Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet (Lhasa)
The Potala Palace, the Jokhang and the Barkhor pilgrim circuit — a destination foreign visitors can only see on an organised, guided trip.
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Overview
Lhasa is unlike anywhere else in China, and it is the one destination here where you cannot simply book a flight and arrive. Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit, arranged in advance through a licensed Tibetan travel agency. Travel is as part of an organised group with a guide throughout, independent travel is not permitted, and permits are not issued to individual travellers. Fees and processing times change and vary by route and group size, so confirm the current position with your agency at the time of booking rather than relying on any figure quoted elsewhere.
Four or five days is the minimum for Lhasa itself; eight to ten is realistic if you add Shigatse and Everest Base Camp.
The permit comes first
Start with a licensed agency before you book anything else, because the permit is checked before you board a flight or train to Tibet — an unpermitted ticket is useless. Your agency also books the Potala Palace entry slot against the permit; you cannot reserve it yourself, and the slot is tied to your permit dates. Several areas, including most border counties, remain closed to foreign visitors, so ask what is currently open rather than assuming a route will work.
Altitude is the other constraint
Lhasa sits at around 3,650 m, and the first day should be a rest day — no palace, no monastery, no long walks. Altitude sickness is a genuine risk at this height rather than a theoretical one: headaches, nausea, breathlessness and broken sleep are common on the first night. Drink more water than feels necessary, avoid alcohol for the first couple of days, and tell your guide if symptoms worsen instead of pushing on. Flying in from a lowland city is an abrupt jump; the Qinghai–Tibet Railway from Xining climbs more gradually over 20–22 hours but still arrives at the same altitude.
What four or five days looks like
Day one is arrival and rest. After that: the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor circuit around it, the Sera and Drepung monasteries, and Norbulingka, the former summer palace. Add Yamdrok Lake or a longer route west only when you have the days to spare.
Do not miss
- The Potala Palace, whose daily visitor numbers are capped and whose entry slot is tied to your permit dates
- The Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor circuit, where pilgrims walk their route through the old town
- Sera and Drepung monasteries, the two large monastic complexes outside the city
- Norbulingka, the former summer palace and its gardens, and the easiest of the major sights
- Yamdrok Lake, Shigatse and Everest Base Camp, worth adding only when you have the days to spare
When to go
May to October is the main season, with July and August the busiest months. Winter is cheaper, quieter and often clearer, though cold, and some routes beyond Lhasa close. Permit processing can slow or pause around sensitive dates, so leave slack in your dates and confirm the current position with your agency before booking flights.
Getting there and around
There is no high-speed rail to Lhasa: fly from Chengdu, Xi'an, Chongqing or Kunming, or take the Qinghai–Tibet Railway from Xining, which takes around 20–22 hours. The permit is checked before boarding either. Your agency books the Potala Palace slot against the permit — you cannot reserve it yourself.