Labrang Monastery Travel Guide

A Slow, Respectful Way to Visit One of Tibet Buddhism’s Greatest Centers

If this is your first time in Gannan, Labrang Monastery will almost certainly be your first stop.
Not because it’s “famous,” but because it quietly sets the rhythm for everything that comes after.

This is not a museum-style temple built for tourists. Labrang is a living monastery, home to thousands of monks, ongoing debates, medical studies, and daily rituals. If you rush through it for photos, you’ll miss the point. If you slow down—even a little—it leaves a lasting impression.

Labrang Monastery

Basic Information You Should Know Before Going

Full name: Ganden Shartse Tashi Kyil
Location: Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu
Altitude: ~3,200 meters
Opening hours: 08:00–18:00
(Some halls close around 17:00)
Opened to visitors: 1980

Labrang is one of the six great Gelug monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism and is often called a “world center of Tibetan studies.”

How to Get There: Driving Is the Easiest Option

🚗 By Car

From Lanzhou, Labrang Monastery is about 230 km, roughly 3 hours by car.
Road conditions are generally good, and the scenery becomes increasingly open and pastoral as you approach Xiahe.

🅿 Parking Tip

Park at the East Gate if possible:

Large parking lot
Charging stations
Public restrooms
Immediate access to the prayer wheel corridor

Parking fee: 2 RMB per hour

🚕 Taxis in Xiahe (Fun Local Detail)

Taxis here don’t charge by distance.
👉 It’s usually 2 RMB per person, anywhere within town.

Simple, fair, and very local.

Labrang Monastery

Tickets & Entry

🎫 Ticket price: 40 RMB
📍 Buy tickets at East Gate or West Gate visitor centers

Discounts:

Students: half price
Children under 1.2 m & seniors over 65: free

⚠️ Keep your ticket carefully
Some halls require secondary checks.

East Gate vs West Gate: Which One Should You Choose?

	East Gate	West Gate
Parking	✅ Large & easy	❌ Limited
First impression	✅ Prayer wheel corridor	❌
Viewpoint access	❌ Farther	✅ Closer
Panoramic photos	Average	✅ Best

📸 Best panoramic photo spot:
Across the road outside the West Gate, especially near sunset.

👉 First-time visitors: Enter from East Gate, exit via West Gate.

Recommended Walking Route

East Gate → Prayer Wheel Corridor (3.5 km) → Guide Center → Medical College → Lion’s Roar Hall → Butter Sculpture Hall → Museum → Maitreya Hall → Institute of Buddhist Studies (Main Assembly Hall) → Manjushri Hall → Gongtang Pagoda → West Gate Viewpoint

✔ Want to save energy? Walk back and exit East Gate
✔ Want full views? Continue to West Gate

✨ Highlights:

Butter Sculpture Hall allows photography
Gongtang Pagoda offers one of the best viewpoints in the monastery

Understanding the Six Colleges of Labrang

Labrang Monastery preserves a complete monastic education system:

Institute of Buddhist Studies (largest) – philosophy and doctrine
Lower Tantric College
Upper Tantric College – famous for 1,000 Amitayus statues
Kalachakra College – astronomy & calendar studies
Medical College – center of Tibetan medicine
Chakrasamvara College

These are active institutions, not display buildings.

Labrang Monastery

Should You Join a Guided Tour?

🎧 Official Guides

Depart roughly every 15 minutes
Fixed routes
Time-limited (may skip smaller halls)

⚠️ Common mistake
Don’t wait for guides at the ticket gate.
👉 Enter first, walk the prayer wheels, then find the Guide Assignment Center.

How to Choose

First visit / cultural depth → Join a guide
Photography / experienced travelers → Self-guided is better

Quietly listening to a guide group nearby is generally tolerated if you don’t interfere.

Clothing, Photography & Tibetan Dress Rental

👕 Tibetan costume rental
Near the East Gate:

About 80 RMB total (clothing + basic makeup)
Prices are similar—no need to bargain hard

📸 Photography tips:

Bright shawls contrast beautifully with red monastery walls
Boots photograph better than sneakers

⚠️ Even for photos:
No shorts, short skirts, sleeveless tops, or revealing clothing.

Altitude Tips & Time Planning

Altitude: 3,200 m
Bring glucose tablets or candy
Walk slowly, drink water

🕰 Recommended visit time: at least 2–3 hours
Last entry at 18:00, but many halls close earlier.
Evenings stay bright—don’t let daylight fool you.

🌦 Weather changes fast. Carry rain protection.

Monastery Etiquette

Always walk clockwise around prayer wheels and halls
No photos inside halls
No drones anywhere
Remove hats and sunglasses indoors
Speak softly
Never point at statues or interrupt worshippers

If you wish to photograph monks or pilgrims, always ask first—a smile goes a long way.

Labrang Monastery

Where to Stay & Eat

Xiahe town is well-equipped:

Guesthouses & small hotels
Tibetan food: momo, yak yogurt, noodles
Even modern chains exist

Staying in town makes walking or taxi rides easy.

Final Thoughts: Labrang Is About Pace, Not Checklists

Labrang Monastery doesn’t impress by size alone.
It stays with you because of the rhythm—
monks passing silently, pilgrims prostrating, debates echoing across courtyards.

It doesn’t hurry you.
If you slow down, it opens itself naturally.

That’s Labrang.