Potala Palace Height: How to Avoid Altitude Sickness When Visiting Potala Palace?

As a pearl on the Tibetan Plateau, the Potala Palace has appealed to countless people to witness its majesty and beauty. Towering on the Red Hill, Potala Palace is honored as the highest palace in the world with an elevation of 3,700 meters which mainly comprises two parts: Red Palace and White Palace. To reach the palace, tourists also need to climb long steep steps. For many first travelers to Tibet, this could be a tough task on such an elevation.

To ensure an enjoyable visit to the Potala Palace, here are some helpful tips to consider before your trip.

1. What’s the altitude of the Potala Palace?

Lhasa is at 3,650 meters above sea level. The Potala Palace, located on Red Hill in the city center, stands even higher at 3,700 meters. Renowned as the highest-altitude palace in the world, the Potala Palace has 13 floors and rises about 119 meters from its base to the top roof.

Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, the Potala Palace is the highest palace in the world.

2. Is it easy to get altitude sickness when visiting the Potala Palace?

It’s common for tourists to encounter discomfort when first coming to Tibet because of the high altitude. Generally, it’s called altitude sickness, which is medically referred to as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). It is a possible uncomfortable pathological reaction in high-altitude regions where the air pressure is low and oxygen is thin. It generally develops at elevations higher than 2,400 meters above sea level. 

For most tourists flying to Lhasa from other cities in the mainland of China or Kathmandu in Nepal, it is easy to experience altitude sickness due to the rapid increase in elevation to 3,650 meters upon arrival.

Generally, it’s not recommended to visit the Potala Palace on your first day of arrival, as your body needs some time to adjust to the high altitude. With long steep steps to climb, the trip to the Potala Palace can be hard. Therefore, it’s best to spend 1 or 2 days before visiting the Potala Palace to acclimate to the altitude. This will help ensure your body adjusts and reduce the risk of altitude sickness in Tibet, allowing you to fully enjoy this highlight of Tibetan culture.

4 Days Lhasa Impression Small Group Tour: Explore the Heart of Tibet and Mingle with the Locals

Tour Route: Lhasa

Price from USD509 p.p

3. Health Considerations Before Visiting the Potala Palace

It’s suggested to make some preparations before entering Tibet and take prompt action to cope with the high altitude sickness during your trip, so that you will better enjoy your Potala Palace tour in Lhasa.

Before you arrive in Tibet, you can take a physical examination and consult your doctor if you are fit enough for a Tibet tour. For safety and health, some people can not visit Tibet, especially those with some diseases. People with serious heart disease should not go to Tibet, and people with light heart troubles must follow their doctor's advice, as should people with high or low blood pressure. Moreover, if you are suffering from a cold, do not hurry to head to Tibet since it will only make things worse and aggravate the high altitude sickness.

Take a physical examination for Tibet tour

It is also important to keep physically and mentally healthy for your trip to Tibet. The high altitude sickness usually can heal itself by eventually acclimatizing your body to the altitude, air pressure, and temperatures. So do not be too nervous about the sickness. Just take it easy, and learn more knowledge about altitude sickness to eliminate your fear and avoid excessive mental stress.

4. How to acclimate to the altitude of the Potala Palace?

For those who are newly arrived in Tibet, the risk of altitude sickness is higher while the body acclimatizes to the increased altitudes. To better acclimate to the altitude of Lhasa and the Potala Palace, there are a few things you can do.

If you have enough time, you can travel from lower elevations to Lhasa gradually. One of the popular routes is to get to Xining (2,275 meters) first, and then take a Tibet train from Xining to Lhasa. In this way, you can adapt to the 2,000-meter altitude in Xining first, and then take the train all the way to Lhasa.

9 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tour with Tibet Train Experience

Tour Route: Train from Xining - Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Lhasa

Price from USD p.p

Taking an overland trip to Tibet is an excellent way to acclimate to the altitude of Tibet. Typically, an overland journey to Tibet takes over a week, with the elevation rising gradually along the route. By the time you arrive in Lhasa, your body will have had sufficient time to adjust to the high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau. Therefore, you will not have any discomfort with the altitude of the world’s highest palace.

10 Days Ultimate Chengdu to Lhasa Overland Tour via Litang, Ranwu Lake, and Basum Tso Lake

Tour Route: Chengdu - Yajiang - Litang - Mangkang - Baxoi - Bome - Nyingchi - Lhasa

Price from USD1990 p.p

If you choose to fly directly to Lhasa, it is advisable to spend a few days in the city to help your body adjust to the high altitude, especially if you plan to visit Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash, or some other higher locations in Tibet. Avoid visiting the Potala Palace on your day of arrival. Instead, allocate at least 3 days for a Lhasa tour, including a visit to the Potala Palace.

5. How to prevent altitude sickness while visiting the Potala Palace?

In addition to adapting to the high altitude environment in advance, there are also some measures to prevent altitude sickness while visiting Lhasa and the Potala Palace.

First of all, you need to walk slowly. Walking at a high altitude is more demanding than walking at the same pace at sea level. Since your body is struggling to provide oxygen to the organs, any strenuous exercise can be debilitating in certain cases.

Starting the journey from Potala gate, you’ll need to climb about 365 steps before reaching the Red Palace and there is no lift up to the palace or inside. So you need to walk at a slightly slower pace than normal, which can help to prevent over-exertion and reduce the risk of altitude sickness. For aged people, a walking stick may be of great use. Remember take it slow and rest a while.

Take it slow and do not strain yourself during the climb of Potala Palace

Upon arrival in Lhasa, it is important to stay hydrated to relieve altitude sickness. It is suggested to drink plenty of fluids, but avoid alcoholic beverages and strong coffee. Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs. Drinking Tibetan tea is also helpful in reducing the symptoms of altitude sickness. You can get the famous sweet tea and butter tea in a local teahouse in Lhasa city. These traditional Tibetan beverages can help reduce the risk of altitude sickness.

It is also crucial to avoid alcohol and smoking before visiting the Potala Palace, as these can exacerbate symptoms of high altitude sickness. Additionally, ensure you get adequate sleep before you visit. Being well-rested helps your body adjust better to the high altitude.

4 Days Lhasa Impression Small Group Tour: Explore the Heart of Tibet and Mingle with the Locals

Tour Route: Lhasa

Price from USD509 p.p

Conclusion

Located at 3,700 meters above sea level, the Potala Palace is the highest palace in the world. Some tourists may feel fatigued, lack oxygen, or other symptoms of altitude sickness while visiting the Potala Palace. However, climbing slowly always helps relieve discomfort. And staying a few days in Lhasa before visiting the Potala Palace or traveling to Lhasa from a lower place gradually can help acclimate to the high altitude.

Don’t be overly afraid of the high altitude of the Potala Palace and worry too much about altitude sickness. With years of experience, we at Tibet Vista offer Tibet tour packages with well-designed itineraries that give you ample time to acclimate to the altitude without missing out on any highlight of Tibet.