Rising to an elevation of about 4,850 meters, Lapchi Snow Mountain lies in eastern Nepal, close to the Nyalam region of Tibet. In the Hevajra Tantra, this sacred site is revered as the Speech Mandala of Hevajra—one of the twenty-four holy places of the deity. Mount Kailash represents the Body Mandala, while Mount Trazang (Zhari) symbolizes the Mind Mandala. Together, these three locations form an inseparable triad of Vajrayana sanctity.
A Land Blessed by Ancient Masters
Long before the arrival of the great yogi Jetsun Milarepa, who came here following the instructions of his master Marpa Lotsawa, Lapchi was already a renowned meditation ground. Mahasiddha Saraha and Guru Padmasambhava are said to have practiced in its caves.
According to The Biography of Yeshe Tsogyal, there are twenty-five snow mountains in Tibet associated with Guru Rinpoche’s practice, and Lapchi Snow Mountain is among them.
In Sanskrit, Lapchi was known as Godavari, while in Tibetan it was called Nyanyon, meaning “Left Ear.” This name comes from a naturally formed rock feature shaped like a human left ear, still visible near a small shrine by the river on the way to Lapchi.
The Beauty of the Journey
In May, the ascent to Lapchi is accompanied by a riot of blooming alpine rhododendrons. Yellow wildflowers blanket the mountain path, and the air carries the crisp scent of early summer at high altitude. A few weeks later, after several storms, the blossoms vanish, leaving the slopes dressed in deep green.
Dun-dul Phug — The Demon-Conquering Cave
Milarepa’s first residence in Lapchi was Dun-dul Phug, whose name literally means “Cave that Conquers Demons” (Du = demon, Dul = subdue, Phug = cave). Here he subdued the Five Long-life Sisters (Tseringma), powerful female mountain spirits who had been previously tamed by Guru Rinpoche but still displayed occasional mischief.
When Milarepa arrived, snow fell continuously for eighteen days, cutting off all paths. He was trapped for six months, surviving on a small bag of tsampa (roasted barley flour). During this retreat, he mastered tummo (inner heat yoga).
The Snow Leopard Manifestation
Milarepa’s disciples, believing he had passed away in the heavy snows, came from Nyalam the following spring to retrieve his remains. Instead, they saw a snow leopard resting on the rocks—Milarepa’s miraculous manifestation. To this day, rock imprints of a snow leopard’s body and claws remain near Dun-dul Phug.
Above Dun-dul Phug lies Rechung Phug, the cave of Rechungpa, Milarepa’s heart disciple, whose presence here is deeply woven into Lapchi’s history.
The Mandala of Vajrayogini
The terrain around Dun-dul Phug is shaped like the body of Vajrayogini. A flat plain nearby, Cho Jung Thang (“Source of the Dharma”), is said to be her mandala. Practitioners believe that meditating here allows one to connect easily with Vajrayogini.
Other notable caves in the area include Tak Tsang Phug (“Tiger’s Lair Cave”), marked by claw prints—possibly from Milarepa’s snow leopard form—and Drang Chang Phug (“Bee Cave”), so remote that even modern pilgrims rarely reach it.
Ze Phug — The Highest Retreat Cave
At the highest point of Lapchi is Ze Phug, Milarepa’s supreme meditation cave. Nearby, on a gentle slope, are footprints said to be from the moment he took flight into the sky. To the right of the cave is the Mahakala Sacred Spring, miraculously constant in water level for centuries, sustaining generations of retreatants.
Below Ze Phug is a larger cave once used as a nunnery, and along the path are footprints of the Tseringma sisters, marking their offering place to Milarepa. Across the valley rise three sacred peaks—the Three Protectors: Vajrapani, Avalokiteshvara, and Manjushri—standing guard over the gateway to Lapchi.
Lungten Phug — The Cave of Prophecy
In the 13th century, the great Drikung Kagyu master Jigten Sumgön sent his disciple Dorzin Yangdru Paldrak to meditate in a cave shaped like an inverted human heart. He prophesied that 55,525 disciples would one day practice in Lapchi. This cave, now known as Lungten Phug (“Prophecy Cave”), became a major center of retreat during one of Lapchi’s golden eras.
Historical records tell how Jigten Sumgön dispatched equal numbers of practitioners to Lapchi, Mount Kailash, and Mount Trazang—each group over 55,000 strong—turning the mountains into vast living mandalas of practice.
Lapchi Today
To walk in Lapchi is to step into a living scripture. From sacred springs to miraculous rock imprints, from the songs of Milarepa echoing in the wind to the silent vigil of snow peaks, this is a place where the boundaries between the earthly and the spiritual dissolve.
Those who reach its hidden caves often speak of a sense of being watched over—not by people, but by the very protectors, deities, and masters who have blessed this mountain for over a thousand years.
Hidden Sanctuaries of Lapchi: Bepa Og Phug and Bepa Kong Phug
In the upper reaches of Lapchi Snow Mountain, above the famed Dun-dul Phug (Demon-Conquering Cave), lie two secluded meditation caves: Bepa Og Phug (Lower Bepa Cave) and, directly above it, Bepa Kong Phug (Upper Bepa Cave).
The two caves are shaped like hermit cells, opening into surprisingly spacious interiors. While the local monks and I discussed the events that may have unfolded here, historical records are scarce, and it is not certain whether Jetsun Milarepa himself practiced in these very spots.
One thing is clear: in the 15th century, Namkha Gyaltsen (1372–1437)—later revered as “Lapchiwa” for his lifelong association with the region—spent 31 years in retreat here before passing away in Lapchi. These caves were his principal meditation sites.
The Caves of Other Great Masters
West of Bepa Kong Phug, high on a cliff, is Yuthok Phug, the meditation cave of Yuthok Yonten Gonpo, regarded as an emanation of the Medicine Buddha and royal physician to King Trisong Detsen.
Not far away is the Tsangnying Heruka Cave, linked to a 17th-century Drukpa Kagyu yogi famed for his wild asceticism. Following Milarepa’s example, Tsangnying Heruka wandered across the Himalayas before undertaking strict retreat at Lapchi. A monk who had just completed ten years of seclusion was temporarily living in this cave when I visited, giving me the chance to step inside.
Tsangnying Heruka’s dedication to collecting oral transmissions ensured the preservation of the Complete Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, without which much of Milarepa’s legacy might have been lost.
Chora Gephel Ling — The Heart of Lapchi
Near Dun-dul Phug, on a flat clearing above the river, stands Chora Gephel Ling Monastery, founded in 1830 by the great Tibetan yogi Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol. Before the monastery was built, the site was already a central hub for incoming pilgrims and housed many ancient scriptures and sacred images of great masters.
Legend tells that Shabkar once expressed a wish to build a stupa here. With hundreds of disciples present, each carried a single stone, and by the end of the day, the stupa was complete. In the late 1990s, erosion threatened the structure, but Kyabje Chetsang Rinpoche commissioned an expert from Ladakh to rebuild it, preserving the original stones within the new stupa.
Legends and Relics
Further afield, near the border, lies Lamding Nang Goma, a cave where Milarepa is said to have subdued a band of fierce rakshasas who emerged from an underground passage to disturb his meditation. The broken tunnel they came from can still be seen.
Lapchi preserves remarkable relics: the boots of Naropa and Marpa, Milarepa’s white cotton robe, and sacred objects from masters of many eras. One of the most precious images here is a clay self-statue made by Milarepa, using clay mixed with his own nasal blood and saliva. Known as “Shangdelama” (Nose-Blood Image), the original collapsed long ago, but Chetsang Rinpoche recreated three statues from its fragments—one remains in Lapchi, one is in Drikung Thil Monastery in Tibet, and one in Jangchubling Monastery in India.
Another treasured statue, made by Rechung Dorje Drakpa (1084–1161), was said by Milarepa himself to perfectly resemble him. This image still resides at Chora Gephel Ling.
Lapchi’s Climate and Seasons
Lapchi’s weather is shaped by the meeting of Himalayan southern slopes and the high plateau. One can feel abrupt temperature changes when moving through its valleys. Fog, sudden rain, and dramatic shifts from sunlight to downpours are common.
The most beautiful season arrives around May, before the monsoon. Alpine rhododendrons are still in bloom, and rare aromatic plants fill the air with fragrance. Autumn (late September–late November) is the second best time to visit—after the rains, the air is dry and crystal clear.
The Villages of Lapchi
Two small settlements are home to the Lapchi people: Lumnang Village (2,700 m), the winter refuge, and Lapchi Village (4,000 m), the summer home at the foot of the Lapchi Valley. Their lives revolve around pastoralism—yaks, cattle, and horses provide sustenance and trade.
Visiting Lapchi requires a special permit. Hiring a porter and an experienced guide is strongly recommended. Accommodations are simple: monastery rooms and tent-shops offering tea, fried noodles, wawa egg noodle soup, and momo dumplings.
A Living Mandala
From the sacred caves of Bepa Og and Bepa Kong to the relic-filled halls of Chora Gephel Ling, Lapchi is a living mandala—a place where the blessings of Milarepa, his disciples, and generations of yogis still permeate the wind and stone. For the devoted pilgrim, it is less a journey through mountains than a passage into the timeless heart of Tibetan spiritual heritage.