Barkhor Street/Kora in Lhasa, Tibet

Lying in the Lhasa Old Town, Barkhor Street or Bakuo Street, reputed as the “heart of Lhasa”, is the most famous pilgrimage circuit and bustling bazaar in Lhasa.

Originally, Barkhor Street was just the single circumanbulation around Jokhang Monastery and called as “Holy Road” by local Tibetans. But now, it has gradually expended into the large old-fashioned neighborhoods around the Jokhang Temple, consisting of Barkhor East Street, Barkhor West Street, Barkhor South Street and Barkhor North Street. With the circumference of about 1000 meters, this ring road has 35 backstreets and alleys, preserving the traditional appearance and living style of the ancient Lhasa city. Around here, you step into a time warp, catching glimpses of what life must have been like centuries or even a millennium ago.

Whenever you come, you can also encounter the devout pilgrims walking clockwise around Barkhor Kora with pray wheel spinning in hand or prostrating themselves with Buddhist mantras murmuring. Roaming around the street, you must be fascinated by the various kinds of traditional Tibetan costumes and exotic handicrafts from Nepal, India, Bhutan and surrounding countries. Besides, you can find the best Lhasa restaurants and mouthwatering food hidden in Barkhor circumanbulation, such as Makye Ame, Guangming Sweet Teahouse, and so on. By the way, apart from the prestigious Jokhang Temple, there are lots of off-the-beaten-track attractions along the Barkhor circuit, like Qing Government in Tibet Grand Minister Administrative City Former Site, Gendun Choephel Memorial Hall, etc.

To put it simply, Barkhor Street is a lively combination of local neighborhood, pilgrim circuit, marketplace, restaurants and historical sites. Please follow our in-depth guide below and make the most of Barkhor Street tour.

To make sure you can enjoy the best Barkhor Street travel experience available, we kindly prepare the latest and most easy-to-use Barkhor Street travel and tour guides below for you. From Barkhor Kora and pilgrimage circuit to Barkhor Street Market and Bazaar, etc., you can follow the insider’s tips and won’t miss a tour highlight when visiting the most vibrant street in Lhasa.