1. How’s the climate in On Dav Tibet? Is it hot in summer? Is it freezing in winter?
Tibet is a high plateau, and it belongs to a typical downy special climate. Climates are quite different in different areas of Tibet. Eastern Tibet, which is at a lower elevation, is warmer than western Tibet. In some mountain areas, there are four seasons at the same time at different altitudes. The weather in a day varies greatly, too. The night is cold while the day is warm. It spans 12-15 degrees centigrade in a single day.
The climate in southeastern Tibet, including Nyingchi and Chamdo, is balmy, with an average of eight degrees centigrade. Simultaneously, in western Tibet (Shigatse and Nagqu), it is quite cold with an average temperature below zero degrees.
However, in Tibet’s central area, the climate of Lhasa and Tsedang is more favorable for traveling. Travelers can visit these two areas all year round, not too hot in summer and not too cold in winter.
Related Articles :
- Sunshine tune excursions And Travels film evaluation
- 16 Signs that You’re in a Relationship with Your Laptop Computer And Keyboard
- What to Consider While Looking for WordPress Themes?
- Base Tendriling Business Travel Expenses
- Negative Impact And Importance of Technology
2. How is the road condition in the rainy season in Tibet? Need I take any rainproof with me?
The rainy season in Tibet is mainly from June to August, and it does have a terrible impact on the roads. However, there are many track maintenance workers, and the local army would also help restore the roads. Generally speaking, it only takes a few hours to make the roads feasible again. As for the rainproof, you are suggested to take the raincoat, rain-proof trousers and shoes if you want to trek, climb the mountain or ride a bike. If you have group tours organized by some travel agencies, usually you don’t need to take rainproof with you, because Tibet often rains at night and the weather is quite good in the daytime. Besides, the tourist bus is always along with you.
3. What is the best time to travel to Tibet?
Generally speaking, early April is the beginning of the travel season, which lasts until mid-June when a large number of Chinese travelers rush to Tibet for the summer holiday. Late June to the end of the National Holiday is the peak travel season when some important festivals are held in Tibet, like Shoton Festival, Gyantse Dawa Festival, and Nagqu horse riding Festival. After mid-October, Tibet turns to winter, and as the visitors reduce greatly, more than half of hotels are closed for the poor reservation.
As for the best time to travel, it depends on your travel requirement.
1. If you want a meager price, go to Tibet in winter, from December to next March. All the things are quite cheap; even the tourist sites offer a 30-50% discount on the entrance fee. Hotels are cheap, too. You can enjoy 5-star hotels with less than 100USD, including breakfast. Compared with traveling in August, a winter tour cost is only 50%-60% of a summer tour. Because of the poor amount of visitors, the Potala Palace allows you to spend even a whole day in it. Besides, the monks are not busy and have spare time to chat with you.
2. If you like trekking, do it in May or September when the monsoon will never bother you, and the weather is balmy and pleasant.
3. If you love Mt.Everest and want to see the clear face, try to avoid the rainfall season and foggy weather.
4. If you love to visit the grassland in north Tibet, do the tour in July when the flowers bloom in vast grassland and groups of yak and sheep, Tibetan nomad tents spread all over the grassland.
5. Those who want to drive to Tibet through the Sichuan-Tibet highway should avoid the rainy season. There will be mudslides, cave-ins, and mine on certain sections of the road, blocking vehicles’ passage.
About high altitude sickness
1. What is high altitude sickness? What’s the symptom of high altitude sickness?
High altitude sickness may occur at high altitudes (over 2700m) due to the decreasing oxygen availability. It usually occurs following a rapid ascent and can usually be prevented by ascending slowly. Symptoms often manifest themselves six to ten hours after ascent and generally subside in one to two days, but they occasionally develop into more serious conditions. Common symptoms of high altitude sickness include shortness of breath, headache, fatigue, stomach illness, dizziness, and sleep disturbance.
2. How to avoid or relieve high altitude sickness?
Keep a good mood, don’t be too excited or be too worried about high altitude sickness. Before visiting Tibet, get as healthy as possible, both physically and psychologically.
Take care of yourself and avoid catching a cold before going to Tibet; not taking a shower for the first two days after you are in Lhasa to avoid being cold, or you will easily suffer from altitude sickness under weak physical condition.
Do not drink any alcohol on the first two days when you are in Tibet. Drink plenty of water and eat light, high-carbohydrate meals for more energy.
Do not run, jump or do some taxing jobs in the first two days. Being peaceful and having a good rest is important.
Once you have the symptoms of altitude sickness, take some medicine (it is said that it’s helpful to have some butter tea if you can adapt to the flavor of it) and don’t go higher. Medication and oxygen also help to prevent altitude sickness. Mild altitude sickness symptoms can be treated with proper medication. If medication and oxygen do not relieve the symptoms, go to a hospital or evacuate immediately to a safe altitude!
Oxygen can help you relieve altitude sickness symptoms, but do not use it too often in Lhasa while your symptoms of altitude sickness are not serious. If you feel chilly or feel very uncomfortable, you should go to the nearest hospital available in the area.
In addition to the normal medications for traveling, it is advisable to bring high altitude medication. Seek suggestions from your doctor.
Tell your tour guide quickly if you don’t feel well and follow the guide’s advice.
3. What should I do if I have high altitude sickness after arriving in Tibet?
There are hospitals in many large cities in Tibet. You may adapt to mild high altitude sickness by yourself slowly, and you may go to a hospital if it is serious. After you have already had high altitude sickness, you should rest well, do not move too much, keep eating, drink some water with black sugar or take some medicine. If the high altitude sickness is pretty severe, you should go to a hospital, descend to some lower places, or leave Lhasa immediately. High altitude sickness shall disappear after you descend to a certain altitude, and it has no sequel symptoms.
4. Is high altitude sickness more serious if going to Tibet by plane than by train?
Exactly, but both means have their advantages and disadvantages. You are more likely to have high altitude sickness because you don’t have enough time to adapt to the plateau environment gradually if you go by plane. The altitude change is directly from several hundred meters to more than 3000 meters. If you go to Tibet by train, you can slowly adapt your body to the high plateau environment. Then, you may relieve or avoid high altitude sickness.
5. People with what kind of diseases can not go to Tibet? Do I need physical practice before traveling to Tibet?
People with the following diseases can not travel to Tibet:
People with all kinds of organic heart diseases, severe arrhythmia or resting heart rate over the 100per minute, high blood pressure II or above, all kinds of blood diseases, and cranial vascular diseases.
People with chronic respiratory system diseases, medium degree of obstructive pulmonary diseases or above, such as bronchus expansion, emphysema, and so on.
People with diabetes mellitus, which is not controlled properly, hysteria, Epilepsia, and schizophrenia.
People with a bad cold, upper respiratory tract infections, and body temperature above 38F or below 38F while the whole body and the respiratory system have obvious symptoms are not recommended to travel to Tibet until they’re OK.
People diagnosed to have high altitude pulmonary edema, high altitude cerebral edema, high-altitude hypertension with an obvious increase of blood pressure, high altitude heart diseases, and high altitude polycythemia.
High-risk pregnant women.
If you are not sure about your body condition, you may have a physical examination. But you are not supposed to do more exercise before going to Tibet, for exercising will give more burdens to your heart and you’ll need more oxygen, which may easily cause high altitude sickness.
6. Why can not people with cold go to Tibet? What should I do if I catch a cold in Tibet?
Your immune system shall be weak if you catch a cold, and you may suffer high altitude sickness easily because of it. Besides, severe cold may easily turn to some more serious high altitude diseases, especially pulmonary edema, which is very dangerous. So you are not supposed to travel to Tibet before you get rid of a cold.
While, if you catch a cold in Tibet, things might not be so serious because your body has already, to some extent, adapt to the plateau environment, and you can go to a doctor and take some medicine.
Permits & certificates
1. Are there any limitations or restrictions imposed on foreigners to travel to Tibet? How about overseas Chinese, Taiwan Compatriots, and Hong Kong and Macao compatriots? How to handle it, and how long does it take?
There are some special requirements for foreign travelers to Tibet. Firstly, foreign tourists to Tibet must be organized by travel agencies, with confirmed routes. Secondly, a Tibet Travel Permit issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau is indispensable. The Tibet Travel Permit must be obtained before they head to Tibet. What’s more, foreigners are not allowed to travel alone in Tibet on their own, even with a travel permit. A licensed tour guide must accompany them. Tibet travel permit is also required from overseas Chinese and Taiwan Compatriots, while Hong Kong and Macao compatriots can travel to Tibet like another Chinese citizen with a valid Home Return Permit. Foreigners, overseas Chinese and Taiwan compatriots can apply for a Tibet travel permit from the Tibet tourism bureau or certain qualified travel agencies with a valid passport (copies), visa (copies), and job certificate. Usually, it can be obtained in one week and 2 to 3 days if you are in urgent need.
2. What is Tibet Entry Permit? How to get a Tibet Entry Permit, and what documents are required to get it?
Tibet Entry Permit, also known as Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) Permit or Tibet Visa, is the basic document for foreign travelers entering Tibet. No foreign visitor can visit Tibet without holding the Tibet Entry Permit in their hands. Foreign tourists must show both their Chinese Visa and Tibet Entry Permit when they change for the boarding passes of flying to Tibet or board trains to Tibet.
The Tibet Tourism Bureau officially issues Tibet Entry Permit to restrict the number of foreign visitors. With this permit, foreign tourists can travel in the Lhasa region, including Lhasa city, Yamdrok Lake, Ganden, Tsurphu, Namtso, Drigung Til Rating.
Tibet Entry Permit is not available for independent travelers. Foreign travelers must travel in the tour group and ask the legitimate travel agency to apply for the Tibet tour.
Documents required:
You can get a Tibet entry permit (TTB permit) by sending a certain qualified travel agency the first page of your valid passport and a copy of your Chinese visa by fax or by email, and state clearly your occupations (Foreign journalists and diplomats are not allowed to go to Tibet as a tourist). If you are Taiwan Compatriots, send us the copies of your MTP-Mainland Travel Permits or called Taiwan Compatriot Entry Permit/travel document (commonly known as “Tai Bao Zheng”), and tell us your occupations.
If you are Hong Kong and Macau SAR citizens, China Re-entry Permit for Hong Kong & Macau Compatriots is enough to travel in Tibet. You are not required to apply for the Tibet Permit.
Pay attention: If you plan to travel to places officially closed to foreigners in Tibet, an Alien’s Travel Permit is required.
3. What is Alien’s Travel Permit?
Except for Tibet Entry Permit, an Alien’s Travel Permit is required if you plan to travel to places officially closed to foreigners in Tibet, such as Mt. Everest, Rongbuk Monastery, Mt. Kailash, and Lake Manasarovar. Alien’s Travel Permit is not needed for places in the Lhasa region, towns of Shigatse and Tsetang, or nonstop travel on Friendship Highway.
Aliens’ Travel Permit is required to visit ‘unopened’ areas. Which is issued by the police (Public Security Bureau, “PSB”)? Usually, you can apply for it once you arrive in Lhasa. For tour groups, our guide will ask you for the passport and TTB permit and submit it to the Foreign Affairs Section of PSB for the Travel Permit. It normally takes several hours, and the cost is 50 CNY/person. If you are an individual traveler, you need to join local tours to ‘unopen’ areas, and the local travel agencies will arrange the PSB for you as well. Pay attention; no travel agency can provide a ‘PSB permit-only’ service.
Notice: If you want to do a Tibet overland tour from Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, or Xinjiang province to Tibet, you must get the PSB permit before your tour starts.
4. Which parts of Tibet are listed as the closed areas?
At present, you have to apply for a Travel Permit if you are planning to visit the following places: BasumTsedang: Samye Monastery, Tomb of Tibetan King, Trundruk Monastery, YumbulakhangShigatse: Sakya Monastery, Mt. Everest, Rongbuk MonasteryGyangtse: Pelkor Chode Monastery & Kubum StupaNgari Region: Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, Tsaparang, Years, etc. Nyingchi RegBased-to, Pomi, Raw-to, etc.Chamdo Region: Chamdo, Riwoche, Tengchen, etc.
5. Are there any other certificates and permits that may be required in Tibet?
Except for Tibet Entry Permit, Alien’s Travel Permit, there are Military Permit, Foreign-affairs permit, and other permits required when traveling in Tibet.
The sensitive border is Mt Kailash, and eastern Tibet also requires a military permit and a foreign-affairs permit. For Tholing and Tsaparang in western Tibet, you will also need a permit from the local Cultural Antiquities Department. All these will be arranged by our travel agency one month before you enter Tibet. Troops issue the Military Permit while the Foreign affairs office in Lhasa issues the Foreign affairs permit. It normally takes 10-15 working days to get them all.