Lhasa Tourism: Things to Do, Map, Hotels | Lhasa Tour and Travel Guide

Lhasa Travel Guide - Attractions, Hotels, Transfer

A glimpse of the holy city Lhasa

Lhasa, literally means the Place of the Gods, is hidden deep in the spectacular Himalayan Mountains (altitude: 3,700 meters). It is a treasure trove of brilliant palaces, monasteries and temples. The symbol of Tibet, the dominating red and white Potala Palace is the first sight you will see when you enter the holy city Lhasa. For Tibetan people, Lhasa is the holiest city in the world. Every day, travelers and locals rub shoulders on the exotic Barkhor Street to walk the scared “kora”. Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet, keeps the most important treasure of Tibet - Jowo Rinpoche, the life-sized (5 foot/1.5m) image of the Shakyamuni at the age of 12 which was said to be created according to the description of the wet nurse of Shakyamuni. Lhasa also has several the most infuluential monasteries in Tibet - Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery, Tsurphu Monastery, etc.

Lhasa, the tourist distributing center of Tibet

Today Lhasa has become the Must-visit destination for travelers because it is the essence of Tibet, the perfect place to experience the best culture of Tibet. Travelers usually stay a couple of days in the city for a short Tibet trip, or start their longer Tibet adventures from Lhasa to Gyantse, Shigatse, Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, etc.

Top Lhasa Attractions and Activities

The holy city Lhasa is famous for its beautiful landscapes, thousand-years-old history, unique Tibeatan culture, sunshine & blue sky and friendly local people. The most outstanding highlight is its magnificent palace and temples, such as the famous Polata Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, and Norbulingka. The miraculous and beautiful Namtso Lake is about half-day driving from the city. Besides the diverse cultural and scenic sights, you will also have chance to explore authentic Tibetan culture, such as Tibet food cooking, Princess Wenchen Show, etc. Basically you can spend about 2~3 days to visiti all thse famous attractions in Lhasa. Check all Lhasa attractions and all Lhasa activities.

Take Flights to Tibet

Domestic Flights to Lhasa - Lhasa Gonggar Airport is well connected to many destinations in China. During the tourist season (May to October), there are more than 20 flights heading to Lhasa each day. Top cities like Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Xian, Kunming, usually operate more than 2 daily direct flights to Lhasa each day. Some other destinations, such as Shangri-La, Lijiang, Xining, Urumqi, Guangzhou, Kangding, Mianyang, Zhengzhou, Xiahe also have direct flights and connecting flights to Lhasa everyday. Among all these cities, Chengdu is the most popular hub for taking flights/off Tibet. There are more than 20 flights flying between Chengdu and Lhasa each day. Xian also operates about 4~6 flights to Lhasa each day.

International flight to Lhasa - So far, there is only one international air line connecting Lhasa: Kathmandu – Lhasa. It costs only about 1.5 hours to get to Lhasa from Kathmandu. During summer days, there are daily direct flights operated, sometimes two flights and sometimes just one flight. Read more >
Take Trains to Tibet

Travelers can take direct trains from 7 gateway cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Lanzhou and Xining to Lhasa. Some famous passing cities along the rail, for example, Xi’an, Suzhou and Changsha can get the train as well. Among the 7 gateway cities, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai are most popular because they are not only important international transfer hubs but also full of famous attractions. Xining is also recommended strongly because it is the nearest city to Lhasa by train, and you can stay there for one or two days to acclimatize the high altitude before arrival at Lhasa. Even though there are 7 train routes to Tibet, the train tickets still sell out very quickly, especially during summer and holidays. So you’d better book the train ticket as early as possible. According to the policy at present, one can book the ticket up to 30 days in advance. Read more >
Best Time to Visit Lhasa

Lhasa has a typical plateau temperate semi-arid climate -strong radiation, long hours of sunshine, large temperature difference between day and night, dry, cold and windy in winter and spring, warm and humid in summer and autumn. The hottest months are June and July when the temperatures are around 22°C. The coldest months are December and January when the temperature are around -10°C. Generally speaking, you can visit Lhasa all the year round. April to October is the best time to travel to Lhasa and the peak season is from May to September. During that period, the climate in Lhasa is warm and humid, not so dry and windy in winter and spring. Lhasa has a good reputation of “Sunlight City ” with a long duration of sunshine all year round. Read more >
Where to Stay - Lhasa Hotels

Don't worry finding no places to stay in Lhasa because there are many great hotels you can choose, ranging from economy class 3-star hotels to top luxury 5-star hotels. Firstly if you want to save budget, you can pick a valuable local-running hotels which are usually located in the Tibetan quarters, such as Barkhor Street, Potala Palace, and offer cheaper prices. If you want to enjoy a resort in Lhasa, you can choose an international-brand hotel, such as Shangri-la Hotel Lhasa, St Regis Lhasa Resort, Four Points by Sheraton Lhasa, Intercontinental Lhasa Paradise.etc. All of the Lhasa hotels offer good accommodation and high-qualities service. Read more >
What to Eat in Lhasa - Top Restaurants

It depends on your own choice to let your travel agency arrange the meals or hunt for food on your own when you traveling in Lhasa. And you will never fail to find something to please your taste. You can choose from Tibetan food, Sichuan cuisine, Nepalese food, Indian food, western and many different snacks and drinks. If you don't want to spent time looking for restaurants, you can eat in your hotels. If you enjoy the fun of hunting cates, you will find surprise when you try steeping into the winding alleys of Barkhor Street and Ramoche Temple region. If you prefer Western-style restaurants, go to the Beijing Road. Besides, Lhasa's Deji Road is the most popular dining place among locals. Read more >

Useful Lhasa Travel Notes

1. How to Plan Lhasa Travel
1) choose a gateway city to take a flight or train to Lhasa. Chengdu, Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Xining are most popular gateway cities with tourists; 2) decide your travel length in Lhasa. Usually, the classic Lhasa city tour needs at least 4 days - two full days visit to the most famous sites, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery.. and two days for arrival, departure and free-time activities. If you have more days, you can go to add a local family visit (1 day), or go to explore Namtso Lake (1 or 2 days). If you want to travel to Mount Everest, you have to add 3 or 4 days.
2. Tibet Permits for Lhasa Travel
To visit Lhasa, including nearby towns and attractions, such as Namtso Lake, Ganden Monastery, you only need to obtain Tibet Travel Permit (Tibet Entry Permit). Other permits, like Alien Travel Permit, Border Permit and Military Permit are not required. Tibet Entry Permit, issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau, is the most important one which has to be obtained before your trip because you must have it to take your flight/train to Tibet. To get the permit, you have to book a Tibet tour with us, and send us your passport and Chinese visa about 20 days in advance, and then let us apply for the permit (all Tibet permits can only be applied by travel agency).
3. Acclimatize Yourself to High Altitudes of Lhasa.
The average altitude of Lhasa city is around 3700 meters. You may suffer slightly from high altitude sickness in the first two days, but don't worry you can acclimatize yourself gradually - 1) go for some leisure walking to acclimate the high altitude but avoid strenuous activity after arrival; 2) you’d better not have bath, in case of catching a cold; 3) drink more water, and have some fruit; 4) have a good rest.
4. Packing and Wearing Ideas for Lhasa Travel
Firstly you can’t forget your passport and Chinese Visa. A large backpack and a smaller one are recommended (the smaller one can be used for daily activities). Also bring the necessary medicine you need. Other stuffs like sunglasses, snow glasses, hats, lip balm, sun block are recommended.
As for wearing, you are suggested to dress in layers (both thin and thick jackets). Down jacket is necessary in Spring and Autumn. A pair of durable and comfortable shoes is necessary.

Most Recommended Lhasa Tour Packages

Following are some other recommended Lhasa tour packages that you may be interested in. All of our Tibet tour packages are customizable to meet your personal requirements. You can also contact us to customize a trip if you want.