Shigatse
Tibet's second city, gateway to Everest's north face
Shigatse is Tibet's second-largest city and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, centred on Tashilhunpo Monastery. The prefecture stretches south to the Himalayan border with Nepal, taking in the Tibetan side of Mount Everest and the usual overland route between Lhasa and the Nepal border crossing at Gyirong. Sitting at 3,840m, roughly 250km west of Lhasa by road, Shigatse has long been a trading crossroads between central Tibet, Nepal and Sikkim, and its markets still reflect that mix of Tibetan and Nepali influence. For most travellers heading toward Everest Base Camp, Shigatse is also the last major town with reliable hotels before the road climbs into more remote territory.
Curated Experiences
Journeys designed to show Shigatse at its best.
Categories
Points of Interest
5 places
Place
Gyantse Dzong
The old fort on a rock spur above Gyantse, one of Tibet's best-preserved dzongs.
Temple / Religious Site
Pelkor Chode Monastery and Kumbum
Gyantse's monastery and its nine-tiered Kumbum stupa of painted chapels.
Temple / Religious Site
Rongbuk Monastery
One of the world's highest monasteries, at 4,980 metres beneath Everest's North Face.
Temple / Religious Site
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Seat of the Panchen Lama, and one of the largest working monasteries in Tibet.
Viewpoint
Mount Everest (North Base Camp)
A head-on view of Everest's North Face, reached by road rather than a multi-day trek.
Culture
People & Culture
Shigatse has been the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama since the 15th century, centred on Tashilhunpo Monastery, one of the largest working monasteries in Tibet, with several hundred monks still in residence. The city's role as a religious counterweight to Lhasa runs through its whole identity, distinct from the capital's more explicitly political history.
Nature
Nature & Wildlife
Tibet's second city sits at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyang rivers, at 3,840m, slightly higher and noticeably drier than Lhasa. Shigatse Prefecture stretches south to the Himalayan border with Nepal, including the Tibetan (northern) side of Mount Everest, and is the usual route both toward Everest Base Camp and across the Gyirong border crossing into Nepal.
Activities
Things to Do
Beyond Tashilhunpo, most travellers pass through Shigatse en route to Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side, reached by road near Rongbuk Monastery, the world's highest monastery. This route is the core of HSJ's Everest Base Camp Tibet Tour, and also features on the Nepal and Tibet Overland Tour via Gyantse.
Travel Information
Weather & Climate
Drier and colder than Lhasa; cold nights even in summer, sub-zero near Rongbuk year-round.
Best Time to Visit
April-June and September-October for the clearest Everest views; roads to Rongbuk can be affected by snow in winter.
Other Counties in Tibet
Stories from Shigatse
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