Myth has it that the lake supports Tibet's spirit, and that Tibet would be uninhabitable if it were to dry up. For Tibetans it is a significant pilgrimage site. It is also the main source of power for the greater Lhasa area. The Chinese government recently completed work on a new, but problem-plagued, hydroelectric power station, amid vehement opposition from Tibetans and global environmentalists. Sparsely populated by several lakeside villages and seasonal nomadic tribes, the pristine environs of Yamdrok Yutso will soon be flanked by a modern department store and hotel.
Plans are also underway for a tourist ferry.
Even the half-day drive through rugged terrain to get there is splendid. Moon beams illuminated Everest nearby, as I took my last deep breaths of crisp, alpine air, and was serenaded to sleep by the resonant clanging of yak bells.