Getting into Tibet

You can fly into Lhasa from major Chinese mainland cities as well as from Kathmandu of Nepal. Flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong and from many Chinese cities connect at Chengdu. You can also travel overland from Kathmandu, Nepal.

Chinese Visa and Tibet Permits

Chinese visa and Tibet Permits are not that complicated as they sound to be. If your travel begins at Kathmandu, we will take care of this. We will pre-process your visa application and it will be ready for the final work when you arrive at Kathamdnu. If your travel begins in Bangkok or Hon Kong or any mainland Chinese cities, all you have to care is obtain Chinese visa on your own from the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate in your come country and provide us a copy of it about a month ahead of your travel. Please, do not indicate on your visa form that you are traveling to Tibet. Then, leave rest of things to us.

Accommodation in Tibet

In Lhasa, we use mid range Tibetan managed hotels in Lhasa in Barkhor area. Our preferred properties are Denkang Hotel, Gyangyen, Dhodgu or Yak best wing. At Gyantse and Shigatse, we use the top end hotels which are 3 star standard properties, yet cannot be compared with a western 3 star properties in terms of facilities. You will have private bathroom with hot and cold water; however at times, hot water supply may be disrupted due to power outage. Toiletry supplies may be limited and please, do not expect hair dryer or iron and ironing board. In Lhatse, we have basic guest house accommodation. We meet our Nepali crews in Saga who come with all camping gears and supplies. So from Saga onwards, we sleep in tent. We provide 1 tent for each two travelers, unless you request a single tent. Camping gears include dinning tent, kitchen tent, toilet tent, camping chairs, tables and mattresses and kitchen utensils. You will have to bring a sleeping bag and if you don’t have one, you can rent it in Kathmandu for about a dollar per day.

Meals

Our tour features breakfast only when you are in the cities. 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 a regular restaurant. Meals in the hotels can be priced higher. During trekking, there will be a special cook and some helps (depending on group size) to prepare 3 tasty, plentiful and nutritious meals daily with a variety of local and Western dishes. 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, its advisable to bring on your own some dry fruits, energy bars, chocolates, supplement vitamins etc to eat on the way.

Guide and camping crews and pack animals

Right upon arrival at Lhasa airport, you will be met by your guide who will accompany you throughout the trip. We pick knowledgeable, friendly and flexible guides who are also recommended by our former clients. The guide, beside working as an interpreter and giving a valuable insight into the Tibetan way of life, he helps you check in hotel, co-ordinates with drivers and other crews and deals with local bureaucracies as and when required. Your guide carries all necessary vouchers and documents required in connection of your trip. As this trip involves camping from Saga onwards, you will be joined by a team of Nepali crews that includes a staff leader from Nepal office, a cook and 3-4 kitchen aides. They come with all camping gears and food supplies. The staff leader from Nepal office takes care of purchases and payments required on the way. From Darchen, where the trekking begins from, we will hire pack animals and an animal driver will also join the team. Nepali crews are responsible for selecting camp sites, pitching tents and breaking down camps and prepare 3 meals a day for you. Tibetan Guide and Nepali Leader will be well conversed in English. Nepali cook is also able to communicate with you in English but drivers and animals drivers may speak very little or no English.

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. We will have a supporting vehicle, which is usually a truck for transportation of gears and supplies for the trip. As road condition is not so good, we might come across flat tires or other mechanical issues but the driver will fix it while you are engaged in capturing the scenes. Usually, we drive 6 hours in average, stopping along the way for photography or places of special interest and also stop for tea and snacks and lunch and arriving in the destination usually by 4 or 5 pm.

What’s a typical camping or trekking day like?

All of our Mount Kailash trips are fully catered by our qualified and experienced crews from Nepal. They set up camps and break down for you and cook 3 delicious and nutritious foods for you. A typical 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 day’s journey. Your luggage goes with the gears and supplies and transported by a supporting vehicle (while you are on the road) or carried by pack animals (Usually yaks) while you are trekking and all you need to carry is a small daypack containing a water bottle, camera, sun cream, hat, rain-jacket and a warm jumper, and some dry foods, just in case. On the highways, we will have opportunity for photography stops. We will have lunch stop between 12 noon to 1 pm and we are served packed lunch. Crews also cook lunch for the day at the time they cook breakfast. We should arrive at our camp site around 4 to 5 pm. On a trekking day also, we will have lunch break around 12 noon to 1 pm. We will be served lunch pack with tea and coffee the crews bring in Thermos flask. 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.

Health Concerns

There are no mandatory vaccination required to travel to 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 a trip to Tibet. 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 even in July and August and its 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 and Cancellation

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%

Some suppliers like airlines may have their own cancellation and refund policies which will supersede Highland Asia Tour’s Cancellation Policy to the extent of their difference.

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 acredited business and an active member of American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). 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 and do our best to make your trip smooth and seamless, 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.