Drak Yerpa is one of the four major meditation retreats in Tibet, playing an extremely important role in the history of Tibet. Its architectural style is unique and it has well preserved the style as it was first built 1,500 years ago.
In the middle of the 7th century, Tubo Zampo Songtsen Gampo initiated the construction of Princess Monza Triucham. It is said that there are 108 caves among the cliffs, where are the meditation retreats of famous monks.
There are more than a dozen caves in existence, among which Songtsen Gampo's Dharma Cave was the earliest to be built. It is located on a cliff halfway up the mountain. You will also see Padmasambhava and Atisha's medication caves, as well as lots of ancient murals and statues in this monastery. If you have a one-day excursion outside of Lhasa, we highly recommend Drak Yerpa.