Potala Palace
布达拉宫 · Bùdálā Gōng
The white and red palace on Red Hill above Lhasa, with chapels, tombs and murals on thirteen storeys.
Booking requiredBring your passport2–3 hours including the climb
Tip
The climb is steep stairs at 3,700 m: go slowly and do not visit on your first day. No photos inside the halls.
- Opening hours
- May–Oct: from 09:00, last entry 15:40. Nov–Apr: from 09:30, last entry 15:20. From 21 Sep 2026 closed on Mondays, except Chinese public holidays. Your ticket has a fixed entry time, and time inside the main buildings is limited (about 1 hour). To be confirmed
- Price
- ¥200 (May–Oct), ¥100 (Nov–Apr). Children under 1.2 m free.
- How to book
- Real-name booking only, no same-day tickets; about 2,300 visitors a day. Bookings open about 10 days ahead and peak-season slots sell out 5–7 days before. Foreign visitors get the ticket through their Tibet tour agency, which books it in your passport name as part of the tour; send your passport details early. Booked times and routes cannot be changed. To be confirmed Could not get tickets? Tell us what you need
- Getting there
- In the city centre; your guide takes you to the security gate at the booked time
- Address in Chinese
- 西藏自治区拉萨市城关区北京中路35号
Photo: Antoine Taveneaux · CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
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, How to book
More in Lhasa
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.色拉寺Sera MonasteryA large monastery at the foot of the hills north of the city, famous for the monks’ lively afternoon debates in the courtyard.