By Air: There are two World Heritage sites in Tibet, Potala Palace, and Norbulingka Palace. To going to Tibet from Nepal, there are two direct flights between Lhasa and Kathmandu, operated by Sichuan Airline and Air China. The greatest thing about traveling from Nepal to Tibet is the breathtaking Himalayan bird’s-eye view of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain.
By Road: This is the common route to going to Tibet from Nepal. Due to many cheap direct international flights to Kathmandu, many visitors find it convenient to fly to Kathmandu, and then reach Tibet via overland. But if you already are in Nepal, you can reach Tibet via the boundaries of Kerung, Simikot, and Kodari. According to the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Kodari’s border is temporarily closed. The Kerung boundary, 3 hours from Kathmandu, is used instead. Remember that travelers wishing to going to Tibet from Nepal, to do tour/trek Kailash use the Simikot border primarily. There are many cars, vans, busses frequenting go to the Kerung border.
Train: There are five railway routes between China and Tibet. The best choice is the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It takes 2 days for tourists via Beijing to enter Lhasa. It takes about 21 hours to travel from Xining to Tibet. Train service from Shanghai to Tibet is available daily. The train leaves Chengdu-Tibet every day and takes approximately 43 hours. The longest trip through Guangzhou to Tibet takes about 54 hours.
Flights: Tourists from Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu will fly to Tibet within 7 hours. Several airlines offer winter discounts, particularly for the Chengdu-Lhasa flight. Lhasa flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shangri-la, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xian, Xining, and Kathmandu currently operate direct flights. A number of regular flights to Shigatse and Nyingchi are also available from Chengdu in Tibet. On land: Tibet is very pricey to reach via mainland China and takes 7-15 days. Highway Qinghai-Tibet (1937 km, 5-7days estimated), Xinjiang-Tibet Highway (2086 km, 10-15 days estimated).
Chinese visas, as well as a Tibet Travel Permit, are necessary to travel to Tibet, and these can be arranged with the aid of a travel company (Tibet via Nepal) in Kathmandu. A valid China visa is not the same as a Tibet Travel Permission. Those with a Chinese tourist visa still need a Tibet travel permit. The permit is still required for international travelers from mainland China to Tibet. To receive your permit you need to book a tour guide and arrange private transportation for trips outside Lhasa. The trip outside Lhasa needs additional permits organized by the agency with which you travel.
Tibet is a remote area and you may need to be rescued by air if you ever get critically injured or very ill. You do not want to go without sufficient health care under these conditions. Make sure you have an evacuation policy.
Like in the rest of China, the official currency in Tibet is Renminbi (RMB). Only the Bank of China provides facilities of foreign exchange. In Lhasa, the Chinese banks are the Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial china Bank, and China Agricultural Bank. Moreover, several 4/5 star hotels provide exchange services. No coins are used and accepted by Tibetans. You are also recommended to carry cash if you travel to remote regions in Shigatse, Shannan, Ngari, Nyingchi, and Nagqu where banking services are minimal.
For Tibet, power sockets are A, C and I. Normal voltage is 220 V and 50 Hz is normal Frequency. If your country’s normal voltage is about 220-240 V (as in the Us, Europe, Australia, and much of Asia and Africa) you can comfortably use your Tibet electrical appliances.
Nevertheless, if your country’s normal voltage ranges from 100 V-127 V (as in the US, Canada, and most South American countries), you need a voltage converter in Tibet. You should carry your own voltage converter, which you might not find in Tibetan stores. You can also buy them in Kathmandu (if traveling through Nepal to Tibet).
If your appliance label says ‘INPUT: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz,’ the appliance can be used in all countries around the world. It is popular for tablet/laptop chargers, cameras, cell phones, toothbrushes, etc.
Drinking tap water or ice made water from tap water isn’t good. Many urban hotels, including Lhasa, first boil water before serving hot or cold. When trekking in remote areas, however, you can boil your own water or treat it with water purification tablets. Tea is often safe to drink, but you should refrain from locally distilled alcohol as it is often made with polluted well water. Big 5-liter drinking water bottles are available to buy in most supermarkets.
Tibet’s water is ‘strong water,’ and you need to boil it for 10 minutes to purify it. Try buying a long trip water filter (often more economical than purchasing bottled water). Complete filters kill all toxins, bacteria, and viruses, making drinking water healthy.
Chlorine tablets (e.g., Puritabs or Steritabs) destroy a lot of bacteria, but not giardia and amoebic cysts. Iodine is more effective in purifying water, available in liquid (Lugol’s solution) or tablet form (e.g. Potable Aqua). Follow the instructions carefully; note too much iodine can be harmful.
May-September is Tibet’s mostly popular period, warm weather and clear skies. The snow / ice begin melting from April clearing blocked roads and making visiting various Tibetan townships easier. Because this is the peak season, however, rates are highest.
If you want to save about 20 percent of your money, you can visit Tibet from April or October to November. The weather is cold, but not many visitors come so you get further choices for hotels and vehicles.
Tibet’s lowest season is winter (Dec – Feb). The weather is really cold, but you have all the attractions. Hotels and transportation are significantly cheaper, so you can get accommodation and transportation at less the price you’d pay during the peak tourist season.
To know more about Tibet , you can visit Central Tibet Administration Website
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us. Please also call us or email us before visiting to make sure that you will be served with our best services.
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