The genus name Syrrhaptes is from Ancient Greek surrhaptos, "sewn together" (the feathered toes of this sandgrouse are fused together) and tibetanus is from the type locality, Tibet.

[2] The Tibetan sandgrouse is about 30–41 cm long, with a small, pigeon-like head and neck, but sturdy compact body.

It has an orange face, finely barred grey breast, neck and crown, white belly and black underwings.

White belly and dark underwings are distinctions from the related Pallas's sandgrouse, with which its range overlaps.

Flocks fly noisily to watering holes at dawn and dusk, usually the former, though less regular than other sandgrouse.

Its nest is a ground scrape in which three pale brown elliptical eggs with cryptic markings are laid.