Tibet Travel Information
When to visit
From March to October is
the best period to travel to Tibet, when days are
not too cold and the passes are clear of snow.
Whereas for the festivals the best months are
February, March and June-September. During the
monsoon season June-September south of the Himalaya,
Landslides can delay journeys through the mountains
to Nepal.
Customs
Customs procedures for
China are generally smooth and quick. On arrival you
must complete a baggage declaration form on which
you should declare personal valuables such as
watches, cameras, radios, calculators, jewellery,
foreign currency and travellers cheques, etc. Make
sure you retain this form because you will have to
present it together with your valuables at customs
again on your departure. Export of antiques over 120
years old will need special permission and customs
may confiscate other antique items if they think
they're from a dubious source.
Getting there
The choice of entries and
exits for Tibet has recently increased to include
more international access to Lhasa. There are direct
flight into Lhasa from Kathmandu Chengdu, Beijing
(via Chengdu) and Xian (via Golmud). Apart from the
Kathmandu-Lhasa flight, Nepal overland route to
Lhasa has become a very popular. Another entry point
to Tibet from West Nepal (Simikot) is also in use.
Time
08 hours ahead of GMT. Note
Tibet is linked to Beijing time so when you cross
the border to Nepal the time change is considerable.
Nepal is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT.
Currency
RENMINBI, the People's
money used by millions of Chinese everyday,
circulates in notes of 1,2,5, 10 and 50 yuan; 1,2
and 5 Jiao; 1,2 and 5 fen. There are also coins for
5 fen. With the Chinese Currency, Renminbi, one Yuan
is divided into 10 Jiao; Jiao into 10 Fen.
Travel Cheques & Credit Cards
All major currencies,
travel Cheques and credit cards are accepted by the
Bank of China and large tourist hotels in Lhasa.
When you change at the bank you will receive a money
exchange receipt which details the transaction. Keep
the exchange receipt you can use it to reconvert
your left over Chinese currency when you leave.
Exchange rate in US Dollar 01 = RMB 8.7
Bank
The Bank of China is clcr,
e to Public Securitv Bureau, just behind the Potala.
Opening hours art~from 1000 hrs to 1330 hrs and from
1600 hrs. to 1830 hrs. Its clad ill day on Sunday.
Business
Most shops are open between
0900 hrs and 1230 hrs; and then again from 1430 hrs.
until 1730 hrs. Many shops :dose~on Sundavs.
Government offices are usually closed on Saturday
afternoon land a day Sunday.
Clothing and Accessories
April to October lite
clothings are required. The recommended items are:
Sleeping bag,shirts,comfortable walking shoes, Long
John Trousers and shirts, sweater, jackets, dust
mask, socks, sun hat, sun glasses, sun tan lotion,
utility knife, water bottle/theroms (litre)
flashlight. Water purification tabs, medicine for
headaches, fewer, colds stomach disorders etc.
Toilet papers and tissue papers.
Airport
Lhasa Gonggar Airport is 96
kms away from Lhasa.
Airport Taxes
The airport departure tax
at present is approx. US$12 per person
Transportation
Transportation will be
either in a Land cruiser or Mini-Van depending on
the size of the group.
Food and drinks
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, drink
powder and powdered milk. other food items worth
considering are instant noodles, vegemite, nuts
and'raisins, chocolate, dry foods and biscuits.
Altitude and Health
No special inoculations are
required but because of Tibet's high altitude
travellers with a pre-existing problem of heart,
lungs or anaemia should consult a doctor before even
thinking about a visit. Most other travellers, once
they are acclimatized, rarely suffer more than mild
discomfort from the altitude.
Over exertion seems to
contribute to mountain sickness and dehydration may
be a predis-posing factor. Sensible precautions
should include:
-
Stick to a schedule of mild
activity and rest for the first two days.
-
Drink plenty of fluids. One to
five liters a day are recommended to maintain a
clear, copious urine.
-
Don't smoke, if you are a chronic
smoker, keep it to a minimum.
-
Avoid sedatives such as sleeping
medicine or tranquillizers. They tend to depress
respiration and limit oxygen intake.
-
DIAMOX (acetazolamide), a mild
diuretic which stimulates oxygen intake, is used by
doctors for climbers making sudden ascents. This is
prescription drug. One 250 mg. tablet taken on the
plane from Chengdu or Kathmandu and another at
bedtime the first night in Lhasa'may help to
forestall discomfort for people known to be
susceptible to mountain sickness. Consult a doctor.
It is not unusual to wake up at night at high
altitudes gasping for breath. Don't panic ! This
complaint, known as "Periodic Breathing", is
normally quite harmless, caused by a change in the
control of breathing within the brain while you
sleep. Normal breathing can be quickly
re-established by relaxation, rhythmic
deep-breathing, and the understanding that there is
nothing to worry about.
Climate
Tibet is cold in winter,
cool in summer and generally dry, receiving only 45
cm. (18 inches) of rain or snow annually.
Temperatures can differ greatly within a day,
however, passing 29 C (85 F) in desert areas in
summer, and plunging below 4 C (40 F) at night. The
higher you go the colder it gets, of course,
sunlight is extremely intense. Winds in winter are
ferocious. Rainfall in Southern Tibet occurs
intermittently between June and September, bringing
moisture to barley fields and greenery to the
valleys.
Geography
Bordered by Nepal on the
South, Bhutan to east and India to east west, today
the Autonomous Region of Tibet measures 2,600 km
(1,625 miles) from east to west and 1,300 km (812
miles) north to south for a total area of 1,221,700
square km (471,900 square miles). The average
elevation is 5,000 m (16,500 ft).
Tibet Visa
Tibet Visa Information, Tibet
Travel Permit and more about other permits.
More details here
Important !
While we try to make the information contained herein
as accurate as possible, we accept no
responsibility for any loss, disruption or
inconvenience sustained by anyone using this
information.
