Pabonka Monastery
帕邦喀 · Pàbāngkā
A hermitage built on a huge boulder on the hillside north of Lhasa, said to date from the 7th century and to be older than the Jokhang, with quiet chapels and wide views.
No booking neededBring your passport1.5–2 hours including the walk up
Tip
The last part is a steep walk at around 3,900 m: go slowly and not in your first days; pilgrims circle the rock clockwise, so follow them.
- Opening hours
- About 09:00–17:00 To be confirmed
- Price
- Free or a small donation To be confirmed
- How to book
- No ticket needed. Ask your guide to include it with Sera Monastery on the same half day.
- Getting there
- About 8 km north-west of the Potala, beyond Sera: roughly 20 min by car to the foot of the hill, then a steep 20–30 min walk up To be confirmed
- Address in Chinese
- 西藏自治区拉萨市城关区娘热乡帕邦喀
Photo: Laika ac · CC BY-SA 2.0
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Checked against these sources on 2026-09-27. Rules change often, so confirm on the official site before you go.
Not yet confirmed by an official source: Opening hours, Price, Getting there, addressZh, coords
More in Lhasa
布达拉宫Potala PalaceThe white and red palace on Red Hill above Lhasa, with chapels, tombs and murals on thirteen storeys.大昭寺Jokhang TempleTibet’s most revered temple, built in the 7th century, with pilgrims prostrating at the gate and a golden roof over the old town.八廓街Barkhor StreetThe pilgrim circuit around the Jokhang, lined with whitewashed old houses, prayer-wheel stalls, tea houses and shops.罗布林卡NorbulingkaThe former summer palace: a large walled park with pavilions, painted halls and old trees, quieter than the city centre.