The Jokhang Temple is located in the center of the ancient Town of Lhasa. It was built by Songtsen Gampo, a great King in the history of Tibet, for his wife, Princess Chizun from Nepal. It is a sacred place for Tibetan Buddhists. On the Golden Roof of the temple, you can see the faraway Potala Palace shrouded by beautiful sunlight, and the crowds of people on the square of the Jokhang Temple. The butter-oil lamps in the temple is lighting all the time, just like the belief of Buddhism in Tibet.
Best Seasons to visit the Jokhang Temple
It is advisable to visit Lhasa from June to September because the weather is relatively mild then. Meanwhile, in March, many wild ducks will pass through the Lhasa River duiring their migration. If you are very interested in bird watching, you’d better schedule your trip in March. In addition, on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year, the Lantern Festival, a grand religious ceremony, will be held in the Jokhang Temple. Lamas and local craftmen will make various kinds of colorful butter flowers by hand and put them inside the lanterns hung in the temple. When the Lanterns are lighted up at night, the whole temple will be like a fairyland. You can see elegant flowers, different Chinese Gods and Goddesses, great achievers in the Chinese history on the cover of the lanterns. It is strongly recommendable to visit the temple at that time since the Lantern Festival is a very good opportunity for you to experience the rich Chinese culture.
The Jokhang Temple Travel Route
The Main Gate—The Geshe Square (Lamas are entitled with the name “Geshe” on the square)—The Main Hall—The Side Hall (There are statues of TsongKhapa and his eight disciples in the hall)—The Hall of Avalokitesvara—The Hall of Amitabha Buddha—The Hall of Qamba Buddha—The Hall of Dharmaraja (It is on the second floor, and only open in the morning.)—The Hall of Bandanlamu—The Golden Roof
The Jokhang Temple Ticket
Ticket price for the Jokhang Temple:
RMB 85 per person in peak seasons (from April 21th to October 19th )
RMB 35 per person in slack season (from October 20th to April the 20th next year)
Opening hours: 9:00~18:00
Notice: In the afternoon, there will be a sermon on the second floor of the temple, and it is worth attending. You do not need to buy another ticket if you want to revisit the temple during your stay. And if you want to take photos inside the Main Hall, you will need to pay 90 Yuan for the permission.
How to get to the Johhang Temple
By air
There is an airport located 100 kilometers away to the south of Lhasa. Tourists can fly to the airport from citis like Beijing, Shanhai, and Katmandu, and take a bus or a taxi to the city of Lhasa. It takes 2 hours to reach the city by bus, and the ticket price is 20 Yuan per person. You can also take a taxi, and the price will be 150~250 Yuan per ride.
By Coach
You can take a couch from Bayi, Changdu, Chengdu, Rikaze, Zhangmu, Jiangzi, or Geermu, and arrived at the Coach Station of Lhasa. The following is a list of ticket price.
Ticket price from Geermu to Lhasa: RMB 262 per person
Ticket price from Zedang to Lhasa: RMB 28 per person.
Ticket price from Changdu to Lhasa: RMB 228 per person
Ticket price from Chengdu to Lhasa: RMB 443 per person
Ticket price from Rikaze to Lhasa: RMB 40 per person
Ticket price from Zhangmu to Lhasa: RMB 113 per person
Ticket price from Jiangzi to Lhasa: RMB 38 per person
Transportation Inside the City of Lhasa
By taxi
There are more than 1500 taxis in the city. You can easily find one whenever you want to take taxi. It takes no more than ten Yuan to travel around the city by taxi.
By bus or minibus
Buses in Lhasa run every half an hour, and the ticket price is 1 Yuan per person. It is also very convinient to take a minibus to the temple. The ticket price is 2 Yuan per person. Remember to ask the driver whether the minibus stopped at the temple or not before you get on the minibus.
By tricycle
A tricycle can take two passengers per ride, and only work within the city. Ususally, the price for one ride is between 4 Yuan to 7 Yuan.
By bycycle
You can rent a bike in almost all the hotels in Lhasa, and the price is 2 Yuan per hour, 20 Yuan per day. Or you can chose the mountain bike, while the price is 3 Yuan per hour, 30 Yuan per day.
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