Norbulingka (Precious Stone Garden)
Norbulingka (Precious Stone Garden)
4
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Complex consisting of the Dalai Lamas' summer residence. The park consist of palace, nice pond areas and a small onsite zoo. Norbulingka which means ‘treasure garden’ in Tibetan language, is located in the west side of Lhasa, a short distance from the southwest of Potala Palace. It is marked as the world’s highest, largest and best-preserved ancient artificial historical and cultural garden.
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4.0
278 reviews
Excellent
123
Very good
98
Average
49
Poor
5
Terrible
3
xcschlr
Milwaukee, WI848 contributions
June 2024 • Couples
Several generations of Dalai Lamas built their summer residences here, and there is a pond with goldfish and a pavilion. The roads are lined with well-maintained trees, and the gardens have beautiful flowers. I highly recommend a visit to this place during your stay in Lhasa so that you can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a Tibetan “garden” and see how the priest-kings of Tibet used to live in summertime.
Written 28 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
vmimartins
Guimaraes, Portugal1,529 contributions
Aug 2011
Norbulingka or the Summer Palace is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 2001 as an extension of Potala Palace, is located about 1km south of the Potala Palace.
Norbulingka is a complex with buildings, pavilions, gardens,small temples and woods -Is the biggest and nicest garden in Lhasa, with trees and lots of flowers.
The buildings are traditional Tibetan, as expected, but scattered through the woods.
A must see
Norbulingka is a complex with buildings, pavilions, gardens,small temples and woods -Is the biggest and nicest garden in Lhasa, with trees and lots of flowers.
The buildings are traditional Tibetan, as expected, but scattered through the woods.
A must see
Written 15 September 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Flo413
Cornwall, UK382 contributions
Oct 2019
Interesting but I think that we were all overdosed with seeing so many temples in Lhasa. We would have preferred a scenic tour of the area.
Written 17 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sacha99
Victoria, bc20 contributions
Norbulingka in Lhasa, Tibet is rightly described as a world cultural hertitage site but the conditions for the poor animals in the zoo there need much improvement. They are in small cages without water or any stimulation. The snow leopard cub was in such a cage and I wonder if it's still alive. I watched people throw things at the 2 unfortunate lions, one of whom seemed to be in pain. There was garbage in the cages. I would have to say that it is one of the most upsetting zoos that I have ever seen.
Written 27 February 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Volker
Zurich, Switzerland164 contributions
July 2019 • Family
Open wide area with flowers everywhere. Lots of things to see and most interesting with a knowledgeable tour guide. Many room of the summer palace are open and can be visited.
Written 22 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roadnight2014
Kettering, UK28 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
A very relaxing place to visit whilst in Lhasa, the gardens which are huge have many trees, poor grass and hardly any flowers. This place should be a showpiece but fails miserably, such a let down.
Written 12 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mikey2846
London, UK157 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
I guess most reviewers don't look behind the vista, this is otherwise known as the Dali Lama's summer palace - or in other words another wood structure with some colourful paintings set in some very nice gardens
the new summer palace was completed not long before he fled to India - the specialist artwork on the walls is probably the most interesting as is the rooms where he met foreign dignitaries.
if its on your radar you also get taken past his bathroom left just the way it was when he left in 1959 - of course it doesn't look like its been cleaned since.
the problem I find with all of these buildings is that they are only alive if someone is living in them or they are being used, otherwise they are an empty shell and when you take into account the history it is difficult to be other than depressed. the reality is the Dali Lama will never be permitted to return to Tibet and even if he were he would have no palace - he could of course pay like everyone else to take a peek.
word of warning - avoid the public toilets at all costs, I have seen and used some horrors in my time but these will stay in my memory for quite a while
the new summer palace was completed not long before he fled to India - the specialist artwork on the walls is probably the most interesting as is the rooms where he met foreign dignitaries.
if its on your radar you also get taken past his bathroom left just the way it was when he left in 1959 - of course it doesn't look like its been cleaned since.
the problem I find with all of these buildings is that they are only alive if someone is living in them or they are being used, otherwise they are an empty shell and when you take into account the history it is difficult to be other than depressed. the reality is the Dali Lama will never be permitted to return to Tibet and even if he were he would have no palace - he could of course pay like everyone else to take a peek.
word of warning - avoid the public toilets at all costs, I have seen and used some horrors in my time but these will stay in my memory for quite a while
Written 11 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon H
San Diego, CA38 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
Maybe it was the time of the year that we visited, but I found that the gardens were not gardens at all...they were weeds covered with leaves. We must have walked three miles to see the different Dalai Lama's summer residences, which were very beautiful. I just wished the grounds were in better condition.
Written 9 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hk-trekker
Hong Kong, China242 contributions
Feb 2012
Also known as the Summer Palace, its a lovely sight with 3 temples and lovely gardens. Avoid the so-called zoo - rather launch a complaint.
Written 24 February 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johann&Sandra
8,260 contributions
Norbulingka, literally "Treasure Park", was established as a summer residence for the 7th Dalai Lama in the 1740s. It was added onto throughout the centuries, including palaces that were added by the 8th Dalai Lama, the 13th Dalai Lama, and the 14th Dalai Lama. Of these, by far the most impressive is Takten Migyur Potrang, which was built for the 14th Dalai Lama in 1954. In here, you'll find a solid gold throne room, and many interesting tankahs. This palace got the name of "New Summer Palace", and is surrounded by flowers, a fountain, a beautiful fish pond with gazebos, and lots of color.
Norbulingka is now a public park, and many Tibetans come here to lounge and enjoy time with their families during the summer months, when the park is abloom in floral beauty. This is only June through August, though, so it is much less attractive when the flowers go out of bloom. We visited in September, and recommend if visiting this time of year to just go to the 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas Palaces, skipping the 7th and 8th, which are much less impressive, and getting some buns to feed the fish, swans, geese, and turtles inside the pond areas. There is a very small zoo onsite, we could see a Camel through the fence. These areas are also the most kept up, the other areas were kind of run down.
Entrance is 60 RMB per person, and the park is located just outside of town.
I think the Summer Palace is best visited on your own - visit during summer, bring a picnic with you and just relax for half a day, checking out the palaces, and taking some nice photos at the pond areas. The palaces here are much less impressive than the Potala Palace, and this isn't nearly the attraction of that site. It is really little more than a nice park with a couple of smallish palaces inside to add to the attraction. This was the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas.
Norbulingka is now a public park, and many Tibetans come here to lounge and enjoy time with their families during the summer months, when the park is abloom in floral beauty. This is only June through August, though, so it is much less attractive when the flowers go out of bloom. We visited in September, and recommend if visiting this time of year to just go to the 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas Palaces, skipping the 7th and 8th, which are much less impressive, and getting some buns to feed the fish, swans, geese, and turtles inside the pond areas. There is a very small zoo onsite, we could see a Camel through the fence. These areas are also the most kept up, the other areas were kind of run down.
Entrance is 60 RMB per person, and the park is located just outside of town.
I think the Summer Palace is best visited on your own - visit during summer, bring a picnic with you and just relax for half a day, checking out the palaces, and taking some nice photos at the pond areas. The palaces here are much less impressive than the Potala Palace, and this isn't nearly the attraction of that site. It is really little more than a nice park with a couple of smallish palaces inside to add to the attraction. This was the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas.
Written 20 September 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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