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Shannan

Base in Tsethang (the prefectural capital) for 2–3 days; day-trip Samye Monastery and the Tombs of Tibetan Kings.

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Key facts · China

Best months
May–Jun
Visa
Depends on your passport
Currency
Chinese yuan (CNY / RMB, ¥)
Language
Mandarin in Simplified characters
Plugs
A · C · I · 220 V
Time zone
UTC+8 nationwide
Month by month hereIn detail ↓
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Shannan (Lhokha) is the cradle of Tibetan civilisation: the Yarlung valley, the first Buddhist monastery (Samye), and the tombs of the early Tibetan kings. It sits 3,600 m above sea level, south of Lhasa, and is the most fertile part of Tibet. Most visitors come for Samye and the tombs, then return to Lhasa or continue to Xigaze.

Where to sleep

2 places in this region

Sleep base

  • TsethangCity guide

    Prefectural capital; guesthouses and basic hotels; all day-trips start here.

    Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Open Tsethang →

Day trip

  • SamyeCity guide

    First Buddhist monastery in Tibet; half-day from Tsethang.

    Best Jun, Sep–Oct

    Open Samye →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

2 nights
Tsethang 2, day-trip Samye and the Tombs of Tibetan Kings.
3 nights
Tsethang 3, add a day for the Yarlung valley villages.
  • Altitude: Tsethang sits at 3,600 m. Spend your first night in Lhasa (3,650 m) to acclimatise before descending.
  • Foreign travellers need a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) plus a guide for the whole trip; Shannan is part of the permitted area.

Day-trips door to door

ToFromDoor-to-door p50Last returnNote
SamyeTsethang60 mincheckShared minibus or taxi; last return bus mid-afternoon — check the schedule at your hotel.
Tombs of Tibetan KingsTsethang30 mincheckShort taxi ride; the tombs close around 18:00.

Bags between cities

check

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
CountryJFMAMJJASOND
Tsethang
Samye
China (country-wide)
Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month
ZoneJFMAMJJASOND
Yarlung valleyTsethang and the main tourist sitescoldcoldcoolokbestbestwetwetokcoolcoldcold
best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, greywet: daily rain
Yarlung valley
May–June and September–October are the best months: clear skies, moderate temperatures. July–August has more rain but still travelable. Winter (Nov–Feb) is cold and dry; some sites have reduced hours.

The best months also match the peak tourist season in Tibet; book permits and transport well ahead.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes1 partGet in

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate
FromToHowp50Note
LhasaTsethangPaved road (S202 / G4218); bus or shared minibus from Lhasa's passenger stations~2 h 30 by car, ~3 h by busBuses leave from Lhasa's East or North station; the road is well maintained. A taxi costs about ¥300–400 (2026 estimate).

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works
DishWhereTiming / trap
Tibetan momos (steamed dumplings)Tsethang: local eateries near the bus stationFilled with yak meat or vegetables; served with chilli sauce.
Tsampa (roasted barley flour)Tsethang: guesthouse breakfastsStaple Tibetan food; often eaten with butter tea.
Butter tea (po cha)Tsethang: everywhereSalty, rich yak-butter tea; an acquired taste.

Go next

Lhasa

Road ~2 h 30 by car

Return to Lhasa for flights or onward permits.

Xigaze

planned

Road ~4 h via the Yarlung Tsangpo valley

Gateway to Everest Base Camp and the western monasteries.

Samye

planned

Day-trip from Tsethang

The first Buddhist monastery in Tibet; a must-see.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep
1 base
Day trips
2, 30 min to 1 h
Nights suggested
2–3 nights
Ways in
1 listed
Best months
May, Jun

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

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Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

Ask about Shannan

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