零七八月西藏 Tibet in August, 07

Things to Note

High Altitude Sickness
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is common at high altitudes, and depends on the elevation, the rate of ascent and individual susceptibility. Most visitors to Tibet will suffer from at least some symptoms that will generally disappear through acclimatization in several hours to several days. Symptoms tend to be worse at night and include headache, dizziness, lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea, breathlessness and irritability. Difficulty in sleeping is another common symptom, and many travelers have trouble sleeping for the first few days after arriving in Lhasa .

Tibet Travel Permit
A permit is required to enter Tibet.  The TTB costs vary depending on your departure city, and there is no expiration date for the permit.  You do not need a permit to leave Tibet, however you will need an additional transit permit to enter certain cities within Tibet as well as Mt. Everest Base camp (60 Yuan per person, 405 Yuan per vehicle), which can be easily arranged by your tour operator. You do need a China Visa as well as a passport that is valid for at least 6 months before applying for the TTB.

There are two ways leading to Tibet, one is from other parts of China, the other is form Nepal.

1. If you are planning to enter Tibet from other places of China, you can claim for it from our local offices of your planned previous city to Tibet, e.g. Chengdu if by air, Golmud if by Qinghai-Tibet Highway. It is a must document when you are boarding the air to Tibet.

2. If you are planning to enter Tibet from Nepal, you can obtain the fax copy of this permit from the Chinese Embassy in Katmandu. Please allow at least 2 days to get it. After you land at Lhasa if you fly from Katmandu to Lhasa, Our guide will meet you (at the Lhasa airport if you fly from Katmandu or at the Border if you travel though friendship highway) and forward the original Permit to you.

Permits are arranged by tour agencies only.  It normally takes 1-10 business days, depending on how you plan on entering Tibet.  1 Day for flying into Tibet and up to 10 days if you plan on entering Tibet by land via a Land cruiser or by train.  You just need to show your passport (or fax in a copy of your passport main page) to begin the permit issuing process.  You can apply for the permit as an individual or as a group.
By Air:
Beijing: 400Yuan
Xian: 500 Yuan
Chengdu: 700Yuan
Zhongdian: 1040 Yuan
By Bus/Landcruiser:
Zhongdian Landcruiser: 1350 Yuan
Chengdu Landcruiser: 1200 Yuan
Golmund: 1100 Yuan
By Train:
Beijing to Lhasa: 700 Yuan
Golmund to Lhasa: 400 Yuan
Xian to Lhasa: 600 Yuan
Guangzhou to Lhasa: 600 Yuan
Shanghai to Lhasa: 700 Yuan
Special tourist train: 500 Yuan

Permit Issuing offices:
Hong Kong Branch Office Tel: (00852)28383391 Fax: (00852)228841535

Chengdu Branch Office Tel: 0086-28-85551719 Fax: 0086-28-8555171985551719