Top 13 Things to Do in Lhasa

Lhasa, known as the “Holy City,” is the spiritual heart of Tibet. From magnificent palaces and ancient monasteries to everyday scenes of local life, the city offers endless discoveries. If you’re wondering what to see in Lhasa and what to do in Lhasa, these 13 carefully chosen experiences highlight the city’s most meaningful sights and activities, whether you’re a pilgrim or a curious traveler. Each one centers on an essential thing to do in Lhasa, often paired with a nearby walk, viewpoint, or local activity that can be added if time allows.

1. Explore the Potala Palace, with a panoramic view from Yaowang Mountain

As the highest ancient palace complex in the world that combines a palace, fortress, and temple, the Potala Palace is the landmark of Lhasa. Since the 7th century, it has served as the winter residence of successive Dalai Lamas. The grand structure is divided into two main parts — the White Palace and the Red Palace. The White Palace once functioned as the living quarters and administrative center of the Dalai Lamas, while the Red Palace enshrines the stupas of past Dalai Lamas and houses numerous precious statues, murals, and scriptures. Climbing the Potala Palace is an unforgettable experience — as you ascend the winding stone steps, the entire city of Lhasa and the distant snow-capped mountains unfold before your eyes in magnificent view. 

For a different perspective, visit Yaowang Mountain Observation Deck, directly opposite the Potala Palace. From here, you can enjoy a classic panoramic view of the entire palace — one of Lhasa’s most iconic photo spots.

2. Worship at Jokhang Temple, with the option to join the Barkhor kora

Located in the heart of Barkhor Street, Jokhang Temple was built by King Songtsen Gampo over 1,300 years ago and holds the highest spiritual status in Tibetan Buddhism. It enshrines the life-size statue of 12-year-old Sakyamuni, the most sacred object for pilgrims, and stepping inside reveals a solemn atmosphere shaped by centuries of unwavering devotion. In the early morning, golden sunlight falls on devotees as they prostrate, turn prayer wheels, and offer butter lamps, creating one of Lhasa’s most moving spiritual scenes.

If you are interested, you can join Tibetans in the kora, walking clockwise around Jokhang Temple along the Barkhor circuit while chanting and spinning prayer wheels. This simple act of circumambulation offers a quiet yet powerful insight into everyday Tibetan Buddhist practice.

3. Experience monastic life at Drepung Monastery, with a visit to Nechung

As the largest monastery in Tibet and the most important of the Gelug school, Drepung Monastery is named "heap of rice” for its whitewashed buildings scattered across the hillside. Once home to over ten thousand monks, it served as the Dalai Lama's residence before the construction of the Potala Palace. Today, visitors can wander through its vast courtyards, prayer halls, and chapels, where the chanting of monks still echoes through ancient walls. It is an ideal place to learn about Tibetan Buddhism's history, teachings, and monastic life. From its slopes, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Lhasa. During the annual Shoton Festival, a giant thangka of Buddha is unfurled on the hillside, drawing countless pilgrims and visitors to witness this grand and sacred spectacle. 

At the foot of Drepung Monastery stands Nechung Monastery, known for its protector deity worship and traditional oracle rituals, offering insight into Tibetan spiritual traditions beyond monastic Buddhism.

4. Walk from Sera Monastery to Pabonka Monastery, a gentle cultural hike

Sera Monastery is one of the three great monasteries of Lhasa and is widely considered one of the city’s most beautiful Tibetan Buddhist temples. Founded in the early 15th century, it sits on a quiet hillside north of Lhasa, where white and yellow walls, golden roofs, old trees, and peaceful courtyards create a calm, contemplative atmosphere. Its assembly halls, monastic colleges, and shaded stone paths make it a rewarding place to explore at a relaxed pace. Sera is also known for its monk debates, held in the courtyards. While the debates reflect monastic learning, many visitors are equally drawn by the monastery’s setting and architecture.

After visiting Sera Monastery, you can walk for about 15–30 minutes to the nearby Pabangka Monastery. This is one of the oldest temples in Lhasa. It is located on a rocky hillside and overlooks the city of Lhasa. It is especially charming in spring when the peach blossoms are in bloom. Visitors who like hiking can also extend the route into a light hike of about 4-5 hours, walking along the valley and hillside trails, passing by less crowded and quiet spiritual sites, and experiencing the quiet side of northern Lhasa in a natural and religious atmosphere.

5. Stroll through Norbulingka, with time at the Tibet Museum

Norbulingka, the former summer palace and garden of successive Dalai Lamas, blends Tibetan architecture with Qing dynasty garden design. Its “New Palace" combines monastery-like serenity with palace elegance, featuring intricate woodwork, colorful murals, and spacious halls. Visitors can stroll along tree-lined paths, explore pavilions and courtyards, and enjoy seasonal flower displays, experiencing both Lhasa's cultural heritage and natural beauty.

Directly opposite Norbulingka is the Tibet Museum, a national first-class museum in traditional Tibetan style. It offers a concise yet vivid overview of the region’s history, art, and religion, and from its terrace, visitors can enjoy sweeping views of Lhasa and the Potala Palace — making it both an educational and scenic stop.

6. Visit Ganden Monastery, combined with a kora walk on Mount Wangbur

Ganden Monastery, the founding monastery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, was established by Tsongkhapa in the 15th century and sits along the ridge of Mount Wangbur on the outskirts of Lhasa. Built into the mountainside, its red-and-white buildings cascade down the slopes, creating a grand and open setting. Visitors can explore the main assembly hall, Tsongkhapa’s stupa hall, and the monastic colleges to gain insight into Gelug teachings and monastic life.

Walking clockwise along the monastery’s outer kora route also offers a gentle hike up Mount Wangbur, with rewarding views over the Lhasa River valley and surrounding mountains, where religion and landscape come together naturally.

7. Explore Drak Yerpa’s cliff temples, including ancient meditation caves

Drak Yerpa is one of Tibet’s four major meditation sites, with a history of about 1,500 years. Tradition holds that King Songtsen Gampo built a monastery here for his queen, Mangza Chi Tsun, and also meditated at the site. In the 8th century, Guru Padmasambhava established 108 meditation caves along the cliffs. Built into steep mountain slopes, caves set deep into the rock and others projecting outward combine with red-and-white temple buildings to form a striking cliffside monastery, where prayer flags create a solemn, tranquil atmosphere.

Visitors can enter some open caves to sit quietly and experience the meditative calm that has drawn practitioners here for centuries. Walking along the mountain paths also offers views of valleys and distant snow-capped peaks, making a visit to Drak Yerpa both a cultural highlight and a moment of reflection.

8. Visit Canggu Nunnery, and pause for Tibetan sweet tea

Canggu Nunnery, located on Lin’kor South Alley in Lhasa’s old town, is the city's only nunnery and is renowned for its peaceful religious atmosphere and historical significance. The main hall faces south and houses a statue of the Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara, as well as figures of King Songtsen Gampo and the monastery's founder, Pabongka Dekyö Ningbu. Of particular note is the meditation cave on the ground floor, where dedicated nuns chant, pray, and maintain lamps and offerings daily, continuing a centuries-old tradition of practice.

Visitors can stroll through the flower-filled courtyards and experience the nuns' tea house. The open-air tea pavilion at the entrance serves rich Tibetan sweet tea and is a gathering spot for locals, allowing visitors to relax and immerse themselves in the authentic daily life of Lhasa and the devotional world of female practitioners.

10. Taste Tibetan tea and local cuisine, in Lhasa’s teahouses and eateries

Lhasa’s daily life unfolds in its teahouses and eateries, where sacred traditions blend naturally with everyday routines. Along Barkhor Street, locals gather in cozy teahouses to enjoy butter tea, a creamy, lightly salted staple often paired with tsampa or Tibetan noodles for breakfast. Guangming Teahouse offers a chance to observe this local ritual and soak in the city’s authentic atmosphere.

Tibetan cuisine is equally central to the experience. Near Jokhang Temple, restaurants like Snowland and Lhasa Kitchen serve Tibetan, Nepali, and Indian dishes, including fried lamb chops, mutton soup, and yogurt cake. In the evening, unwind at Namaste or Dunya with a glass of lightly sweet Lhasa beer, and enjoy the relaxed rhythm of the city after dark.

11. Enjoy a traditional Linka picnic, with seasonal mushroom picking

In Tibetan, “Linka” means garden and also refers to outdoor leisure activities like picnics and day trips, a favorite pastime for locals. The best time to visit is July and August, when the weather is warm and the landscape lush. In villages like Sangmu, just outside Lhasa, flowing streams, green fields, and traditional farmhouses create a picturesque, pastoral scene. Visitors may even be invited into local homes to taste authentic Tibetan dishes, gaining a glimpse of daily life and culinary traditions.

Beyond picnicking, mushroom picking is a popular summer activity, especially after rain. Families often head to Dazhong Village or forests near Linzhou County, where children and adults alike enjoy gathering mushrooms amidst the tranquil woodland. Linka excursions are a perfect way to relax, experience local culture, and enjoy Tibet’s peaceful landscapes beyond the city streets.

12. Cycle around Lhasa, from river paths to hillside monasteries

Cycling in Lhasa is like watching a thangka slowly unfold—each route revealing layers of history and natural beauty. Some paths trace classic circuits around the holy city, highlighting its religious landmarks and historic streets, while others wind through hidden valleys, leading riders into secluded corners of Tibetan life and landscape.

Take a leisurely ride along the Lhasa River to catch the sunset over the city, or challenge yourself on the trails up to Pabonka Monastery, the birthplace of Tibetan script, for a mix of history and rugged mountain scenery. For a more tranquil escape, pedal out to Garu Monastery, where rolling fields, traditional villages, and distant snow-capped peaks offer a glimpse of Lhasa’s serene outskirts. Cycling here is not just exercise—it’s a journey through the city’s soul, where every turn brings a new perspective of Tibet.

13. Walk Barkhor Street, engaging with traditional Tibetan handicrafts

Barkhor Street is one of the most lively places in Lhasa, offering a close look at the city’s daily rhythm. Encircling Jokhang Temple, it is lined with thangka studios, incense shops, wool workshops, and small stalls selling traditional Tibetan handicrafts, alongside antiques and goods from Nepal and India. Monks, pilgrims, locals, and visitors move through the street together, creating a vivid scene of old-city life.

More than a marketplace, Barkhor is a space for cultural exchange. Step into a thangka shop to learn about painting techniques and mineral pigments, or visit an incense store to hear how different blends are used in daily worship. Bargaining is part of local custom, usually ending through friendly conversation. Walking Barkhor Street is therefore not just shopping, but a cultural immersion into Tibetan craftsmanship, belief, and the authentic pulse of Lhasa.

Conclusion

Lhasa is a city where history, culture, and daily life come together. From palaces and ancient monasteries to bustling streets, teahouses, and hillside trails, there is always something to see and do. Visiting sacred sites, hiking to monasteries, sampling Tibetan cuisine, or exploring local crafts all offer a deeper understanding of the city’s spiritual heart. These 13 experiences capture Lhasa’s essence, inviting travelers to embrace its heritage and traditions.