Shugshep Nunnery

Shugshep Nunnery is located in Yongjin, Chushur, Tibet, on the slopes of Shugshep Mountain Valley on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Lhasa River, about 65km away from Lhasa. It is the largest nun Monastery in Tibet and home to over 280 nuns. Shugsheb Nunnery is also a favorite of bird-watchers.

Trekkers and anyone who likes to get well off the beaten track will enjoy this excursion to this nunnery. From the far end of the drivable road, it's a steep 45-minute hike up to the village-like Shugsheb Nunnery. The central hall contains a three-dimensional mandala of Drolma and statues of Guru Rinpoche, Dorje Semba, whire Tara and several old lamas. Both Nyingma and Dzogchen schools are represented here. stairs to the right lead upstairs to a chapel with a statue of Machik Labdronma (holding a double drum), the famous 11th-century adept who opened up the valley. There is also a B&W photo of one of her reincarnations.

You can hike up the hill, following the electric poles, for about 45 minutes to the Gangri Tokar shrine, where Longchenpa, an important 14th-century Dzogchen lama, once meditated. The chapel has a cave shrine and a sacred tree stump in front of a rock image of the Dzogchen deity Rahulla.

From here fit and acclimatized hikers can climb for a couple of hours up past medication caves (marked by prayer flags) to the ridgeline behind. The views of the Kyi-chu Valley are fantastic from here and if the weather is clear you'll get views of the snowcapped 7191m Nojin Kangtsang and other Himalayan peaks to the south. From the ridgeline, you can continue northwest across a boulder field for 15 minutes to a small hill topped by a chorten that offers epic views northwards as far as Lhasa. Alternatively, you can continue east along the ridge to summit the bowl's main peak.