Potala Palace: History, Snow City and Visit Planning
Plan your Potala Palace visit: the separate Snow City route, main-palace booking, permit rules by nationality and Lhasa altitude.
Contents
The Potala Palace rises from Red Mountain in central Lhasa, at about 3,700 metres, and dominates the city skyline. The White Palace holds the main ceremonial hall and the Dalai Lama’s former private and audience rooms. The Red Palace holds the gilded burial stupas of past Dalai Lamas. UNESCO treats the Potala, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka as one historic ensemble.[1] They are three separate places, so decide which ones you want and plan each on its own.
Choose between the main palace and Snow City
The main Potala Palace is the historic complex UNESCO inscribed.[1] The Potala Palace Management Office announced a separate Snow City route opening on 20 September 2026. It has its own ticket and does not enter the main palace building. Stops include Bixi Residence, Snow Prison, Xueba Lekong, the Treasure Hall and Longxia Residence, and the route has east and south entrances and a west exit.[2]
A full-price Snow City ticket costs CNY 25 in the May to October high season and CNY 10 in the November to April low season. Reduced prices apply, and a separate free-entry period was announced.[2] The Snow City ticket does not include the main palace.
Things to Do
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GetYourGuide partner offers. GoAsia may earn a commission if you book through these offers. Check whether tickets or transfers are included, and follow the attraction's official booking and admission rules.
Reserve the main palace
The main palace sells no same-day tickets. Book in advance through the Potala Palace ticket mini-program or the official WeChat account. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, with opening and last entry from 09:00 to 15:40 between 1 May and 31 October, and from 09:30 to 15:20 between 1 November and 30 April.[3] Check the Xizang Department of Culture and Tourism notice of 16 September 2026 for the latest booking instructions before you go.
Check travel permissions for your nationality
Permit rules depend on your nationality. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises that UK travellers need a Tibet permit through a specialist travel agent in China and must travel on an organised tour, and warns that restrictions can change.[4] The U.S. Department of State says U.S. travellers need a special permit for the Tibet Autonomous Region in addition to a Chinese visa, and points them to a travel agent and the Chinese Embassy.[5] Check your own government’s current advice before you book.
Allow for the altitude and the wider Lhasa visit
At about 3,700 metres, Lhasa is a high-altitude destination.[1] Altitude effects depend on the altitude, the speed of ascent and the time spent high, among other factors, as the CDC Yellow Book explains.[6] If you have health concerns, talk to a doctor before your trip, and spend your first day in Lhasa taking it easy.
Jokhang Temple in the old town and Norbulingka, the former summer palace, are the other parts of the historic ensemble.[1] Visit each on its own schedule. For broader itinerary planning, see our China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa. Retrieved October 26, 2026.
- [2] Xizang Autonomous Region Department of Culture and Tourism, reproducing a notice sourced to the Potala Palace official WeChat account: Potala Palace Management Office: Snow City Visitor Route Announcement. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
- [3] Xizang Autonomous Region Department of Culture and Tourism, reproducing a Lhasa Culture and Tourism notice: 2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day Travel Reminder: Potala Palace Booking. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
- [4] UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: China Travel Advice: Regional Risks in Tibet Autonomous Region. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
- [5] U.S. Department of State: China Travel Advisory: Travel to Tibet Autonomous Region. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
- [6] CDC Yellow Book: High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
A historic complex on Red Mountain in central Lhasa. Its White and Red Palaces had distinct historical roles, and it forms part of a UNESCO ensemble with Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka.
No. The Potala Palace Management Office announced Snow City as a separate route with its own ticket that does not enter the main palace building. Book each separately.
A full-price ticket costs CNY 25 in the May to October high season and CNY 10 in the November to April low season, according to the Management Office notice of 16 September 2026. Reduced prices apply to some visitors.
There are no same-day tickets. Book in advance under your real name through the Potala Palace ticket mini-program or the official WeChat account.
The palace opens Tuesday to Sunday. From May to October, opening and last admission run from 09:00 to 15:40. From November to April, they run from 09:30 to 15:20. Last admission is not the closing time.
Requirements depend on nationality. UK FCDO advice says UK travellers need a permit arranged through a specialist travel agent and must join an organised tour. U.S. State Department advice says U.S. travellers need a special permit in addition to a Chinese visa. Check your own government’s advice.
About 3,700 metres. Altitude affects people differently, so ask a doctor for advice if you are concerned, and take your first day in Lhasa slowly.
