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~ Introduction ~ History ~ Religion & culture ~ Geography ~ Currency ~ Time ~ Festivals ~ Accessibility ~ Airport departure tax ~ Visa arrangements ~ Entrance & permits ~ Tibetan medicine ~ Altitude sickness ~ Insurance ~ Guide ~ Food and snacks ~ Accommodation ~ Transportation ~ Clothing ~ Photography ~ Things to be considered Tibet, The Forbidden Land was opened to tourism only in 1985. Before this, it avoided influence from the West and this country developed its unique culture and religion independently. Since the spiritual leaders governed Tibet, monasteries and religious institutions were the backbone of power so the importance and prestige were shown by the size and magnificent architecture of these buildings. Its name, the "Roof of the World" is no idle statement; situated beyond mighty Himalayas on the highest plateau of the world has always been a fascinating region to all human beings as she was very remote & isolated destination. The valley bottoms of Tibet are higher than the highest mountains elsewhere. Apart from the Everest, which Tibetans see from the other side, many mountain ranges are over 4,500m. Traveling to Tibet is an incredible journey in which one can see the world`s highest mountains, travel on the world`s highest plains, meet nomadic herdsmen and pilgrims and walk amidst the burning butter lamps & chanting monks of Tibet`s ancient and legendary Buddhist monasteries. This is a wonderful and amazing trip.
Top HISTORY Although Tibetan history can be traced thousands of years back the written history only dates back to the 7 th century. Its history can be divided into four Period as follows : 1) The Tsangpo Period. 127 A.D. -847 A.D. 2) The Period of Decentralization 842 A.D.-1260 A.D. 3) The Period of Sakya, Pagdu and Karmpa`s Rule. 1260 A.D - 1642 A.D. 4) The period of the Ganden Podrang`s Administration. 1642 A.D.-1959A.D. After the Dalai Lama took political asylum in India in 1959, Tibet has been ruled by The People`s Government of the Tibetan Autonomous Region which is a part of People`s Republic of China. Top  RELIGION & CULTURE Tibet is known for its unique Culture and religion. Buddhism influenced Tibet after Songtsaon Gampo, the 33rd Tibetan king of 7th century, married Nepali Princess Bhrikuti. After the marriage Buddhism slowly started to replace the Bon religion and it took better shape after the king`s minister translated the first Buddhist scripture written in Sanskrit. Now Buddhism is the soul of Tibet and Tibetans. Small numbers of population are Muslim and there is no trace of Christians and other religions. Top GEOGRAPHY Geographically this land can be divided into three parts; the east, the south and the north. The eastern part is forest region that occupies one-third of Tibet. The southern part is open grassland which occupies almost half of Tibet. The Southern and central region is agricultural region occupying one  fourth of Tibet and with all the major cities such as Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, Gyantse, Tsedang. etc. This area is also considered as the cultural center of Tibet and Buddhism. Administratively it is divided into one municipality; Lhasa and six prefectures; Shigatse, Ngari, Lhoka, Chamdo, Nakchu. and Nyignri. Top CURRENCY Chinese Yuan is used in Tibet. Big hotels accept major credit cards or you can exchange your money in any branch of Bank of China, located in Zhangmo, Shigatse, Lhasa and in Tsedang only. Currently the exchange rate is 1US$ = 8 Yuan but the rate keeps fluctuating. Top TIME Chinese Standard Time (Beijing) is used in Tibet that is 8 hours ahead (+) of GMT and 2 hours 15 minutes ahead of Nepal. Top FESTIVALS The most colorful and electrifying things in Tibet are its many traditional and exotic festivals that spread throughout the year with one or two of some kind for each month. These festive dates have their origins rooted in folk traditions, religious celebration or traditional activities. The festivals are often rituals, farming events, commemorations, celebrations, social gatherings or simple amusement, which reflect the historical roots of the Tibetan ethnic people, their religious belief and closeness to nature. Here are some festivals with the tentative date.
ACCESSIBILITY  By Air : Tibet`s only commercial airport is at Gongkar, 96 kilometers from Lhasa is connected with Kathmandu by China Southwest Airlines. (It is closed from December to March due to extreme low tempreture that goes below -13 degree centigrades) By Road : The Friendship high way connects Lhasa with Kathmandu, the only overland route now in operation as the route from Golmud or Chengdu is very often prohibited for travelers. Top Airport Departure Tax USD 12 per person is levied as airport departure tax. VISA ARRANGEMENTS The special visa for traveling to Tibet will be processed by us. A photocopy of Passport along with the following details should reach us at least 2 weeks prior to tour departure date. a) Name in full b) Sex c) Date of birth d) Profession e) Nationally and f) Passport Number Cost of a normal visa fee is USD 26 for all nationals. A Normal visa fee is applicable if the visa is processed on 5 full working days basis. An urgent fee of USD 11 additional is applicable for the visa to be processed in 3 days and USD 17 additional fee is charged by the Chinese Embassy for the visa to be processed within a day. The Embassy of China is open every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday from 10am-11am for China/Tibet visa. Visa fee is changed every now and then by the authorities. Sometimes the fee is charged according to the Nationality of the clients and sometimes a flat rate is charged. Please contact us for latest visa fee and regulation. Top ENTRANCE & PERMITS Entrance fees are charged in Each Monasteries in Tibet.. The fee vary according to the monastery and the importance of the place (from US$ 4. (30 yuan ) to US$ 8 (60 yuan). There are entrance fees to Everest Areas and Kailash areas as well. Boating fee is charged while on a trip to Samye or road permit fee is charged for travelling outside Lhasa. You need to have Alien Travel Permit (ATP), Tibet pemit and special permits to travel to Tibet including your visa. Tibet permit is issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau and Alien Travel Permit (ATP) or road permit is issued by Public Secirity Bureau (PSB). Except these army and culture permit is required to travel to Mt. Kailash area. Note: The fees and the travel permits are included in our package cost Top TIBETAN MEDICINE Traditional Tibetan medicine is a highly evolved science using Ayurvedic and herbal techniques based on a combination of the traditional Indian and Chinese practices. Evolved in monasteries and illustrated with Thangkas, these ancient methods are attracting much international interest. Top ALTITUDE SICKNESS  As most of the places in Tibet lie over 4,500m, clients are likely to experience some of the minor symptoms and discomfort of altitude sickness (headache, mild nausea, and loss of appetite)until their body is adjusted to the elevation. This can take from few hours to a couple of days,depending on the individual. They should take it little easy first couple of days and take in plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. This helps the body to acclimatize faster. Top INSURANCE The client prior to arrival in Nepal should make personal travel insurance. The travel insurance should cover particularly for trip cancellation,interruption medical and helicopter evaluation incase of emergency rescue is strongly recommended. Top GUIDE  The local guide provided for escort may not be fluency in English and may not have good knowledge in history, culture of Tibet so it is recommend carrying one handbook of Tibet. Top FOOD AND SNACKS Good restaurants are not available on the highways in Tibet. Therefore, we recommend clients to carry snacks. But it is advisable not to bring too much. Ascending to high altitude many people find their appetites greatly diminished. This is a mild symptom of altitude sickness, so they should not be surprised if they are not very hungry. We recommend carrying iodine solution or tablets to purify drinking water. Normal concentration of chlorine tablets is not strong enough to kill giardia, a common cause of diarrhea in this region. All boiled or tea water is probably safe. Hotels in Lhasa and surround offers Western and Chinese meals others offers simple Chinese foods but hygienic. During long drives and trekking pack lunch is served but breakfast and dinner is served hot. Top ACCOMMODATION The hotels in Tibet are very basic except for Lhasa, which are not properly maintained. Hotel Lhasa (former Holiday Inn) and few other hotels in Lhasa are comparable to average Western lodging. Many hotels/guest houses outside Lhasa do not routinely have either hot or cold running water. All hotel guest rooms are provided with a thermos flask of hot water and Chinese tea as well as comfortable beds with warm blankets. Though all the hotels are wired for electricity power, taking a flashlight along is a must. Camping trek style might be a better alternative but currently it is not a Chinese-offered option, where the accommodation is available.During trek accommodation in tents, freshly cooked meals, Dinning / Toilet tents and Sherpa staff are provided. Top TRANSPORTATION  Moderate types of Landcruisers/Nissan/Toyata Coasters are available and trucks are used for luggage. Top CLOTHING We recommend the following clothes to be brought along: November to April May to October * Down Jacket * Raincoat or Windbreakers * Thermal Underwear * Jackets * Warm Trousers * Sweaters * Warm Sweaters * Sunhat * Woolen shirts * Shirts (cotton/woolen) * Gloves * Walking shoes * Light leather Boots in case of Snow * Thermal Underwear * Warm hat & Scarf Beside above for trekking we recommend sleeping bags, comfortable walking shoes, dust masks,shocks, sun glasses, suntan lotion, utility knife, water bottles/ thermos, flashlights, water purifying tablets, first aid kit, toilet & tissue papers etc. are important through out the trip. Top PHOTOGRAPHY Photography is allowed in most places except in security areas. The monasteries usually charge for photographs, often quite a lot. Video cameras are allowed in China but the filming fees are very expensive. All valuables must be declared at customs including cameras & video cameras. Clients should not lose custom declaration form, which is needed at the time of leaving China. Top THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED The infrastructure in Tibet is very limited so the traveler should be prepared for a bit of adventure. Accommodations & amenities may be far from perfect. "Cold & dusty" is the comment of many people who have visited Tibet. Travelers have sometimes been disappointed with accommodations, guide services and meals and the lack of hot & cold running water or flush toilets. However, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Most folks have better experiences, when they know what to expect Nevertheless one must visit Tibet, the roof of the world at least once in his lifetime. Top |