6 Fun Facts About Tibet:
- The plateau of Tibet is the world’s highest plateau with an average elevation of over 4,500 meters.
- The yak is an integral part of Tibetan culture.
- The currency of Tibet is Chinese Yuan Renminbi.
- The staple food of Tibetan is Tsampa (roasted barley flour), while the national drink is salted butter tea.
- Tibet Autonomous Region, China is predominantly Buddhist.
- There are two world Heritage sites located in Tibet, Potala and Norbuligka palaces.
Getting Into Tibet:
Nepal
By Air: Currently, there are two direct flights between Lhasa and Kathmandu, operated by Sichuan Airlines and Air China. The best thing about flying to Tibet from Nepal is the stunning bird’s-eye view of the Himalayas, including the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.
By Road: This is the most common way to enter Tibet. Due to the very cheap direct international flights to Kathmandu, many tourists find it convenient to fly to Kathmandu and then enter Tibet by land. However, if you are already in Nepal, you can enter Tibet via the Kerung, Simikot, and Kodari borders. Due to the earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015, the Kodari border has been temporarily closed. Instead, the Kerung border, which is 3 hours away from Kathmandu, is used. Note that the Simikot border is mostly used by travelers who want to visit/trek Mount Kailash. There are plenty of cars, vans, and buses that frequent the Kerung border.
Mainland China:
Rail/Railway: There are five routes connecting China and Tibet by rail. A popular option is to take the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It takes travelers 2 days to reach Lhasa from Beijing. It takes about 21 hours to travel from Xining to Tibet. There is a daily train service from Shanghai to Tibet. The Chengdu-Tibet train departs every other day and takes about 43 hours. The train journey from Guangzhou to Tibet is the longest and takes about 54 hours.
Flights: Tourists can fly to Tibet from Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu within 7 hours. Many airlines offer discounts in winter, especially for flights from Chengdu to Lhasa. Currently, there are direct flights to Lhasa from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shangri-La, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xi’an, Xining and Kathmandu. There are also several daily flights from Chengdu to Shigatse and Nyingchi in Tibet. By land: Entering Tibet via mainland China by land is very expensive and takes 7 to 15 days. Qinghai-Tibet Highway (1937 km, estimated 5-7 days), Xinjiang-Tibet Highway (2086 km, estimated 10-15 days).
Passport & Visa Information:
Traveling to Tibet requires a Chinese visa and a Tibet Travel Permit, which can be obtained with the help of a travel company in Kathmandu (via Tibet via Nepal). A valid visa for China is not the same as a Tibet Travel Permit. Those with Chinese tourist visas will still need to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit. Foreign travelers traveling to Tibet from mainland China will still need a permit. To obtain a permit, you will need to book a guide for your entire trip and pre-arrange private transportation for travel outside of Lhasa. Additional permits are also required for travel outside of Lhasa, which will be arranged by the company you are traveling with.
Travel Insurance:
Tibet is a remote place, and if you are seriously injured or very ill, you may need to be evacuated by air. In these situations, you do not want to be without adequate health insurance. Make sure your policy covers evacuation.
Banking & Foreign Exchange:
As in the rest of China, the Renminbi (RMB) is the legal currency in Tibet. Only the Bank of China provides foreign exchange services. Chinese banks in Lhasa include the Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China. In addition, some 4/5 star hotels also provide exchange services. Tibetans do not use or accept coins. It is also advisable to carry enough cash if you are traveling to the remote areas of Shigatse, Shannan, Ngari, Nyingchi and Nagku where banking services are limited.
Electricity:
Power sockets in Tibet are of types A, C and I. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. If the standard voltage in your country is between 220-240 V (such as in the UK, Europe, Australia, German and most of Asia and Africa), you can easily use your electrical appliances in Tibet.
However, if the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100-127 V (such as in the US, Canada and most South American countries), you will need a voltage converter in Tibet. You may want to bring your own voltage converter as you will not find them in Tibetan shops. Alternatively, you can also buy them in Kathmandu (if you are traveling to Tibet via Nepal).
If the label on your electrical appliance says ‘Input: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz’, the appliance can be used in all countries in the world. This is common for chargers for tablets/laptops, photo cameras, cell phones, toothbrushes, etc.
Drinking water:
It is not advisable to drink tap water or ice made from tap water. Most hotels in urban areas, including Lhasa, require you to boil your water before drinking it, either hot or cold. However, when trekking in remote areas you should boil your own water or treat it with water purification tablets. Tea is always safe to drink but you are advised to avoid locally brewed alcohol as it is often made from contaminated well water. Large 5 litre bottles of drinking water are available in most supermarkets.
The water in Tibet is ‘hard water’ so you will need to boil it for at least 10 minutes to purify it. Consider buying a water filter for long trips (often cheaper than buying bottled water). Total filters remove all parasites, bacteria and viruses, making the water safe to drink.
Chlorine tablets (such as Puritabs or Steritabs) will kill most pathogens, but not Giardia and amoebic cysts. Iodine is more effective for water purification and is available in liquid (Lugol’s solution) or tablet form (such as Aqua for drinking water). Follow the instructions carefully and remember that too much iodine can be harmful.
Best time to visit Tibet:
May to September is the most popular season to visit Tibet. The weather is warm with clear skies. From April, the snow/ice starts to melt and clears blocked roads and makes it easier for you to visit the various Tibetan townships. However, since this is the peak season, prices are at their highest.
If you want to save about 20% of your money, you can visit Tibet in April or between October and November. The weather is cooler but there are not as many tourists so you get more options for hotels and vehicles.
The least tourist season in Tibet is winter (December-February). The weather is very cold but you have all the attractions. Hotels and transportation are very cheap which means you can get hotels and vehicles for half the price you would pay during the peak tourist season.
Weather & Climate:
Lhasa, the “City of Sun,” is nestled high in the Gyi Qu Valley and is blessed with seasonally mild and humid weather from monsoons in India 160 km(100 mi.) to the south. Tibetan winters, as might be supposed, are fiercely cold. But for half the year, strong sunlight warms the thin air, making most days in Lhasa comfortably mild and, owing to protective mountains, relatively windless. Summer temperatures hover above 30’C (high-80s F) and only to drop to a searing -23’C (-10’F) in midwinter. The best time to visit is from late spring to early fall.
