Manager All your Tibet Travel Tips in one place

To visit Tibet you should have a valid passport, a Chinese visa and Tibet Travel Permit, it is also called a Tibet Entry Permit or Tibet Visa. If your visa is not Tourist Visa, type L, work permit or invitation letter need to be provided. 

Generally speaking, from April to October are the best time to visit Tibet, as in these months, we have a warmer and beautiful climate. Choosing the best season to travel to Tibet mainly depends on the tour you are interested in. If you are interested in Mt.Everest Tours, the best time to visit would be in May, June, September and early October. In these months, EBC is comparatively less windy and clear, blue sky allows you to view the mighty peak of Mt. Everest from the Everest Base Camp. If you are interested in Mt. Kailash and far Western part of Tibetan plateau, then May, June, July and September is the best time to travel. In these months it is warmer and you will have no rain during your Kailash trekking days; you will also have the opportunity to see local pilgrims doing the Kora (trek). If you are interested in experiencing Tibetan festivals, then August is the best time to travel, in which there are numbers of popular festivals both ritual and cultural celebrated in Tibet. and best time for Trekking in Tibet is from May to Sept.

However, having a winter tour from November to February can be an unique experiences if you are interested to experience local activity and culture. by travel Tibet during the winter, you can avoid the tourist crowds and costs are comparatively much cheaper. Nevertheless, you can experience the mass of local pilgrims around the monasteries and temples, because winter is a best travel season for Tibetan pilgrims.

To obtain Tibet Travel Permits, it is compulsory to make your Tibet tour arrangements through a local travel agency, and then provide clear scan copies of you passports and China visa to apply for the Tibet permit (TTP). Please note that it’s impossible for a foriegners to board either flights or trains to Tibet without the Travel Permit. The permits themselves specify every destination and towns that you would visit during the tour and cannot be changed once you have arrived in Tibet; therefore, make sure that you have listed all your interested places in the tour with your tour operator before they apply for the permit. It usually takes 5 to 10 working days for the Tibet Travel Permit to be issued, then if your tour included restricted areas like Mt.Kailash or further eastern Tibet, then you will another permit from the Tibet Military department which would take another 5 to 7 days. 

Yes, you can book your train tickets to and from Lhasa (Tibet) on some online ticket booking website such as Qunaer.com or Ctrip.com used quite often in China, the third party website may charge some service fee.

In fact, the official train ticket booking website is www.12306.cn, but it requires a Chinese ID card to register an account, then you can book on it, if you have Chinese friends or relatives, they can help you book the tickets too, currently the official train ticket booking website is only available in Chinese language and accepts only Chinese bank card.

Note: All the train tickets to and from Tibet start to sell 30 days before the departure date, its better for you to prepare booking the ticket on the 1st selling date, so you have bigger chance to get it. If you are failed on the first day then either keep checking in the next few days or require your agency to help book the tickets. Late booking may not able to get the ticket.

To prevent the occurrence of altitude sickness, visitors should have a proper rest and avoid strenuous activities days before you go to Tibet. After getting off the plane, you should try not to carry heavy things or run and avoid outdoor activities.

Nifedipinum, Nuodikang Capsules and Suoluomabao Capsules (known as Hongjingtian Capsules in Chinese) may help some people prevent the occurrence of altitude sickness when they are taken three days before arrival to a highland. Note: Acetazolamide (Diamox) is a drug used to stimulate breathing and reduce mild symptoms of mountain sickness. This drug can cause increased urination, so when taking this medication, make sure you drink plenty of fluids and do not drink alcohol; if you don’t drink enough water, it may result in serious dehydration, which can worsen AMS.

Tibetan people are very kind and friendly, but there are some things that you should be aware of:

·         Do not take photos of anyone without their permission; always ask permission first!

·         Do not discuss sensitive topics like political matters!

·         Do not wear hats or caps when you enter a chapel!

·         Do not touch Buddha statues or ritual offerings inside of a monastery!

·         Do not kiss or hug in public places, especially in monasteries!

·         Do not step across someone’s feet, cups or cooking gears!