It is the trendiest fashion to visit Tibet in winter. Although winter is an off season for Tibet tourism, you can also feel the passion of the snowy plateau.

Most people think that it is not great to visit Tibet in winter. Actually, Tibet is also very beautiful in winter. You can see the majestic snow mountains, vast plains and well-dresses Tibetan women. In addition, Tibet is not very cold in winter. The temperature is more than ten degrees during the day. It is sunny for most of the time in winter.

Tibet Landscape in Winter

The Most Popular Travel Destination in Tibet

In Tibet, you can choose to enjoy a leisure time in Lhasa, to hike along Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon and to see clouds at the foot of Everest.

Panchen’s Hometown – Shigatse

Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet. Shigatse, 355 kilometers away from Lhasa, is 3900 meters above sea level. In Shigatse, the number of sunshine hours, up to 3233 hours, is larger than that in Lhasa which is named as “City of Sunlight”. Shigatse is not only the Panchen’s hometown, but also the distribution center and transportation center of southwestern Tibet agricultural products. There are many famous monasteries in Shigatse, including Tashilhunpo Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Phalkor Monastery and Shalu Monastery. You can appreciate the past glories of many religious sects by visiting these temples.

Shigatse Landscape

Shigatse’s old town is square. A white flag is hung at the top of the door of every small courtyard. There are only a few Tibetan style buildings in Shigatse’s old district. In Shigatse, you can see some wild dogs lie leisurely to enjoy the sunshine or you see some wild dogs wait out of restaurants for a meal. In Tibetan people’s eyes, human and animals are equal. Killing living things is regarded as a sin by Tibetans.

Shigatse’s old town is square. A white flag is hung at the top of the door of every small courtyard. There are only a few Tibetan style buildings in Shigatse’s old district. In Shigatse, you can see some wild dogs lie leisurely to enjoy the sunshine or you see some wild dogs wait out of restaurants for a meal. In Tibetan people’s eyes, human and animals are equal. Killing living things is regarded as a sin by Tibetans.

Tashilhunpo Monastery

Nyingchi Lulang

Located in Nyingchi, Lulang still remains its original Tibetan style. In addition, it is situated at low altitude. Therefore, it is benefit for those people who come to the plateau for the first time. It takes about 7 hours to get to Lulang from Lhasa. When you reach Nyingchi, you can rent a car or take a bus to get to Lulang. On the way from Lhasa to Lulang, You will pass through Mount Sejila which is the best point to view Mount Namjagbarwa. You can hardly see Mount Namjagbarwain spring, summer and autumn. But, Mount Namjagbarwa can be easily seen in winter.

Beautiful Nyingchi Lulang

In Lulang, you can walk along the Yarlung Zangbo River and pass through Lulang Immense Forest. In winter, the color of the river water in Tibet is transparent blue and green, which seems extremely beautiful. Lulang’s Ishinabe Chicken and Ishinabe Fish are famous foods in Tibet. You are recommended to have a try.

Nanjiabawa Peak

City of Sunlight- Lhasa

Lhasa is much more modern than what we imaged. There are all kinds of cars running on the street. Stores and restaurants stand on both sides of the streets. Many different kinds of people gather here, including Tibetan people wearing Tibetan costumes, modern Lhasa youth and foreigners with a backpack.

Lhasa in Winter

Jokhang Temple was built in 647 AD, after Sontzen Gampo married with Nepal princess Bhrikuti and princess Wencheng. So far, Jokhang Temple has a history of more than one thousand and three hundred years. On the square which is in front of the temple, there are believers from all over the world prostrating to the temple with high devotion. Jokhang Temple does not receive money from Tibetans. Tibetans who come to pilgrimage will consciously wait in a long line. Some hold a ghee lamp; some carry plastic bags filled with ghee. The believers include young children, the elder and the youth. They constantly read the Six Words Proverb, ignoring tourists who are curiously looking at them.

Jokhang Temple

Barkhor Street is the center of the most distinctive ancient city in Lhasa. There are numerous traditional tourist handicraft articles and household items sold on Barkhor Street. This street is so prosperous because there are many tourists and pilgrims come here every day.

Most of the businessmen who run a business on Barkhor Street are local Tibetans. They sell a wide variety of ethnic handicrafts and national articles which are very popular with tourists, such as bone artifacts, gold and silver ornaments, ribbons, Tibetan knifes and sorts of small vessels.

Barkhor Street

Lhasa Travel Guide

Accommodation – Choose a Tibetan Inn

It is not creative to choose an ordinary hotel in Lhasa. Although youth hostels are cheap, it is not very comfortable. The best choice for your accommodation is a Tibetan Inn which can help you learn more about the local Tibet.

Lhasa Zuokanyunqi Inn is recommended here. Located on Xianzu Island, Lhasa Zuokanyunqi Inn is warm and comfortable, making guests feel at home. The inn is arranged warm and comfortable, makes you feel at home. The owner of this inn opens it because she likes Lhasa. This linear villa-style Tibetan Inn is a home where travelers can share their common interests and interesting journey. The owner will not only help travelers to design itineraries, but also provide car rental information and be a free tour guide for tourists. Lhasa Zuokanyunqi Inn is also an exchange platform for photography enthusiasts.

Tibet Inn

Dining – Try Some Local Food

Lhasa’s Deji Road, Baerku Road and Beijing Middle Road are traditional food streets. When you have a deep understanding of Lhasa, you will find that Lhasa’s food is beyond imagination. Although most foods in the food court of Yang Island are Sichuan dishes, they still have different characteristics. Some restaurants on Yang Island are very creative. For example, waiters of “People’s Commune” are dressed up as the Red Guards wearing red badges.

In Lhasa, you must taste the Tibetan meal. There is a popular Tibetan restaurant on the Najin Road. The delicious lamb chops will attract those people who don’t like mutton to have a try. On the busy Beijing East Road, there are also several native Tibetan restaurants with pure Tibetan style decoration. The guests are mostly Tibetans. Lhasa yogurt is fresh and pure. The yogurt tastes better if you add some honey in it.

Tibetan Restaurant

Enjoyment– Taste Tea at a Unique Teahouse

Go to the well-known Makya Ame？ No, there are too many tourists in Makya Ame. It is better to choose a smaller teahouse in Lhasa. For example, in a nearby alley, there is a sweet teahouse which is almost in the open air. Many local Tibetans will enjoy their leisure time at this sweet teahouse. How enjoyable it is to taste tea under the warm sun.

Tibet Sweet Teahouse

Entertainment – Kill Time in an Exotic Bar

You will not know how rich the night life in Lhasa is until you come to Lhasa. You can see the bar’s neon lights on the Beijing East Road twinkling from the east to the west. You are recommended to go to Kuyuma on the Danjielin road. Kuyuma is both a restaurant and a bar. There are some freehand Buddhist wall paintings on the wall and various kinds of Tibetan furniture and decoration in Kuyuma.

Tibet Bar

TIPS

It is possible for tourists to get high altitude sickness in Lhasa, especially those people who enter the plateau for the first time. Therefore, you are recommended to take measures to prevent high altitude sickness in advance. For example, you can eat rhodiola a week in advance. Do not do strenuous exercise at high altitude. If you go to Lhasa by plane, do not walk quickly or run when you get off the plane.

There are some necessities you must take with you when you travel in Lhasa, such as anti-altitude sickness drugs, cold medications, medicine for enterogastritis, sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm. Finally, remember to take warm clothes with you.