With incredible blue sky, stunning alpine landscapes, holy monasteries, and pious pilgrims, Tibet is a paradise for photographers. As the spiritual heart of Tibet, Lhasa is every photographer’s dream destination to capture the soul of Tibet through your lens.

From awe-inspiring Potala Palace to fascinating Barkhort Street filled with prostrating pilgrims and diverse street vendors, Lhasa offers you endless subjects for portrait, landscape, architecture, street, or even wildlife photography.

So, in this travel guide, we share the best spots and insider tips to help you plan a perfect one-day photography tour in Lhasa.

Lhasa Is a Photographer’s Dream for Stunning Light & Endless Subjects

Lhasa is not just the ultimate destination for pilgrimage to Tibetan pilgrims, but also a mecca for global photographers of all kinds. And it’s easy to see why!

Known as “the City of Sunshine”, Lhasa sits at an altitude of 3,650m and boasts over 3,000 hours of sunshine each year. Blessed with bright blue skies and zero air and light pollution, Lhasa offers you magical ambient light for photography that can’t be found anywhere else.

Especially at sunrise and sunset when the sunlight bathes Lhasa City in a soft, golden glow, it offers you the perfect opportunity to capture dramatic shots of the iconic Potala Palace with snow-capped mountains, holy monasteries, and vibrant ancient Lhasa streets in the serene Lhasa Valley.

Beyond its magical light, Lhasa has endless subjects to photograph, making your creative juices flow like never before. From devoted pilgrims and intriguing local Tibetan life on bustling Barkhor Street to sacred Tibetan monasteries, mysterious palaces, fascinating old Lhasa quarter, enchanting Lhasa Valley, and surrounding holy lakes, Lhasa provides you with an endless source of inspiration for photography.

The fortress-like Potala Palace bathed in golden sunlight in the morning in Lhasa.

4 Best Spots to Capture Lhasa’s Highlights: Potala, Barkhor, Sera, Drepung

Whether you are a first-timer in Lhasa or a returning photographer, the Potala Palace, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery, and Drepung Monastery remain the four best spots to capture the quintessential Lhasa experiences.

Perched on the “Red Hill” with a commanding view of the sweeping Lhasa city, the majestic Potala Palace (3,700m) is the most iconic landmark and one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Lhasa.

Built in the 7th century AD, the Potala Palace served as the Winter Palace for ten Dalai Lamas. Its photogenic White and Red Palaces and golden roof are a must-photograph subject in Lhasa. Learn the top 7 spots to capture Potala Palace in Lhasa.

For portrait and street photography in Lhasa, the teeming Barkhor Street is your go-to choice. This 1km famous pilgrim circuit encircling the holy Jokhang Temple, the holiest Buddhist site in Lhasa, is the center of pilgrimage and trade in downtown Lhasa.

Here, you can capture the pious pilgrims, both young and old, prostrating along Barkhor Street or walking the kora in a clockwise direction while spinning Tibetan prayer wheels and chanting Buddhist mantras. Besides, the old Barkhor Bazaar selling antiques, traditional Tibetan clothes, handicrafts, and daily necessities offers you unlimited subjects to document exotic local Tibetan life through your lens. Learn more about Barkhor Street market.

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Photograph devoted Tibetan pilgrims and intriguing local Tibetan life at bustling Barkhor Street in Lhasa.

Next, another highlight of a Lhasa tour is watching the dramatic Tibetan monk debate at Sera Monastery in the afternoon. As an integral part of Tibetan Buddhist practice, monks deepen their understanding of Buddhist teachings through intense debate. The dynamic movements of the debate, such as yelling, jumping, rolling mala, or clapping hands, create excellent photo opportunities.

What’s more, Lhasa is home to one of the largest Geluga Monasteries—Drepung Monastery. Built to accommodate up to 7,000 monks, this immense monastery is filled with photo opportunities in this gigantic Buddhist Academy.

From huge rocks with gigantic Buddhist mantras and vivid Tibetan master Tsongkhapa paintings to solemn Buddhist halls, monk’s colleges, and sprawling monastery compound, and an amazing vista of Lhasa Valley from its top, Drepung Monastery is a hidden gem for all photographers.

BTW, don’t miss out on photo opportunities during the Shoton Festival held in Drepung Monastery in August in Lhasa where the huge Tibetan Thangka will be unfolded on the tremendous Thangka wall and followed by Yogurt banquet and Tibetan opera performance in Norbulingka.

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Tour Route: Lhasa

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Capture grand Tibetan Thangka unfolding ceremony at Drepung Monastery during Shoton Festival in Lhasa.

Best One-day Photography Itinerary in Lhasa: When & Where to Shoot

Being at the right place at the right time is of primary importance for any Lhasa photography tour. As a local Tibet travel agency, we provide you with our local photography experts and convenient local transfer services to help you capture Lhasa in its full glory at the perfect moments. Check out our expertly designed four photography sessions throughout a day in Lhasa below:

Daybreak: Capture the Sunrise over Potala Palace (06:30 - 08:30)

The sunrise in Lhasa is around 07:00. So, have an early rise for breakfast and enjoy our local transfer to Chakpori Hill and hike to the viewing platform and have your tripod and camera set.

Around 7:00 AM, capture the sunrise over Potala Palace in the soft morning light. Next, we head to capture Tibetan pilgrims walking the kora around the Potala Palace and move to Zongjiao Lukang Park to shoot the imposing Potala Palace from behind.

Morning: Enjoy Street Photography at Barkhor Street (09:00 - 11:00)

Get transferred to Barkhor Street at around 09:00, which is one of the best times to capture pilgrims walking the kora at Barkhor Street in the early morning.

Around 11:00, we will have a rest at the famous Guangming Gangqiong Teahouse where you can enjoy Tibetan Sweet tea and other local Tibetan snacks and soak up the unique local Tibetan life there.

Then, you can roam over the old Lhasa quarter around Barkhor Street to photograph the old Barkhor Bazaar. At noon, our local experts will take you to their favorite local restaurants to enjoy traditional Tibetan or Western cuisine.

Afternoon: Sera Monastery Debates & Drepung Monastery Sunset (14:00 - 18:00)

Later, get transferred to explore Sera Monastery. At 15:00, head to the debate courtyard to witness and photograph dramatic Tibetan monk debates.

Next, travel to Drepung Monastery to photograph the sprawling temple buildings, and Coqen Hall, and explore monks’ dormitories. We will enjoy the kora route to the top of Drepung Monastery to wait for the sunset. Then, capture the sunset over Drepung Monastery with a stunning panoramic view of the monastery and Lhasa Valley. Learn the 7 best spots to photograph Mt. Kailash in Tibet.

Evening: Night Photography (19:00 - 21:00)

After dinner, we will head to Potala Palace Square and Nanshan Park to capture the night view of Potala Palace from different perspectives before going back to the hotel and calling it a day.

Our guests capture the majestic Potala Palace in Nanshan Park in Lhasa.

Don't Miss a Day Trip to Yamdrok Lake for Stunning Shots

Within 2hours’ drive from downtown Lhasa, the turquoise Yamdrok Lake, one of the top three holy lakes in Tibet, is well worth a day trip for shooting a stunning lake. The crystal-clear turquoise waters, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, create a breathtaking scene for you to photograph from every angle.

As a local Tibet travel agency, we can offer you an in-depth one-day photography tour of Yamdrok Lake from Lhasa. Not only can you capture Yamdrok Lake from a 360° view at the best viewing platforms, but also visit local Tibetan villages along the lakeshore and be a guest at a Tibetan family restaurant to enjoy homemade dishes.

Besides, you also get a rare chance to photograph the off-the-beaten monastery tucked away at the heart of Yamdrok Lake from different perspectives. What an icing on the cake for your Lhasa photography tour! Learn the photographic guide to holy lakes in Tibet.

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Capture stunning holy Yamdrok Lake from 360° view in our in-depth Lhasa to Yamdrok Lake photography tour.

3 Lenses Recommended for Capturing Lhasa’s Beauty

Since Tibetan monasteries and snowy peaks are often at a great distance, for a tight composition and closer shots, the first lens we recommend is the 70-200mm F2.8 telephoto lens. It is the most versatile lens for you to get close-up shots of prostrating pilgrims from a respectful distance while also making distant objects appear more prominent in your frame.

Besides, the standard 24-70mm F2.8 Zoom Lens is another all-rounder for day-to-day shots in Lhasa City and landscape photography around Lhasa Valley. With this lens, you can easily switch from wide shots to portraits, which is extremely helpful for shooting Tibetan monasteries and street photography at Barkhor Street.

Last, but not least, it’s great to carry a lightweight 35mm F1.4 prime lens for the Lhasa photography tour. A 35mm prime lens has exceptional image quality and allows you to enjoy a maximum F1.4 aperture to shoot in lower light situations, such as dimly-lit Tibetan monasteries and the night view of Potala Palace. Highly recommended!

Our guests use a telescope lens for photography in Lhasa.

More Insider Tips for a Seamless Lhasa Photography Experience

Since Lhasa has a high altitude of 3,650 meters, please don’t rush to explore and photograph Lhasa Street immediately upon your arrival in Lhasa. It is advisable to take it show by having a good rest at your hotel and giving your body time to adapt to the new altitude.

Due to the powerful UV light in Lhasa, bringing sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and high-SPF sunscreen is essential, especially when you’re spending long hours shooting outdoors.

In most cases, photo-taking is strictly forbidden inside Tibetan monasteries and other sacred Buddhist sites. If you are unsure of this, always consult your guide first. Besides, don’t photograph holy Buddhist statues or funeral stupas because it is considered disrespectful.

Besides, at high altitudes, your camera’s battery can drain faster, so it’s always a good idea to carry extra batteries and additional memory cards for backup purposes.

If you plan to take long-exposure shots for Lhasa River or Yamdrok Lake, an ND filter is needed to reduce the amount of light entering your lens. So, you can drop your shutter speed to the ideal level for those ethereal effects.

Finally, not all Tibetans are used to being photographed, esp. the prostrating pilgrims or when they are in prayer. Always ask for permission before taking close-up portraits of locals, and be respectful of their wishes. Alternatively, you can use a telescope lens to shoot them from a respectful distance.

Our guests photograph local Lhasa residents with their permission.

Conclusion

With stunning ambient light on the Tibetan Plateau and endless subjects for photography, Lhasa draws global photographers for an unparalleled Lhasa photography tour. As a local Tibet travel agency, we can help you secure the Tibet Travel Permit and book quality local hotels, and arrange local photography guides and local transfers to ensure you an immersive photography tour in Lhasa.

If you have more questions about photography in Lhasa and beyond, please feel free to email us for free and expert travel consultation. Looking forward to taking photos with you in Tibet soon, Tashi Delek!