacred religious site in Yushu City. To circumambulate the field and wander through the lanes between enormous piles of carved stones and prayer flags. Some stones are intricately inscribed with entire sections from the scriptures, and others have bas-relief images of certain meditational deities. About 8km from the city.
Gyanak Mani is constructed in the late 13th century by Gyanak Tulku who came from Chamdo on a return visit from China, although it has also been attributed to Tangtong Gyalpo. Before the construction of this site, it is said to have been visited by princess Wencheng while traveling from China to Tibet and presented three Mani stones to a local devotee and when a red rainbow light appeared, her subject was given the designation Gyanak Tsering Gyaltsen.
3. Hiking
There are many places in and around Yushu city for hiking, I would recommend a place known as Lapakuk which is about one drive from the city along the Bachu River and Drichu river. There is a small valley opposite to Drichu river. It is one of the best places to do camping and hiking. As the city is surrounded by small hills and mountains. Hiking on those hills will be also a great option as well.
4. Food tour
The city offers various cuisines, especially Tibetan, Chinese, Korean, and some western dishes. The most popular cuisine in Yushu city is Tibetan dishes, which mostly offer Khampa dishes which are mostly non-veg. I would recommend some restaurants, like Akutonpa restaurant, and Jingse Jiegu restaurant famous for Tibetan cuisine.
5. Nomadic life tour
Not far from the city, there are so many nomadic villages, which is the perfect place to spend a day or two to experience the nomadic life. The Tibetan nomads are kind and hospitable, offering you to stay in their tent and you’ll witness their daily routines. These are the top 5 things to do in Yushu city.
