Tibet Travel FAQs

Enter into the Tibet from Nepal can easily reachable by road or air. By land it can be reached via Zhamgmu and Simikot. The best and most popular way to travel in to Tibet is via Nepal. However, you can also enter from parts of Mainland China, i.e. Beijing, Chengdu etc. Kathmandu – Lhasa – Kathmandu flight operates as follows: July to October every Tuesday, Saturday and Thursday April to June and November every Tuesday and Saturday December to March only Saturday Fare of Flight and Train A) Kathmandu to Lhasa: US$356.00 B) Chengdu to Lhasa: US$250.00 C) Beijing to Lhasa: US$490.00 D) Shanghai to Lhasa: US$512.00 E) Kathmandu to Beijing: US$790.00 F) Train to Lhasa from Beijing US$255.00 on soft sleeper bed G) Tibet (Chinese) visa: US$114.00 for all nationality (Additional US$ 85.00 applicable to American passport holder as levied by Chinese Government.) Note: The above airfares, timings and airport tax are subject to change without prior notice, if revised.

According to an official memo between the governments of China and Nepal, it is a must to get the China Visa from the China Embassy in Kathmandu, no matter if you already get a visa in your country or not. For the moment, it usually takes about 7 working days to get the visa there. The China Embassy in Kathmandu opens for visa application on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 09:00-11:30am only. You shall try to arrive in Kathmandu about one week in advance for the visa application.

Yes. The travel insurances are mandatory for Tibet tours. However, we recommend the comprehensive travel insurances for Tibet tours purchased from your home countries because the bureaucratic China insurance companies always have the inactive responses to the emergencies. Keep in mind, your insurance should have coverage for trip cancellation, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical and health expenses, lost baggage and more.

Traveller need to obtain the travel permits from Tibet Tourism Bureau before entering Tibet. The permits are issued only to the groups operated by tour operators. The tour operators can assist the travellers to obtain the travel permits. The following information is required to apply for Tibet travel permit. Full Name: Nationality: Passport Number: Date of issue: Date of expire: Date of birth: Sex: Occupation: The normal application procedure for Tibet travel permits takes 10 – 14days.

In Lhasa, the must-see attractions include Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Street. If the time permits, you shall try to include the three great Gelugpa monasteries – Drepung, Sera and Ganden as well. Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet and usually included in a tour less than 7 days for exploration in middle Tibet area. When the length of the tour is 7 to 10 days, you shall not miss the life-long experience with the highest mountain in the world – Mt. Everest. The Heaven Lake of Namtso Lake, the sacred mountain and holy Lake of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Ngari are also worth of visiting when there is more time.

The best season for touring in Tibet is from April to early November. But various routes have their own golden times: Lhasa, Tsedang, and Shigatse: As the weather and tourism facilities in these places are quite good, so you can visit them in anytime for enjoying the breathtaking scenery! Lhasa – the border of Nepal: This area is not available for tourists from December to January because of the snowed land; every August, the rain season, landslide will be occurred! Mt. Everest area: it is too cold to the tourists visiting this area from October to April! But the beauty of the roof of the world will move you in anytime! Mount Kailash: You can enjoy the wonder in this area at the time of every May, June, July, September, October without the trouble of the landslide by the big rain & snow.

The weather in Tibet as follow: Lhasa – Shigatse – Lhatse – Tingri – Nylam: Along the Friendship highway is basically in good conditions year around. But from December to February, the thawed road could make some trouble. Try to avoid August – landslide could happen in the rainy season. Mount Everest Area: Early May and early October are the best time to visit Mt. Everest. Due to the clear weather, you have great chance to see Mt. Everest’s true face. From December to February, you’d better not to go to this area because it is too cold – except you are real Great Adventure People. Mount Kailash: Even without climate restrictions, this area is already inhospitable. Big rain and snow could make the journey worse. However, for those determined tourists, the appropriate time is May, June, July, September and October.

It is cold from October to March and you need warm clothes during this time. From April to September only light clothes will be enough. However, a jacket and a sweater are advised throughout the year as the weather may unexpectedly change at any time. The recommend items are: A domestic first aid kit, water purification tablets, toilet and tissue papers, flashlight, sleeping bag, comfortable walking shoes, dust masks, utility knife, sun hat, sun glasses, suntan lotion and a limited number of clothes.

Tibet is still a very simple place and the accommodation there is quiet limited. There are very few four and five star hotels in Lhasa and in other main places outside Lhasa such as Shigatse, Gyantse, Tsedang and Nyingchi, the highest standard is three stars only. In Tingri, Zhangmu and Nagqu, the best ranked hotels are in one or two star and usually quite expensive. Meanwhile these starred hotels may be inferior to hotels of similar standard in the inner land of China. Even for the same standard in Tibet, the hotels in Lhasa may be better than that in other places. And at rest places, there are mainly guesthouses only.

Tibet has only a handful of towns, and Tibetan cuisine is not exactly the most varied in the world. It is handy to carry anything that can be brewed with hot water. Instant coffee, drinking chocolate, tea (bags), soup cubes. Other food items worth considering are instant noodles, nuts and raisins, chocolate, dry foods and biscuits.

We use three categories for accommodation: Best available, comfortable and budget Guesthouse. For best available accommodations, we usually arrange a 4- or 5-star hotel in Lhasa, 3-star hotels in other main places outside Lhasa incl. Gyantse, Shigatse, Tsedang and Nyingchi, and 1- or 2- star hotels or guesthouses in other places. For comfortable category, we’ll arrange 3-star hotels or comparatively good 2-star hotels in Lhasa and all other main places, and guesthouses in the rest places. For budget Guesthouse, we’ll arrange guesthouses at all places of the trip.

Road between Kathmandu and Nyalam is bad and it can be disrupted during monsoon. Some parts above Friendship Bridge and above Zhangmu are not in condition to play vehicles as such we have to walk about 3 hours above Friendship Bridge and above Zhangmu road about 2 hours. During monsoon, if it rains heavily, road will be flooded with water between Xigatse and Gyantse, so we have to detour via Northern highway. We use Southern highway via Gyantse and Yamdrok Lake. It involves the crossing of a pass Karo-La which is 5010m high.

Nepal Adventure Point uses Land Cruiser 4WD (Toyota 4500) because the roads in Tibet can at times become quite rough and impassable. These vehicles are extremely reliable and will make the journey as comfortable as possible. As for the trekking and climbing there will be a truck for carrying luggage and trek equipments. We’ll drive for several hours, stopping along the way for places of special interest, for lunch, and for photographs. Generally we arrive in the day’s destination by 3 or 4pm.

The main currency in Tibet is Renminbi (RMB). It is more convenient to take along enough cash with you than using credit card in Tibet. Credit cards are usually accepted in large shops or hotels only. There are ATMs in Lhasa and Shigatse only and some of them sometimes can not work properly.

There is International Direct Dialing available in cities of Tibet. Phone cards are widely available and calls can be made from post offices, hotels and booths on the streets. In hotels, local calls are generally charged at a titular fee. Internet cafes are also available in Lhasa.

There is no prohibition on still and video cameras, tape recorders or any other electronic equipment for personal use as long as they are declared in the customs declaration form at the point of entry. Export of art objects dating back prior to 1959 are prohibited and may be seized.

Tibet is harmonious to different cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and moral concepts. You may practice on your own deal. Keep in mind, you must be respectful of Tibetan customs and traditions while traveling: respect for monks is important, and never touch the head of a Buddhist as this is regarded extremely disrespectful.

Women should try not to show their shoulders and should wear knee-length or longer skirts and shorts near or in religious sites. Rather dress conservatively for your project, jeans and t-shirts are fine.

Although we suggest travelers to be in good health condition enough to be able to walk up and down on moderate hills on a daily basis, Tibet tours are not highly demanding physically. You may be away from modern medical facilities for some days. Travelers with a pre-existing heart and lung problems should consult their doctors before taking Tibet tours. According to the scientific studies, high altitude sickness has nothing to do with the age, sex or state of fitness of the travelers and can affect anyone who travels to the areas with the elevation of over 10,000 feet. Medicine is only treatment for high altitude sickness, so consult the doctors for getting the prescribed medicines.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) refers to some symptoms one may have at high altitudes, including headache, dizziness, lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea, breathlessness, irritability and difficulty sleeping which reflect our bodies’ intolerance to the low oxygen environment at high altitudes. They will generally disappear through acclimatization in several hours to several days depending on individual susceptibility. Here are some suggestions for you to prevent it: Avoid catching a cold before entering Tibet; Try to have a good sleep at the night before flying to Tibet; Don’t conduct many activities on the first day of your arrival in Tibet; Walk slowly and drink extra fluids after getting off the airplane; Light and high carbohydrate meals are recommended for more energy; Don’t drink alcohol or smoke; Climb up to higher altitude slowly; Avoid sedatives; Prepare some medicines as per doctor’s suggestion.

We listed the itineraries of some main and popular tours in Tibet on our web site. You can refer to them or just send an inquiry to us for a customized itinerary with your requirements. Our travel advisor will help you plan a perfect itinerary covering main spots into your limited travel time.

The tour cost is different for different tour itineraries, different group size and affected by many other aspects such as travel time, length of duration, hotel standards, etc. Usually transport takes the biggest part of the whole travel cost in Tibet. If there are children travelling with you, please note it to our travel advisor as we usually have special discounts for them.

It is easy and simple to book a tour with us. A deposit of 500 USD per person is required. If there is any train or flight booking left to us, the relevant cost shall be paid in advance as well to ensure the seats. Our travel advisor will send our payment information to you in e-mail.

It is suggested to book the tour with us two or three months in advance if possible. Early booking is preferable, especially for travelling in the peak seasons from May to October.