General Information for Travelers

Tibet is a high desert plateau consisting of sparse grasslands and gravely plains.

Altitude sickness is the effect of the thin air at great heights. Travellers to Tibet may suffer some discomfort like breathlessness and headaches before becoming acclimatized. Many hotels keep bottled oxygen for emergencies. As Lhasa lies at over 12000 feet, you are likely to experience some of the minor symptoms and discomfort of altitude sickness (headache, mild nausea, loss of appetite) until your body adjusts to the elevation. This can take from a few hours to a couple of days, depending on the individual. Take it lightly, but drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. Proper hydration is critical to acclimatization.

Adventure: Trekking, mountaineering and mountain biking.
Accommodation: There are modern hotels and restaurants in Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse and Tsetang. Basic facilities at other places.

Visa & Transport

Most trips to Tibet usually originate out of Kathmandu in Nepal. Travel agencies will organize your visa, transport, sight-seeing and hotel arrangements. A visa application for Tibet has to be made through a registered travel agency, and visas are given only to organized groups. A visa for China does not entitle you to travel in Tibet; you do need an additional Tibet Permit. Transport is provided by buses and four-wheel drive vehicles (mostly Toyota Landcruisers). There are taxis, minibuses and rickshaws for getting around Lhasa.

Traveling alone

BEIJING, (AFP)- China has eased its restrictions on foreigners travelling to Tibet. Foreigners who visit Tibet have to be organized in administrative "tour groups", which often disband as soon as they arrive in Lhasa. Tourists for the most part are free to move througout the city, special permits only to visit outlying areas. If you are just thinking to travel to Tibet with your wife( only 2 pax) individually, then this is not possible. You need to join with groups.

Seasons

March through October is the best time to visit. Layered clothing is recommended as day and night-time temperatures vary greatly. Down jackets are required from October to March (there is snow). The rainy season is June-September. The mean temperature is 8 degrees Celsius in the south and 0 degrees in the north.

The Tibetan climate is not as harsh as many people imagine it to be. The best time of year to be in Tibet is from May to the beginning of November, after which temperatures start to plummet. However, in May and June dust storms are not unusual. These are not pleasant if hitching or trekking but usually come in squalls and can be seen coming. Lhasa and Shigatse generally have very mild weather from May to November though July and August can be rainy -- these two months usually see around half of Tibet's annual rainfall.

Temperature, Rainfall and Sunshine in the Lhasa Area

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Festivals

In Tibet, there are many festivals throughout the year that attract the faithful as well as curious onlookers. Dancing monks can be seen in the Year End Festival (February-March) held to dispel the evil of the old year and auspiciously usher in the new one; Losar (New Year Festival) is a colorful week of activities (February-March), including Tibetan drama, pilgrims making incense offerings and Tibetans dressed in their finest crowding the streets; cham dancing and chang drinking are the order of the day at the Tsurphu Festival (May-June) -- the highlight is the dance of the Karmapa.

The Gyantse Horse Racing Festival is a traditional event that takes place in June and features dances, picnics, archery and equestrian events; the Chökor Duchen Festival, held in Lhasa around August-September, celebrates Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath near Varanasi; the Bathing Festival (September-October) sees locals washing away the grime of the previous years in river; Lhabab Düchen (November-December) commemorates Buddha's descent from heaven.