What should you pay attention to when traveling to Tibet?

Equipment: The less luggage you carry when traveling in Tibet, the better, but it must be enough. A backpack of 45 liters or more is enough, and carrying a waist bag is enough. Keep personal items such as cash and documents in your waist bag.

Yi: Due to the higher altitude in Tibet, the overall temperature is lower than that in the mainland. This is especially important in Namtso and Everest base camps. July to early September is basically the rainy season in Tibet, and the weather will not clear up until mid-September, so you should pay more attention to keep warm and avoid catching a cold. All body equipment, including tops, pants, and shoes, should be waterproof. During the rainy season, it rains heavily at night in Lhasa and Nyingchi, so down jackets, fleece jackets, fleece pants, gloves and hats are all necessary. In Tibet, you must wear hiking shoes. First, the road conditions in some places are very poor and protect your feet. Second, hiking shoes have better waterproof and warm performance. You should bring a sleeping bag. The accommodation conditions in many places in Tibet are not very good, and some beds are very dirty. Sleeping in your own sleeping bag will keep you warm and hygienic. Unless you are camping, otherwise you don’t need to bring a moisture-proof mat, but you must bring slippers.

Food: Nowadays, Chinese restaurants in Tibet are basically opened by Sichuanese. For breakfast, you can spend a few yuan to eat a full meal in a small shop. You can also cook vegetables for lunch and dinner, and the price is not too expensive. There are three main places to eat Chinese food in Lhasa. One is in the western suburbs, that is, the area west of the bronze yak statue. It is not far from the Potala Palace and mainly serves Sichuan hot pot; the second one is Niangre. Along South Road, next to the civil aviation ticket office, there are also several Sichuan restaurants to try. (Don’t go to the hamburger fast food on this road, it’s extremely unpalatable); the third place is the section between Balangxue Hotel and Ya Hotel on Beijing Middle Road and Beijing East Road. There are also several small Sichuan restaurants.

As for Tibetan, Tibetan and Nepalese food, you can go to Ganglameduo Bar in Ya Hotel, Wei Niu Salon Restaurant next to Jiri Hotel or Maggie Ami Bar. The Snow God Palace in front of the Potala Palace is one of the most upscale Tibetan restaurants in Lhasa. The famous Tibetan food is butter tea, fried lamb chops, Tibetan steamed buns, blood sausage, radish stewed yak meat, etc. You can try them when you arrive in Lhasa, but many people are not used to them.

Accommodation: Nowadays, the most famous hotels in Lhasa are Balangxue and Jirijiya Hotel. They are more famous than other hotels. Firstly, they are cheap. Secondly, you can find friends to charter a car with you here, which is very convenient. These three hotels are all on Beijing East Road, very close to each other. Relatively speaking, the Ya Hotel is the most expensive, while the Balangxue Hotel is older because the rooms are separated by wooden boards, so the soundproofing equipment is poor, so I still recommend the Ji Hotel. All three hotels have free laundry, private bathrooms, and public toilets. The only disadvantage of Balangxue is that after washing, the clothes are mixed together and you have to select them yourself, while Jiri has a special laundry bag. After washing, the waiter puts it into the bag and delivers it to your room.

Balangxue Tel: 0891-6323829, standard room 180 yuan, ordinary double room 70 yuan per person, three or four-person room 25 yuan per person, single room 35 yuan.

Jiri Tel: 0891-6323462, ordinary double or triple room is 25-30 yuan, no standard room.

Ya Hotel Tel: 0891-6323496, a large room for six or seven people is 25 yuan per person per day, a double room without sanitary facilities is 90 yuan, and a standard room in the main building is 150-250 yuan. There are also many rooms with different prices.

Accommodation in Shigatse:

Everest Hotel, double room 25 yuan per bed; no bathroom, public toilet; (the phone number is not remembered).

The Gangguoyuan Guest House costs 15 yuan per bed, and the hot water supply for bathing is limited in time. Tel: 0892-8822282

Postal Hotel, standard room is 120 yuan per night, conditions are not bad, no standard room. Tel: 0892-8829888

Lingzhi Accommodation:

Lingzhi Guest House, double room, 35-40 yuan per bed. Tel: 0894-5822410;

Kangfuyuan Hotel: standard room is 60 yuan/room, you can buy a single bed; deluxe standard room is 168 yuan/room. Tel: 0894-5821181

When going to Mount Everest, you can stay at Rongbuk Monastery or Mount Everest Base Camp.

OK: Traveling in Tibet is more expensive than other places, and transportation costs account for the majority, especially round-trip travel expenses. It will be cheaper to take a local long-distance shuttle bus, but the scenic spots in Tibet are scattered and relatively far apart, so it is more cost-effective for 4-5 people to charter a bus together and share the fare. There are notice boards in the entrance halls of the three backpacker hotels, where you can post messages to contact you about chartering a car.

The starting price of a tricycle in Tibet is 3 yuan, and 4-5 yuan in places a little further away; taxis all cost 10 yuan. (The Drepung Monastery in Lhasa is far away, so the taxi fare is 20 yuan).

This time I went to Gyantse, Shigatse, and Nyingchi for 4 days. Four people chartered a car, Toyota cost 62, 4,400 yuan, and the average price per person was 1,100 yuan. Going to Namtso for 2 days, chartered car for 4 people, Toyota 62, 1300 yuan, 325 yuan per person. On National Day and May Day, car prices will rise. Going to Shigatse and Mount Everest will also be more expensive. Food for the driver is included, but accommodation is not included. Cars going to the Mount Everest area need to pay road construction fees based on the number of wheels, 100 yuan per wheel, 400 yuan for off-road vehicles, and 600 yuan for trucks. , In addition, each tourist has to pay a scenic spot fee of 65 yuan.

The driver must have all the driving licenses. This time when I went to Linzhi, I happened to encounter a car inspection on the way. Our driver's licenses were all complete, but the car he bought was a scrapped car. Tibet regulations require that an extension be applied for once a quarter. As for the scrapping procedure, his car had just expired on September 20 and needed to go through the extended scrapping procedure. He didn’t go through it. We didn’t know the regulations. After he was found out, we had to grind the captain of the traffic team for a long time before he would let go. Let's go. The team leader told us that most Toyota 62s in Tibet are scrapped cars. We later understood this and we must pay attention to this aspect. If we really don’t want to let go, we can only stuff some red envelopes to get through.

Altitude sickness: The symptoms of altitude sickness are as follows: headache, dizziness, excitement and insomnia, chest tightness, rapid breathing, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distension, etc. Before entering the plateau, you should have a good rest, do not be nervous or under psychological pressure, avoid colds, avoid smoking and alcohol, take American ginseng orally and eat Rhodiola rosea one week in advance to strengthen your resistance. If you enter the plateau by land, it is best to enter from the Sichuan-Tibet Line or Yunnan-Tibet Line, and exit from the Qinghai-Tibet Line or Xinjiang-Tibet Line. It will be better to gradually adapt from low altitude to high altitude. If you take a plane, altitude sickness will usually occur at night. Or it may appear the next day, so after arriving in Lhasa, you must get enough rest and don't relax your vigilance just because you think nothing is wrong at the time. Keep warm. It is best not to take a shower in the first few days to prevent catching a cold. When arriving in Tibet, it is best to adapt to Lhasa for 1 to 2 days before going to a distant place. This will allow for an adaptation process and will also provide a good condition for your body during the future journey. If altitude sickness unfortunately occurs during the journey, you should deal with it in time, take rhodiola rosea in time, and inhale oxygen if severe. If you have severe chest tightness, severe coughing, difficulty breathing, slow reaction, or even coma, you should be sent to the hospital for treatment or transferred to a lower altitude area. It takes a long time to enter the plateau by car, the accommodation conditions are poor, and the physical strength is high. You should prepare some medicines, water, drinks, and easily digestible food to replenish the necessary water and calories in the body in time. Eat more vegetables and fruits. If you can eat, sleep, and maintain an optimistic attitude, you will be able to overcome altitude sickness.

Drugs: cold medicine (antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotics, isatis granules), trauma medicine (Yunnan Baiyao spray, band-aid, eye drops), nutritional medicine (multivitamins), prevention of altitude sickness (Qinghai or Tibet) Rhodiola rosea capsules produced by pharmaceutical factories), antipyretics (Bezoar detoxification tablets, Xia Sangju), gastrointestinal medicines (fluoropic acid, modinine), throat lozenges, among which isatis root granules and multivitamins, throat lozenges must be taken every day. Rhodiola rosea should also be eaten.

Other health issues: Keep warm; wear sunglasses and a sun hat; due to the dust on the tourist routes in Tibet and poor sanitary conditions, it is not recommended to wear contact lenses; bring wet wipes; just go to the plateau It is often dry and prone to chapped lips and nosebleeds. Drink more water, take more throat lozenges, and bring sunscreen, body lotion, lip balm, nasal ointment, and cooling oil. In plateau areas, due to the climate and fatigue from the journey, women’s Menstrual cycles are often disrupted, so bring enough physiological hygiene products.

Border Defense Permit Issue: Going to certain places in Mount Everest, Zhangmu, Ngari and Linzhi areas in Tibet requires a border defense permit. It is best to apply for it at the place of residence. It is now difficult to apply for a border defense permit in Tibet. You can apply for a border defense permit at the household registration section of the Municipal Public Security Bureau in the place of residence with your ID card and household registration booklet, and fill out an application form for a border defense permit. , fill in the application reason for visiting relatives, and the destination, just fill in the Shigatse area, Ali area, Linzhi area, and Shannan area. The processing time does not take long, and you can usually get it on the same day. Bring your passport with you, you don’t need to apply for a border permit.

Internet cafes: Tibet’s current living standards are improving day by day, and Internet cafes are everywhere. There is no problem with accessing the Internet in large areas. The cost of Internet access is generally 4 yuan/5 yuan an hour, but the speed of some Internet cafes is still Slightly slower.

Telecommunications: Currently, China Telecom and mobile communications do not have major problems in big cities in Tibet, but China Unicom has a slight problem.

Banks and ATM machines: It is best to bring enough cash with you. The ATM machine is in Lhasa, China Construction Bank has Internet access, and the postal green card is also easier to use, but it is still recommended to bring cash, because it is impossible to go through the remote areas all the way. Got the money. In addition, if you change some loose money, you can give alms to temples or elderly people begging. Tibet does not accept coins.

Customs and taboos: When visiting temples, you are not allowed to touch Buddha statues at will. Women are not allowed to enter some Buddhist temples. You must respect lamas and temples; you must turn clockwise when turning prayers;

Lhasa: Potala Palace 70 yuan, Potala Palace Golden Dome 10 yuan, Potala Palace Fine Cultural Relics Exhibition 10 yuan; Jokhang Temple 35 yuan; Ramoche Temple 20 Yuan; Norbulingka: 25 Yuan; Drepung Monastery 25 Yuan; Sera Monastery 35 Yuan; Tibet Museum 30 Yuan; Longwangtan Park 3 Yuan; Namtso 45 Yuan; Yangpajing Hot Spring 20 Yuan outside, 30 Yuan inside;

Gyantse and Shigatse:

Baiju Temple 30 yuan; Tashilhunpo Temple 45 yuan; Mount Everest 65 yuan

Ningchi:

Basongcuo is 50 yuan; World Cypress King Garden is 10 yuan; on the way from Linzhi to Lhasa, there is a mainstay attraction where you don’t have to get off the bus, which is 5 yuan;

Fare evasion problem:

Potala Palace Fare evasion is more difficult.

The opening hours of Drepung Monastery are 9:00-16:00; it is open to Tibetan pilgrims before 9 a.m., and if you go after 8 o'clock, you can enter with the Tibetans without buying a ticket, but some The Buddhist temple is not open yet, but you will be rewarded if you wait inside. Don’t forget to donate some incense money.

The Jokhang Temple is open from 9:00 to 16:00. It is basically open to Tibetans in the morning and open to tourists in the afternoon. You can also evade the fare if you enter after 8 o'clock in the morning, and the Buddhist temple on the second floor is also open. , the only disadvantage is that there are so many Tibetans that you need to queue up to visit. There is a way to avoid this. Tell the lama that you want to have consecration, and the lama will usually be very accommodating and let you stride in directly. Hehe, go in and visit, but there are so many people. There are still a lot of them, so I guess you can only follow everyone around. In the afternoon, I went to the Golden Dome of Jokhang Temple, which is open, but the Buddhist hall on the second floor is not open, and there are few people. The Buddhist hall is relatively clean, and the lamas check tickets more strictly. You can decide for yourself, and don’t forget to donate some incense money.

Tibetan temples are usually open to Tibetan pilgrims in the morning. If you go early and follow them in, the chance of fare evasion is greater. In the afternoon, fare evasion is usually stricter, but it is a rare visit. , if the finance allows, it is better to buy a ticket so that you can keep a souvenir for yourself. You still have to donate some incense money to enter the temple.

Other questions:

There are many little beggars in Tibet. Usually they don’t want much, 1 cent is enough, but when a group of children surround you, you may not be able to bear it. , so you should pay attention when giving money; change more change, you can exchange it for 1 dime at the Tibet Construction Bank. If you don’t have any loose money in the temple, you can ask the lama to exchange it, or you can change it yourself directly at the donation office.

When shopping on Bajiao Street, it is recommended not to buy directly from the stalls. There are many small shops nearby. The processing quality of the goods in them is better than that at the stalls, but the prices are slightly more expensive than at the stalls. When negotiating prices If you talk about 2-3 times the amount of goods, you will basically be successful. The Tibetan people pay attention to the opening price and closing price, so the things you buy will be much cheaper.

Note that there are many Hui people pretending to be honest Tibetan people in the store. They are very barbaric and buy and sell by force. If you don’t buy after the price is negotiated, they will even fight with you. Charter a car with us this time A Beijinger from Namtso was fooled by them, so remember to keep an eye on people.

The most important point is that we must pay attention to environmental protection and do not litter. The environment on the snowy plateau is indeed worrying. In addition to Tibetans not having the habit of going to the toilet, tourists from other places litter It also brings a lot of burden to the plateau. Piggy (my friend) and I picked up three big bags of garbage when we went to Namtso Lake. The most annoying thing was that we had just finished picking up here and were still littering there. Piggy scolded them angrily, but he didn't do anything. It’s useless, start from yourself, start from the side, protect this beautiful scenery.

Bring more pencils. There are many Tibetan children along the way, and even some lamas will ask you for them. I think this is much better than giving them money and candies.

Attached is the equipment I brought to Tibet this time:

Close-fitting waist bag (containing cash, documents, air tickets)

45-liter backpack, sleeping bag, fleece jacket, Down jacket, jacket, fleece pants, jacket pants, hat, gloves, sunglasses, disposable raincoat, hiking boots, slippers, toiletries, sunscreen, moisturizer, lip balm, headlamp, map, camera, film, spare batteries , a waterproof bag (not used, because it didn’t rain, it is recommended to bring it), a rope (not used, there is free laundry on auspicious days), a bag of medicine (rhodiola rosea, isatis root granules, anti-inflammatory medicine, cold medicine, Antipyretics, gastrointestinal medicine, hemostatic patches, multivitamins, bezoar detoxification tablets, throat lozenges), and a bag of snacks (chocolate and beef jerky).