Shigatse Travel Tips: Best Time to Visit Shigatse, Shigatse Travel Notes, Banks, Posts, Useful Numbers, Attractions and Hospitals – China Travel Agency, China Tours 2019

Shigatse Travel Tips

Shigatse was called Tsang by Tibetan with a history of more than 600 years, at the altitude of 3,830 meters above the sea level. As the second largest city of Tibet and one of the spiritual leaders in Tibet, Shigatse plays a significant role in Tibet Plateau. It connects with three countries of Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim in the south, Ngari in the west, Nagqu in the north and Lhasa and Shannan in the east. It covers an area of 176,000 square kilometers.

Useful Numbers

Fire: 119
Police: 110
Ambulance: 120
Area code: 0892
Weather Broadcast: 121
Consumer Complaint: 12315
Local Phone Number Inquiries: 114
Tourist complaint Center: 0891-6833476
Long-distance Phone Number Inquiries: 113

How to Plan Shigatse Travel

Two classic travel itineraries of Shigatse are provided for your reference:

1. Lhasa – Yamdrok Lake – Gyantse – Shigatse. This itinerary aims to present you the breathtaking landscape of Golden Triangle Cities of Tibet - Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse.

2. Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse – Mount Everest. This itinerary offers you a complete Tibet tour and adds together Tibet's most famous sites into the tour.

Necessary Permits for Visiting Shigatse

Traveling to Shigatse requires several specific permits. There are two situations:

1. If you just explore Shigatse City, Gyantse Town, Sakya Town, you only need two permits - Tibet Travel Permit and Alien's Travel Permit;

2. If you travel beyond Lhatse to Mount Everest or Kathmandu, you will need three permits - Tibet Travel Permit and Alien's Travel Permit. Besides these two permits, you also need Border Permit. You must always have valid passport and Chinese visa.

High Altitudes in Shigatse

The attitudes are different in different regions of Shigatse– Gyantse(4050 meters), Shigatse City(3950 mwters), Tingri (4300 meters), Sakya Monastery (4300 meters), Rongbuk Monastery(4980 meters), EBC(Everest Base Camp, 5200 meters), and Mount Everest (8848 meters). Generally speaking, the altitude of the attractions in Shigatse will be higher than Lhasa. It is suggested to spend some days in Lhasa first for acclimatization, then travel to Shigatse, even Mount Everest. The biggest challenge occurs in Mount Everest where travelers usually spend a night. You may suffer slightly from high altitude sickness in the arrival night but most travelers can make it through.

Packing and Clothing Tips for Shigatse Travel

1. Keep warm and protect yourself from the harsh natural power is the prior thing to worry about. You are suggested to dress in layers (both thin and thick jackets). Down jacket is also recommended if you want to go to Mount Everest.

2. A pair of gloves, trekking shoes and clothes, and other trekking and camping gears are necessary for trekking up to Mount Everest. You should also bring rain gears if you travel in July and August.

3. You have to bring sunglasses, snow glasses, hats, lip balm, sunscreen to protect yourself from sunburn as the ultraviolet light is quite strong.

Best places to visit in Shigatse

Some attractions in Shigatse are famous and popular for tourists from both domestic and abroad. These top attractions are Mount Everest, Tashilhunpo Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Gyantse Dzong and so on.

Best Time to Visit Shigatse

Shigatse is a semi-arid, plateau temperate monsoon climate. Temperatures range from 23℃(73.4 degrees Fahrenheit) to -25℃(-13 degrees Fahrenheit), annual average temperature of 6.3℃(43.34 degrees Fahrenheit). From November to April in the next year, it is unsuitable for travelling to Shigatse because of the low temperature. June to July is considered as a mild rainy season. During this time, it often rains in the evening. If you're going to visit Mount Everest in Shigatse, April to June and September to October are the best time.