Visiting Lhasa & Nearby

If time is short, create a Tibet journey with a one-week visit to Lhasa & Nearby.

With a rich 1400-year history, Lhasa offers a fascinating blend of past and present. As the political, economic, cultural, and spiritual core of Tibet, Lhasa is highly esteemed for its UNESCO World Heritage sites—the Potala and Norbulingka Palaces and the Jokhang Temple. Lhasans are happy and friendly—one moment, they are shopping in a modern indoor plaza, and the next, they are praying and offering incense!

In a setting of unparalleled natural beauty, with sunshine most days, Lhasa is exhilarating! Nearby, going west, north, or south, there are lots of choices to meet your interests.

If time is not too tight, the train to Lhasa from Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xining, Lanzhou, Shanghai, and Guangzhou is a unique and comfortable experience with stunning views as the landscape changes. However, direct flights are always available from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, and Shangri-La, and now, there is also an overland route that takes 6 days. Please ask me about getting to Lhasa.

The best time to visit is during the summer and autumn, when the weather is warm and refreshing rains fall, mostly in the evenings. There are lots of hotels to choose from. One of the newest with a great location is ChunQiu Oxygen-Rich Hotel.

LHASA CITY HIGHLIGHTS

UNESCO Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace (Potala, Norbulingka, Jokang)
Drepung Monastery and Nechung
Barkhor Plaza for easy shopping and mingling with Tibetans. Night market. Lhasa Beijing Road.
Evening cultural shows and dinner. Drama and opera. Relaxing in teahouses and cafes.

NEARBY PLACES

Pabongka, one of the oldest monasteries, is just 8 km away. From there, you can hike to a nearby nunnery!

Sera and Ganden Monasteries, a little further, offer super scenic drives and easy walking in the great outdoors!

West: Namtso Sky Lake (4718 m, 730 sq miles), Tsurphu Monastery, Yangpachen hot springs (outdoor swimming pool and geothermal fields).

North: 100 km from Lhasa, Dzichen Lake, and just 30 km is Drak Yerpa Hermitage Valley with wide vistas and easy walking.

South, 90 km from Lhasa: Yamdrok Yutsu Turquoise Lake with photogenic yaks and goats. A little further, Karola Glacier.
You can continue on to Gyantse, Kumbum Stupa, Pelcho Monastery, Yongzhong Ling Bon Monastery, and the modern Shigatse City.
Or, drive along the stunning Tsangpo River (which becomes the Brahmaputra in India) and visit the historical Samye Monastery, the spiritual heart of Tibet. Then, cross to the south side of the river to Tsetang City and visit Yumbu Lhakang, ride Tibetan horses, and drive to Chongye, the vast plains of the archaeological tombs of the ancient Tibetan Kings.