Potala Palace布达拉宫
The thirteen-storey palace above Lhasa: timed tickets, the climb at altitude and what you will see inside.
Photo: cattan2011 · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
- Time needed
- About 1 hour inside; 2–3 hours including the climb
- Best time
- After two or three days of acclimatisation in Lhasa.
- Nearest base
- Lhasa
About Potala Palace
The present Potala Palace was built from 1645 under the Fifth Dalai Lama on the site of an earlier palace. The White Palace held living quarters and offices; the Red Palace contains chapels and the gilded tombs of past Dalai Lamas.
Visits are timed, with a limited time inside, and tickets are arranged through your Tibet agency. The approach involves several hundred steps at around 3,700 m — take it slowly.
Tickets and getting there
- Booking
- Arranged by your licensed agency with your passport and Tibet Travel Permit. Daily visitor numbers are capped, especially in summer.
- How to get there
- Central Lhasa, a short drive or walk from the Barkhor.
Almost every major sight in China books by passport number. See what to set up before you fly.
Highlights
- Red Palace chapels — Tombs of the Dalai Lamas.
- White Palace — Former living quarters.
- Kora path — Walk the pilgrim circuit around the base with prayer wheels.
Field notes
- Photography is not allowed inside the halls. Bring water and a little cash for offerings if you wish.
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FAQ
Can I visit the Potala Palace without a guide?
No. Foreign visitors to Tibet must be with a licensed guide, who accompanies you to the entrance and arranges your timed ticket.
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