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Lhasa

Lhasa & Its History

Tibet Quick Fact

 Sitting in the Lhasa River Valley, the central city of Tibet Autonomous Region, and the largest city in the region. The center of Tibetan Buddhism for more than a thousand years, Lhasa not only houses the most important temple in Tibetan Buddhism, but houses the Great Three monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Literally meaning the “Place of the Gods”, Lhasa is a city full of wonders, with the stunning red and white Potala Palace towering high above the city on its Red Hill, while the sacred Jokhang Temple in the middle of the city is the most popular place of Buddhist Pilgrimage in Tibet.
 
The first stop of any Tibet tours, Lhasa is an incredible city on the roof of the world that holds many treasures for both tourists and pilgrims alike, and is one of the most amazing Tibet cities to explore. However, at an elevations of 3,656 meters or  11994 feet, it is not the easiest city to get around for those coming from much lower altitudes. Tibet is a remote region that sits on the world’s highest plateau, fringed by the Himalayan Mountains, and altitude sickness is a common ailment for inbound travelers. And while Lhasa is not actually the highest place in Tibet, it is still high enough to warrant some care in touring the city, especially when climbing the many steps of the Potala Palace.
 
Altitude aside, Lhasa is one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world, with over 1,300 years of history and an amazing and unique religious culture. Listed as one of the highest cities in the world, Lhasa saw very little in the way of tourism for many years, since getting to the plateau city was a long and hard drive across desolate lands. Since the opening of the railway in 2006, which linked Lhasa with the Qinghai provincial capital of Xining, the numbers of tourists visiting the city has increased exponentially, with thousands of travelers entering the Tibetan capital every day in the summer months.
 
Brief History of Lhasa
 
Tibet has been an inhabited place for more than 20,000 years, with a major migration of people from northern China and Mongolia in around 3,000BC. It was during the unification of the many areas of the plateau by the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, who had first united the factions of the Yarlung Valley, that Lhasa became the capital of his empire. It was in around 637 AD when he moved the capital from its previous home in the Chingwa Taktse Castle in Chongye County to the town of Rasa, which lay on the banks of the Brahmaputra River.
 
The first new structures of the soon-to-be capital of Tibet were the fortress buildings that were erected on the top of the hill in the town, now known as the Red Hill, or Mount Marpori. As the city grew in size, King Songtsan Gampo ordered two temples built, to house the statues of Buddha that had been brought to the city by his two wives, Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal and Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. The Ramoche Temple and Jokhang Temple were built to house the statues of Akshobhya Vajra (Buddha depicted at age eight) and Jowo Sakyamuni (Buddha depicted at age twelve).
 
After the fall of the empire in the ninth century, political power moved from Lhasa, although in the 15th century the Gelugpa became the political power in Tibet, and Lhasa once again became an important religious site for more than just the Buddha statues. It also became the center of Tibetan Buddhism, and the legend grew of how Padmasambhava pinned the earth demoness to the ground and erected the foundations of the Jokhang Temple over her heart to bind her forever.
 
It was in the 15th century, that Lhasa finally rose to full prominence in Tibet, following the founding of the Great Three monasteries of the Gelugpa school by Je Tsongkhapa. Part of a Buddhist revival in Tibet, Ganden monastery, Sera monastery, and Drepung Monastery became the major religious schools in the region. True unification of Tibet came under the rule of the fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, after moving the seat of civil government to Lhasa in 1642, and in 1645, construction began on the new palace for the center of Tibet, the Potala Palace. Built on the former site of Songtsen Gampo’s fortress, parts of which still exist inside the palace, it was completed in 1694.
 
The Jokhang Temple was also expanded at around the same time, and by the end of the 17th century, the area now known as Barkhor Street became a bustling center of trade and commerce within the city. 
 
Today, Lhasa is still the dominant city in Tibet. A city of friendly and traditional people, it has become a beacon for Buddhists from all over the world, and the center of Tibetan pilgrimage every winter. Filled with delightful sights from the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple to the wonders of Barkhor Street’s markets and the Tibet Museum, no visit to Tibet could possibly be complete without exploring this mystical city at the roof of the world.
 
Getting Into Lhasa
 
There are two main ways to get to Lhasa from China, and a third route from Nepal. From China, you can take a flight from several major cities such as Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Xi’an to the Lhasa Gonggar International Airport. There is also the option of taking the train to the plateau capital, which leaves from seven major gateway cities in China, taking between 22 and 53 hours to reach the Tibetan capital. For Tibet, the train is the most popular, as well as being the cheapest option, mainly due to the stunning scenery that one can see as you travel across the mountain passes and prairies of the Tibetan plateau to the world’s highest capital city, Lhasa.
 
From Nepal, there exists the only international flight to Tibet, which leaves daily from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, and flies close over the famous Mt. Everest on its route across the plateau to Lhasa. While flights are often the most popular choice for travel. 

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Tour Including Lhasa

Hotels in Lhasa

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel is one of the luxuries hotel in Lhasa. It is located Norbulingka Palace with elegant and spacious rooms. This is the legendary story of Shangri-La, a paradise for travelers high among the Himalayas and give mind of peace.

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Jiare Butong Youduoduo Inn

Jiare Butong Youduoduo Inn or Lhasa Bodhi Fanmusic Hotel is located in Lhasa, Tibet. It is Tibetan-style building with full furnished and clean atmosphere around it. The guestrooms are well organized and has a beautiful yard. The hotel offe

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Tashi Choeta Boutique Hotel

Description: Tashi Choeta Boutique Hotel was established in 2009, It has total of 33 rooms with four floors, and decorated with pure Tibetan household style . It is one of the famous hotel in Lhasa and it is 3 star hotel.

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Dekang Hotel

Dekang Hotel offers accommodation in Lhasa. Free WiFi is available to the entire property and free parking is available. Dekang Hotel is an 11-minute drive from the city centre and a 17-minute drive from Lhasa. Lhasa Gonggar International Airport is a 1-hour drive away. Each room in Dekang Hotel is fitted with a TV and an electric […]

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Saikang Hotel

Saikang Hotel means Golden House as Sai means gold and Kang means house in Tibetan. It was opened in 2010. It is located very near to most of the famous landmarks of Lhasa City. The hotel is well furnished with air conditioning, flat-screen and many m

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Dhood Gu Hotel

Dhood Gu is undoubtedly Tibets most characterful hotel, located in a traditional building with Tibetan dcor throughout. The rooms are not large but design in true Tibetan styleand the hotel staff are extremely friendly.

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Xizang Ari Hotel

Description: Tibet Ari Hotel is a subsidiary of Tibet Ari Industry Co., Ltd. and is located at No. 31, Sera Road, Chengguan District. The Tibet Ari Hotel was renovated after 13 years and combined modern elements with Tibetan elements in acc

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Tashitakge Hotel

Tashitakge Hotel is also known as Babao Hotel in Chinese. It was been ten years since its opening. The Hotel has been adopts the decoration styles of the 14th and 15th centuries. It is one of the most recommended hotel in Lhasa by tourists.

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Restaurants in Lhasa

Woeser Zedroe Tibetan Restaurant

The Woeser Zedroe Tibetan Restaurant is located in Lhasa and it is very near to Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. It is one the favorite restaurant for local Tibetans come to fill up after a trip to the Jokhang Temple.

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Po Ba Tsang Restaurant

Po Ba Tsang Restaurant is located in Lhasa. It is one of the best welcoming restaurant in Lhasa city. The restaurant is very big and clean. At every evening, there is Tibetan cultural show such as traditional Tibetan dancing and singing.

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Kyichu Restaurant

This is one of the best restaurant in Lhasa. The restaurant is inside the Kyichu Hotel and some tables are placed in the inside garden, where you can have your meal in the sun or the shade. The food is delicious and they offer both Tibetan and Chinese

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Tashi I Restaurant

There are two Tashi Restaurant in Lhasa- Tashi 1 and Tashi 2. Tashi 1 located at the corner of Beijing Donglu and Mentsikhang Road. Tashi 2 is in the courtyard of Kirey Hotel opposite the Shangrila Hotel which is also on Beijing Dong Road.

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Lhasa Namaste Restaurant

Lhasa Namaste Restaurant serves Tibetan, Nepalese, Indian, Chinese and Western food. It is on the second floor, near the theater hall and at the opposite of the Jokhang Temple in Barkhor Market. One can enjoy great view of Barkhor Street from the wind

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Snowland Restaurant

The Snowland Restaurant is located in Lhasa which is the most popular place in Tibetan Autonomous Region. The restaurant serves a mix of all excellent continental cuisines and Nepali, Indian and Tibetan food are their specialties.

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Mayke Ame Restaurant

Mayke Ame Restaurant is one of the most popular restaurants in Lhasa. It is situated on the street of Barkhor and quite near to Jokhang temple as well. If you are tired of strolling in Barkhor Street, you can have a rest there.

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Dunya Restaurant

One of the best places to eat in Lhasa is Dunya restaurant.

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Must Read Tibet Travel Tips

The million-dollar question everyone wants to know is how do I get into Tibet? Or how to get the Tibet travel permit? It’s never been the easiest place to visit, but if you make your way then it is definitely an experience of once in a lifetime, travel to Tibet Autonomous Region is radically different from the rest of China and a valid Chinese visa is not enough to travel into Tibet. You will also need the Tibet travel permit from the Tibet tourism bureau, and the Tibet travel permit policy changes timely depending on the political climate in Tibet. Moreover, its amazing nature, rich culture and high altitude need a special consideration to make your experiences more pleasant and worry free. So here our Tibet travel experts from Explore Tibet has pinpointed some important guidelines to help you arrange an authentic Tibetan experiences.

Must Read Tibet Travel Tips

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