Xigatse (日喀则; Rìkāzé - Tibetan: གཞིས་ཀ་རྩ), also spelled Shigatse, is the second largest city in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is 3,800 meters above sea level.

Understand

With a population of about 50,000, it is an important trading and administrative center. The city is traditionally the seat of the Panchen Lama (ie. the most important person in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama). Unlike the 14th Dalai Lama the portraits of the 10th Panchen Lama are frequently found hanging in stores and restaurants in Xigatse.

Get in

Located at the intersection of several highways, the city of Xigatse is positioned on the Friendship Hwy. Buses and Mini-buses travel the distance from Lhasa. There is public transportation to Gyantse, Lhatse, Sakya, Dromo, Gampa and Khangmar on a semi-regular basis.

Shigatse Peace Airport opened for public service in November 2010, when a 532 million yuan expansion was completed. On 30 October 2010, the airport was opened as the fifth civilian airport in Tibet. The airport is 45 km away from Shigatse city.

There are several daily trains from Lhasa, taking just under three hours. 1 Xigatse station is located south of the city.

Get around

All sites of interest are within easy walking distance. Taxis are available through Chinese ride hailing apps.

See

• Tashilhunpo Monastery. The traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas. It was constructed in 1447 and is where the Panchen Lamas resided and conducted their religious and secular duties. Covering a floorspace of 300,000 square meters, the monastery is enshrined with the world's largest gilded bronze Buddhist statue, the 22.4 meter high statue of Maitreya Buddha.
• The free market and the gift market in Old Town
• The ruins of the Xigatse Fortress

Buy

• David Zakus, 155 College St, #576, ☏ +86 416 978-1458. Sells silk carpets for from the local factory. 

There are plenty of stores in the street outside of the Tashilhunpo monastery. The stores are more aimed at pilgrims and monks rather than the stores aimed at Chinese tourists in Lhasa. There are also import stores with items made by exiled tibetans who live in Nepal.

Eat

Lots of restaurants around Samdup Hotel

Sleep

Accommodation in Xigatse is more expensive than in Lhasa and there are only a few budget options.

Budget

• Fruit Hotel - located across from Tashilhunpo Monastery
• Samdup Hotel (Sangzhuzi Fandian), ☏ +86 892 882-2252. 
• Tenzin Hotel - located across from gift market in Old Town below Shigatse Dzong

Mid-range

• Shigatse Hotel (Xigatse Binguan), Jiefang Zhong Lu, ☏ +86 892 882-5525, fax: +86 892 882-1900. 
• Zhufeng Friendship Hotel (Zhufengyouyi Binguan), Dechen Potrang Lu, ☏ +86 892 882-1929. Good hotel, but a little far from the downtown area. 

Go next

Xigatse is one of the best places in Tibet to pick up a travel permit, issued at the police station with only an hour or two of waiting. The permit is valid for anyplace in Xigatse Prefecture that you specify. That allows you to go up to the border with Nepal. Interesting places to visit in Xigatse Prefecture include Sakya, Gyantse, Mount Everest, and Tingri.