Drak Yerpa, usually shortened to Yerpa, is a set of cave shrines and small temple buildings built into a cliff face in a side valley about thirty kilometres north-east of Lhasa. The name means something close to the rocky place of Yerpa, and the caves have been used for meditation since at least the seventh century, when the site is said to have been established under the Tibetan kings. It became one of the principal retreat places of the Lhasa region, and much of the later history of Tibetan Buddhism includes figures who spent long periods in its caves.
What is there
The complex rises in steps up the cliff, with a series of caves, chapels and small halls connected by stone stairs and narrow terraces. The most famous is the cave associated with Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava, where he is said to have meditated; a large rock nearby carries a footprint attributed to him. Other caves hold images of Tara, of the Buddha and of the lineage lamas, some of them old and some renewed, and there are prayer flags, carved mani stones, and small huts on the slope above where hermits still live in retreat. The view down the valley from the highest terrace is the reason many visitors make the trip.
Getting there and walking
The site is reached by road from Lhasa in about an hour and a half, on a route that climbs over a pass with a long view back across the Lhasa valley. From the parking area the walk up to the main chapels takes about forty minutes at a gentle pace, and the altitude makes it feel longer than it is. There are smaller meditation sites on the surrounding hillsides, and pilgrims walk from cave to cave with offerings, which is the best way to see the place - following the flow rather than heading straight for the top.
Practical notes
Foreign visitors to Tibet travel on a permit and with a guide, and Yerpa is normally visited as a half-day trip from Lhasa; there is no public transport and no accommodation at the site, so it needs a car and driver. The walk is on rough stone steps, so good footwear matters. There is little shade and the weather changes quickly, so take water, a hat and a windproof layer. The site is free or charges a small fee depending on the season, and it is quiet on weekdays and busy with pilgrims at weekends and on festival days.
