CITY · TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION
Shigatse
日喀则 · Rìkāzé
Overview
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 sits 280 km southwest of Lhasa at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyangchu rivers. Historically the seat of the Panchen Lama from the 17th century onward, the city remains the institutional and religious heart of Ü-Tsang province (the central Tibet historical region beyond Lhasa).
Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama and the seat of successive Panchen Lamas, is the largest functioning Gelugpa monastery in Tibet — the city's defining sight. The Sakya Monastery, 130 km southwest, is the seat of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Visits require the Tibet Travel Permit and a licensed-agency tour, the same as Lhasa. Standard 4-7 day Tibet itineraries from Lhasa include 1-2 nights in Shigatse.
What to see
- Tashilhunpo Monastery — seat of the Panchen Lama
- Shigatse Old Town and the daily Tibetan market
- Sakya Monastery (130 km southwest)
- Mt Everest Base Camp expedition launch (4-day extension)
What to eat
- Tibetan momos and thukpa noodle soup
- Yak butter tea
- Tsampa (roasted barley flour)
Getting there
Shigatse Peace (RKZ) airport — limited flights. Standard road from Lhasa as part of agency itinerary (5-6 hours).
Getting around
Walking + tour vehicle.
Where to stay
Hotels licensed for foreign guests near Tashilhunpo.
We list neighbourhoods, not specific hotels — we don't endorse hotels.
When to go
April–June, September–October.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥400 |
| Mid-range | ¥800 |
| Comfortable | ¥1700 |
Safety notes
Tibet Travel Permit and licensed-agency tour mandatory. Altitude 3,845m — most visitors arrive having already acclimatised at Lhasa (3,656m). Confirm current permit rules with your agency before flights.
Nearby attractions
Food of Southwestern China
- Baba Flatbread粑粑
Yunnan's daily flatbread — a thick wheat or rice-flour round cooked on a griddle and eaten plain or stuffed.
- Bang Bang Chicken棒棒鸡
Cold poached chicken shredded by hand, dressed in chilli oil, sesame paste and Sichuan peppercorn.
- Boiled Fish in Chilli Oil水煮鱼
Fish slices submerged in a deep pool of chilli oil and Sichuan peppercorns. Served bubbling.
- Chongqing Hotpot重庆火锅
The original mala hotpot — a simmering cauldron of beef tallow, Pixian doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorn for communal dipping.
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