Shigatse

Tibet's second city at 3,845m, the seat of the Panchen Lama and home to Tashilhunpo Monastery. Standard inclusion in Lhasa-area Tibet Travel Permit itineraries.

Shigatse (Tibetan: Shigatse; Chinese: Rìkāzé) sits 280 km southwest of Lhasa at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyangchu rivers, at 3,845 metres — nearly 200 metres higher than Lhasa. Tibet's second city and historically the seat of the Panchen Lama from the 17th century onward, it remains the religious and administrative centre of Tsang province, the western half of central Tibet.

Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup (later recognised as the 1st Dalai Lama) and the seat of successive Panchen Lamas since the 17th century, is the largest functioning Gelugpa monastery complex in Tibet. The monastery's gilded chortens, assembly halls and college buildings spread across a hillside and are the city's defining sight. A large maitreya (future Buddha) statue housed in its own building and a courtyard used for cham dance performances are among the monastery's particular features.

The Sakya Monastery, 130 km southwest, is the institutional centre of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism and preserves a library of 84,000 scrolls said to be the most complete collection of Tibetan Buddhist texts outside the major temples.

All visits require the Tibet Travel Permit and a licensed-agency tour. Standard 4–7 day Lhasa-region itineraries include one or two nights in Shigatse. The Friendship Highway west from Shigatse leads toward the Nepal border at Gyirong, passing the Everest Base Camp access road.