Potala Palace Tour: Follow Us to Step Inside Tibet’s Iconic Landmark

As Tibet’s most iconic landmark and one of Lhasa’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the fortress-like Potala Palace is a must-see for all travelers visiting Tibet.

Normally, tourists have around an hour to explore the interior of Potala Palace, where countless valuable Tibetan Buddhist artifacts, the living quarters and golden stupas of former Dalai Lamas, and other treasures will leave you in awe.

However, for a full Potala Palace tour experience including its surrounding hidden gems, it takes well over 2 hours and fills with new discoveries every time you come. So, join us as we unlock the highlights of a Potala Palace tour and share insider tips to make the most of your visit to this landmark attraction!

Potala Palace Tour Maps: Navigate Your Journey

Located at No. 35 Beijing Middle Road, Chengguan District, Lhasa, Potala Palace was originally built by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo on Red Hill in the 7th century for his wife, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. From then on, Potala Palace (3,700m) has undergone continuous expansion, becoming the world’s highest and largest palace complex we see today.

As the Potala Palace tour map below shows, the full Potala Palace tour experience includes its front courtyard (Shol Village), White Palace, Red Palace, Golden Roof, backyard garden of Potala Palace (Lukhang Park), Potala Palace Square, and Chakpori Hill for Potala Palace photography. This in-depth Potala Palace tour takes over 2 hours, spanning a whopping area of 219,000 square meters.

Once you enter the main entrance of the Potala Palace complex, you officially arrive at the front courtyard of Potala Palace. Covering 50,000 square meters, it consists of the treasure hall of Potala Palace, an old prison, a printing press, monks’ residences, and former government offices.

As you pass the Potala Palace’s front courtyard, you will go through the second checkpoint where you will walk up long stairs to explore the White and Red Palace, the core area of Potala Place, which covers over 130,000 square meters, and has over 1,000 rooms, and rises 13 stories high. There are more than 10,000 shrines and around 200,000 statues of Buddhas and Buddhist deities enshrined, making it a true treasure trove of Tibetan Buddhism.

Potala Palace complex and its surroundings on the map (click to enlarge it, photo credit: JohnDoe).

Potala Palace Tour Highlights: Discover the Three Architectural Miracles

Following the long stone stairs to the eastern courtyard, the first building you will explore inside Potala Palace is the White Palace. It served as the living quarters and meeting rooms of former Dalai Lamas. You can see their offices, study rooms, and reception halls, where the Dalai Lamas received guests and handled paperwork.

Be ready, here comes the Red Palace, the spiritual heart of Potala Palace. It houses chapels, libraries, and shrines. Here, you’ll see mind-blowing golden stupas of eight Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of Songtsen Gampo. You'll also admire countless priceless Buddhist statues, Thangkas, scriptures, golden mandalas, and murals.

As you reach the Golden Roof (3,750m), the top of the Potala Palace, you will see 7 exquisite golden rooftops from east to west. Each symbolizes the stupa halls of past Dalai Lamas and the main Buddhist hall of the Potala Palace. These rooftops are made of pure gold and decorated with golden vases, two-headed birds, and dragon heads. Besides, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the holy Lhasa City and serene Lhasa Valley before following long stairs to exit Potala Palace.

Our guests take photos at White Palace Courtyard.

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Potala Palace Tour Highlights: Immersed in Its Sacred Religious and Cultural Treasures

Beyond its architectural wonders, Potala Palace is a living museum, filled with countless religious and cultural treasures waiting to be discovered by treasure lovers. Here are some of the items and places you can’t afford to miss out on.

In the Red Palace, of all the eight golden stupas of Dalai Lamas, the stupa of the Fifth Dalai Lama is the tallest and most magnificent one. This stunning stupa stands 14.86 meters tall, made of 3,721 kilograms of pure gold, and adorned with nearly 20,000 precious gems like turquoise, coral, and amber. What a spectacular sight to behold!

At the Chenrezig Chapel of the Red Palace lies the most precious treasure of Potala Palace—the statue of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) statue, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, dating back to the 7th century. It was made of priceless sandalwood, adorned with gilded bronze, gold, silver, turquoise, coral, amber, and pearls.

Besides, at the Treasure Hall of Potala Palace, you may also see precious Sanskrit manuscripts on palm leaves, jade seals, porcelains, and silk items given as gifts from Chinese emperors of the Qing Dynasty, and many exquisite Thangka paintings and sacred ritual objects and beyond. Take your time to explore these national treasures.

The luxurious golden stupa of the Fifth Dalai Lama.

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After Potala Palace Tour Inside, Don’t Miss the Experiences Around It

A Potala Palace tour is incomplete without exploring the Lukhang Park behind it and taking selfies with Potala Place from two of the best spots nearby.

As the enchanting backyard garden of Potala Palace, Lukhang Park is a peaceful oasis where local Tibetans come to relax, dance, sing, and enjoy Tibetan sweet tea after completing their kora around the Potala Palace. Here, you can join locals for a cup of sweet tea, try local snacks at nearby teahouses, and watch Tibetan grannies turning prayer wheels and chanting mantras. It’s the perfect place to soak up the local vibe and explore the daily spiritual life of local Tibetans.

What’s more, to capture viral Instagram photos with the Potala Palace, head to the Potala Palace Square right in front of the Potala Palace, or hike up to the Chakpori Hill viewing platform, where you can snap epic shots of the Potala Palace with the Lhasa streets and Red Hill in the background. Discover more attractions surrounding Potala Palace.

If you prefer to dress in traditional Tibetan clothes to take photos with the Potala Palace, we can also provide you with styling, make-up, and clothes rental services, together with a professional local photography guide to capture your happy moments with the Potala Palace.

As a bonus, our local experts will take you to their favorite hotel rooftop bars and popular restaurants, where you can sip a latte or enjoy a refreshing Lhasa beer, and savor scrumptious Western and Tibetan cuisines while gazing at the majestic Potala Palace at sunset, a moment you’ll cherish forever. Check the luxury hotels in Lhasa.

Our guests dressed in traditional Tibetan clothes took photos with Potala Palace.

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Best Time to Tour Potala Palace: All Year Around

Potala Palace is an all-year-round destination. The only time unavailable to the public is the first three days of the Tibetan New Year and during its annual renovation.

Spring (March to May) brings mild weather and blooming flowers, especially in Lukhang Park behind Potala Palace. It's a great time to enjoy clear views of the Potala Palace against blue skies, with fewer crowds than in summer.

Summer (June to August) is the peak tourist season, with warm temperatures and vibrant local festivals like the Shoton Festival. You do expect larger crowds. However, the lively Tibetan cultural activities and performances around Potala Square bring more authentic local encounters and deepen your understanding of Tibetan traditions.

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Summer is a perfect time to visit Potala Palace while enjoying many Tibetan festivals and local cuisines.

Autumn (September to October) is one of the best times to visit Potala, with crisp air, stunning sunshine, and golden light perfect for photography. The weather is stable and comfortable, offering breathtaking views of Potala Palace.

Winter (November to February) is off-season, yet you enjoy a longer and more immersive visit — up to 60 minutes inside with only you and devoted Tibetans — and tickets are offered at a 50% discount. Besides, the Lukhang Park behind will be full of migratory birds, a perfect time for birding and photography. Explore the Tibet winter tours.

On top of that, If your main goal is to photograph Potala Palace, the early morning (07:00-08:00) and sunset (18:00-20:00) are two of the prime times to capture Potala Palace as the sunlight graces the Palace just right, making it glow beautifully against the blue sky. Learn the best plan for the Lhasa Photography Day tour.

The stunning view of Potala Palace at the sunrise shot at Chakpori Hill.

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Potala Palace Tour: Must-Know Tips for a Lifetime Experience

Since Potala Palace tickets are only available through advance reservations — at least one day ahead on its official WeChat booking account. Please make sure to secure your tickets before your visit.

For overseas travelers, booking through our local travel agency not only helps with ticket reservations but also ensures you get the required Tibet Travel Permit and the best local guides, saving you tons of hassle.

In addition, since Potala Place (3,700m) is the highest place in Lhasa City and visiting it involves a long walk up many stone stairs, for newly-arrived travelers, it is advisable to schedule your Potala Palace tour on day 3 of your stay in Lhasa. So, you get enough time to adapt yourself to the altitude in Lhasa. Besides, take your time and walk slowly, and pause for a rest when needed.

Besides, no matter where you stay in Lhasa, getting to Potala Palace is extremely easy. Since Potala Palace is right in the city center, as long as you stay in a hotel in downtown Lhasa, it is only within 10 to 20 minutes’ walk. If your hotel is further away, it's also easy to get a taxi or use our local transfer service, which takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Last but not least, as a sign of respect, taking photos or videos inside the Potala Palace halls is strictly forbidden to protect sacred relics and respect the holy atmosphere. And don’t touch sacred Buddhist statutes and religious offerings and please remove your hats and sunglasses when entering chapels or important halls.

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Conclusion

Having an exhilarating Potala Palace tour is an integral part of any Tibet tour. With so many Tibetan Buddhist artifacts and treasures to discover and Dalai Lamas’ secret chambers to explore, Potala Palace holds endless opportunities for discovery for both first-timers and returning travelers. If you have more questions about visiting Potala Palace and other places in Tibet, don’t hesitate to email us for free and expert travel solutions, Tashi Delek!