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

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Shigatse Photo Gallery

Tibet family tour to Tashilhunpo Monastery

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.

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.