Lhasa: 6-Day Itinerary

Lhasa sits at 3,650 metres above sea level, and that number governs everything about visiting it. The altitude is not incidental background information; it is the single most important practical fact about the destination. First-time visitors who arrive and immediately walk up the 13 storeys of the Potala Palace steps reliably spend the next 48 hours in bed. Plan around this from the start.

Permits and Entry

Independent travel in Tibet is not permitted for foreign nationals. You must book through a licensed Tibetan travel agency, which applies for your Tibet Travel Permit on your behalf. The permit itself is free, but agency service fees typically add $50 to $100 to the overall package cost. A standard 6-day Lhasa group tour package covering permits, a guide, hotel, and vehicle runs roughly $900 to $950 per person. Processing takes 8 to 10 business days; during peak season (May to October) allow 20 to 30 days.

You also need a valid Chinese visa before applying, or eligibility under China’s current visa-free policy (which as of 2026 covers citizens of dozens of countries for stays up to 30 days; check current eligibility before booking).

Your Tibet Travel Permit must be shown to board your flight or train to Lhasa; without it, you will be turned back at the check-in desk.

Getting In

Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) sits at 3,570 metres, only slightly lower than the city. A shuttle bus to the city centre costs around 30 CNY; a taxi runs 200 to 250 CNY and takes about an hour. Your tour agency will typically arrange your airport transfer as part of the package.

The alternative is the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which departs from Xining or Beijing. The train climbs gradually through the Tibetan Plateau, passing the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 metres, the highest railway point in the world. The gradual ascent is significantly kinder to the body than flying, and the landscape over the last six hours is extraordinary.

Day 1: Arrival and Rest

The most important thing you do on day one is nothing strenuous. Check in to your hotel, drink water, eat a light meal, and rest. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms, including headache, nausea, and shortness of breath, typically appear 6 to 12 hours after arrival. Over-the-counter acetazolamide (Diamox) can reduce symptoms if taken from 24 hours before arrival; discuss this with a doctor before your trip.

Walk slowly if you go outside at all. Avoid alcohol on the first night. The acclimatisation period is 24 to 48 hours; use it.

Barkhor Street, the traditional Tibetan market circuit around the Jokhang Temple, is worth a slow evening stroll. The kora (circumambulation circuit) around the temple is walked clockwise by pilgrims at all hours; thousands complete it daily. The street-level energy and the smell of yak butter lamps from the temple doorways is the strongest introduction to Lhasa’s character.

Where to Stay: House of Shambhala in Chetanshol Lane is the best small hotel in the Barkhor area, converted from a traditional Lhasa courtyard house with thoughtful interiors. Shangri-La Hotel Lhasa is the most reliable large hotel for international standards. Both book out in peak season.

Day 2: Potala Palace

Book Potala Palace tickets well before your trip. The daily quota is 2,300 visitors and the 200 CNY tickets (real-name reservation required) sell out in peak season within days of opening. Your tour agency can arrange this.

Go in the morning. The palace, built in its current form in the 17th century as the residence of the Dalai Lamas, occupies 13 storeys of the Marpo Ri (Red Mountain) above Lhasa city. It contains around 1,000 rooms, although only a portion are open to visitors. The key rooms include the Red Palace at the upper level, which houses the tombs of past Dalai Lamas (the 5th Dalai Lama’s tomb is sheathed in gold and stands 12.6 metres high), and the White Palace, which served as administrative and residential quarters.

Allow two to three hours for the visit. The staircase is steep; go slowly.

Afternoon: Return to Barkhor Street and enter the Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s most sacred Buddhist site. Founded in the 7th century during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo, the temple houses a gilded statue of the 12-year-old Jowo Sakyamuni, brought to Tibet as part of a royal bride’s dowry. The inner halls are fragrant with butter lamp smoke and crowded with pilgrims; this is not a museum, it is an active place of worship.

Dinner at Tibet Kitchen near Barkhor Square. The menu covers Tibetan staples: momo (dumplings, usually filled with yak meat or vegetables), thukpa (noodle soup), tsampa (roasted barley flour), and butter tea.

Day 3: Sera and Norbulingka

Morning

Norbulingka Palace, the traditional summer residence of the Dalai Lamas, is less visited than the Potala and worth it for the gardens and the relative quiet. The complex includes several palace buildings and an extensive park that Lhasa residents use for picnics during Tibetan festivals.

Afternoon

Sera Monastery, 3 kilometres north of central Lhasa, is one of the three great Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The daily monk debates are held in the courtyard from approximately 3 to 5 pm. This is not a performance staged for tourists: it is an active part of monastic education, and has continued for centuries. Monks argue Buddhist philosophy using a distinctive call-and-response technique with clapping to emphasise points. Visitors are welcome to observe from the perimeter.

Day 4: Jokhang and Drepung

Morning

Return to the Jokhang Temple for a longer visit now that the first acclimatisation rush has passed. The rooftop terrace, accessible from inside the temple, gives views over Barkhor Square and the Potala Palace rising in the background.

Afternoon

Drepung Monastery, 8 kilometres west of Lhasa, was at its peak in the 17th century the largest monastery in the world, housing around 10,000 monks. Current numbers are far lower, but the monastery complex is vast and the higher buildings offer views across the Lhasa Valley. The Ganden Phodrang within Drepung served as the seat of the Tibetan government before the Potala Palace was built.

Day 5: Yamdrok Lake

Full Day Trip

Yamdrok Lake, around 70 kilometres from Lhasa, sits at 4,441 metres above sea level. The drive over the Gambala Pass (4,794 metres) gives the first view of the lake, turquoise-green against the surrounding mountains, extending roughly 130 kilometres in a irregular shape. It is one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet in Tibetan Buddhist tradition; circumambulating it is a major pilgrimage act.

Most tour packages include Yamdrok as a day trip with a vehicle and driver. The return journey takes 5 to 6 hours total including time at the lake. The altitude at the lake is significantly higher than Lhasa; take it slower than you think necessary.

Return to Lhasa in the late afternoon. Visit a Tibetan Medicine hospital if time allows; the Mentsikhang (Tibetan Medical and Astrology Institute) near Barkhor Street is the main institution in Lhasa and offers consultations.

Day 6: Departure

Morning time for any remaining Barkhor shopping (hand-woven carpets, thangka paintings, silver jewellery, and prayer beads are the most worthwhile purchases; avoid mass-produced items sold as Tibetan handicrafts) before transfer to the airport or railway station.

Practical Notes

Cash: Credit cards are not widely accepted outside major hotels. Carry CNY in small denominations.

Photographs: Photography inside most monasteries requires a fee and is restricted in certain halls. Always ask before photographing monks or pilgrims.

Respect: The Barkhor kora circuit runs clockwise; walk with the pilgrims, not against them. Remove hats and shoes before entering temple halls. Modest dress is expected throughout the city.

Season: May to October is peak season with the most reliable weather; July and August have afternoon thunderstorms but otherwise warm days. Winter (November to February) is cold but with clear skies and far fewer visitors. The Losar (Tibetan New Year) festival, usually in February, is one of the best times to visit if you can secure permits.