In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · China
Shigatse
Spend 1–2 days in Shigatse to see Tashilhunpo Monastery and the old town markets; add a day trip to Gyantse if time permits.
Shigatse, Tibet's second‑largest city at 3,800 m altitude, is a compact hub where the main sights are within walking distance. One full day covers the Panchen Lama's Tashilhunpo Monastery, the free and gift markets, and the ruins of Shigatse Fortress. A second day allows a short bus ride to Gyantse or Sakya, or simply to acclimatise. Permits are required for travel beyond the city.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (rain, higher altitude stress)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥250–400 excl. bed · Mid ¥400–650 excl. bed · High ¥650+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Yak butter tea | ¥15–30 |
| Coffee in café | ¥20–35 |
| Taxi per km | ¥8–12 |
| Tashilhunpo Monastery entry | ¥30–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RKZ · Shigatse Peace Airport
- 45 km (28 mi) north of city; flights from Lhasa and Chengdu28 mi (45 km) north of city; flights from Lhasa and Chengdu
Typical fares
- Shigatse Airport → city centre (taxi)
- ≈ ¥130–180, 45 km (28 mi) (check)≈ ¥130–180, 28 mi (45 km) (check)
- Shigatse ↔ Lhasa train (one way)
- ≈ ¥180–320, 3 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
All main attractions are a short walk from the city centre. Taxis can be booked via Chinese ride‑hailing apps; minibuses run to Gyantse, Sakya, Lhatse and other prefecture towns.
See and do
Known for
- Tashilhunpo Monastery
- Free and gift markets in Old Town
- Shigatse Fortress ruins
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gyantse | Mini‑bus from Shigatse bus station, about 1 h 30 min | ≈2 h total |
| Sakya | Mini‑bus, about 2 h | ≈4 h total |
| Tingri | Bus to Tingri via Gyantse, about 4 h | ≈8 h total |
Sleep
- Fruit Hotel
- Budget; across from Tashilhunpo Monastery
- Samdup Hotel
- Mid‑range; near central market
- Shigatse Hotel
- Mid‑range; Jiefang Zhong Lu
- Zhufeng Friendship Hotel
- Mid‑range; a bit farther from downtown
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxie |
| How much is this? | 这个多少钱？zhè ge duōshǎo qián? |
| Can I use a card? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude: 3,800 m – hydrate and ascend slowly.
- Travel permit: required for leaving Shigatse; obtain at police station (1–2 h wait).
- Winter road closures may affect bus schedules; check locally.
Shigatse is generally safe for tourists; main risks are altitude sickness and occasional road closures in winter.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shigatse yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tashilhunpo Monastery
- Free and gift markets in Old Town
- Shigatse Fortress ruins
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Shigatse: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Shigatse, revision 5337322 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337322
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/shigatse). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.