Tibet was opened for tourists only in 1985. Before this, it avoided influence from the western world and developed its unique culture & religion independently. To see a place like Tibet now, before many modern changes take place, is certainly a unique experience.

Its name, the “Roof of the World” is no idle statement. The valley bottoms of Tibet are higher than the highest mountains elsewhere. Its snow covered plateau are the highest in the world. Apart from the Everest, which Tibetans see from the other side, many mountain ranges are over 4,500m.  Tourists can fly right into Lhasa from Kathmandu, taking one of the world’s most dramatic flights across the Himalayan range. Lhasa (3,650m) Tibet’s capital city lies in the highest plateau of the world amid arid wilderness.

Travelling to Tibet is an incredible journey in which one can see the world's highest mountains, travel on the world's highest plains, meet nomadic herdsmen and pilgrims and walk amidst the burning butter lamps & chanting monks of Tibet's ancient and legendary Buddhist monasteries. This is a wonderful and amazing trip. However, if participants are not up for a bit of adventure or for accommodations & amenities that may be far from perfect, then perhaps this trip is not for them or their trip should be limited only within Lhasa city. "Cold & dusty" is the comment of many people who have visited Tibet. While the trip to Tibet is not easy, it is well worth the effort. Even the most jaded traveller may feel like a neophyte tourist.

Many of the conditions described here are still controlled by the Chinese government. The trip is considered "Luxurious" by Chinese standards, a definition with which it is very hard to agree. Travellers have sometimes been disappointed with accommodations, guide services and meals; Even writing about the lack of hot & cold running water or flush toilets seems rather trite, when the conditions tourists experience are far superior to local standards and hence, luxurious indeed in comparison. However, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Most folks have better experiences, when they know what to expect.  

Guide  
The Chinese/Tibetan guide provided for our groups may not speak very good English and may not know much about the local monasteries, history & culture. For best information, we recommend  clients take a guidebook along on the tour. The Tibet Guide by Stephen Bachelor and the most recent one, Tibet Handbook by Victor Chan is an ideal book to take along. It gives general information about Tibetan culture as well as specific information about the usual sights. Unlike Lonely Planet's Tibet: A Travel Survival kit, which gives more logistics about travelling around Tibet independently. The Tibet Guide & Tibet Hand Book concentrates more on Tibetan culture & sacred places. Both books are useful. Also quite useful is a route map, to know where they are going and have been each day.  

Clothing  
We recommend the following clothes to be brought along:  

Altitude   Sickness  
As most of the places in Tibet lie over 4,500m, clients are likely to experience some of the minor symptoms and discomfort of altitude sickness (headache, mild nausea, and loss of appetite) until their body is adjusted to the elevation. This can take from few hours to a couple of days, depending on the individual. They should take it little easy first couple of days and take in plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. This helps the body to acclimatize faster.  

Visa  
To apply for China visa the passports must be valid for more than 6 months. A Group Visa is normally issued in Kathmandu. As per new regulations, the normal Chinese visa issued abroad is also good to enter Tibet from Kathmandu. We arrange for issuance of the Tibet permit, which is required in any case. For the Tibet Visa procedure, we require following information by fax/email at least 30 days prior to the arrival in Tibet: 1) Name as in Passport. 2) Passport Number. 3) Nationality. 4) Date of issue & expiry of the passport 5) Date of Birth. 6) Occupation. 7) Sex. We also require the photocopy of the passport by fax or email (as an attachment).  

TREKKING EQUIPMENT

We recommend trekkers to bring their personal items along, such as;