Potala Palace Lhasa: Tickets, Altitude & What to Expect Inside

ByRui Yu Itineraries
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The Potala Palace in Lhasa sits at 3,700 metres and has 999 rooms. Tickets are limited and must be booked days in advance. Here is how to visit and what to expect at altitude.

potala palace lhasa

You fly from Chengdu to Lhasa at 7:30 AM. The Tibet Tourism Bureau manages all foreign entry permits to the region. The plane climbs over the clouds and then descends toward a plateau that stretches to every horizon. The Potala Palace appears below you, impossibly white and red, rising from a hill in the center of a city. You understand immediately why this place meant what it did.

At 3,700 metres, your first instinct on landing is to run toward it. Resist that. Give yourself two days before you attempt the stairs. For the Tibet permit required to be here: Tibet Travel Permit Guide. For altitude preparation: Altitude Sickness guide.

Key Takeaways

  • Daily quota: 2,300 tickets. Books out in peak season (May to October). Book through your agency.
  • Time limit inside: 1 hour. Strictly enforced.
  • Do not visit on your first day. Acclimatize for 24 to 48 hours first.
  • Walk slowly on the steps. Even fit travelers get breathless. There is no embarrassment in taking 20 steps and stopping.
  • Jokhang Temple and Barkhor are equally essential. Do not skip them for the Potala.
  • Photography restricted inside most halls. Check signs at each room entrance.

Planning Your Visit

Getting tickets

Your Tibet travel agency should book the Potala Palace ticket as part of your package. Confirm this explicitly before paying. If it is not included, have the agency add it. Tickets are non-transferable and tied to your passport number. The daily opening is usually 9:00 AM to noon and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, but check with your agency for current hours.

When to go

Morning session (9:00 AM to noon) is better for photography: cleaner light, the golden rooftops catch the sun, and the crowds are lower than the afternoon. Arrive 15 minutes early to join the queue at the entrance gate.

The climb

The main entrance from Shol Square involves a long gradual ramp followed by multiple steep stairways inside the palace. The total height gain from the base to the highest accessible terrace is around 100 metres. At 3,700 metres, this is equivalent to climbing harder than it sounds at sea level. Walk at the pace of the slowest person in your group. There is a bypass elevator for visitors with medical conditions.

Inside the Palace

The White Palace

Built in 1645 by the 5th Dalai Lama. Former administrative and residential quarters. The East and West Main Halls are the main spaces accessible to visitors. The 7th Dalai Lama’s throne and sleeping quarters can be viewed.

The Red Palace

The most sacred section. Contains the burial stupas of eight Dalai Lamas. The largest, dedicated to the 5th Dalai Lama, is covered in 3,700 kg of gold and embedded with jewels. The scale is astonishing. Photography is prohibited in most rooms of the Red Palace.

What Else to Do in Lhasa

SiteWhat It IsTime Needed
Jokhang TempleThe holiest temple in Tibetan Buddhism. Gold roof. Always full of pilgrims.1.5 to 2 hours
Barkhor CircuitThe pilgrim circuit around Jokhang. Best at dawn and dusk.45 minutes for one loop
Sera MonasteryActive monastery. Monk debate 3pm-5pm daily except Sunday.2 hours total
NorbulingkaFormer Dalai Lama summer palace. Peaceful gardens.1.5 hours
Drepung MonasteryOne of the world’s largest monasteries. Former home to 10,000 monks.2 to 3 hours

Frequently Asked Questions

Through your Tibet travel agency. The daily visitor quota is 2,300 tickets and they regularly sell out in peak season. Your agency should include Potala Palace tickets in your tour package. Confirm this before booking. Individual ticket purchase is through a Chinese online system that requires a verified Chinese account. Foreigners cannot easily buy directly.

One hour. The timed-entry system strictly limits visitor time inside the main palace halls. This is shorter than most visitors expect. Plan to arrive early and spend additional time at the Potala Square outside, which has no time limit.

Yes for most visitors on their first or second day in Lhasa. The palace has hundreds of steps and you are at 3,700 metres. Walk slowly. Stop often. Do not attempt the climb on your first day in Tibet. Give yourself at least 24 to 48 hours of acclimatization in Lhasa before visiting.

Former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. Contains chapels, assembly halls, and burial stupas of previous Dalai Lamas encased in gold. The most important rooms are the Red Palace (religious halls and stupas) and the White Palace (residential quarters). Photography is restricted inside most halls.

Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor circuit are equally important and arguably more atmospheric. The Jokhang is the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism. The Barkhor is the circular street around it, always full of pilgrims doing kora (ritual circumambulation). Sera Monastery’s monk debate (daily 3pm to 5pm) is one of the most extraordinary things to witness in Tibet.

For the Tibet permit: Tibet Travel Permit Guide. For altitude sickness preparation: Altitude Sickness in China. For Tibet in a 3-week itinerary: 3-Week China Itinerary.

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