Things to Do at Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple sits at the heart of Lhasa's Barkhor pilgrimage circuit and charges 85 CNY (about $12 USD) for foreigners, opening 11:30 to 17:30 for tourists, though Tibetan pilgrims enter for free from early morning. Built in 647 AD by King Songtsen Gampo, it houses the Jowo Rinpoche, a life-sized gilded statue of Shakyamuni Buddha at age 12 that is the most sacred object in Tibetan Buddhism, and pilgrims prostrate full-length on the flagstones outside the entrance hundreds of times in succession, their palms and foreheads smooth from repetition. The interior is a maze of chapels linked by narrow corridors thick with the smoke of juniper incense and the glow of thousands of butter lamps, each flame fed by yak butter that pilgrims carry in thermoses and pour into the brass bowls themselves. The rooftop terrace offers views of the Potala Palace framed by golden dharma wheels and deer statues, and this is where you get the classic Lhasa photograph. The Barkhor Circuit surrounding the temple is a 1-km clockwise walking loop lined with stalls selling prayer flags, turquoise jewelry, and dried yak cheese so hard it takes an hour to soften enough to chew. Walk the circuit at least once with the Tibetan pilgrims, spinning the brass prayer wheels set into the outer wall as you go. Photography is forbidden inside the main chapel but allowed in the courtyard and on the roof.

The temple sits in Lhasa's old town. Most central hotels put you within a 20-minute walk, though taxis can't navigate the narrow streets around Barkhor Square-you'll walk the final blocks regardless. The airport is ~45 minutes away by car. Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit. No exceptions.