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Lhasa & Tibet
Tibet Autonomous Region

Lhasa & Tibet Tours & Travel Guide

The roof of the world

7 daysRecommended
April&ndashBest season
6Signature sights
Price on requestQuoted per itinerary
Why come here

Lhasa sits at 3,650 metres, which is high enough that the first day must be spent doing nothing at all. After that, it is one of the most singular places on earth: the Potala Palace rising 13 storeys above the city, pilgrims prostrating at the Jokhang Temple, and butter-lamp smoke in the Barkhor circuit.

Beyond Lhasa, the road to Shigatse crosses the Karola Glacier and Yamdrok Lake — a body of water so turquoise it looks artificial — and passes the great monasteries of Gyantse and Shigatse.

Tibet requires an organised permit for foreign visitors, which means a guide and a fixed itinerary. Paperwork takes roughly 15 working days, so this is the one destination we ask you to plan furthest ahead.

Best seasonApril–October; July–August is warmest but wettest
Time needed7–8 days
GatewayFlight to Lhasa Gonggar (LXA) from Chengdu or Xi'an
Altitude3,650 m in Lhasa — acclimatisation day is mandatory
PermitsTibet Travel Permit required for foreign visitors; ~15 working days
Halal foodLimited but workable; we plan every meal in advance
Lhasa & Tibet
Lhasa & Tibet
What to see

The sights worth your time

Tap any one open for the practical detail — how long to allow, and how we work it into your day.

Potala Palace
The winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, 13 storeys and 1,000 rooms built into a hillside above Lhasa. The interior halls are dark, narrow and completely unforgettable.
Our tip: Tickets are strictly limited and timed, and visits are capped at one hour. We book the moment permits are confirmed.
Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street
The spiritual centre of Tibet and the holiest temple in Tibetan Buddhism. The circuit around it is full of pilgrims walking clockwise, prostrating, and turning prayer wheels.
Our tip: Walk the Barkhor in the early morning with the locals. Evening is busier and more commercial.
Sera Monastery & the monk debates
One of the great Gelug monasteries, where monks debate Buddhist philosophy in a courtyard each afternoon — clapping hands, raising voices, and genuinely animated.
Our tip: Debates run Monday to Saturday, roughly 15:00 to 17:00. Closed on some festival days.
Yamdrok Lake & the Karola Glacier
A drive over the Kamba La pass to a 638 sq km turquoise lake, then past the Karola Glacier on the way to Gyantse. The single best day of driving in Tibet.
Our tip: About 6 hours of driving. Frequent stops. Take it slowly at this altitude.
Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shigatse
Traditionally the seat of the Panchen Lama and one of the largest monasteries in Tibet, with a 26-metre gilded Buddha in its main hall.
Our tip: Roughly 4 hours from Lhasa on the Friendship Highway. Usually an overnight stop.
Norbulingka
The summer palace and gardens, a short walk from the Potala. More relaxed than the palace, with far fewer visitors, and a good final morning before your flight.
Our tip: Allow 90 minutes. Largely at ground level.
Halal & Muslim-friendly dining

Eating well in Lhasa & Tibet

Tibet is the most logistically demanding destination in our programme for halal dining, and we will be straightforward with you about it. Lhasa has a small Muslim community, a historic mosque near the Barkhor, and a cluster of halal restaurants serving Tibetan and Hui dishes, including halal versions of yak meat and noodles. Along the Lhasa to Shigatse road, options are limited to a few towns. If halal-only dining is essential for your group, we will map exactly which meals we can guarantee and which will need to be packed from Lhasa before you commit to the itinerary.

When to go

Lhasa & Tibet, season by season

Apr–JunClear skies, warm days and the best mountain views of the year. The top choice.
Jul–AugWarmest but wettest, with the highest oxygen levels and the most pilgrims. Also peak season.
Sep–OctDry, clear and golden. October light on the Potala is extraordinary.
Nov–MarCold (down to −10°C in Lhasa) and many guesthouses close. Visitor numbers are tiny.
Routes that include Lhasa & Tibet

Sample itineraries

Each of these is a starting point. We reshape every one around your dates, your group and your pace.

All routes →
How our pricing works. We do not publish fixed prices, because a fixed price would either overcharge a couple or underdeliver for a group of nine. Every itinerary is quoted individually against your dates, hotel standard and group size, with everything itemised in writing. Send us your travel window and we will come back within 24 hours with a full quotation and no obligation.
Questions

Lhasa & Tibet — frequently asked

What permits do we need for Tibet?
Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit, arranged through a licensed operator, and for some regions an additional Aliens' Travel Permit. We handle all of it. The paperwork takes roughly 15 working days, and you must send scanned passport and China visa pages early. This is why Tibet is the one trip we ask you to start planning two months ahead.
How bad is the altitude?
Lhasa is 3,650 m. Most people get a headache and feel breathless for a day or two. Your first day is deliberately empty — no sightseeing, no rushing. We keep oxygen in the vehicle, brief you on symptoms of altitude sickness, and build the route so that altitude increases gradually rather than jumping straight to 5,000 m.
Can Malaysian or Singaporean passport holders visit Tibet visa-free?
The China visa exemption applies to entry into mainland China, but Tibet additionally requires a Tibet Travel Permit regardless of nationality. Your passport still needs to be valid, and we need scans early. We will confirm your specific case in writing before you book.
Is Tibet suitable for children or older travellers?
Children under about 12 and anyone with heart or respiratory conditions should get medical advice first. That said, plenty of healthy travellers in their sixties do this route comfortably, provided the first day is genuinely restful and the itinerary does not try to cover too much.
Close by

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