Shigatse

Shigatse – Tibet’s second-largest town, is the traditional capital of Tsang province located in the south-west part of Tibet Autonomous Region. Shigatse is a modern, sprawling city, with wide boulevards humming with traffic (even in the pedestrian-only street). The city embraces the lateral valleys adjoining the Yarlung Tsangpo (also known as the Brahmaputra) and the Nianchu River (Aka Nyang River). It borders Ngari on the west, Nagchu on the north, Lhasa, and Lhoka on the east, Bhutan, India, and Nepal on the south.

As you drive in across the plains, the site of the Potala-lookalike Shigatse Dzong, high on a hilltop overlooking the town, will probably fire your imagination, but the fort is empty and most of what you see dates from a 2007 reconstruction. It is the Tashilhunpo Monastery, to the west of town that is the real draw. Since the Mongol sponsorship of the Gelugpa order, Shigatse has been the seat of the Panchen Lama, and this seat was traditionally based in the monastery. A long history tracing back to more than 600 years ago, Shigatse is also rich in historical sites.

Shigatse is situated at an average elevation in the range of 3,840 meters to 4,464 meters, covering an area of over 3,875 square kilometres. It has the most comprehensive natural landscapes in Tibet, from vast plateau pasture and beautifully cultivated fields to subtopic forest and grand snow-covered mountains.

Shigatse is also a significant communication hub in Tibet, which is connected to the outside world by Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, and No. 318 National Highway. As alternative transportation means the Lhasa to Shigatse Railway has been put into use since August 15, 2014. It is an extensive line of Qinghai-Tibet Railway and only takes you less than 3 hrs to travel between Lhasa and Shigatse.