Chinese Visa and Tibet Permits.

Chinese visa and Tibet permits are part of the tour and we will take care of this for you. Make sure that your passport validity is at least 6 months at the time of your travel and that you have enough blank pages for departure and arrival seals. Chinese visa and Tibet permits will be pre-processed by us and actual visa is granted once you arrive in Kathmandu. Chinese Embassy consul section opens only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from, 930am to 1130 am. The visa and permit comes in a letter size paper with list of all participants of the trip with dates of entry and exit clearly defined. The embassy provides two copies of the visa papers, one for admission in Tibet China and the second for departure. Besides, there will be a number of permits such as PSB permit, military permit etc which will remain in possession of the guide.

Accommodation in Tibet

We will have some nights (Nyalam, Lake Manasarovara and Darchen) in guesthouses and most of the times, we will be camping in the west Tibet. Guest house accommodation will be pretty basic. We will have to use share toilet which will be often Tibetan style squat toilet. We try to get you a room with two beds wherever possible. Guesthouses normally do not have shower room and if they do, they may charge extra for using it. For the camping portion, we will provide 1 tent for each two travelers unless you request a single tent on additional fee. There will be a kitchen tent, a dinning tent and toilet tents. Our crews will also bring camping chairs and tables, foam mattresses and pillows. You will have to bring your own sleeping bag and if you don’t have one, you can rent it in Kathmandu for about a dollar per day. As we head towards Lhasa, accommodation situation improves. We will accommodate you in the best available hotels in Shigatse and Gyantse which are 3 star standard properties. In Lhasa, where choices are available, we book mid range Tibetan hotel in Barkhor Street. Please, do not expect hair dryer or iron and ironing boards in the room and also they may have limited toiletry supplies.

Meals

Most meals, except in the cities are included in this trip. We will send a team of Nepali cook and aides from Nepal to prepare meals for you for West Tibet and mount Kailash section. They will cook two hot meals (Breakfast and Dinner) and for the day meal, they will serve lunch pack. Meals will be plentiful nutritious and varies from local delicacies to Western style. To start the day, breakfast consists of a choice of porridge, muesli and cereal followed by omelet, fried or scrambled eggs with chapattis or bread. Lunch is generally a selection of salad, cooked vegetable dishes, pasta and traditional breads. After a long day on the trail, dinner is a hearty 3-course meal - soup, followed by a variety of vegetable, meat, rice and pasta dishes and completed with a simple dessert.

Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are also provided at all meals. We use as much fresh produce as possible and our cooks and kitchen crew maintain exceptional standards of cleanliness and food preparation hygiene. Special dietary requirements can always be catered for. Besides, it’s always advisable to bring additional dietary supplements such asdry fruits, energy bars, chocolates, vitamins etc to eat on the way.

On the return from Mount Kailash, Nepali crews will cook the last farewell dinner in Saga and as we move ahead towards Lhasa, we will have only breakfast included in the plan. Breakfast can be western or Chinese or Tibetan style. There are choices of restaurants in the cities serving western, Chinese, Indian and Nepali dishes. You can expect to spend US$ 8-10 per meal in regular restaurants. Meals in the hotels can be priced higher in comparison to the restaurants outside.

Guide and Crews

On all Mount Kailash trips, there will be a local Highland Asia Guide who will accompany you as from Kathmandu. There will be a cook and a number of kitchen aides as required depending on the group size. There will be a Tibetan guide as well. Nepali guide is on the management side, who is responsible for selecting campsites, do the purchases or pay the bills and set up coordination between the member travelers, kitchen team and Tibetan counterparts. Tibetan guide deals with the local bureaucracy, gets the permit checked and guides you in the historical and cultural sights we visit. We pick knowledgeable, friendly and flexible guides who are also recommended by our former clients.The crews are responsible for setting up and breaking down camps. We do use pack animals (Yaks or ponies) to transport the gears and supplies during trekking. The drivers and animal drivers do not speak English but you will be impressed by their sense of hospitality and service.

Transportation in Tibet

There is rehabilitation works going on in Tibetan roads. So, at times, it can become quite rough and impassable for many vehicles, so for this reason we use Land cruiser 4WDs (Toyota 4500). These vehicles are extremely reliable and will make the journey as comfortable as possible. As for the trekking trips, depending on the duration of the trip, we might require to hire additional vehicle, usually a truck to transport gears and supplies to the trail head and again bring them back from the finish point. As road condition in the west Tibet is still poor, the chances of tires going flat or mechanical breakdowns can not be ruled out. But our drivers will be skillful to handle those issues. Drivers may or may not speak English.

About our Trekking Trips in Tibet.

Our all trekking and camping trips in Tibet are fully catered by our qualified and experienced crew from Tibet and Nepal. A typical trekking day begins with a hot cup of tea or coffee served at your tent early morning. You are provided a bowl of hot water for washing. You will pack up your stuff and appear in the breakfast table by 7 or 7.30am. We leave the campsite usually from 8 to 8.30 am for days trekking. Your luggage is carried by porter or pack animal and all you need to carry is a small daypack containing a water bottle, camera, sun cream, hat, rain-jacket and a warm jumper, just in case. The afternoon's walk is generally shorter and we arrive at camp in time for a nice cup of tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the nearby villages, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book or give hands to the kitchen crews to add your taste. Dinner is usually served between 6 and 7pm and after dinner, the evening is often spent playing cards or talking with the crews. If it’s a large group, the crews might take initiative in singing and dancing before turning into the tent for a well-earned sleep.

Altitude Sickness and other health issues

There are no mandatory vaccination required for travel to Nepal and Tibet but you may consider vaccination against rabies and Hep A. Travelers with cardiac-pulmonary issues or any other medical conditions are recommended to consult their physician before you sign up for this trip.The main health consideration in Tibet is altitude related illness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). You may experience some mild symptoms initially, such as headache, lethargy, nausea and sleeplessness, but these should lessen within a few days. A supply of bottled oxygen is carried in the vehicle at all times should it be required. We also carry a Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC) on all our Tibet treks. We also carry basic first aid kit, but it’s good to bring your own as well. Hotels in Lhasa are equipped with oxygen. Doctors will also be available on call.

Based on our experience, less than 1% percent of our clients got altitude sickness but that was nothing serious. In case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which generally does not happen; you shall be driven by a land cruiser to nearest Nepal border or flown out of Lhasa. It’s recommended that you should bear a valid travel insurance covering emergency medical transportation.

You should start some physical exercises like jogging, swimming, cycling, hiking and aerobics about several weeks ahead of the trip that keeps you fit and lessens the chance of getting altitude sickness. You should have a good sleep the night before you fly to Lhasa and take complete rest on the first day. Its also advisable to drink 3-4 litres of water daily and consume liquid food.

Best Time to Trek in Tibet

While trekking trips can be undertaken from April through late October, May, June, September and early October are the best period. High Himalayas blocks the monsoon cloud and Tibet is generally dry but still there is some chance of rain during July and August. Trekkers must be prepared for the extremes in climate, even in the middle of the summer. Weather can change very quickly and unexpectedly. Night temperatures at 4500m (14,760ft) and above can fall below freezing point even in summer and it’s very much windy on high passes.

Clothing

During the day a light shirt or jumper and lightweight pants will be suitable, but a warm fleece or down jacket is recommended for the evenings. Below is the general clothing and equipment list for trekking in Tibet.
• Down jacket or warm fleece top
• Thermal underwear (top and bottom)
• Cotton shirts (short and long sleeved)
• Warm and cotton trousers
• Sun polarized sunglasses
• Beanie or warm woolen hat and gloves
• Scarf (to keep out dust as well as cold)
• Sandals (flip-flops)
• Towel
• Sleeping bag (for camping/trekking)
• Rain jacket
• Strong sun cream and lip protector
• Moisturizer
• Water bottle
• Camera (and plenty of film and spare batteries)

Note on Itinerary

Although we will do our very best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed; it is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.

Booking deposit

When you are sure you are traveling, please don't delay in booking. The internal flights are the key factor in determining whether your trip can be realized or not. A deposit of US$200 on land plus the cost of internal airfares is requested along with complete trip application form and passport copies.

Balance Payment

Balance payment is due 60 days prior to your departure. Depending on the number of applicants, we may set an early payment date. If balance of payment is not received by the requested date, we reserve the right to cancel your booking without prior notice.

Cancellation

• 90 days prior departure: Administrative fee US$ 50 per person.
• 60-89 day's prior departure: US$ 250 or 25% of the land cost whichever is higher.
• 45 days to 59 days prior departure: US$ 450 or 50% of the land cost whichever is higher.
• 30 days to 44 days prior departure: US$ 600 or 75% of the land cost whichever is higher.
• Less than 30 days: 100%

Highland Asia Travel

We are an active adventure travel company, based in Minneapolis, USA with destination management offices in Kathmandu, Thimphu and Lhasa. We are BBB accredited business and an active member of American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and Nepal Association of Travel andTours Agents (NATTA). We have set the standard for adventure travel and have a strong reputation for excellence that we do everything we can to maintain. Our managers and guides have more than 15 years of experience in organizing and leading adventure trips in the highlands of Asia. For us travel is not just a business, but a way of life.

Travel Protection Plan

While we plan do our best to make your trip smooth and seemless, there may be chances of unforeseen events and conditions such as illness, accident, inclement weather, and flight cancellation or missed connection or loss of baggage etc. that may cause interruption or delay or total cancellation of your trip putting your hard earned travel investment in jeopardy. It’s also possible that you may need medical assistance, emergency evacuation or medical transportation when you get ill or involve in an accident when you are traveling in remote areas. Highland Asia’s Tour cost does not cover any of these expenses or losses and so we strongly recommend you that you should protect yourself and your travel investment against those unfavorable conditions.