Yumbulagang's origins are shrouded in mystery. The site is reputedly more than 2,000 years old, commissioned by a king who descended to Tibet from the sky. More solid history about the palace comes from the 7th century when Songtsen Gampo used the site as a summer home. Most of what you'll see there today can be firmly dated to 1982, which maybe detracts from the mythology, but the palace does have a spectacular location on a craggy ridge above the valley floor near Tsetang. There's still a handful of monks living at Yumbulagang, and the interior walls' murals, while not old, tell of Tibet's early mythological history. The hike to the site is easy and pleasant, but there's always the option of riding a yak for around 15 RMB if you're into pack animals.