Planning to go to Lhasa during the National Day holiday in 2012. It’s my first time. Please ask for travel advice from my colleagues.

Going to Tibet is the dream of many people, and taking their children to travel to Tibet is the dream of most parents. I am here to encourage everyone. This dream is not difficult to realize (this time my children and I stayed in Tibetan areas for 40 days).

Today’s transportation conditions in Tibet have been greatly improved. As far as I know, after construction in recent years, Tibet has 5 civil airports alone (Lhasa Gonggar, Qamdo Bangda, Nyingchimi Lin, Alikunsha and Shigatse peace). Needless to say, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (the railway from Lhasa to Shigatse is currently under construction), and the conditions of the roads have also been greatly improved. Among them, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway is the best one. As for Tibet, from east to west, from Qamdo to Lhasa to Shigatse and even to the Ngari area, there is also an asphalt road (due to geological conditions, the dangerous section of Tongmai is still a dirt road, but it is also Much wider than before).

So for most people who want to go to Tibet, these conditions are enough, and taking their children there is no longer an unattainable dream.

The only thing you need to worry about is high-reflection.

1. Overcome Fear and Defeat High Reflexology

Everyone will experience high altitude sickness, but the degree is different. If you pay attention to adjustments, most people will just have a headache. (Headaches also vary in intensity). Regarding how to prevent and deal with altitude sickness, I have already said it in "Precautions for Traveling to Plateau with Children", so I won't repeat it here.

What needs to be emphasized is that the amount of activity of children must be controlled, and children should always be reminded not to be too excited, not to yell, not to run and jump around, especially when they first go to the plateau, and not even when going shopping. Shopping a lot.

Because the plateau is inherently hypoxic, if physical exertion is too great and the physical energy is not replenished, the resistance will decrease and it is easy to get high fever and cold (a mother and son met in Lhasa, the boy is 6 years old) , my physical strength is quite good, and I also went hiking in Yubeng. I didn’t go anywhere after arriving in Lhasa. I just walked around the city. Maybe I didn’t get a good rest and walked too much. As a result, the child had a cough on the third night after arriving and went to the hospital. Examination, mild pulmonary edema, hospitalization. I left Tibet after being discharged)

Of course, if the child adapts, restrictions can be relaxed appropriately. Yun'er was dancing rubber bands with the children in Lhasa.

2. Prevent colds

It is not easy to get over a cold at high altitude, and it is easy to develop into pulmonary edema. Medication is not very effective when you have a cold, and you often need infusions and oxygen.

In addition to controlling the amount of activity, you must also pay attention to keeping warm. Because the temperature difference between morning and evening is large on the plateau, especially in some high-altitude scenic spots, the temperature is very low and the wind is strong in summer. Be careful to add or remove clothing.

Another thing to note is that sometimes when traveling by car to tourist attractions, you will encounter extreme weather (such as strong winds, snow, etc.). At this time, do not let your children get off the car just to take photos. .

In a word, pay attention to your child’s warmth and coldness at all times.

Of course, if you stay on the plateau long enough, catching a cold is not a terrible thing. I think those mainlanders (including children) who live on the plateau don’t pay much attention to catching a cold.

2. Arrange time reasonably

If you want to go to Tibet, it is best to make more time. If you only have 4 or 5 days off, it is best not to go. Of course, if you're young and can handle it, that's fine too.

This is the case for a boy from Chongqing who went to Mount Everest with us. He only had 5 days off. He arrived in Lhasa on the first day and set out for Mount Everest the next day. He had high altitude resistance and oxygen all the way, and finally persevered. , but I just got used to it, and on the second day after returning to Lhasa, I went home again.

Some two-bedroom tour groups say it lasts for eight or nine days, but the train takes 4 days off and goes to Lhasa for one day to adapt, and then goes to a scenic spot such as Namtso. The rest of the time is spent in Lhasa city. , It’s okay not to repay such a group.

On the train from Lhasa to Xining, we met two eldest ladies from Hunan who signed up for this kind of tour. As a result, we happened to meet in Daqing, Tibet. During those few days, the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple were not there. It was open, but they ended up visiting Namtso and a temple in Lhasa without going anywhere. They were very unwilling to do so. When they heard that we were going to Qinghai Lake, they got off the bus halfway with us.

So, it is best to arrange a vacation of more than 10 days when going to Tibet. There are many places to visit in Tibet, so it will never be wasted.

If you feel that it is difficult to buy train tickets, you can sign up for a group tour first, discuss with the travel agency during the group registration process, join the group during the travel agency's itinerary, leave the group after the itinerary, and then travel independently and let the travel agency Help me buy the return ticket.

3. Make an Appointment

It is best to travel to Tibet on your own, rather than joining a group tour. Don’t worry about finding a partner, Lhasa is the easiest city to find a partner.

Of course, when traveling in such a relatively difficult place, people with children are relatively rare and are also a vulnerable group. It is relatively difficult to find companions because there are many so-called "donkeys" (who are also half-hearted) They are reluctant to go with people with children because they are afraid of causing more trouble.

So before departure, it is best to find a companion who is also taking care of children, so that it will be easier to charter a car to the scenic spots.

Don’t be afraid if you are raising a child alone. Of course, it is best if the parents have some travel experience.

In several well-known inns in Lhasa (such as Dongcuo and Phuntso), there are special post areas, where many people who want to date have posted "Please pick up" and "Pick up people" "The appointment notice. There are various lines. If you want to meet someone, go to these places and post a message in advance.

4. Accommodation

There are many hotels and inns in Lhasa, of all grades. If you want to stay in an inn, in addition to the famous inns mentioned above, there are also many family-style inns run by Han and Tibetans (there are many Tibetan inns around Dongcuo and Phuntsog). I personally prefer Han inns. One is clean, the other has similar living habits, and the third feels like home and has smooth communication.

In addition, Qamdo, Nyingchi, Shannan (Zedang) and Shigatse are all relatively large cities with good accommodation conditions and more choices. You can find one at short notice or ask for the recommendation of a chartered car driver.

As for the accommodation in some scenic spots, such as Namtso Lake and Everest Base Camp, the accommodation conditions are not very good. Most of them are tent inns run by Tibetans. The altitude is high, so it is not recommended for those with children. Went there to stay. If you want to watch the sunrise, you can live in a nearby town (if you are going to Mount Everest, you can live in Tingri Town).

To avoid suspicion, I will not recommend the inn. If necessary, we can communicate privately.

5. Transportation

There are shuttle buses between various towns in Tibet. I will not go into details here, but focus on chartered buses or group tours.

Chartered cars in Tibet are more expensive than anywhere else. They are basically priced by the kilometer. On ordinary road sections, off-road vehicles cost 3 yuan per kilometer, while commercial vehicles are slightly cheaper. Of course, if the chartered car is far away and takes a long time, you can make a counter-offer (the minimum price will probably not be less than 2.5 yuan/km).

If the place you want to go is remote and the road conditions are not good, the price will be higher, possibly 3.5 yuan or even 4 yuan per kilometer. For example, go to Nam Latso now.

So in order to spread the cost, when there are not enough people, carpooling is generally chosen.

What I want to say here is that those with children may suffer a bit in this regard, because in this case the children only need to occupy a seat (generally the journey is longer, and older children need seats, otherwise adults (It’s too hard for children), usually the price is based on an adult’s price. You need to be mentally prepared for this. Of course, you can also discuss with the people you carpool with to see if you can get half price.

In addition, most of the roads in Tibet are mountain roads, and the road conditions are a bit complicated. So when looking for a car, ask the driver if he is familiar with the route he is going to.

6. Carpooling

There are two ways to carpool, one is to charter a car exclusively, and the other is to cover all costs.

The so-called chartered car only means that you pay the fare per kilometer and pay for other expenses (meals, accommodation and attraction tickets) by yourself.

This method may seem cost-effective, but because of the long distance to travel to Tibet, you spend a lot of time on the road, and you are not familiar with the local environment. It is troublesome to find food and accommodation temporarily and may not be suitable. , so I don't recommend this method. Of course, if the driver you find is competent (this depends on your eyesight and luck), you can still consider it.

Another way is to cover everything and calculate it based on how much money a person makes. This is the way to join a group.

Of course, such tours range from large to small, from buses to off-road vehicles, and the prices vary greatly.

If it is a large group (bus), the price is relatively cheap, but you have to enter the store, and other special places also need to pay extra (for example, if you go to Linzhi, you will have to pay extra if you eat Lulang Stone Pot Chicken, etc. etc.

If it is a small group (off-road or commercial vehicle), it is basically a pure play group.

This kind of pure play group also depends on the itinerary and car type. , food standards and accommodation levels are different, and the price varies greatly. For example, the price of a four-day trip to Mount Everest (staying at Everest Base Camp for one night) ranges from 1,650 to 2,380 for frequent travelers. You know what's going on. Even though the distance is the same, the attractions are the same, and the car type is the same, why the price is so different? It's basically caused by the difference in food and accommodation.

So when organizing a group, you must be careful. Ask about the standards of accommodation and food.

Some inns have their own tour buses and familiar tourist routes, so it is generally more reliable if the inn you are staying in has such conditions. , I suggest you solve it at the inn (I am a relatively simple person, so I won’t worry about it if I can. Of course, the premise is that you think the people in this inn are good).

When you go out, you must have a calm mind. Of course, you can also go to a larger travel company on the street to join a group tour.

7. Choice of transportation to Tibet

Start. From a scientific perspective on preventing altitude sickness, the longer the transition from low altitude to high altitude, the smaller the chance of altitude sickness and the milder the severity.

So if you consider this aspect, it is better to take a car into Tibet ( The longer the journey, the better) is the best way, but it is not very realistic for most people because time does not allow it.

The second is the train on the Qinghai-Tibet line, which starts from Golmud. In Lhasa, there should be no problem on the train (it has to pass through a place with an altitude of 5,000 meters, and some people have a headache), but it will be unbearable to be stuck in the car for two days, so if possible, it is best to go there. Stay in Xining for two days and then go to Tibet.

Of course, train tickets from Xining to Lhasa are very tight.

Then there is flying. Generally speaking, if you fly directly to Lhasa (3650 meters above sea level), the probability of altitude sickness is higher. The safest way is to fly to Linzhi (2820 meters above sea level). After visiting the Linzhi area, you can then go to Lhasa and other places, which will make it easier to adapt.

8. Food

In Tibet, in addition to Tibetan food (which most people are not used to), there is also Sichuan food. You must be mentally prepared for this. Butter tea can alleviate altitude sickness. If you are not against it, drink it appropriately.

Although there are not many varieties of vegetables, they are basically guaranteed, and there are also some fruits, so eat more vegetables and fruits, especially children, and drink more water.

There are many restaurants in Lhasa, and they basically have flavors from all over the place. There is no KFC or McDonald's, but there is Dicos, haha.

9. Attractions and itinerary

There are many places to visit in Tibet, and it is almost impossible to visit them all in one visit. So here we only introduce some common places and gameplay.

(1) 3-4 days in Linzhi and surrounding areas

As mentioned before, it is the best choice to enter Tibet from Linzhi. This will not only effectively prevent high altitude sickness, but also It can save time, because it basically takes a whole day to get to Linzhi by car (due to road control and section speed limits).

1. From Lhasa to Nyingchi (Bayi Town), if no additional requirements are mentioned, the vast majority of vehicles will take the 318 National Highway (via Gyantse, Mozhugongkar County and Gongbujiangda County). There are famous scenic spots on this road Not much, and the scenery is average.

Gyantse Wetland (I think it’s pretty good): Located outside Gyantse County, just on the roadside, free

Longda Village: Jiama Township, Mozhugongka County, the birthplace of Songtsen Gampo If you don't go in, it should be free.

The mainstay: Also on the roadside, there is a huge boulder in the Niyang River, free

Mila Pass: 5013 meters above sea level, the highest place in this section, you can enter after passing this pass Linzhi is within the territory.

Songduo Hot Spring: A very famous hot spring. It is said that the water quality is very good. The locals also bathe mixedly for men and women. If you have enough time, it is recommended to take a bath, which is also on the roadside.

Basongcuo: Located in the high gorge and deep valley of the upper reaches of the Ba River 44 kilometers away from the 318 National Highway, the sacred lake of the Red Sect, the ticket is 100 yuan

2. Lulang Forest Sea and the Yarlung Zangbo River canyon.

(1) When going to the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon, you actually want to see Namjagbarwa Peak, which is not far from the entrance to the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. Whether you can see Namjagbarwa Peak or not depends on your luck. As for the scenic spots on the way, don’t mention it.

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is also the entrance to hiking in Medog. Tickets are 160 yuan and hiking tickets are 90 yuan.

If you can sneak in under the guise of hiking, you can save money.

There are villages where you can live in the canyon, but the sanitary conditions are average, so be careful (Yun'er and I stayed at a farm under Namjagbarwa Peak, and we got bitten many times, which are said to be from fleas) !

(2) Lulang Forest Sea

In the direction of Bomi from Bayi Town, there are dense woods forming a forest sea, especially in the Lulang area, which is the most famous. Tickets are 140 yuan/person

If you don’t want to spend money to enter the scenic spot, you can also see the forest sea from the observation deck on the roadside.

It is worth mentioning that the scenery on the way from Lulang to Linzhi is very beautiful, especially in cloudy and foggy weather. Of course, parking may be inconvenient, so be careful!

The scenery in Lulang is very beautiful, pastoral and fairyland-like. If time permits, it is recommended to stay there for one night and try the famous Lulang Stone Pot Chicken there.

(3) Other scenic spots in Linzhi include Nanyigou (ticket 120 yuan/person), Linzhi Kadinggou Waterfall (ticket 120 yuan/person), Linzhi Thousand-Year Cypress King (ticket 15 yuan) /person) etc.

(2), Shigatse area (Everest) 3-4 days

This itinerary is highly recommended. I don’t know why I went to this route in Tibet. There are not many people there, and although there is a section of the road (a 100-kilometer dirt and gravel road to the Everest base camp, but the scenery on this section of the road is very beautiful) that is not easy to walk, it is nothing compared to seeing Mount Everest.

Note: You must apply for a border permit in advance (through a travel agency, individuals are not allowed to apply), because the journey is long, so bring some dry food.

The shuttle bus only goes to Tingri, and it is difficult to take a ride on that dirt road (it is said that there are car rentals in Ganga Town), so it is usually chartered from Lhasa.

Attractions along the way:

1. Yamdrok Yumco, referred to as Yang Lake, is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Tickets are 40 yuan (if you don’t go to the observation deck, you don’t need to buy a ticket)

2. Karola Glacier, one of the three largest continental glaciers in Tibet. free. The place where you can watch the Karola Glacier is about 5,400 meters above sea level. The filming location of the movie "Red River Valley".

3. Gyantse Zongshan Anti-British Site (Gyantse Castle). free. The filming location of the movie "Red River Valley".

Gyantse is the granary of Tibet, so the pastoral scenery along the road is beautiful. Especially when rapeseed flowers are blooming.

4. Everest Base Camp

Due to the high altitude (5,200 meters above sea level) and cold nights, it is not recommended to stay at the Everest Base Camp with children. You can stay in Tingri, but if you want to see The sun rises on Mount Everest, so I have to get up early.

The ticket to Mount Everest is 180 yuan/person. There is a scenic eco-friendly car to pick you up from Everest Base Camp to the observation deck. The fare is 25 people/person, and children are free of charge.

5. Rongbuk Temple

It is the highest temple in the world, not far from the base camp.

6. Baiju Temple

It is located in Gyantse County, Tibet. First built in the 15th century, it is the only surviving temple of the three major sects of Tibetan Buddhism: Sakya Sect, Kadam Sect and Gelug Sect. Baiju Temple has the famous Baiju Pagoda at home and abroad. Tickets for Baiju Temple (including 100,000 pagodas) are 40 yuan

7. Tashilhunpo Temple

Tashilhunpo Temple is the largest temple in Shigatse, Tibet. One of the "six major temples" of the sect. Ticket price is 55 yuan/person.

8. Scenery of the Brahmaputra River

From Mount Everest back to Lhasa, you can take the 318 National Highway, part of which is accompanied by the Brahmaputra River. But if possible, it is still recommended to walk back, because if you didn’t see Yanghu Lake when you came, you can see it again. Since it is an extra 70 kilometers, we need to discuss it with the driver.

9. Zhangmu Port

If time permits, after coming down from Mount Everest, you can go to Zhangmu, which is the exit to Nepal, and you can purchase Nepali handicrafts.

(3), Namtso 1 day

It is located between Damxung County, north of Lhasa, and Bangor County, Nagqu Prefecture. One of the three sacred lakes in Tibet, it has beautiful scenery and an altitude of 4,718 meters. Tickets are 120 yuan/person

Although there are tent accommodations by Namtso Lake, due to the high altitude and low temperature at night, it is not recommended for people with children to stay there.

Naganla Pass is not far from Namtso Lake, with an altitude of 5190 meters. You can overlook Namtso Lake in the distance.

(4), Shannan (Zedang) 1 day

There are many scenic spots in Shannan area, but it is said that the road is difficult to walk due to the construction of hydropower station, so we only went to the one near Zedang Attractions (Changzhu Temple, Yumbula Kang and Samye Temple). In fact, the Yanghu Lake introduced above is also in Shannan area. There is also a famous lake called Namlacuo (in Gacha County). It is said that you can see your past and present lives.

You don’t need to charter a car to Zedang, just take the shuttle bus.

Recommended itinerary: Depart at 7 a.m. (to Lhasa Western Suburbs Bus Station), take the bus (50 yuan/person) or car (70 yuan/person) to Zedang, about two hours later Arrive at Samye Ferry (because the land route is now closed), take a boat to the other side (it used to take an hour against the current, but less than half an hour back with the current), and take a shuttle bus (5 yuan/person) to the Samye Temple.

Because there are more people taking the boat at 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning, it is best to arrive at the ferry at this time, otherwise you will have to wait for a long time for the boat. Taking a boat ride in Tibet is also a different experience.

Samye Monastery was built in the 8th century AD during the Tubo Dynasty. It was the first monastery in Tibet to ordain monks and become monks. If you don’t enter the main hall, you don’t need to buy a ticket. There are four red, black, yellow and white pagodas in the temple, which are very special.

There is a restaurant in the temple, which is not expensive. You can have lunch there, or you can go to Zedang County to eat.

When you come back by boat, you can wait for the shuttle bus on the roadside or catch a passing bus to Zedang.

From Zedang County to Changzhu Temple and Yongbulakang, you can take a minibus (the former is 2 yuan/person, the latter is 3 yuan/person). The two are on the same road and are not far apart. Far.

Admission to Changzhu Temple is 70 yuan, and children are free. If you are not interested in the temple, you don’t have to go in. The most famous one is the Pearl Thangka. But it's not usually open.

Yumbulakang is the first palace in Tibet. It is built on the mountain. Standing next to the palace, you can see the fields below the mountain. The scenery is very good. If you don’t want to go into the hall, you don’t need to buy a ticket.

If you are a photography enthusiast, it is recommended to climb to the hillside behind the palace, but the road is a bit dangerous, so pay attention to safety.

The minibus from Yumbulakang back to Zedang will be available after 8:00, so ask about the time of the last bus before boarding.

There are many buses from Zedang back to Lhasa, and they are available very late, so there is no need to worry about not being able to come back on the same day.

(5) In Lhasa

The most famous one is of course the Potala Palace. Tickets for the Bu Palace need to be booked one day in advance. One person can book 4 tickets, and each person's ID card must be brought. It is recommended to queue up and book in the morning.

The reservation ticket contains the visit time for the next day. The ticket is 100 yuan per person. You need to buy the ticket after entering the gate. Photography is not allowed inside the palace.

There are many tour groups visiting the Bu Palace, so you can just follow a tour guide and listen to the explanation. Because the tour group has a limited visiting time (one hour), if you are not in a hurry, you don’t have to follow a tour guide all the time.

Bu Palace Square is also worth visiting. You can see the panoramic view of Bu Palace from Yaowang Mountain. There is a park behind the Bu Palace. There is a lake in the park, where you can take pictures of the reflection of the Bu Palace. After dark, the lights of the Bu Palace are turned on, and the night view is beautiful, but it only lasts for about an hour.

The next one is the Jokhang Temple. If you want to evade the fare, you can sneak in with the Tibetan pilgrims at around 6 o'clock in the morning. It is said that there are cases of success. Tickets are 85 yuan/person, children are free.

In front of the Jokhang Temple is the best place for photographers to take pictures of pilgrims. You can also take photos inside the Jokhang Temple.

There are many temples in Lhasa (it is said that there are hundreds), so you can choose to visit them. The most famous of them are Drepung Monastery, Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery.

Drepung Monastery is located on Genpeiwu Mountain, 10 kilometers away from the western suburbs of Lhasa, and is directly accessible by bus. Its Buddha exhibition is very famous, but you have to wait until the "Shorton Festival", the 30th day of June in the Tibetan calendar.

Ganden Monastery is located on Wangbori Mountain at an altitude of 3,800 meters on the south bank of the Lhasa River in Dazi County, Lhasa, 57 kilometers away from Lhasa. It is the most special temple among the six major temples of the Yellow Sect. It was personally planned and built in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug sect of Buddhism. It can be said to be the ancestral temple of the Gelug sect.

The Bible Debate at Sera Monastery is the most unique and can be visited from Monday to Friday starting at 3 p.m.

Bakuo Street (Bajiao Street) is a must-visit place in Lhasa and is the old city of Lhasa. In addition to buying souvenirs and local specialties, you can also eat Tibetan food and visit taverns. The most famous one is of course "Maji Ami".

There are human-powered tricycles in Lhasa. You can take a tricycle for a short distance, ranging from 3 yuan to 5 yuan. Taxis start at 10 yuan. I feel that foreign drivers are better than Tibetan drivers.

(6) Other places

In addition to the regular routes introduced above, if you still have time, you can go to Yadong (Shigatse area, known as "Tibet's Little Jiangnan") , Ranwu Lake (in Basu County, Qamdo Region, the most beautiful in autumn, with Midui Glacier and Midui Glacier nearby) and other places.

If time permits and you are not afraid of hardships, you can also go to the Ali area (the southern line is already an asphalt road, and it is said that the Great Northern Line is also building roads, and there are many people going there now)

Today’s Tibet can still be regarded as a pure land in terms of geological environment (people’s minds are not so sure. Many Tibetans have been changing their living habits and beliefs under the influence of external factors. This is also I don’t know whether it is progressing or retreating), at least the sky, lake and most of the land there have not been polluted.

Let us take our children and experience it as soon as possible.