By rail
Lhasa railway station, the Qinghai–Tibet line from Xining
East Asia · China
Lhasa, China
The Potala above a city of pilgrims and prayer wheels
Getting there
By air
Lhasa Gonggar (LXA), ~60 km from the city
Best time to visit
May to October — mild days; winter is cold but clear and quiet
Don't miss
Potala Palace
Jokhang Temple
Barkhor Street
Sera Monastery
Drepung Monastery
Norbulingka
Things to do
Walking the Barkhor kora
Watching the monks debate at Sera
Climbing the Potala's stairs slowly
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Jan Kranendonk · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Foreign travellers need a Tibet Travel Permit arranged through a tour operator; altitude medication and a rest day, warm layers, sun protection
A quieter corner
The kora around the Jokhang at dusk, walked clockwise with the pilgrims
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Lhasa?
May to October — mild days; winter is cold but clear and quiet. What to pack: Foreign travellers need a Tibet Travel Permit arranged through a tour operator; altitude medication and a rest day, warm layers, sun protection.
How do I get to Lhasa?
Fly into Lhasa Gonggar (LXA), ~60 km from the city.
What is there to do in Lhasa?
Walking the Barkhor kora, watching the monks debate at Sera, climbing the Potala's stairs slowly. A quieter find: The kora around the Jokhang at dusk, walked clockwise with the pilgrims.
What should I eat in Lhasa?
Tibetan momos, thukpa noodle soup, butter tea and sweet tea in the teahouses.
About Lhasa
- Mountains
Where it is
Lhasa is the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, in a valley of the Lhasa River on the Tibetan Plateau at about 3,650 m, with the Potala Palace on a hill at its centre.
History
Lhasa became the seat of Tibetan rule in the 7th century, when the Jokhang Temple was founded, and again from the 17th century, when the Fifth Dalai Lama built the Potala Palace as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. The Potala, the Jokhang and the Norbulingka summer palace are together a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
People
Lhasa's old town is Tibetan in its daily life, with pilgrims circling the Jokhang on the Barkhor in a clockwise kora, prostrating at the temple doors and spinning prayer wheels; Tibetan and Mandarin are both spoken, and teahouses serving sweet tea are the city's living rooms.
Known for
- The Potala Palace
- The Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor kora
- Sera and Drepung monasteries
- The Norbulingka summer palace
- Pilgrims and prayer wheels
Did you know?
The Potala Palace has around a thousand rooms and rises some 13 storeys from the top of Marpo Ri, the Red Hill, so that its stairs are the altitude's first test for every visitor.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.