Shigatse Travel Guide

Shigatse (Xigaze), Tibet's second largest city, is slightly higher than Lhasa, at 3,900 metres, with an oxygen content of 67 percent and average annual temperatures are 16℃ in mid-summer and -5℃ in mid-winter.

Most visitors know it only as a stopover en route to Everest Base Camp, where overnighters often spend any extra time they might have zipping through Tashilumpo Monastery before moving on to Everest. This is too bad, because Shigatse is full of traditional Tibetan charm and culture. The busy city market is surprisingly full of fruits and vegetables, meats and grains as well as fine local handicrafts and artwork. The city's Tibetan inhabitants still tenaciously hang on to traditional ways.

If you're coming from Lhasa, Shigatse is even higher at 3,900 meters (15,600 feet) so drink lots of water and pace yourself to avoid altitude sickness and shortness of breath.

Major Attractions

Tashilumpo Monastery

Traditionally home to the Panchen Lama, the monastery was built in 1447. It miraculously escaped much cultural revolution-era destruction, so it's a refreshing sight for reconstruction.

Tashilumpo is large enough to seem like a small walled town, and there's plenty to see. Highlights include massive collections of jewels and gold Buddha statues, the Assembly Hall and its colorful unfurled thangkas, and the shrines and thrones of each of the Panchen Lamas, many of whom are buried on site. There are a few hundred resident monks.

Sakya Monastery

160km west of Shigatse. Sakya Monastery is composed of Southern and Northern Monasteries. The Northern Monastery was built in 1097 while the Southern Monastery in 1268. The Southern Monastery houses great amounts of cultural relics including the titles, seals, crowns, garments and ornaments awarded by the Yuan imperial court to the local officials, the statues of Buddha, ritual instruments and porcelains from the Song, Yuan and other later dynasties, and the precious murals of historical themes.

Also the monastery preserves great numbers of books such as the "Bakgyur", "Bstanggyur", Pattra-leaf scripture and other Tibetan classics on astronomy, geography, history, medicines and literature. Sakya is reputed as the "Tibetan Dunhuang", for its great amount of Mongolian fineries, porcelain, statues, fresco, precious Thangkas and original Buddhism Scriptures.

Rongbuk Monastery

Located at the foot of Mount Everest, Rongbuk has earned the title of the world's highest monastery standing at 4,980 meters high. It might go without saying, the views of Mount Everest from within are spectacular.

The monastery, originally built in 1902 by Nyingma Lama, housed more than 500 monks but today, just 50 monks and nuns remain. Renovated in 1983, the monastery has a wonderful collection of murals and paintings adorning the walls.

It is now possible for travelers to stay at the monastery (the rooms are quite basic even bad) or pitch a tent outside. There is a small shop and a good restaurant also located on site. Located just two hours (by foot) from Everest Base Camp, the hike through the valleys and alongside the world's tallest mountain is a breathtaking and memorable hike. Or you can drive alongside hikers and arrive at Base Camp in about 15 minutes.

Mount Everest

Bounded on the east by the deep gorge of the Bum-chu (Arun) River and on the west by that of the Matsang Tsangpo (Sunkosi) are some of the world's highest mountains of the East Himalayan range, forming a natural barrier between Tibet and Nepal.

Clustered together in close proximity, there comprise: Makalu (8,463m), Lhotse (8,501m), Everest, known locally as Qomolangma or Jomo Gangkar (8,848m), Bumo Ritse (7,068m), Jowo Oyuk (8,153m), Jowo Guru or Menlungtse (7,181m), and Jowo Tseringma or Gauri Shangkar (7,148m).

There are stunningly beautiful treks in the environs of each of there peaks, and among them, those around Mount Everest are particularly well known.

Zhangmu

A border town, perches on a mountainside 10km inland from the Friendship Bridge across the Bhotekoshi River (Sun Kosi River). The small town has become the major trading post between Tibet and Nepal. The subtropical oceanic climate endows the small town a warm, and humid weather and beautiful scenery throughout the year. The only street snakes through the small border town.

The booming border trade attracts merchants from Mainland China, Tibet and Nepal running business here. Nepalese merchants export rice, flour, pepper, vegetables, and perfumes while Chinese merchants sell wool, tea, salt and Tibetan medicine. Nepalese even run Nepalese restaurants in the small town, serving Nepalese dishes, instant noodles and beer produced in Nepal. Based on the agreement between Chinese and Nepalese governments, people living near the border may cross the border freely within 30 kilometers from the border.

How to Get in?

BY ROAD

Road from Lhasa to Shigates is paved very well. One way distance is 280km, but the driving speed is limited by the regulation.

Best Time to Come

All year round, you can come to Shigates. The best season is from June to October.