Tibet Tour Information

Tibet, known as 'the Roof of the World', is a jewel in the Himalayas and a place filled with hope and secrets. Its wild and overwhelming landscape will cause you to be weak in the knees. The big smile of Tibetan people will warm your heart, while their strong spiritual faith will touch your soul; the splendid and mysterious Tibetan culture will astound you. Come to Tibet to explore its charm in person!

Best time to visit Tibet

The best time to visit Tibet is from May to October, when the weather is not very cold, averaging above 10°C. This is naturally the busiest travel time in Tibet, when people come for the warmer weather and higher oxygen content. Read more

Tibet Visa & Travel Permit         

Travel to Tibet from Kathmandu, Nepal
If you are entering Tibet from Kathmandu, Nepal, you are required to obtain a Chinese visa in the consulate of P.R China in Kathmandu; the opening time for the Consulate of P.R China in Kathmandu is only available between 9:30 A.M and 12:00 P.M on each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please note this visa application is compulsory despite you have already had a Chinese visa read more…

Tibet Train information

“The train journey has become very popular because it is not an expensive travel style to enter Tibet” travelling on a train on the world’s highest railway offers travelers a remarkable experience that they will never gain in other transportation. Alpine Eco Trek advises its clients to book the train tickets as soon as the reservations open..  Read more

Tour Guides:

We are the pioneer in Tibet tours and our dedicated team has gained long experience in tourism and hospitality specializing in Tibet tour, Treks and mountain biking tours. We are equipped with the team of friendly and knowledgeable guides who can speak your language as well as supported by an excellent infrastructure and committed to offering a personalize services to make your journey a life time experience!  During your time in Tibet you will be accompanied by an English speaking Tibetan guide who will not only act as an interpreter but will also provide a valuable insight into the Tibetan culture and way of life.

Hotel and Accommodations:

Now, Lhasa has many five stars hotels; there are so many nice and standard hotels in Lhasa, Gyatnse and Shigatse. We can organize any kinds of hotels and guest houses as per your requirements.

Please be noted that the facilities and services along Friendship highway, especially Zhangmu, Nyalam, Tingri, Saga and Kailash part are still very basic. Read more (need to connect with hotels in Tibet page)

Transportation:

Lhasa, Tibet is now connected with the Railways network with mainland China. From any parts of mainland china you can take the amazing train journey to Lhasa which takes about two days to reach the capital. Roads and highways in Tibet are pretty much in condition now! Normally we use 4WD jeep, Van or minibus to carry tourists and trucks for kitchen logistics and equipments.

Food:

While you are in cities you can get verities of good meals but while you are on a trek or along the highways there are less varieties and not so good food so it is advised to bring some dry food of your own all the time. Due to the high altitude you may feel not so hungry or lose your appetite which is common symptom of altitude, no worry and try to eat as much as you can. You need more energy while you are in the high altitude areas. Many travelers suffer from diarrhea in Tibet, so please be careful with the varieties of food and try to have some light meals with more soups and tea.  Please avoid eating raw food like vegetable salads, etc… always try to eat well cooked meals and drink only boiled or sealed packed mineral water.

High Altitude Sickness in Tibet

What is High Altitude Sickness?
High altitude sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), or altitude illness, is a pathological condition at high altitude which is caused by the combination of reduced air pressure and lack of oxygen. An altitude above 3000 meters is usually defined as high altitude, and most places in Tibet are higher than this level. Therefore, AMS is one of the biggest challenges when travelling in Tibet.

Most people will experience AMS during the acclimatization process. Adverse reactions may vary from person to person. In most cases, the symptoms are mild and will subside in several hours to several days as the body acclimatizes.

Mild Symptoms of AMS include:

  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath with exertion
  • Rapid pulse (heart rate)
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Poor sleeping
  • Dizziness or light-headedness

In some, adverse reactions may process to severe altitude sickness, even life-threatening one, such as high altitude pulmonary edema and high altitude cerebral edema. Therefore, please do not hesitate to inform your guide if you are feeling bad and don't hesitate to go to hospital is your symptoms become worse and worse!

How to Avoid High Altitude Sickness?

Before you go:

  • Get as fit and healthy as possible, both physically and psychologically. Don't be too nervous.
  • A medical examination is necessary if you've never been to plateaus.
  • Avoid catching cold or respiratory problems before entering Tibet.
  • Prepare AMS medication with your doctor's advice

After your arrival:

  • Avoid brisk walking or running immediately after your arrival, especially if you arrive by air.
  • Avoid strenuous activity or move higher during your first 24 hours in Tibet. But light activity during the daytime is better than sleeping because respiration decreases during sleeping, exacerbating the symptoms.
  • Don't take shower at the first day! Avoid catching cold!
  • Drink plenty of fluids (3 to 4 liters daily).
  • Eat high-carbohydrate food.
  • Avoid tobacco, alcohol or depressant drugs, including barbiturates, tranquilizers, or sleeping pills.\
  • Better not to take oxygen if your AMS symptoms are mild. It helps you acclimatize faster. If your symptoms become worse and worse, please take oxygen and go to hospital.
  • Take it easy and move to higher altitude gradually. Breathe deeply and take more rest than usual.
  • Stop moving higher if you begin feeling ill. If symptoms increase, move to lower altitude!

It's advisable to have a body check-up or have your doctor's advice before travelling to Tibet.

Do's and Don'ts - Tibetan Etiquettes and Taboos:

Tibetan people are friendly and easy to get along with. However, Tibetans have different ways of behavior in many aspects due to their unique culture and religion. Be sure to respect local their local culture and customs.

  • Don't take photos without permission. You'd better ask for permission before taking pictures of Tibetan people. Most Tibetan monasteries are not allowed to take pictures or you need to pay.
  • Don't enter a monastery without permission. Don't smoke in monasteries. Don't touch Buddha statues, religious objects or prayer flags.
  • Walk around monasteries, temples, dagobas, Mongolian cairns (Mani piles) and other religious structures in clockwise order with the exception of the Bon sites.
  • Don't step on the threshold when entering a tent, house, or monastery.
  • Don't touch the head of a Tibetan. The head is considered as a sacred part of the body.
  • Don't drive away or hurt eagles. Eagles are considered holy birds in the hearts of Tibetan people.
  • Don't disturb or injure cows or sheep with red, green or yellow ribbons because they are Tibetan sacrifice to worship gods.
  • Tibetan people are getting more used to habits of foreigners and being more tolerant due to rapidly developing tourism in Tibet. However, we still hope you can show respect to Tibetan traditions and behave well since their unique lifestyle is part of the charm of Tibet.

If you are interested in Tibetan customs and etiquettes, here we provide more as follows:

  • Tibetan people stretch out tongues to show respect and it is a courtesy to put their hands palm to palm in front of chest.
  • Remember to cross your legs when you are asked to have a seat. Don't stretch your legs with feet pointing to others.
  • Accept and present gifts with both hands.
  • Don't kill any animals or insects in monasteries.
  • Don't whirl round prayer wheels in an anti-clockwise direction.
  • Don't spit or clap your palms behind Tibetan people.
  • Don't use a paper with Tibetan characters as tissue.
  • Generally, Tibetan people don't eat horse, dog, donkey, or fish.

Tibet Facts

Name:  Short form: Xizang
Int'l long form: Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)
Int'l short form: Tibet
Etymological: The name Tibet is derived from the Sanskrit word Trivistapa which means "heaven." Tibetans called their homeland Bod.
Geography: Location: Asia, north of India, located on the Tibetan Plateau, the world's highest region.
Area: 1.2m sq km (471 700 sq miles), Bod: 2.5 million sq. km, approximately the size of Western Europe.
Terrain: 70% Grassland; from high plateau to tropical forest
Climate: Average temperature 28 degrees Celsius (Summer) -15 degrees Celsius (in Winter), extremely dry except during rainy season (July-August).
History: Tibetan history can be traced thousands of years back. Tibet's history can be diveded into four periods: The Tsanpo's Period, The period of Decentrailzation, The period of Sakya, Pagdu, and Karmapa's Rule, and The period of the gandan Podrang's Administration.
People: Population: 2.62 million
Ethnic Groups: primarily ethnic Tibetans; Menba, Lhoba, Mongols, Hui and a growing number of Han Chinese.
Religions: Tibetan Buddhism, Animism.
Languages: Tibetan, Chinese.
Festivals: Tibetan New Year, Shoton Festival, Bathing Festival.. Click to see more Fesitivals celebrated in Tibet.
Natural resources: Forests, wildlife, mineral resources, uranium (world's largest uranium reserve), hydro-, geothermal energy.
Agriculture products: Livestock and livestock products.
Industries: Mining, wool spinning, carpets, forestry, food processing, printing, building materials and machinery, tourism.
Currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY)
Time: Local Time = UTC +8h
Government: Type: Communist party-led state (People's Republic of China)
The Tibet Autonomous Region was founded on 9 September 1965.

Further Information:
www.kailashtourtrek.com contains as much information as possible about Mount Kailash & Tibet Tours and Treks. However, if you have any questions regarding trip, please feel free to contact us. We answer all enquiries within 24 hours. If you want to book a trip, you can send us an email or contact us directly by phone: 0977 98510 36844 (Ram Kumar Adhikari).