Located about 80 km northwest of Mount Kailsah, 65 km west of Darchen, and 9 km south of Moincer, Tirthpuri is famous for the hot springs there. A one hour pilgrimage route around these hot springs includes the Tirthpuri Monastery, the Mani Walls and some other spots. The place is well accessible by road; however, it lacks any kind of public transportation. The best way to visit this place is as a part of a guided jeep tour to Kailash and Mansarovar.
The barren northern banks landscapes of the Sutlej River become livelier with the steam rising from the Tirthpuri hot springs. The pilgrims come here especially at the end of their Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. They bathe in the sacred hot water springs. From these hot springs at the south west corner there is a cremation point where people leave their old clothes and rags. In the east from this point, there are ‘sour’ and ‘sweet’, earth holes, where people dig for small stones believed to have healing powers. There is a Karma-testing hole as well. It is in a rock, from which people pull out two stones the colour of which may indicate the good or bad Karmas. From here people go to the Guru Rinpoche Monastery, i.e. Tirthpuri Monastery. There are stone footprints and a cave used by the Guru of the place.
In the south of the Monastery, there are several Mani Walls. It is believed that when Guru Rinpoche was enshrined here, the gods had danced at this spot. People present offerings to these gods at this place.
For accommodation, one has to fall back upon simple Monastery guest house at Tirthpuri. There is a guest house in Moincer, too, which is only 9 km away from here. Some shops and restaurants are also available in Moincer.
Tirthpuri is considered to be the final destination of a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Without bathing in the soothing sacred water springs, the pilgrimage is believed to be incomplete.