Tibet has long been
known as 'The Roof of the world'.
It lies in the south western part
of China bordering India, Bhutan,
Sikkim Nepal. The region is full of
spectacular skylines of majestic mountain
peaks, breathtaking canyons, scattered
highland lake, rolling pasture &
farm land & pristine forests.
The population of the region consists
mostly of Tibetans, Menbas & Lhobas
cultivating for centuries very unique
ethnic traditions & glorious cultures
unseen any where else. This is a land
of enduring enchantment & tantalizing
mystery. For centuries, Tibet has
fascinated mankind. This land beyond
the mighty Himalayas on the highest
plateau of the world was hardly accessible
to the outside world. Nepal Environmental
Trekking offers its various fascinating
packages for the visitors to experience
& make the dream come true.
Within its very short history of tourism
the facilities provided to visitors
are still basic and limited. So we
request our clients not to have high
expectations in terms of facilities
in Tibet. However, we will always
put in all our efforts to make the
tours as pleasant as possible. The
roads, especially the highway from
Kathmandu can be rough & is subject
to blockade due to land slides &
floods & the high altitude does
pose a serious threat to quite a few
people. The average altitude of the
Tibetan plateau is 4000m above the
sea level & that is a lot higher
than most people have been in their
lives.
Tibet at a glance
Location: Asia
Area: 471,700sq.
miles Border 2.5 million sq. km,
appro. The size of Western Europe
Terrain: 70%
Grassland, from high plateau to
tropical forest.
Climate: Average
temperature 28 degrees Celsius
(Summer) - 15degrees Celsius (in
which), extremely dry except during
raining season (July- August)
Population:
2.62 million
Ethnic groups:
Ethnic Tibetans, Menba, Lhoba,
Mongols, Hui and a growing number
of Han Chinese.
Religions:
(2006 approx.) 2,279,723
Culture: Wedding,
Funeral
Languages:
Tibetan, Chinese
Festivals:
Tibetan New Year, Shoton festival,
Bathing Festival
Currency: Chinese
Yuan Renmindi (CNY)
Time: Local
Time = UTC + 8h6
Travel Information
Booking &
Visa Procedures
A traveler to Tibet
requires to obtain a special group
visa/travel permit. Original passport
has to be submitted while applying
for visa and permit at the Chinese
Embassy in Nepal or abroad.
A minimum of two weeks advance booking
along with the following passport
details is required: Surname/ First
Name/ Nationality/ Sex/ Occupation/
Date of Birth/ Passport Number/ Passport
Validity.
To obtain the Tibet visa, we require
one full working week and the participant
along with their passport and one
copy of passport sized photograph.
There will be an additional surcharge
of US$ 30 per person as urgent visa
fee if the participant is available
less than the above mentioned period.
The normal Tibet visa fee depends
upon the nationality of the participants.
The visa obtaining days at the Chinese
Embassy here in Kathmandu are on every
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.
Participants traveling on a diplomatic
or official passport are refused entry
into Tibet. Thus kindly ensure you
are traveling on a normal passport.
Transportation
Your ground transportation
is organized by our Representative
in Lhasa. With the exception of sight
seeing in Lhasa, all sight seeing
and transfers by Toyota Land Cruiser.
However, for the overland journey
to Lhasa we use Land Cruiser for the
deluxe travelers and Bus (Coach) for
the budget travelers.
Trekking Permits
Trekking in Tibet
is a unique experience as the major
trekking areas in Tibet are still
a virgin territory without proper
guides one can easily get lost in
the vast area. All Treks organized
to Tibet are full service Camping
treks and use Sherpa Staff from Nepal
s their support crew. We will organize
all the necessary trekking and Camping
Permits.
Insurance
All travelers visiting
TIBET are strongly recommended to
provide for their own travel/trip
insurance from their own home country
that adequately covers for medical,
emergency rescue expenses, trip cancellations
or nay other eventual mishaps. One
should not feel that Tibet trip is
a pleasure tour since there is no
basic tourist infrastructure and facilities
in Tibet. One should feel that trip
to Tibet is an adventurer and culture
tour.
Clothing accessories
Warm clothes are
required to avoid the frosty cold
weather during the month of October,
November, December, January, February
and March. Whereas months of April,
May, June, July, August and September
can allow you to wear light clothes
to shun the scorching heat. However,
a jacket and sweater are advised throughout
the year as the weather may unexpectedly
change at any time. Other recommended
items are a domestic first aid kit,
water purification tablets, toilet
and issue paper, flashlight, sleeping
bag comfortable walking shoes, dusts
masks, utility knife, sun hat, sun
glasses, suntan lotion and limited
number of clothes.
Tibet Weather
Climates in Tibet
vary from place to place and temperatures
vary greatly within a single day.
In western Tibet the average temperature
is below zero degree while in Lhasa
and the central part of Tibet, the
weather remains nice and cool. Travelers
would not feel cold in winter nor
hot in summer, especially from March
to October which is the best time
for traveling. Most annual rainfall
comes in the rainy season that starts
from May to September, when the precipitation
covers 90 percent of the whole year.
Usually it rains at night in Lhasa,
Shigatse and Chamdo area. The precipitations
gradually decrease from 5000 millimeters
in the lower part of southeast to
just 50 in the northwest.
High Altitude Sickness
Acute Mountain Sickness
(AMS) is common at high altitudes,
and depends on the elevation, the
rate of ascent and individual susceptibility.
Most visitors to Tibet will suffer
from at least some symptoms that will
generally disappear through acclimatization
in several hours to several days.
Symptoms tend to be worse at night
and include headache, dizziness, and
lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea,
breathlessness and irritability. Difficulty
sleeping is another common symptom,
and many travelers have trouble sleeping
for the first few days after arriving
in Lhasa.
To Prevent High
Altitude Sickness We Suggest
Drink extra fluids. The mountain
air is dry and cold and moisture
is lost as you breathe. Evaporation
of sweat may occur unnoticed and
result in dehydration.
Eat light, high-carbohydrate
meals for more energy.
Avoid alcohol as it may increase
the risk of dehydration, and don't
smoke.
Avoid sedatives.
Don't push yourself when climbing
up to passes, rather take plenty
of breaks.
Avoid catching cold before you
entering Tibet.
Cultural Consideration
Following cultural
etiquette needs to be paid attention
while traveling in
Do not take photograph the cultural
sites without permission
Always circumambulate Gompas
and other religious sites clockwise,
thus keeping shrines and chortens
to your right.
Do not touch or remove anything
on an altar.
Do not take photographs during
a prayer meeting. At other times
always ask permission to take
photograph, especially one using
flash. The larger monasteries
charge photography fees.
Do not wear shorts or short
skirts in a monastery.
Take your hat off when you go
into a chapel.
Do not smoke in a monastery.
Do not eat dog, donkey and horse
meat in Tibet.
Be aware that Tibetans often
gesture with their lips to show
a direction, so if a member of
the opposite sex points at you
they are just showing you the
direction where to go.
Money & Credit
Card
In Tibet the only
place to change foreign currency and
travelers cheques is the Bank of China.
All the star ranking hotels in Lhasa
have exchange services but they are
only available for guests. The sensible
thing to do is to change as much money
in Lhasa as you think you need. The
only other places to change money
are in Shigatse, Zhangmu and Purang.
If you are traveling upcountry, try
and get your cash in small denominations:
RMB100 and RMB50 bills. If you don't
like the idea of turning up at the
border with no Chinese currency you
can buy cash RMB from banks in Hong
Kong and the Bank of China in large
cities.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are
not recommended as a way of payment
in Tibet. Flights and Lhasa cannot
be paid using a credit card. The Lhasa
central branch of the Bank of China
is the only place in Tibet which provides
credit card advances. A 4% commission
is usually deducted and the minimum
advance is normally RMB1200.
Traveler’s
Cheques
Travellers cheques
are now acceptable at the Bank of
China. It is recommended that you
cash them in Lhasa.
Airport Tax
The airport departure
tax on Lhasa / Kathmandu flight is
included in the flight fare. The airport
tax on Kathmandu / Lhasa flight is
approximately US$ __________ which
is payable at the Kathmandu International
Airport.
Flight Operation
Air China operates
its flights everyday for Kathmandu-Lhasa-Kathmandu
from end of March to the end of October.
