Major city · China
Hepu
Half-day stop on the Ganden–Samye trek, not a destination on its own. Walk in from Ganden (3 h), camp or stay in a villager's tent, then continue the 4-day trek to Samye.
Hepu is a tiny farming village (about 100 people) east of Lhasa, used almost exclusively as the first overnight stop on the 4-day Ganden–Samye trek. There are no shops, hotels or restaurants — you sleep in a yak-hair tent or a villager's home, eat tsampa and drink butter tea, and hire guides and yaks for the trail ahead.
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- CNY
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (rain), Nov–Mar (snow on passes)
- Airport
- LXA
- Nights
- 1
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 7
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
- China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
- China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
- China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
- China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Hepu110 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Hepu, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 (≈ US$30) carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones…China-wide
- SIM or eSIMA roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.China-wide
- Tap waterNot for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5 (≈ under US$1), and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms.China-wide
- TippingRestaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.China-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/C/I. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): fits. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.China-wide
- SafetyAltitude sickness is the main risk.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsPublic toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls.China-wide
- Emergency numbers110 police · 119 fire · 120 ambulance (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany museums and palaces close on Mondays; the Forbidden City too (outside holidays).China-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportLXA Lhasa Gonggar (About 2 h by road to Ganden monastery, then 3 h walk to Hepu).
- Getting aroundWalking only.
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- LXA Lhasa Gonggar (About 2 h by road to Ganden monastery, then 3 h walk to Hepu)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Feb
Avoid
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Mar
Avoid
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Apr
not flagged
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
May
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Jun
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Jul
Avoid
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Aug
Avoid
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Sep
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Oct
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Nov
Avoid
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Dec
Avoid
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Best: May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Nov–Mar. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)), coolest Jan (−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C) low), wettest Jul (14 rain days), driest Jan (1). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Hepu: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
1 rd
Feb
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
2 rd
Mar
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
3 rd
Apr
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
5 rd
May
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
7 rd
Jun
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
10 rd
Jul
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
14 rd
Aug
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
13 rd
Sep
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
9 rd
Oct
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
4 rd
Nov
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
1 rd
Dec
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
1 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Walking only. The village is a cluster of homes; trails connect to the trek route. Yaks can be rented for carrying gear.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: 3 h
Walk 3 h west on the trail
Start early; the trail climbs to a pass before descending to Hepu.
Door to door: 4 days
Trek 4 days east via Hepu, Yama Do and Chimpu
Hire a guide and yaks in Hepu. The trail crosses two passes above 5,000 m.
Door to door: About 5 h
Walk back to Ganden (3 h), then taxi or bus to Lhasa (1.5 h)
Return to Lhasa the same day if you leave Hepu by 08:00.Return to Lhasa the same day if you leave Hepu by 8:00 AM.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Village homes and yak-hair tents
No formal hotels. Villagers offer floor space in tents or homes; bring a sleeping bag.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ¥100–200 (≈ US$14–30) (guide/yak hire, tea, tent fee)
Trip budget
| Yak-hair tent or villager floor space2 × 1 night × CN¥50 | CN¥100 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × CN¥150 | CN¥300 |
| Guide for Ganden–Samye trek (per day)1 × CN¥200 · Check | CN¥200 |
| Yak hire (per day, carries gear)1 × CN¥150 · Check | CN¥150 |
| Buffer 15%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | CN¥113 |
| Trip total≈ CN¥432 per person per day, bed included | CN¥863≈ US$130 |
Check; no fixed price — negotiate with the family.
2026 estimate in CNY. No accommodation or restaurant costs — bring cash.
Prices of common things
| Cup of butter teacheck | ¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2) |
| Bowl of tsampacheck | ¥10–20 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Guide per daycheck | ¥200–400 (≈ US$30–60) |
| Yak hire per daycheck | ¥150–300 (≈ US$25–45) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No electricity or mobile signal in most of the village — charge devices in Lhasa.
- Altitude: Hepu is about 4,200 m. Acclimatise in Lhasa (3,650 m) for at least 2 days before trekking.
- Bring all food and water; villagers may offer tea and snacks but there is no shop.
- Hire a guide in Hepu for the trek to Samye — the trail is unmarked in places.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Fire
- 119
- Ambulance
- 120
Pocket card
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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
HepuHepu
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ཨེ་ཕུ་སྡེ་བར་ཕེབས་རོགསTo Hepu village, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Fire119
- Ambulance120
Embassy
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Lhasa → Ganden (taxi or minibus): about ¥200–300 (≈ US$30–45), 1.5 h (check)
- Ganden → Hepu (walk): 3 h, free
Say or show
- ཚེ་རིང་ — Hello (tshe ring)
- ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེ — Thank you (thuk je che)
- གོང་ཚད་ག་ཚོད་ཡོད — How much? (kong tshé ga tshö yö)
- ཇ་གནང་རོགས — Tea, please (ja nang roks)
- ལམ་ཁ་གང་ན་ཡོད — Where is the trail? (lam kha gang na yö)
No mobile signal. Carry cash (small notes) and a satellite messenger.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Hepu. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (rain), Nov–Mar (snow on passes) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 1 area to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 1 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares
Sources
Ask about Hepu
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