" To bring the ember
to roaring life is what I seek - shoot for the stars and be
graced with a full moon on a plain under the clear Tibetan
sky, I got that and more..."
Tibet: For thousands of years, Tibet lay under the ancient
Sea of Tethys. Eighty million years ago, India crashed into
Asia, pushing up the Himalayas, lifting the ocean bottom
above water, and creating this magical land. Mystical land,
Shangrila, Forbidden Country: Tibet has many names and inspires
an air of mystical dreams. However, Tibet is real and a
beautiful place to travel. It possesses a unique culture,
firmly rooted in Tibetan religion, but with strong influence
from the geography of the Himalayas, and the neighbouring
civilisations of India and China
Geographically, Tibet can be divided into three major parts
- north, south and east. The eastern part is forest region,
occupying approximately one-fourth of the land. Virgin forests
run the entire breadth and length of this part of Tibet.
The northern part is open grassland, where nomads and yak
and sheep dwell here. This part occupies approximately half
of Tibet. The southern and central part is agricultural
region, occupying about one-fourth of Tibet's land area.
All major Tibetan cities and towns such as Lhasa, Shigatse,
Gyantse and Tsetang are located in this area and is considered
the cultural center of Tibet.
Tibet Map Click Here
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.
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