Pilgrims walking the Potala kora keep the huge prayer wheel spinning constantly in this charming chapel on the eastern side of the Potala. A stall across the road sells the best yak-milk yoghurt in Lhasa.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.19 MILES
The magnificent Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, is Lhasa's cardinal landmark. Your…
0.79 MILES
The 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet: the continuous waves of awestruck pilgrims prostrating themselves outside are a…
4.58 MILES
The main assembly hall, or Tsogchen, is the principal structure in the Drepung complex and is the one chapel you must not miss. The hall is reached…
2.95 MILES
This is the largest of Sera’s colleges, generally accessed from a western side entrance. It has a breathtaking main hall, hung with thangkas and lit by…
22.49 MILES
The red, fortress-like structure of Tsongkhapa’s mausoleum is probably the most impressive of the reconstructed buildings at Ganden. It’s above a…
2.92 MILES
The main assembly hall (Tsogchen) is the largest of Sera’s buildings and dates to 1710. The central hall is particularly impressive and is noted for its…
22.53 MILES
The recently renovated tsogchen (assembly hall) has statues of the 16 arhats (literally ‘worthy ones’) and two huge statues of Tsongkhapa (only visible…
4.5 MILES
If you’re here in the afternoon, save some time to watch the monk debating (lots of shouting, hand slapping and gesticulation) between 2.30pm and 4pm in…
Nearby Lhasa attractions
0.04 MILES
The northeastern corner of the Potala kora is home to this small prayer hall, humming with the murmurs of chanting nuns.
2. Treasures of the Potala Exhibition
0.1 MILES
This recently improved exhibition hall in the Potala complex is worth a quick visit for the stunning 15th-century lotus-shaped Vajradhara mandala (just…
0.13 MILES
Nestled at the southern foot of Marpo Ri (Shöl literally means ‘at the base’), the former village of Shöl was once Lhasa’s red-light district, as well as…
0.13 MILES
Entry to the Potala is up two steep access ramps that will soon leave you wheezing in the oxygen-depleted air. The stairs lead past the ticket office to…
0.14 MILES
On the roof of the Potala, the private quarters of the 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas are to the right. The Dalai Lamas would have watched festival dances…
0.17 MILES
You start the tour of the main Potala building from the top and descend through the bowels of the building to exit on the ground floor. The gilded buddhas…
0.19 MILES
The magnificent Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, is Lhasa's cardinal landmark. Your…
0.22 MILES
The Lukhang is a little-visited temple on a charming island in a lake, behind the Potala in the pleasant Dzongyab Lukhang Park. The Lukhang is celebrated…