Numerous large lakes and reservoirs are distributed in the Tibetan Plateau. Because of the adverse environment, studies for optical absorption property in lakes and especially the diffuse attenuation of photosynthetic active radiation (K_d(PAR)) are quite limited. Here we present multiple absorption characteristics of optically active constituents and K_d(PAR) collected from 13 alpine lakes in 2014 and 2015, and analyze the relationship between K_d(PAR) and various optically active constituents. The results revealed that the absorption coefficient of total suspended matter (TSM) was less than 0.14 m^-1 which was low within 400-700 nm. The absorption coefficients of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in 355 nm reached a peak of 1.23 m^-1 and achieved 0 approximately in the bottom. Algal absorption was not obvious in Tibetan lakes and reservoirs, and the dominant absorption constituent varied among Bam Co, Gering Co and Pangong Co. The absorption of CDOM was dominated for the total absorption in Bam Co, while the total absorption of Gering Co and Pangong Co was dominated by the absorption of non-algal particles. Mean value of K_d(PAR) was 0.26 m^-1 which was low in all sites compared to the existed research results of K_d(PAR) in several lakes and reservoirs, and the maximum and minimum of K_d(PAR) were observed in Lake Keluke (1.17 m^-1) and Lake Puma Yumco (0.10 m^-1), respectively. Significant correlation existed between K_d(PAR) and secchi disk depth, and it was also found between K_d(PAR) and CDOM dramatically. Correlation between K_d(PAR) and chlorophyll-a was not so conspicuous, and K_d(PAR) was not in good agreement with TSM.