Ask a QuestionLhasa is the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, also the political, economic, cultural and religious center of Tibet. Due to the abundant sunshine of more than 3,000 hours annually, Lhasa is named as “the city of sunlight”. As a holy place for Tibetan Buddhism, there are plenty of temples in Lhasa. Here you can not only enjoy yourself in the beautiful natural sceneries, but also experience the historical culture around the city.
While planning your Tibet trip, Lhasa is no doubt to be one of your destination. How to plan a Lhasa trip? You may have questions for the best time to visit Lhasa, things to prepare, attractions that must visit, etc. Here are some questions that may help you with your Lhasa tour.
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Lhasa, lies in the center of the Tibetan Plateau, with an elevation of more than 3,600 meters above sea level, it is one of the highest cities in the world. As the capital city of Tibet for decades, Lhasa has a long history of more than 1,300 years, which is considered to be one of the most famous historical and cultural cities in China.
Lhasa is even well-known around the world, the pure blue sky combined with the Tibetan style architectures form a peculiar Lhasa, numerous historical sites and the particular Tibetan local customs fulfill the historical atmosphere in Lhasa, the specific Tibetan Buddhism and kinds of temples turn Lhasa into a holy city. With varieties of views, Lhasa deserves the reputation as the most popular destination for you in Tibet.
More information about Lhasa Facts.
You need to join in a group tour of a travel agency and have the Tibet Entry Permit. For all non-Chinese-passport holders who travel to any cities in Tibet are required for the Tibet Entry Permit. You may also need it when you take trains and planes.
The best time to visit Lhasa is from May to October, with the warmest sunshine and the most flourish plants and flowers, very suitable for visiting. On the other side, travelling during winter and Spring is cheaper and with less tourists, meanwhile, you could have a view of the beautiful sceneries of the snow mountains.
Annual Temperature: 7.4 ℃
Rainy Season: July to September
Crowded Season: late Jan. or early Feb. (Chinese Spring Festival);
first week of May (Labor Day);
first week of October (National Day)
Read more about the Best Time to Visit Lhasa.
Potala Palace, as the most representative landmark of Lhasa, has a long history of more than 1,300 years, originated from 7th century. With the designable architectural style by using white and red as main building color, Potala Palace also represents the Tibetan ancient architecture art which was listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This is no doubt to be a must visit attraction during a Lhasa trip.
Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Lhasa and even Tibet, a holy place of Tibetan Buddhism, also owns an important position among the Tibetan religious architectures due to its construction style, combining the distinguishing Tibetan features with different architectural characteristics from Tang Dynasty, Nepal as well as India.
Sera Monastery, one of the most famous temples in Lhasa, has preserved more than ten thousand statues of the Golden Buddha and varieties of colorful murals. Each day, monks in the temple will have the activity of Debating Buddhist Scriptures, which is a distinctive feature of this temple. Besides, during the famous Shoton Festival, an annual ceremony of showing the Buddha’s paintings is held in Sera Monastery.
Drepung Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhism temple in Tibet, is one of the three main monasteries in Lhasa, along with Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery. There are many religious events in Drepung Monastery, the most important and magnificent festival here is Shoton Festival, showing the large Thangka of Buddha and celebrate the festival by some other activities.
It’s more than comfortable to spend some time going around and shopping for something special for yourself or for your friends, with a particular Tibetan style. Tibetan metalworks are famous, especially the Tibetan knifes, with distinctive Tibetan features. Besides, the Tibetan carpets, ornaments and hand crafts are also popular among tourists.
Barkhor Street will be a good place for you to seek something you like, with Tibetan style. It is the most prosperous commercial street in Lhasa, and also the business center of Lhasa, which well reserves its traditional features and living patterns of the local people from ancient times.
More about Where to Buy in Lhasa.
Himalaya is a famous Song and Dance show tells people about the Tibetan culture, history, and their modern life, with perfect performances, music and beautiful costumes. Or you can choose the other one. Tibetan Impression - Happiness on the Way, is another famous Song and Dance show which is full of elements of Tangka and colorful costumes in Tibetan style.
Food in Lhasa has very different taste from other cuisines in China. Try the Tsampa, the staple food for Tibetans every day, which is made of barley flour. And don’t miss the yak beef, grilled mutton chops, as well as Tibetan Yogurt. For the drinks, the most representative one is the Tibetan Barley Wine which has a long drinking history among Tibetan people, meanwhile, the Tibetan Buttered Tea is also a kind of common drink in Tibet.
More about Eating in Lhasa.
| Around Potala Palace |
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| Barkhor Street & Jokhang Temple area: |
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| Near Norbulingka: |
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Read more about Where to Stay in Lhasa.
Two to three days may be enough for visiting attractions in Lhasa only. For the first day, you can visit Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and go shopping around Barkhor Street. For the second day, go to Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery, Norbulingka will also be a good choice for you. If you have planned enough time for a Tibet tour, you can also spend a few more days in Lhasa and then visit other cities in Tibet.
Recommended Lhasa Tours:
Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Norbulingka, Yamdrok Lake
Tailor-made your personal Lhasa Tour: Free Online Tailor-made Tour
By plane
Gonggar International Airport is one of the highest airports in the world. There are domestic airlines from some major cities in China to Lhasa Gonggar International Airport, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Guangzhou etc. But for some people, it’s easier to get high altitude sickness by plane.
By train
It’s also a good experience to take the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa. You can enjoy the beautiful view outside the window along your trip. It’s connected with Xining, Xi’an, Lanzhou and many other stations.
Taxi: flexible for your time.
Bus: 1 yuan per person, cheap and convenient.
Bicycle: rent a bicycle to go around Lhasa, have a better experience of the local life in Lhasa.
Read more about Lhasa Transport.
There is no severe cold or hot weather in Lhasa because of the abundant sunshine annually. Sunglasses and hats are highly recommended. Bring clothes for all seasons, because you may experience four seasons within one day. Usually the weather is cool in the morning, hot in the afternoon, cold during night time.
Read more about Lhasa Travel Tips.
Try if you have interests. Learn some basic words and phrases in Chinese so as to communicate easily. Here are some basic Chinese listed below.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
| 你好 | Nǐhǎo | Hello/Hi |
| 再见 | Zàijiàn | Bye/See you |
| 谢谢 | Xièxie | Thank you. |
| 不客气 | Búkèqi | You’re welcome. |
| 对不起 | Duìbùqǐ | Sorry |
| 请问卫生间在哪里？ | Qǐngwènwèishēngjiānzàinǎlǐ? | Excuse me, where is the restroom? |
| 多少钱？ | Duōshǎoqián? | How much? |
Learn more about Survival Chinese Phrases.
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