Tibet
Tibet has been renowned for centuries as a mysterious and timeless land. Despite modernization, it still retains many elements of its past: intriguing gompas, ancient markets, fun-loving and ever-smiling Tibetans and curious nomads with their yak caravans. The awe-inspiring mountain, panoramas, sweeping plains and turquoise lakes combine to create unforgettable sights.
Tibet may be the unforgettable destination for all people by spending days in Tibetan cities, mountains and Tibetan environment. There are many trekking and tour destinations. The cities like Gyantse, Shigatse, Lhasa Tsethang, Yarlung etc are the ornaments of Tibet having many monasteries.
The main attraction of Tibet tours are potala place, barkhor markets, Jokhang temple, Norbulingka monastery, Sera monestery, Kumbum monastery, Tashilhunpo monastery, Home of Panchen Lama, Rangbuk monastery as the religious places, we can get modernized experience in the cities. There are famous and religious mountains and lakes like mt. Kailash, lake Mansarover, Rakshel Tal, Paiku-so Lake, Shisapangma etc. there is direct flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu. We offer the following trek and tour program for central and western Tibet.
Visa Information for Tibet
Tibet Reopened to Foreign Tourists on June 25, after closed to travelers since middle March 2008. Tibet Tourism Bureau is start to issue to Tibet entry permit but with much more restrictions. There are overall four documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel freely in Tibet.
Chinese Visa – you can apply for in Chinese Embassy in your country
Tibet Entry Permit – It is issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau and is a must for foreigners entering Tibet
Travel Permit– It is required when you are planning to travel to the closed areas in Tibet,which you can obtain it after you arrive in Tibet
Military Permit – you have to obtain if you are planning to travel to some military sensitive areas.
As a local travel agency, Beyond The Limits Treks is able to assist you to process all of those above documents if you book a Tibet tour with us.
Passports & Visa
All individuals entering Tibet must hold a passport valid for at least six months. If you are entering Tibet from China, your Chinese visa must be valid. Only travelers with tourist visas (not business, resident or student visas) are permitted. Entering Tibet from Nepal, either by friendship highway or by air requires a separate visa valid for Tibet from the Chinese embassy in Katmandu (30-60 day visas are the normal and it normally takes 2 weeks to obtain it.). You may apply for a group visa from us (minimum of two people in a group and you must leave China with this person unless you can change the visa inside China).
Tibet Entry Permit
Customers whose travel arrangements are made by us will receive their Tibet Entry permit from our local office in the city where they depart for Tibet e.g. Chengdu if by air, Golmud if by Qinghai-Tibet Highway. You are required to present this document when boarding the flight to Tibet. We will make all necessary arrangements to obtain the correct documentation for you if you book a tour with us.
How to apply for a Tibet Entry Permit?
Tibet Entry Permit is not available by independent travelers at the moment(at least before the Olympics). Travelers have to travel in tour group and ask their travel agent to apply it for you. Please prepare the following documents before asking your travel agent to apply permit.
- A copy of your Passport
- A copy of your China visa (tourist visa)
- Full names, gender, Date of Birth, Passport number, nationality, occupation
Weather
Tibet has similar seasons to China, though with lower temperatures due to the higher altitudes. Winters (November to March) are cold (the average temperature in January is -2°C) but there isn’t all that much snow. Summers (May to September) have warm days with strong sunshine and cool nights. At higher elevations (ie above 4000m) even summer days can be chilly. During spring and autumn you need to be prepared for four seasons in one day, including the possibility of snowfall.
There are some regional variations; northern and western Tibet are generally higher and colder. The monsoon affects parts of Tibet (particularly eastern Tibet) from mid-July to the end of September (July and August bring half of Tibet’s annual rainfall).
When to go
Climate is not such a major consideration when visiting Tibet as many people might imagine. For a place nicknamed ‘The Land of Snows’, there’s a surprising lack of snow. The boom in domestic tourism means that Lhasa swells with Chinese tourists in the summer and particularly in the week-long holidays around 1 May and 1 October. Finding accommodation can be trickier during these weeks, so try to have something nailed down by lunch time. Winter is very cold, many restaurants are shut and snow can close mountain passes, but some travellers swear by the winter months. There are few travellers about at this time and Lhasa is crowded with drokpas (nomads). The average temperature in January is -2°C.
Spring, early summer and late autumn are probably the best times to visit Tibet. March is a politically sensitive month in the country and there is occasional tightening of restrictions on travellers heading into Tibet at this time, but the weather’s pretty good. April brings reliable weather in eastern Tibet and discounts on accommodation and vehicle rental in Lhasa. Mt Everest is particularly clear during April and May.
From mid-July through to the end of September the monsoon starts to affect parts of Tibet. (The months of July and August bring half of Tibet’s annual rainfall.) Travel to western Tibet becomes slightly more difficult, the roads to the east are temporarily washed out and the Friendship Hwy sometimes becomes impassable on the Nepal side or on the border itself.
Trips to Mt Kailash can be undertaken from April to October, although September and October are considered the best months. October is also the best time to make a trip out to the east. Lhasa and its environs don’t get really cold until the end of November.
It’s worth trying to time your trip with one of Tibet’s festivals. New Year (Losar) in January or February is an excellent time to be in Lhasa, as is the Saga Dawa festival in April or May.
Please Email Us us for the detail itinerary of your choice.
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