Beyond General Information available elsewhere

Plenty of general information is available from your tour operator's website. Only some key items are listed here including our own observations/experiences.

Weather

Weather conditions in Tibet from May to September can be expected to be dry and sunny, with some rains in July and August. Day time temperatures can be as high as 22 degrees centigrade. Even if the temperature is not too high, the intense sun at high altitude can make it feel hotter. There can be an incredible drop in temperature from early afternoon to evening. Temperature at night could be as low as 0 to -10 degrees centigrade at altitudes of 5000 meters, our highest camp during the Parikrama/Kora. Be prepared for changing weather even during a single 24 hour period. Tibetans are usually overdressed with layers and wear a jacket on top. Tourists should do the same.

Fitness

Please start to get in shape NOW!!! A good 30 minutes or more walk, jogging daily, stretching and regular exercise should put you in the right shape. Concentrate on your heart and legs - Aerobics.  Increase your walking habit, practice climbing little hills/mountains, start doing some exercises with the consultation from your doctor. Reduce drinking alcohol, alcoholic beverages and smoking habits.

You will likely carry a day pack (with snacks, filled water bottles, medicines and other necessities - not to mention, a camera.) - say 5 Kg or 10 pounds. Practice your hikes carrying similar weights.

This is also a good time to have a health check done to make sure, among other things, that you are fit enough to make it to high altitudes without any serious medical problems. Some tour operators - mainly from India and Nepal - require a health certificate from a reputed doctor.

Health Precautions

Oxygen is less at higher altitudes. The inclement weather and high altitude induces certain illness generally not encountered over the plains. Headache, nausea, lethargy, breathlessness, general uneasiness, high irritability, light loss of balance, disorientation, incoherence and insomnia are a few.

Although we slept well on most days - sometimes as long as 10-12 hours (waiting for sun to rise), we would still feel sluggish. The sleep was sort of restless, with nightmares that were incomprehensible. First few days, our night breathing was also not even. We needed lot of deep breaths to make up for lack of oxygen at that altitude. With time, these symptoms went away.

Anyone, irrespective of the age, sex and physical fitness, may be affected. Gradual acclimatization and drinking lot of water is the best answer. Deliberately slow down all activities and follows these rules:  

• Rest.
• Relax-do not exert, be excited.  
• Reduce talking.  
• Walk slowly – adopt one third of your speed and space.  
• Keep your load light.  
• Walk for 15 minutes and rest for 5 minutes.  
• Whenever you feel uncomfortable, just stop; rest and relax.  
• Ignore the sudden outbursts of fellow pilgrims and avoid arguments.  
• Observe silence with smile.  
• Never go too high and too fast.  
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, drugs and intoxicants.  
• Consume plenty of liquids; never proceed with an empty stomach.  
• Chant a prayer or visualize everything around to suit your pleasant thoughts or put on the earphones and listen to your favorite music.  
• Be careful not to catch a cold. It is better to be over clothed than under protected. Avoid drinking water from lake Streams or rivers -- your system is not conditioned for this.  
• Protect yourself against dust and direct sunshine during the long stretches of driving. Face, feet and hands must be well protected.  
• The uneven ground, steep slope and slushy banks are full of potholes. Do not combine walking and sight seeing together.  
• Always listen to your guide or the one with experience. Never leave the group.

Clothing

Clothing for both extremes of climate and temperature. Evening will generally be cold. Layers work best. To avoid foot injuries or sprains, use high ankle hiking boots that fit you snugly, have good traction and rigid soles. Toe protection and waterproof (Gore-Tex) is highly recommended. Be sure to have dry socks at all times.

Accessories

1.  Hand Sanitizer
2. Toilet tissues
3.  Headlamp / Flash Light with extra batteries
4.  Sun Glasses, Suntan lotion
5.  Ziplock bags, sun screen, chapstick, moisturizers

6. Water purification tablets
7. Hiking Poles / Walking sticks

8. Sleeping bag with liner


Currency

All major foreign currencies and TCs are accepted in return for Yuan, the basic unit of Chinese Currency. Bank of China has branches everywhere. Many foreign banks have reciprocal arrangements with Chinese banks where no ATM fees are charged. Foreign currency exchange fees may still apply.

Accommodation

Accommodations in most places are very basic without any modem amenities. Room will include 2-6 beds - twin or double, with mattress, pillow and a couple of blankets. They are not washed for long periods of time. Using your own sleeping bag or at least, sleeping bag liner is highly advisable.

Food and Beverage

Bring sufficient supply of snacks - granola or high energy bars, chocolates, nuts, trail mix - to last for the entire trip. Instant noodles are another life saver - if you like noodles. (For best price, purchase them in larger cities like Lhasa or Shigatse. The prices go up, the farther west you go.) Hot water is available at all restaurants and hotels. Then again, staple diet for Tibetans is noodles. For as little as 5-15 Yuans, you get plenty of noodles. In better restaurants, expect to pay 25-50 Yuans for a meal. Another item easy to carry is Duck Eggs in Soy Sauce. They come sealed in air tight brown plastic and need no refrigeration. Egg's brown color is not appetizing, but it tastes good. Most common drink is a variety of tea, but soda and beer are available pretty much every place - all the way to Mount Everest Base Camp.

Insurance

It is a good idea to insure yourself against sickness, EMERGENCY RESCUE, accident hospitalization, etc. Coverage excluding trip cancellation is very inexpensive ($20-50 for up to 35 days, depending on your age.) from https://www.travelexinsurance.com and provides sufficient coverage in case of a loss.

Communication

The last place to make any international calls is in Darchen, Tibet. China Mobile is everywhere, the charges are reasonable (same is true for the internet connection.) Thanks to the need for military communication, cell phone signal is everywhere - EVEN at the Mount Everest Base Camp. And incoming calls are free.

Visas and Documentation

You need a China Visa (unless you come via Kathmandu, Nepal), TTB, ATP and Military permits depending on where you will be traveling. The tour operators know how to get them without hassle (to you), and when. Once you are in Tibet, you are the responsibility of the Tour Guide and Driver. You rarely have to present yourself at any checkpoints (except when entering and exiting Quomolangma (Everest) Nature Reserve, and at the Base Camp Military Checkpoint.) The Driver and Guide have to present their own IDs, your passports and travel permits, which remain in the Guide's possession during the entire trip and are surrendered when you leave Tibet.) Only in big cities, passport is required to check in to a hotel.

You  may need the following documents:

China visa or Tibet Group visa - To enter Tibet via Mainland China, apply for a Chinese Visa in a Chinese Embassy in your country (If you enter Tibet from Nepal, no China visa is needed, only Tibet Group visa.)  Visas for individual travel in China are very easy to get from most Chinese embassies, but do not mention visit to any places in Tibet when applying.  Typical destinations to mention: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu-Sichuan, Yunnan.

Most Chinese embassies and consulates will issue a standard 30-day, single entry tourist visa ("L) in three to five working days.  For those working, studying or living temporarily in China, other Visas such as "F" Visa,"X" Visa or "Z" Visa, are needed.  All these visa holders can travel to Tibet with the Tibet entry permits and other travel permits.  Visa fees are the highest for U.S. citizens - $140.  However, for the same fee, you could also obtain a 30, 60, 90-day visa with single, double or multiple entry.  A 30-day multiple entry visa is good for a 12 month period during which your each stay could be max. 30 days.  A weekend trip to Hong Kong counts as leaving China, and re-starts your 30 day clock.  

My trip was total 35 days, and I needed a business visa "F" for giving lectures after the Tibet Trip.  I applied for, and got a 60 day, 12 month, multiple entry visa without any hassles.   

If you enter Tibet via Nepal, you need to join a group to Tibet with a group visa -- not with individual China visa.  If you already have a China visa, the Chinese embassy in Nepal will cancel the individual China visa.

Tibet Travel Permit (TTB) - without this you cannot fly or take a train to Tibet.  This is all you need for Lhasa and surrounding areas.

Alien's Travel Permit (ATP/also called PSB permit) - without this you can not travel to those not-fully open areas.  Each place you plan to visit must be listed on the permit beforehand.  This is checked at multiple checkpoints, although the checking is nominal in some places.  One checkpoint we crossed was just opening for the day, and they let us pass without checking.  Another was closed by the time we reached there one evening - again no checking.  Even the in-person checkpoint mentioned above at Quomolangma Reserve checked us only on the way back.  We took a different route to enter the Reserve, where there was no checkpoint.

Military Permit - needed at key sensitive places such as Kailash region and Everest Base Camp.