A city read as a set of rings
Lhasa is easiest to understand as a series of circuits, each larger than the last, with the Jokhang at the centre. Tibetan Buddhist practice treats walking around a holy place, a kora, as a way of showing devotion, and in Lhasa that idea is built into the layout of the old town. There are three circuits traditionally spoken of: the Nangkhor, the Barkhor and the Lingkhor.
Practice varies by person and by period. The routes described here are the ones most often named; the details of access and what is permitted can change, so check current local information before planning to walk any of them.
The Nangkhor: the inner circuit
The Nangkhor is the innermost route. It runs inside the Jokhang, passing through the chapels and corridors around the central shrine. Pilgrims move clockwise through the temple, pausing at images, offering lamps and bowing as they go. Because it lies indoors, the Nangkhor is shaped by the temple’s rules: how many people may enter, which chapels are open and where photography is forbidden. Temple entry customs and a quiet, patient manner apply throughout.
The Barkhor: the middle circuit
The Barkhor is the street around the Jokhang complex, and it is the best known of the three. It is a lively mix of pilgrims, residents and shops selling incense, prayer beads and religious items, but the main point of the route remains devotional. You will see people walking at different speeds, spinning prayer wheels and counting prayers. A fuller walk-through of the route, with the etiquette for the temple gate, is in the cluster article on pilgrimage to the Jokhang; here it is enough to say that the Barkhor is the circuit most visitors can join with little preparation.
The Lingkhor: the outer circuit
The Lingkhor is the largest of the three. Traditionally it encircles the old town of Lhasa and the Potala hill. Authorities differ on how the route has changed through the centuries as the city grew, and modern roads cut across parts of the older path, so what a walker follows today is partly historic and partly adapted. It is commonly described as several kilometres long, which means it takes a good portion of a morning at a leisurely pace, and longer at altitude.
Devotees walk the Lingkhor for merit, often in the early hours, and some do it in prostration. Some sections today run alongside busy roads or through residential areas, so do not expect a quiet trail. If you walk it, keep to the clockwise direction, dress for changeable weather, and carry water. Circumambulation practice here is as much a social activity as a solitary one, with elders chatting as they walk.
Hills near the city
Several hills near Lhasa carry religious meaning:
- Marpo Ri, the Red Hill, on which the Potala Palace stands, takes its name from a legendary mountain of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara.
- Chakpori, a neighbouring hill opposite the Potala, has been connected with a historic medical college; the details of its history are best checked in a reliable source.
- Other ridges around the valley have small shrines, prayer-flag lines and offering places for burning juniper incense.
Prayer wheels and flags are a regular feature of the paths, and the sights you meet on these slopes are part of the same devotional landscape. Tibetan sacred landscapes more broadly are mapped in terms of mountains, lakes and valleys that are held to be inhabited by or linked to protector deities; Lhasa is a smaller, urban version of that pattern.
Hermitages and monasteries further out
Outside the city, forested and rocky valleys hold monasteries and hermitages. Drepung and Sera, large Gelug school institutions, lie at the edge of the valley, and visitors often combine them with a city visit. Sera is known for its afternoon debating practice, and the Sera Monastery debate is worth understanding as a form of monastic study before you watch it. Ganden Monastery is further out in the mountains.
Smaller retreat sites, some linked in tradition to early teachers and kings, are found in the hills around the valley. Many are at greater elevations than Lhasa itself, and roads or paths can be rough or closed in bad weather. Access for foreign visitors is often more restricted than for locals, so never assume you can go somewhere because a pilgrim does.
Altitude and safety
Lhasa is at roughly 3,650 metres, and even gentle walking can feel hard in thin air. Hills and hermitage trails go higher still. Altitude sickness awareness matters: headaches, nausea, unusual breathlessness and poor sleep are common early warning signs, and serious cases need prompt medical attention. General points that are widely repeated include allowing days to adjust, avoiding rushing, drinking water and not climbing to a higher elevation if symptoms are present. This is general information only and not medical advice. Speak to a doctor before travelling and keep up with current official guidance.
The sun at altitude can be intense, mornings cold, and sudden weather shifts are possible. Pace yourself on all three circuits, and treat the Lingkhor as a longer commitment than it appears on a map.
Conduct and permissions
On any circuit, walk clockwise, give way to those prostrating, and avoid blocking shrines and incense burners. Ask before taking photographs of people, and remember that some places forbid photography entirely. Rules for foreign visitors to Tibet, including travel permits and whether independent walking is allowed in certain areas, can change at short notice. Check your government’s travel advice and official local sources before you rely on anything in this article.