Things to Do at Potala Palace

The Potala Palace tickets cost 200 CNY in peak season (May to October, about $28 USD) and 100 CNY off-peak, and you must book at least one day ahead through the official reservation system because daily visitor numbers are capped at 5,000. The palace rises 13 stories and 117 meters above Marpo Ri hill, containing 999 rooms, and construction began in 1645 under the 5th Dalai Lama on foundations from a 7th-century fortress. The White Palace held the administrative offices and living quarters, while the Red Palace at the center contains the gilded burial stupas of eight Dalai Lamas, the largest standing three stories tall and covered in 3,721 kg of gold with 18,680 embedded gems. Inside, the corridors are steep, narrow, and at 3,700 meters altitude they will leave you breathless in both senses. The butter lamp smoke turns the air hazy and sweet, centuries of accumulated soot darkening the ceiling timbers to black. The rooftop views stretch across all of Lhasa to the brown mountains beyond, and on clear mornings the sky is a blue so deep it looks fake in photographs. You get exactly one hour inside, guards move you along firmly, and no photography is allowed in the interior. Wear layers because the stone rooms hover around 10 degrees Celsius even in summer. Line up at the base by 7:30 AM for your reserved time slot, and bring your passport because the ticket office checks ID against reservations.

Most visitors walk to Potala Palace from Lhasa's old town-it sits dead center and hotels cluster nearby. Staying further out means grabbing a taxi, which costs almost nothing but requires showing drivers a photo since English is hit-or-miss. Public buses exist too. Total chaos though. Walking beats both options since you'll cut through solid neighborhoods and catch impressive palace views as you get closer. Just remember the altitude. At 3,650 meters, that stroll to the entrance will leave you winded.