Tibet Travel Guide for a casual wandering trip

After I handed in my resignation and handed over all the work, my mind was often blank for a period of time. Suddenly I didn’t know which direction to go. I lived like a zombie every day, drinking, eating and sleeping.

One day, when I got up and took a shower, I saw that strange and haggard face in the mirror, and I was immediately shocked by the rotten and rotten smell that filled my body.

It was that day that I decided to cheer up and stop being decadent. Before I started looking for a job, I decided to use part of the money I earned over the past year to please myself - travel!

With almost no detailed planning or consideration, I chose the opposite of eastern China, the Sun City in the west - Tibet.

1. Transportation

The train to Tibet starts from Guangzhou (Z264, it is best to choose sleeper class), and Lhasa is the terminal station. The whole journey takes about 54 hours. Among them, when arriving in Xining, transfer to the diffuse oxygen train (two passenger health registration cards need to be signed)

The return flight is direct or transfer, originating from Gonggar Airport.

The transportation in downtown Lhasa is very convenient, and the distances between various scenic spots are not far. You can walk or take a taxi. You can also take local electric cars. The price is not expensive and you can bargain. , usually within 10 yuan.

You can travel by car from other counties or districts, or rent a car with others, but be careful to choose a more formal vehicle. After all, safety is the most important thing. There are many car accidents in Tibet every year. Remember to wear your seat belt!

2. Time

The peak season for Tibet tourism is from June to September every year. As we all know, Tibet is located on a plateau and has a large temperature difference between day and night. Generally, you choose to go to Tibet in the summer, when the temperature is more suitable and the scenery is more beautiful, while in the winter, the weather is relatively cold.

3. Checklist

Since I plan to stay in Tibet for a short time, about 10 days, the luggage I bring is relatively streamlined. If you want to travel in depth, at least half a month is recommended. (Because the distance between various scenic spots is relatively long, for example, it takes about 6 hours from Lhasa to Nyingchi)

(1) Clothing

1. Two sets of long-sleeved and long trousers/or short-sleeved + Sun protection clothing (it gets colder in the morning and evening, so it is recommended to add a jacket. You can take it off when it gets hot. In addition, the ultraviolet rays are very strong, so long sleeves are better)

2. At least one set of thicker jackets and pants

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3. A velvet jacket or a down jacket (it’s super cold when it rains! It’s also very cold at high altitudes or in deep mountains and old forests! So be sure to bring a set of thicker clothes and pants!)

4. A set of pajamas

5. A sun hat or peaked cap

6. Two magic headscarves (can cover the face, neck, arms, etc., Or use it as a sweat towel to wipe sweat)

7. Sunglasses (ultraviolet rays are relatively strong, it is best to bring them if you have them)

8. Change of underwear and underwear (you can prepare more of this to prevent You don’t have to change it if you don’t work)

9. Shawl or blanket (you can cover it on trains and planes, and you can also wear it when it’s too cold in Tibet. Of course, Tibet also sells special shawls)

( 2) Medicines

1. Colds (if you catch a cold before entering Tibet, don’t force yourself to travel. You must know that catching a cold on the plateau is a very serious matter, and you can easily get pulmonary edema, so Be careful with your health. If you accidentally catch a cold on the plateau, don’t be afraid. Drink plenty of water and take medicine in time. If it doesn’t work, see a doctor, but I heard that hospitalization is very expensive~)

2. Those who are not acclimatized (anyway) I am not acclimatized, you can decide for yourself whether to take it or not)

3. People who get angry (I have a body that is easy to get angry, so I take it)

4. Anti-high reaction Category: Rhodiola rosea (must be taken in advance, please read the instructions for details), Omo oxygen-carrying tablets, Gaoyuanan, American ginseng tablets (anti-fatigue), etc.

Note: I also learn from anti-hypertension drugs. I took the advice from other people on the Internet and took it. I still had high reflexes when I got there, but it wasn't too serious, so I'm not sure whether these medicines have any effect. Maybe they at least have a positive psychological effect. Regardless of whether you take these medicines or not, don’t be afraid. High reflexes are not that scary. Many people will have reactions and everyone will be fine.

5. Vitamin C (supplements vitamins, can be taken or not)

6. Glucose (this is quite useful, supplements energy)

7. Motion sickness Medicine (there are many twists and turns on mountain roads)

8. Headache medicine (Fenbid, etc., can relieve headaches due to high blood pressure)

(3) Washing

1 .Toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, comb, mirror, etc. (It is recommended to buy a toiletry travel set. All the above supplies are included, and there are two small bottles for shampoo and shower gel, which is very convenient and space-saving)

2 .Shampoo and shower gel (or buy no-rinse shampoo, you don’t have to shower on the train)

3. Facial cleanser, moisturizing water, lotion, facial mask, etc. (It depends on the individual, but the weather in Tibet is very dry, so remember Moisturizing)

4. Sunscreen (choose SPF50, pa+++ products, a friend recommended Anai Sun)

(4) Others

1. Water bottle ( Tibet is really very dry, and you often feel thirsty, so drink more water)

2. Umbrella (can be used for rain or sun protection)

3. Wet wipes (dry Or you can use it when you need to clean)

4. Chewing gum (can freshen your breath if you forget or fail to brush your teeth)

5. Data cable, ear cable and power bank (necessary for going out)

6. Luggage waterproof storage bag (still very useful, good for classification and waterproofing)

7. Camera (in fact, if you are not a photography enthusiast, just bring your usual mobile phone) , otherwise you will bring a lot of SLRs and the like, which are heavy and may not be used)

8. Eye drops (again, the dry climate may make your eyes uncomfortable, so bring them if necessary)< /p>

9. Lipstick (can be applied when dry)

10. Kindle (mainly used to kill time when you are bored on the train or during a journey, you can bring it or not)

11 .Tissues

12. ID cards, border protection certificates, student ID cards, etc.

13. Cash and bank cards (it is very convenient to withdraw money in Lhasa, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, CITIC, etc.) , in addition, you should prepare some change, which can be used for public transportation, going to public toilets, worshiping Buddha, etc.)

14. Snacks (train meals taste average, and instant noodles, fruits, etc. are also more expensive than usual, so you can bring some with you, or You can quickly get off the bus to buy when you stop. As the altitude gradually rises, you may also find an interesting phenomenon. The food packaging bags will gradually bulge and even burst, so you can deflate them first~ )

15. Pens, notebooks, etc. (pens are required on the train)

IV. Precautions

(1) Shopping

1. When you arrive at a certain scenic spot, you may want to buy some souvenirs. Remember to agree on the price before buying. You must be more cautious when it comes to medicinal materials. After all, there are still fakes (in fact, it is better to go to the regular ones). I heard that some attractions may force buying and selling, so please be careful)

2. Some people may want to buy oxygen bottles, especially when going to places with higher altitudes such as Namtso Mount Everest. There may be places selling oxygen bottles along the road. These places usually sell them more expensively. You may wish to buy them at stores and hotels in Lhasa.

3. If you want to buy beeswax, turquoise, Dzi beads, agate, silver and other items, you can go to a regular large store to buy them. If you don’t mind imitation, you can buy them while shopping (personally, I think Dzi beads Both Dzi beads and beeswax are quite good. Different numbers of Dzi beads represent different meanings and have commemorative value. A vermilion substance will appear on the surface of Dzi beads with a lot of them. In addition, please remember not to touch the Dzi beads of believers and monks casually; wear them. Beeswax is also good for your own body, but remember it must be genuine. If it is genuine, the aroma will overflow if you rub it back and forth.)

4. If you want to buy yak jerky, you can go to a store called Qi Qi Sheng’s specialty store, you can try it for free before buying (I especially like the five-flavored yak jerky! It’s super delicious! I think it’s 89 yuan/250g. It’s also sold online, but it doesn’t seem to have that many flavors~)

(2) Taking pictures

1. Taking pictures is not allowed in some scenic spots, such as the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, etc. Please remember to read the signs when visiting.

2. If you see Tibetan mastiffs, yaks, etc. along the way, you may want to take pictures, but be sure to ask if there is any charge for taking pictures! (When I was on the Qinghai-Tibet Line, I saw a yak on the way, so I took a photo excitedly, but the owner asked me for money, 10 yuan! I couldn’t delete the photo, I had to pay the money! Otherwise, I wouldn’t be allowed to leave. ! Personal experience! Everyone must ask clearly before taking action~)

(3) Catering

1. There are many Sichuan people in Tibet, and Sichuan restaurants are also relatively common, so You can see various Sichuan dishes everywhere.

2. If you want to eat Tibetan food, you can look for it near Barkhor Street, or search Dianping directly. Here is a recommended restaurant - Maggie Ami. Many people go there because of its famous Tibetan food. The Tibetan food there is really delicious, and it is really a great enjoyment in life to enjoy the night view of Barkhor Street while eating upstairs.

3. Tibetan sweet tea is particularly delicious. It is somewhat similar to mainland milk tea, but the taste is more pure and the price is super cheap.

Here we recommend a shop located on Barkhor Street - Guangminggang Qiongtian Tea House. There are a lot of Tibetans there, and you can see believers turning their hands on the scriptures everywhere sitting in the corner and leisurely drinking a cup of sweet tea.

4. Butter tea varies from person to person. Some people like it, and some people can’t drink it. I’m the kind of person who can’t get used to it. It feels very greasy and salty, which is quite strange. taste. But now that we are in Tibet, we might as well give it a try.

5. The taste of highland barley wine is okay, the alcohol content is not high, it is similar to beer, and has the taste of highland barley. You can also try highland barley porridge.

6. Highly recommend the yogurt from Lhasa, it is very delicious, very thick and sour, and sprinkled with raisins, it is sour, sweet and very appetizing!

7. There are a lot of potatoes here. Those who like to eat potatoes are in luck! Potatoes also have another name in the local area, called yak eggs. It is said that in the nomadic era, potatoes were the most common food when there was little food. But at that time, Tibetans did not know that potatoes were called potatoes and thought they looked like eggs. They thought they were eggs laid by yaks, so they called them It's called yak egg.

8. If you go to Linzhi, the "Little Jiangnan", you must eat a dish: stone pot chicken with matsutake mushrooms. Linzhi is rich in matsutake mushrooms. In the cold weather, drinking a bowl of soup made from precious medicinal materials will make you whole. All the fatigue from the day was gone. I recommend a shop in Linzhi called "Matsutake Stone Pot Chicken", open 24 hours~

9. In the Linzhi area, my travel companion and I also went to a shop called "Yi Laoliu Stiletto Beef". I heard that it is an intangible cultural heritage, so I tried it. The beef is really delicious. It is cut thinly and does not taste greasy. By the way, you must dip it in the sauce! !

10. A magical thing is that on the plateau, the boiling point of water does not reach 100 degrees Celsius.

(4) Hygienic conditions of accommodation

1. Traveling to Tibet is quite difficult, especially the toilets along the Qinghai-Tibet Line and Sichuan-Tibet Line, which are particularly disgusting! ! ! There is a fee to use the restroom, which costs two yuan a time (this is why you have extra change). Before you even go in, flies are flying all over the place, and the smell is particularly permeable! The toilet has no door or partition, only a sewer, and there is no water to flush and wash hands after using the toilet (wet wipes come in handy), so the sanitary condition inside can be imagined, and there are piles of garbage. In an emergency, there is no bathroom, so you can only bring an umbrella (you guessed it).

2. The sanitary environment of the hotel is quite good. Of course, don’t compare it with hotels in big cities. There are still some gaps. I haven’t stayed at the youth hostel so I won’t comment.

(5) About altitude sickness

Altitude sickness may be a major reason that prevents people from entering Tibet, and it is also what everyone is most worried about.

I was also afraid before coming here. I bought a lot of anti-hypertension medicines and took them honestly. When I arrived in Xining and started to change trains, I couldn’t help but start to worry. After all, it was the first time that I was alone. Go to such a high altitude place. Later, I did suffer from high fever, headaches and insomnia, but I personally felt that I could bear it. The scenery along the way was so beautiful, so I gradually relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

When I reach high altitudes, I still get headaches, I get out of breath when I walk fast, and my nails sometimes turn purple, but these are not terrible and can be tolerated by most people. My physique is quite average and I don’t usually exercise, but my hyperreflexia is not serious. It may vary from person to person. A travel friend I know didn’t have any reaction at all, so don’t worry too much. If you can’t breathe oxygen, it will relieve a lot. , of course it is best to let yourself adapt to the environment.

After observing some people around me, I found that there are several types of high-reflection symptoms: headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort, etc. Most of them are headaches.

If you have high reflexes, remember to rest more and avoid strenuous exercise. It is best to lie in bed the night you first arrive in Lhasa. You can drink some sweet tea, butter tea or glucose, and eat some lighter food.

When you first arrive at the plateau, people with low immunity should not take a shower first, mainly because they are afraid of catching a cold. After all, colds are more terrifying. After washing your hair, be sure to blow dry it before going to bed to prevent headaches.

High reflex is a very normal reaction, and it is not that scary. The most important thing is to relax and face it positively. Think about it, it is a rare experience and it is also a very unique experience!

(6) About oxygen intoxication

It is said that when returning from the plateau to the plains, some people will experience an oxygen intoxication reaction, which means that the body does not react to the sudden increase in oxygen.

I don’t know about other people, but I feel like I’m really drunk. The week after I first came back, I felt very lethargic, weak and dizzy. I just wanted to sleep. I slowly recovered after lying dead for a week.

After everyone comes back from the plateau, remember to rest more and don’t stay up late~

5. Recommended attractions

Actually, I don’t go to many places. After all, I plan to stay. I'm short on time, so I'll just briefly introduce the places I've been to.

(1) Those who want to learn about Tibetan Buddhism

1. Jokhang Temple (strongly recommended! You can see groups of pilgrims, turning prayer wheels, or praying three times) Only by witnessing it with your own eyes, you may know what piety and faith are. There are many Buddha statues in the Jokhang Temple, the most precious of which is the 12-year-old statue of Sakyamuni brought by Princess Wencheng, which is also the most desired by many believers and tourists. A statue of Buddha that I saw with my own eyes.

You can spend more time in the Jokhang Temple)

2. Potala Palace (This is also a must-see place in Tibet. It is the highest palace in the world. You have to climb up to the Potala Palace. A little breathless, but the scenery is infinitely beautiful! In addition, it is a little difficult to buy tickets in the peak season, so you should be mentally prepared, or queue up or consult a local tour group)

3. Zashi Buren Monastery (one of the four major monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, nicknamed the "Little Potala Palace")

Note: You can also admire the palace complex. These buildings are very unique. For example, the red walls of the Potala Palace are made of a plant unique to Tibet (baima grass).

(2) If you want to go shopping

The first choice is Barkhor Street in Lhasa. It is very close to the Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple, Yaowang Mountain and other scenic spots. While strolling around, you can see all kinds of shawls, thangkas, dzi beads, turquoise, beeswax, etc. You can also sit down and drink sweet tea and eat snacks.

(3) Those who want to see the natural scenery

1. Namtso (highly recommended! The indescribable blue and clear, any picture you take with your phone will be a beautiful picture. But be careful The weather is very high and the weather is quite unusual. It is either very sunny or snowy. Bring more thick clothes. If necessary, you can rent military coats and buy oxygen bottles on the way.)

2. Yanghu (highly recommended) ! Personally, I think it is the most beautiful lake besides Namtso)

3. Brahmaputra River (the largest canyon in the world, if the weather is good and you are lucky, you can even see Namchagbarwa Peak in the distance)

< p>4. Mila Pass (the only pass from Lhasa to Nyingchi, with an altitude of 5018 meters. It snowed when I went there, and the scenery was even more unique)

5. Nanyigou (you can read the legend The McMahon Line in China, the vegetation here is very rich)

(4) Those who want to experience the folk customs

1. Tashigang Village (you can spend the night there, the sky is full stars)

2. The No. 1 Folk Village in Tibet (you can go there when you have time, Gongbo Tibetans live there)

3. Niyang Pavilion (hidden in the Museum of Material Culture of Eastern and Southern Africa The first Monba and Luoba cultural exhibition hall in China is located here)

The eyes are in heaven and the body is in hell.

Anyway, I will definitely come back!