Sights & attractions
Sights in Tibet
Temples, dzongs, monasteries and viewpoints across Tibet, grouped by town.
- Sights
- 93
- Towns and valleys
- 7
Where to start
Some of the best-known places in Tibet, to begin with.
Towns and valleys
Each town page has its sights on a map, with hikes, places to stay and the best time to go.
Central Tibet (Ü)
Tsang
Southern Tibet (Lhokha)
Kham
Amdo
Yunnan
All sights in Tibet
Filter by type or town. Pins on the map follow the list.
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Shalu Monastery
Shalu is located about 20km south of Shigatse, 4km off the Gyantse-Shigatse road.
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Shigatse Dzong
The imposing castle also known once as Samdrubtse Dzong, was built in the seventeenth century by Karma Phuntso Namgyel when he was king of the Tsang region and held sway...
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Drigung Til Monastery
Drigung Til Monastery (4,300m) is located on the slopes of a steep cliff overlooking the valley with over 50 buildings scattered around.
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Reting Monastery
A historic Kadampa monastery in juniper forest north-east of Lhasa, founded by Dromtonpa in the 11th century.
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Ramoche Temple
Ramoche is the sister temple to Jokhang temple, founded around the same time.
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Potala Palace
Aptly named after Mount Potalakha, the sacred mountain abode of Compassion Boddhisatva Avalokiteshvara or Chenrizing.
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Rongphu Monastery
Also known as Dzarongpu monastery (4980m) is the power place through which all seeking the highest peak via the North Face must pass.
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Samye Monastery
According to the legend Indian monk Shantarakshita made several attempts to construct the monastery.
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Zhongdian
Zhongdian (Tibetan Gyalthang or Gyeltangteng) at (3450m), is located 184km southeast of Dechen and 193km north east of Lijiang. 3,450 m · 11,319 ft
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Dechen
Dechen or Deqin in north west Yunan province at 3450m is located at the head of a gorge/ valley surrounded by forests and Snow Mountains.
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Gyantse
Gyantse (3,950m) in the Nyang Chu valley, 254km south-west of Lhasa, is one of the least Chinese influenced towns in Tibet and is worth a visit for this reason alone.
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Xinlong
Xinlong (Barshok in Tibetan), Alt: 3050m is a small town and the county capital Nyarong, set alongside the Yalong River, is an area of high mountains cut by deep rivers.
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Xiangcheng
Xiang Cheng (Tibetan: Chaktreng) at 3200m, in Sichuan is used as primarily as an overnight-stop on the route to Yunnan from Litang or Yading or vice versa but it is...
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Dege
A historic Kham town known for its Parkhang printing house and the Gonchen Monastery.
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Namtso Lake
A vast sacred salt lake at about 4,700m, north of Lhasa below the Nyenchen Tanglha range.
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Jyekundo or Yushu Town
The main town of Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai, a Khampa trading centre rebuilt after the 2010 earthquake.
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Kumbum or Taer Si
A great Gelug monastery near Xining, founded where Tsongkhapa is said to have been born.
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Ganden Monastery
Ganden monastery is the first and the greatest of the six Gelug Sect’s monasteries, which is called one of “the three principal monasteries” (the other two are Dreprung Monastery and...
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Sakya Monasteries
Sakya Tradition is one of the four main Buddhist Schools in Tibet.
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Sakya
The seat of the Sakya school, a small town southwest of Shigatse with a great fortress-like monastery.
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Tsurphu
The traditional seat of the Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu school, west of Lhasa, founded in 1189.
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Trandruk Monastery
One of the earliest Buddhist temples in Tibet, near Tsetang in the Yarlung Valley and held sacred by pilgrims.
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Nyalam
A small town on the Friendship Highway near the Nepal border, used as an acclimatisation stop.
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Shiqu
Shiqu or Serxu or Serhul (4050m) sits just across the Qinghai border in Ganzi Tibet Autonomous Prefecture in northwest Sichuan province.
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Litang
A high Khampa town at about 4,000m in western Sichuan, known for its monastery and horse festival.
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Tsetang
Tsetang 3200m (pronounced Tsethang in Tibetan) is one of Tibet's largest cities, located 183 km southeast of Lhasa and 87km from Gongkar airport.
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Shigatse
Shigatse, also written Xigatse means "fertile land" and rightly so because it stands at the junction of the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyangchu River. 3,900 m · 12,795 ft
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Lhatse
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Derong
Derong, in Tibetan, means gorge or canyon.
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Chongye Valley
The valley of Chongye was the ancient capital of Tibetan King, until Songtsen Gampo moved it to Lhasa in seventh century.
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Mindroling Monastery
Mindroling Monastery is 8km inland along Lhasa - Tsetang road, between the Dranang turn-off and the Samye ferry crossing.
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Guangming Gangqiong Sweet Tea House
Long-running Tibetan sweet tea house, mostly local. Sit at shared tables over cheap glasses of sweet tea, yak-meat noodles and dumplings, and watch everyday Lhasa life.
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Makye Ame
Tibetan restaurant in a historic yellow building on the Barkhor, with window seats over the kora. Try roasted wild mushrooms, stone-grilled beef, mutton chops and tsampa.
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Tibetan Family Kitchen
Family-run home-style Tibetan cooking just off the Barkhor, with views toward Jokhang Square. Known for fried yak momos, yogurt rice and potato pancakes; it also runs cooking classes.
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Xue Yu Tian Cun Yak Hot Pot
Busy local hotpot restaurant near the Jokhang. Fresh-cut yak meat is cooked at the table in a tangy sour-soup broth, a good change from momos and thukpa.
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Lukhang Temple
Entered through Lukhang Park, is a little visited Lukhang temple on the small island in a lake behind the Potala.
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Gesar Ling Lhakhang
On the summit of Parma Ri is the Gesar Ling lhakhang, a Chinese-style temple built in 1792-3 on behalf of Qianlong emperor to commemorate the defeat of Gokhas.
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Kundeling Temple
At the foot of Parma Ri is Kundeling, one of Lhasa's four former royal temples appointed by fifth Dalai Lama.
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Parma Ri
South west of Chagpo Ri, Parma Ri, is a smaller hill, held sacred to bodhisattva of Wisdom, Manjushri or Jampelyang.
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Drak Lhalupuk
Next door to Drubthub Nunnery is Drak Lhalupuk cave temple, said to be the meditation retreat of King Songtsen Gampo in 7th century, which has relief rock carvings.
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Drubthub Nunnery
On the south eastern side of Chagpori, the nunnery of Drubthop Lhakhang is dedicated to Thangtong Gyelpo (1385-1464), the iron bridge builder, medic and inventor of Tibetan Opera.
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Chagpo Ri
Opposite of Potala to the south east is the 3,725m Chakpori, believed sacred to Vajrapani, the bodhisattva of Energy and Power.
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Nechung Monastery
Nechung Monastery just below Drepung has an important place in the history of Tibet.
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Norbulingkha Palaces
Norbulingka Palaces, served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas starting from the seventh, who founded it in 1755.
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Sera Kora
Sera Kora takes about an hour, starting west from the entrance to the monastery.
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Sera Monastery
Sera is one of the three great Gelug monasteries of Lhasa, known for its debating courtyard where monks argue points of Buddhist philosophy.
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Drepung Lingkor (Kora)
This one and half hour pilgrim's circumambulation of Drepung monastery leads west of the perimeter wall and uphill to around 3900m before descending in the direction of Nechung.
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Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery located 8km from west of central Lhasa is one of the 'Great Three” Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, (the other two being Ganden and Sera).
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Barkhor
Barkhor is an area of narrow streets and a public square located around Jokhang Temple in the old part of Lhasa.
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Mentsikhang (Tibetan Medicine Institute)
Institute of Tibetan Medicine and Astrology was first established in 1916 by Dr.
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Jokhang Temple
Jorkhang Temple is holiest and most sacred site in Tibet where devout Buddhists make their pilgrimage, sometimes performing prostration (3 steps, 1 prostration) throughout their journey.
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Lhasa to Gyantse Drive
Embark on the ride of a lifetime along the Lhasa-Kathmandu Southern Highway that runs parallel to the Himalayas.
- N Napa Lake At the northern end of Zhongdian's plain, towards Dechen is seasonal Napa Lake, which is often occupied by nomads' camps.
- S Songzanlin Monastery Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (Songzanlin) is the most important and impressive sight in Zhongdian.
- T Tashilunpo Monastery Tashilunpo monastery in Shigatse was founded by Gendun Drubpa, the first Dalai Lama in 1477.
- P Pelkor Chode Monastery Pelkor Chode monastery lies beside the Kumbum.
- K Kumbum Stupa The Kumbum Stupa is the landmark of Gyantse.
- S Shegar Shegar, Zegar or Shelkar (also known as New Tingri) at 4,050m is 7km diversion northwest of main Friendship Highway.
- E Everest North Area (Rongphu Face) The north face of Everest and the Rongphu Glacier, reached by road from Tingri to Rongphu and Base Camp.
- T Tingri (Dingri) A small plateau town at about 4,300m, the usual stop before the road to Everest Base Camp.
- Z Zangmu (Dram or Khasa) The Tibetan border town opposite Nepal, on the Friendship Bridge.
- D Denba Danba or Rongmi Drango (3300m) in Gyarong region of western Sichuan is a small town (Zhanggu Town) with steep crooked roads at the confluence of 2 rivers, deep in the...
- M Manigango The small but bustling town on Manigango (3950m) lies at the junction of three important roads.
- D Daofu Daofu (Dawu) at 3040m is laid out along the Jianshui River and it is a prosperous farming community with fine houses.
- G Ganzi Ganzi (Kandze) at 3,580m is a large provincial town set on a high grass plateau, alongside Yalong river.
- B Baiyu A Khampa county on the upper Yangtze in western Sichuan, home to the Nyingma Palyul Monastery.
- C Chode Monastery Litang Chode or Ganden Thubchen Choekhorling Monastery was founded in 1580 by the third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso on the site of an older Bon-monastery.
- T Tidrum Nunnery and Hot Springs The hermitage of Tirdom (4,350m) is located 13km from the road junction of Drijung Til monastery, and around 50kms from Drijung Qu.
- D Drigung Qu Town Continuing up the valley from Meldro Gungkhar, you will arrive at Driging Qu township, set at the auspicious confluence of three rivers.
- K Katsel Katsel, situated 3km north of Meldro Gungkhar town is said to one of the original four geomatic temples, especially constructed by King Songtsen Gampo on the right shoulder of demon...
- M Meldro Gungkar Meldro county capital town of Meldro Gungkar is about 70km north east of Lhasa along the road to Drigung at the confluence Kyi-chu and Meldro Pho Chu Rivers.
- T Tashi Dor Monastery Tashi Dor situated at the southeast corner of Namtso lake, at the foot of wedge-shaped hills is rather a chapel then monastery.
- M Maduo Mato (Maduo) (4300m) in Golok Tibet Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai province is one of the coldest counties of greater Tibet.
- L Lhamo La-Tsho Lhamo Latsho (oracle lake) is one of most important pilgrimage destinations in U region.
- C Chokhorgye The dramatic Chokhorgye monastery (4500m) is 35km drive from Gyatsa town, wedged between three peaks; Zhidag, Shridebi and Begtse.
- T Tangboche Monastery The yellow buildings of Tangboche, located on the way to Chongye from Tsetang is thought to date back to 1017.
- S Sheldrak Cave Sheldrak Cave is the first mediation site of Guru Padmasambhava and therefore an important pilgrim site.
- R Rechung-puk Monastery The hermitage of Rechung Puk is approached by 1 hour trek uphill, from the road 3km south of Tsetang.
- G Gangpori Mt.
- S Sang-ngag Zimche Nunnery This active nunnery with about 50 nuns is located on the slopes of Mt.
- N Ngamcho Monastery Ngamcho, also once a Kagyu site, founded by Tai Situ of Phakmodrupa in 14 century and later absorbed by Gelugpa in 17th century.
- Y Yumbulakhang Yambulakhang stands spectacularly on the top above a fertile valley.
- T Tsetang Monastery Located at the entrance of the old Tibetan quarter, Tsetang monastery was originally a Kagyu site, founded by Tai Situ of Phakmodrupa in 14th century.
- D Dranang 48 km from Gongkar airport, along the road to Tsetang is the turn-off to Dranang (Dratang) Monastery, which is 2km drive inland.
- G Gongkar Gongkar county is located along the banks of Yarlung Tsangpo at the point where the river is widest.
- D Dorji Drak Monastery Tubten Dorji Drak is one of the two important Nyingma monasteries in U region.
- D Dechen Dzong About 22km from Lhasa on the way to Ganden is Dechen.
- D Drolma Lhakhang Nyethang Drolma Lhakhang, a small monastery along the road to Tsetang or airport from Lhasa is associated with Palden Atisha (Jowo Je), Bengali scholar (982-1054), who traveled extensively in Tibet...
- P Pabonka Monastery Pabonka (pronounced Fa-bong-kha) monastery is one of the most ancient Buddhist sites in Lhasa.
- T Tengyeling Tengyeling is another one four regency temples is located behind Mentsekhang.
- T Tsome Ling Tsome Ling: or Tsomonling, south of Ramoche is one of the four former royal temples.
- G Gyume Gyume Dratsang, the Lower Tantric College of Lhasa, located across the Kerey hotel was founded in md-15th century by Tshongkhapa's disciple, Je Sherab Singe and in its time was one...
- O Old Town Walk Tibetan Old town shelters the soul of Lhasa, far from Chinese influence.
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