Xigatse (日喀则; Rìkāzé - Tibetan: གཞིས་ཀ་རྩ), also spelled Shigatse, is the second largest city in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is 3,800 meters above sea level.
With a population of about 50,000, it is an important trading and administrative center.
Located at the intersection of several highways, the city of Xigatse is positioned on the Friendship Hwy. Buses and Mini-buses travel the distance from Lhasa. There is public transportation to Gyantse, Lhatse, Sakya, Dromo, Gampa and Khangmar on a semi-regular basis.
Shigatse Peace Airport opened for public service in November 2010, when a 532 million yuan expansion was completed. On 30 October 2010, the airport was opened as the fifth civilian airport in Tibet. The airport is 45 km away from Shigatse city.
There are several daily trains from Lhasa, taking just under three hours. Xigatse station 📍 is located south of the city.
All sites of interest are within easy walking distance. Auto-rickshaws are also available.
Lots of restaurants around Samdup Hotel
Accommodation in Xigatse is more expensive than in Lhasa and there are only a few budget options.
Xigatse is one of the best places in Tibet to pick up a travel permit, issued at the police station with only an hour or two of waiting. The permit is valid for anyplace in Xigatse Prefecture that you specify. That allows you to go up to the border with Nepal. Interesting places to visit in Xigatse Prefecture include Sakya, Gyantse, Mount Everest, and Tingri.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division