The Roof
of the Word
Today in the age of information with jet aircraft, highways and
computer networks mysterious places are rare to be found; but Tibet
is an
exception.
Refereed as Shangri La, The forbidden Land, The Roof of the World,
and by many more, the mysterious Buddhist Kingdom remained long
closed to foreigners, exerting a strong hold on the imagination
of the world.
For centuries, it has fascinated mankind. It was
hardly accessible to the outside world and has been always a challenge
to human beings. Tibet, a "forbidden land" not only by
man but also by nature, attracted many explorers, scholars, and
pilgrims and adventure lovers, all in pursuit of "Real Shangri
La".
It is not only the geographical and natural enchants
but also a long historical culture and religion that appeal the
foreigners to visit Tibet at least once in a lifetime.
Climate
You can travel to Tibet throughout the year but mid July through
to the end of September is the best period.
The temperature varies sharply from the south grassland
to north plateau. The south is warm
and rainy. Most rain falls during May to September.
It is warm from June to August. The coldest months are from December
to February and crossing over the passes becomes almost impossible.
Below given is a table of average temperature, rainfall and sunshine
hours in Tibet.
Accommodations
Hotels/guesthouses have basic facilities and even a hotel in Lhasa
may not meet your expectation. We always try to provide our clients
a twin room but it may not always be possible. Sometime, because
of weather factor or road condition, we may not be able to bring
you to the hotel of our contract or rooms may be already sold out
due to delay arrival and we may have to request you to adjust in
whatever accommodation available at that moment. In Lhasa, Gyantse
and Xigatse, you can expect twin room with attached toilet/shower
but other places; you will have to adjust with common restroom facilities.
Electricity and hot water supply may be disrupted although the hotels
of cities promise them.
Transportation
From Kathmandu, you will be transferred by a van/coach to Kodari
(Tibet border 116 km) accompanied by our escort and from Tibet border
onwards, Tibetan crews will drive you all the way to Lhasa. In the
event of landslides or road blockade by any reason and service of
porters are required to carry your luggage or hire another means
of transport between the two landslides or for onward journey, you
will be asked to contribute a nominal sum of money.
During the change of vehicle in the border, you are requested to
help yourself about your luggage.
Guide
Tibetan guides are reported to have limited English and you may
not expect a fluent explanation about culture and religion or any
other academic topics. He will serve more as a geographical guide
and will be responsible for dealing with bureaucracies on the way.
However, we will try our best to assign you the best guide available
though.
Clothing
The weather is cold, harsh and dry. You will need enough warm cloths
, tennis shoes, suntan cream, sunglasses, hats, scarves, lip guards
etc.
Food
Your trip includes only breakfast. So, you may want to carry with
you energy bars, dry foods like chocolates, cookies etc to eat on
the way. Restaurants in Lhasa,Gyantse and Xigatse
serve varieties of cuisines ranging from Chinese to Continental
but in other places, you will find basic Tibetan foods.
Money
In China, you will have to use RMB (Chinese money). Saturday and
Sundays, banks are closed but in the border sides, you may encounter
with a moneychanger everyday. Travelers' cheques or credit cards
are not accepted in most parts of Tibet. So, you may want to carry
about 100 dollars in cash for lunch/dinner and for small souvenirs.
Tipping
Guides and Drivers would be happy to receive tip and in fact it
motivates them to work harder and provide better service.
Altitude Sickness
Travelers to Tibet are reported to exhibit mild symptoms of altitude
sickness. So, some measures of precaution and remedies should be
taken. Complaints of headache, fever, loss of appetite, uneasiness,
stomach disorder etc can come up before acclimatization. Travelers
with heart, lungs and blood diseases should consult with their doctors
before they sign up for a trip.
Consumption of enough liquid food (not a liquor!) and enough rest
is recommended if you notice the symptoms of sickness. |