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.

Points of Interest

2 places

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.