
Shigatse Travel Guide
Shigatse (or Xigatse) means "the fertile land" in Tibetan for it sits in the plain at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyainchu River. Located at an average elevation in range of 3840 meters to 8844.43 meters, Shigatse is one of the world's highest cities and has the most comprehensive natural landscapes in Tibet, from vast plateau pasture and beautiful cultivated fields to subtropical forest and grand snow-covered mountains. And the top highlight you should not miss in Shigatse is Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world.
Shigatse has a history going back more than 600 years and it is this ancient holy city that is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. So Shigatse is also rich in historical sites, such as the 600 year-old majestic Tashilhunpo Monastery.
Basic Facts:
Chinese Name: 日喀则 Rìkāzé
Location: Second largest city in Tibet, West China
Altitude: 3,845 m (12,585 ft)
Time Zone: UTC+8 (China Standard)
Area: 182,000 square kilometers
Administrative Division: 1 district, 17 counties
Climate and Weather: elevation-influenced humid continental climate with over 3300 hours of sunshine every year
Airport: Shigatse Peace Airport
Railway Station: Shigatse Railway Station
Shigatse Photo Gallery
Ultimate Shigatse Travel Guide
To make sure you can enjoy the best Shigatse travel experience available, we kindly prepare the latest and most easy-to-use Shigatse travel and tour guides below for you. From Shigatse weather and climate to Shigatse food and restaurant, from Shigatse altitude and travel maps to Shigatse tourist attractions and tour planing, etc., you can follow the insider’s tip and won’t miss a single moment when visiting holy Shigatse, the second biggest city of Tibet.
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Shigatse Fact: Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet
As the second largest city in Tibet, Shigatse is located on the northern bank of the Himalayas and on the southern bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Traditionally, as the resident of the generations of the Panchen Lamas, Shigatse has been a cultural and political center of Tsang (or Rear Tibet) for centuries. Now, it is also an important transportation hub for trips from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash and Nepal. So long as you have time, do budget your time for the visit right after Lhasa.
View More- Discover Shigatse Tibet: 2025 Ultimate City Guide
- Shigatse Altitude: how to visit Shigatse attractions with varied elevations
- Shigatse Weather and Climate: when to visit Shigatse at the right time?
- When is the Best Time to Visit Tibet Everest Base Camp in 2025
- Top 10 Featured Himalayan Mountains in Tibet & More Himalayan Mountain Facts
- Breathtaking Panorama of Mt.Everest: where to enjoy the incredible Himalayan vista?
- Shigatse Temples: what are the must-see monasteries in Shigatse
- Shigatse Lake: the Most Stunning Lakes in Shigatse
- Shigatse and Yamdrok Lake Maps
- Top Five Himalayan Valleys Hiding in Shigatse
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Shigatse Tourists Attractions
Shigatse (along the Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway), also named Xigatse, is the hub of the road network between Lhasa, Nepal and western Tibet. The tourist sights in Shigatse are composed of great natural sites and grand monasteries: Mt. Everest, Rongbuk Monastery, Mount Cho Oyu, Rongbuk Glacier, Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shalu Monastery, Nartang Monastery, Peikutso, Palkor Chode Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Phuntsoling Monastery & Jonang Kumbum, Yungdrungling Monastery, Pala Manor and so forth. All these tourist attractions in Shigatse have already received millions of pious pilgrims.
View More- Mount Everest
- Everest Base Camp
- Rongbuk Monastery
- Rongpuk Glacier
- Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet
- Summer Palace of Panchen Lamas
- Shalu Monastery
- Natang Monastery
- Gama Valley
- Sakya Monastery
- Gyantse Dzong
- Pelkor Chode Monastery
- Pala Manor
- Shugsheb Nunnery
- Mt.Shishapangma
- Mount Cho Oyu
- Mangpu Hot Spring
- Kangbu Hot Spring
- Milarepa Meditation Cave
- Yungdrungling Monastery
- Phuntsoling Monastery
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Shigatse Transportation: How to Travel Easily in Shigatse and Beyond
The transportation at Shigatse areas has been greatly improved with the development of Tibet tourism. In the past, animals like yak and horse were the main mode of transportation. At most time, people had to travel on foot. At present, tourists can travel to Shigatse by air, train and road.
View More- Shigatse Railway: Shigatse Train Routes to Lhasa, Yadong and Kathmandu
- Shigatse Railway Station: Transportation Hub for Lhasa Shigatse Everest Travel
- Lhasa to Shigatse Train
- Xining to Shigatse Train
- Lhasa to Shigatse Distance: distance from Lhasa to Shigatse by train, overland, biking
- Shigatse to Everest Base Camp: How Far and How to Travel
- Shigatse to Kerung Distance: Distance from Shigatse to Gyirong by Train, Overland, Biking
- Shigatse to Kathmandu Distance: distance from Shigatse to Nepal by train, overland, biking, and flight
- Shigatse Peace Airport: Your Direct Connection to Mount Everest from the Mainland of China
- Flights from Chengdu to Shigatse and Shigatse to Chengdu
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Shigatse Travel Advice
As Shigatse is a remote place with high elevation, getting enough Shigatse travel advice will greatly help you to plan and finish a wonderful trip to Shigatse. By our several years of experience in organizing Tibet travel teams, here we share some useful information with you. The below advice on traveling Shigatse will give a general idea about the pleasant travel season in Shigatse, and the transportation, hotels, restaurants in Shigatse, etc.
View More- Shigatse Travel: Ultimate Guide to Your Shigatse Tour Planning
- Shigatse Food and Restaurant: the best guide to dining in Shigatse
- Shopping in Shigatse: what and where to buy in Shigatse
- Shigatse Day Tours: How to Arrange Day Trip in Shigatse
- Top Things to Do in Shigatse: how to travel Shigatse like locals do
- Festivals in Shigatse: top nine festivals to experience in Shigatse tour
- Tashilhunpo Monastery Thangka Festival: the best religious festival to observe in Shigatse
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Hotels in Shigatse
Shigatse is a hot tourist destination in Tibet. Although hotels in Shigatse are a kind of limit, they still provide a wide choice for travellers, from starred hotels to simple tent guest houses. Currently, there is no 5-star hotels in the whole Shigatse area. However, reasonably good accommodations and facilities can be found in Shigatse City, the second largest city of Tibet.
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Recommended Shigatse Tour Itineraries
Shigatse, the second largest city of Tibet, offers you tons of interesting things to do, like enjoying the superb vista of world’s highest peak - Mount Everest, visiting the prestigious Tashilhunpo Monastery - the residence of the generations of the Panchen Lamas, exploring the off-the-beaten-track monasteries and temples, doing the farm work with the locals in the largest barley field in Tibet, etc. Check the top 4 highly recommended Lhasa Shigatse tours with the extending trip to Mount Kailash and Kathmandu via Gyirong Port.
- 7 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Small Group Tour: Traverse from the North Side to the South Side of Mt.Everest for the Best of the Himalayas
Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Gyirong - Kathmandu
from USD989
View Details - 8 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Small Group Tour: Marvel at Mt.Everest Real Close from 4 Different Viewing Platforms
Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Lhasa
from USD949
View Details - 10 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake Small Group Tour
Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - EBC - Shigatse - Lhasa - Namtso Lake - Damxung - Lhasa
from USD1299
View Details - 15 Days Kailash and Manasarovar Small Group Tour: A pilgrim’s final fantasy and the greatest overland trip in Tibet.
Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - E.B.C - Saga - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Lake Manasarovar - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa
from USD2069
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"Shigatse Travel Guide"