Yamdrok Lake, along with Nam Co and Mapam Yum Co, is one of Tibet's three holy lakes. It's the largest freshwater lake at the Himalayas' foot. The 638-sq-km body of water is situated about 4,441 meters above sea level and is believed to be the woman guardian of Buddhism in Tibet.

A constant flow of pilgrims streams to the three lakes. But the breathtaking Yamdrok Lake has the advantage of being closest to Lhasa and the airport. And the road to reach it is arguably in better condition than those to the other two.

In addition, the drive along the two-lane road that wraps around the 4,800-meter-high Gampa-la mountain is riddled with U-turns and offers views of changing landscapes and different seasons created by the varying altitudes. [Photo by Jiang Haiying]