2013 Tibet Permit/Visa Situation

According to a local Tibet travel agency, Tibet travel org, Tibet permit/visa is a must for non-Chinese to visit Tibet. The 2013 Tibet Permit/Visa Situation is much positive compared with the Tibet permit policy in 2012 that required foreign travelers to travel in a group with at least five tourists from the same country, according to Ms. Catherine, the manager of the travel agency.  

Since May of 2012, Tibet permit was only issued for Tibet tour groups meeting the above requirements, which obstructed many solo travelers’ way to Tibet. Fortunately, the restriction on group size and nationality has been removed since the end of this March. 

“By the afternoon of April 1st, 2013, we have obtained several Tibet permits for travelers travelling to Tibet in April, Polly, a trip advisor of Tibet travel org, said excitingly. 

“We have received many inquiries from foreigners in the past few days after we published the good news on the loosened Tibet permit policy this year on facebook.” Catherine said.   

According to the recent the recent Tibet permit situation, it is quite easy for travelers to get Tibet permit, even solo travelers.

The peak season of Tibet tourism starts in April, so Tibet begins to witness more and more travelers at home and abroad. The train ticket offices in China usually see large amount of bookings since early April. Thus, early booking is highly recommended to guarantee success in obtaining tickets.  

Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Have you ever been heard of Tibet? Do know where is Tibet? Do you have a travelling plan?

If you want to travel to tibet, first you have to take a train of Qinghai-Tibet railway.

Qinghai-Tibet railway measure 1963km from Xining to Lhasa. This is the world’s most elevated and longest plateau railway. So if you ask me how to get to Tibet best? I will tell you—- by train.

The primitive natural environment along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is unique and fragile. Special attention must be paid to the protection of plateau meadow, frozen tundra, the Hoxhil Nature Reserve, Three Rivers Origin Nature Reserve and Yangbajin to Geda Hot Spring Nature Reserve. To become the world’s most advanced environmental friendly plateau railway, constructors have been carrying out strict environmental protection criteria, which strive at maintaining the original appearance and minimizing the negative impacts of the railway construction.

An important aim of building the Qinghai –Tibet Railway is to develop the tourism resources of Tibet and propel the local economy. Due to the limits of transportation, travel agencies have to deal with very high fees for group tours into Tibet.From Beijing to Lhasa, the air tickets back and forth still cost over 4,000yuan(US$483) with discounts. In 2007, when the modern railway with a designed speed of 140 km is completed, the tour to Tibet will be very convenient and cost-effective.  

 

 

Guozhuang Dance – Tibetan Dance

　　Guozhuang Dance – Tibetan Dance

　　Guozhuang means singing and dancing in a circle, homophonic with Guoxie in Tibetan language. It originated from the form by which Tibetans danced around a campfire, all the time. This dance has been with the Tibetan ethnic group throughout their history.

　　There are four kinds of Guozhuang: Temple Guozhuang, Pastoral Guozhuang, Farm Guozhuang, and Forest Guozhuang.

　　The Temple Guozhuang event is organized for religious purposes in temples or monasteries, or for greeting and sending-off the Living Buddha. It is solemn with strong religious implications, through which believers dance in honor of the Living Buddha, grateful for their expected bliss in their afterlife.

　　The Farm Guozhuang is popular in Qamdo in eastern Tibet, while the Pastoral Guozhuang is popular in the vast pasture land of Damxung, Heihe and Sog Xian.

　　The Farm Guozhuang consists of two parts: singing, and quick singing and dancing. The tempo is subdivided into slow, medium and quick. At the beginning of a performance men and women stand in two separate circles and sing in rotation while swaying and stamping their feet. They conclude their singing by shouting “Ya!” Then their steps quicken and come to a stop at an exuberant allegro. The allegro music is often a condensed version of the slow music.

　　The form of pastoral Guozhuang is largely the same as farm Guozhuang, but there is a big difference in movement. In pastoral Guozhuang, for instance, the dancers jump while waving their hands in front of their chests and step forward, and then turn left or right, and their hands and feet move in the same direction. The sonorous singing produces a magnificent effect.

　　The movements of guozhuang are agile and vigorous. The loose, wide trousers of the male dancers look like the feathered legs of eagles, and the men’s movements are imitative of creatures, especially eagles, such as an eagle spreading its wings, hopping, and soaring. Women expose their right arms during dancing, with the right sleeve waggling behind. Moving around a circle, they sway their joined hands frontward and backward, keeping beats of their steps, until very late at night.

　　The emphasis is on the postures and expression of emotion. The verses for one song read: “Oh snow-capped mountains, make way for us. We fly with wings spread. Oh rivers, make way for us. We stride with broad steps.” These old verses display Tibetans’ brave and bold character.

　　Wanna see more?Travel to tibet ,we’ll tell you how to get to tibet.

How to get to Tibet from Xiamen

　　How to get to Tibet from Xiamen

　　There are many ways to travel to Tibet from Xiamen. From next January, you can take direct flights from Xiamen or Fuzhou, with a stopover in Chongqing. From Jan. 15, 2012, Xiamen Airlines will open two new flight routes to Lhasa, Xiamen to Lhasa flight and Fuzhou to Lhasa flight, after an inbound trial flight from Xiamen landed successfully at the Gonggar Airport in Lhasa on December 13th.

　　The Fuzhou to Lhasa flight is expected to open on January 15th. The flight MF8411 will start from Fuzhou at 7:20am every Wednesday and Saturday and arrive at Lhasa at 12:50pm, making a stopover in Chongqing at 9:45am.

　　The Xiamen to Lhasa flight is expected to open on January 17th. The flight MF8467 will start from Xiamen at 7:25am every Tuesday and Friday and also arrive at Lhasa at 12:50pm, making a stopover in Chongqing at 9:40am.

　　The air trip from Fuzhou to Lhasa is expected to take about 5.5 hours, and will cost about 3,000 RMB for a one-way economic ticket. For travellers’ convenience, they can book the air tickets on Internet, and can enjoy 50% discount at the beginning of the operation.

　　At present, you can take a bus to Guangzhou for around 160RMB and then take a flight or train to Lhasa from Guangzhou. The buses from Xiamen to Guangzhou departs every hour. The flight CZ3463 operated by China South Airline starts from Guangzhou at 9:10am every day and arrives at Lhasa 14:05pm, with a stop over in Chengdu. It costs you around 2500RMB. The train from Guangzhou to Lhasa departs every other day at 12:19 from Guangzhou Train Station, and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 18:30 on the third day after over 54 hours covering a distance of 4980 kilometers. It costs around 1500RMB for a first-class sleeper berth, about 900RMB for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat.

　　Or you can take a plane from Xiamen to Xinning for around 1630RMB (the economy class up to 50% discount), and then take a flight or train from Xining to Lhasa. There are several trains from Xining to Lhasa. But most of them start from other cities of China and stop at Xining Train Station generally for 20 minutes. Only two trains, K9801 and K9811, start from Xining to Lhasa. The train K9801 from Xining to Lhasa departs every other day at 15:02 from Xining Train Station, and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 14:55 on the second day after over 24 hours covering a distance of 1960 kilometers, while the K9811 starts every other day from Xining at 22:00 and reaches Lhasa at 21:40 on the second day. It costs around RMB800 for a first-class sleeper berth, about RMB500 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat.

　　You also can fly straight from Xiamen to Chengdu, and then from Chengdu to Lhasa by train or by flight. The train from Chengdu to Lhasa departs every other day at 20:59 from Chengdu Train Station, and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:50 on the third day after nearly 44 hours covering a distance of 3348 kilometers. It costs around RMB1100 for a first-class sleeper berth, about RMB700 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat. There are more than 10 flights from Chengdu to Lhasa in peak travel season and 5 flights in low travel season, from early morning to late afternoon. The full price for one way flight ticket is 1500RMB and the airport tax is about 190RMB, while the roundtrip flight tickets Chengdu-Lhasa-Chengdu unusually at 70-90% of the full price.

Tibetan New Year 2012

　　Tibetan New Year 2012

　　Tibetan New Year 2012 is likely to fall on February 22, 2012 and will last two weeks. Tibetan New Year, also known as Losar in Tibetan language, is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar 2012. Tibetan New Year offers the travelers a great opportunity of enjoy the annual festive occasion with local Tibetan People together. During the festival, Tibetan people celebrate by some ancient ceremonies which represent the struggle between good and evil. Lamas are chanting and passing fire torches through the crowds. People perform the dance of the deer and amusing battles between the king and his ministers, and so on, people are cheering for the coming new year by dancing, singing, and merrymaking.

　　The word Losar has been derived from two Tibetan words, ‘lo’ meaning ‘year’ and ‘sar’ meaning ‘new’. The Tibetan Buddhists observe the festival to ward off evil spirits and welcome the arrival of the New Year filled with happiness and prosperity. Though the Tibetan New Year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, the date varies each year. The Tibetans follow the lunisolar calendar, which means that the date is indicative of the moon phase and the time of the solar year as well.

　　The Tibetan New Year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Tibet calendar. The date usually falls in the months of January, February or March according to the Gregorian calendar of Tibet. The celebrations of the Tibetan New Year begin on the 29th day of the twelfth month, that is, the day before the Tibetan New Year’s Eve. People get occupied with cleaning their homes and painting them new. The houses are adorned with different decorations and offerings are made known as ‘Lama Losar’. On the New Year’s Eve, a traditional noodle soup is made called guthuk. It contains dumplings made from flour and water. The dumplings are stuffed with each of nine different fortune symbols that determine the fortune of the person in the next year.

　　In 2012, the grand festival for Tibetans will fall on Feb. 22. On the New Year’s Day, people rise early and dress in their finest and new clothes. They make offerings to the household shrine to pay homage to the God. This day is restricted to the immediate family members only. On the second day, people move out and visit friends and relatives. They exchange greetings and wish one another ‘tashi delek’, which means ‘good luck’. In the evening, people lit torches and move around in their homes warding off evil spirits from their abodes. The third day is marked by visits to the monasteries, shrines and stupas. Clothes and food are donated to the monks and nuns. Back home, different traditional foods are made to celebrate the occasion.

　　Origin of Losar

　　Losar has been observed for over 1000 years. Before Buddhism came to Tibet, Tibetans would hold a grand spiritual ceremony to please the local spirits and deities. Step by step, most Tibetans have become followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and Losar has evolved into an annual Buddhism festival especially featuring dancing, chanting, religious practice and other entertainment activities.

　　Special Food for Celebrating Tibetan New Year

　　Every household will prepare Qie Ma, an assortment of glutinous rice cakes and stir-fried kernel placed in colorful wooden boxes. In the middle, colorful flowers and highland barley spikes are stuck as decorations. People will also soak highland barley seeds in a bowl of water so that it will grow small shoots during the New Year. Then it will be placed in front of the altar as an offering as part of prayers for a plentiful harvest.

　　When the New Year approaches, in addition to cooking barley wine, Tibetan women will also make Ka Sai, a kind of pastry stir fried with butter. There are popularly crafted into shapes such as ears, butterflies, slices, squares, and circles. The pastry is then dyed using natural colors and sprayed with granulated sugar. Ka Sai is not only a decoration for the New Year, but also snacks for guests.

　　Other Customs for Celebrating Tibetan New Year

　　Homes are painted, new clothes are stitched, debts and quarrels are resolved, intoxicants are drunk in the run-up to New Year’s Day. Homes are decorated with flour paintings of the sun and moon, and small lamps are illuminated in the houses at night.

　　The first few days of festivities are exclusively family affairs. Tibetan people usually visit their friends and relatives to give them best wishes. In the evening, everyone gathers together to chant, dance, and burn torches which they pass through the crowds to cast away evil spirits and pray for blessings. The city’s or village’s streets are generally very quite on these days.

　　Later, the festivities roll out onto the streets. In the following days, Tibetans go to the local monasteries, where they make offerings and celebrate the festival with Lamas.

　　Traditional ways of celebrating Losar have changed somewhat through time. For example, firework is a relatively recent addition to Losar, but have grown in popularity until today they are possibly Losar’s main attraction. These days, on the first day of Losar, good tidings ring out all across the country by means of the electronic media, and Losar celebrations are broadcast on television throughout the region.

　　Now,you must get “how to get to tibet“.

Get to Tibet by the world’s highest railway

　　Get to Tibet by the world’s highest railway

　　How to get to tibet? The train to Tibet is reputed as the Rocket To The Roof by Forbes (http://search.forbes.com/search/find?tab=searchtabgeneraldark&MT=tibet+train), while the world’s highest railway, Qinghai-Tibet railway is an engineering miracle. Riding this world wonder to travel to Tibet is an opportunity not to be missed for tourists to Tibet. I am pretty sure that you will be shocked by the magnificent snow-capped mountains stretching hundreds of kilometers, endless steppes, vast deserts, blue lakes and so on.

　　The Qinghai-Tibet railway connecting Xining and Lhasa extends 1960 km on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and creates a number of world wonders. Its highest point is over 5,000 meters, so it is also known as the “sky-railway” to Tibet. Nearly half of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway lies more than 4,000 meters above sea level and about 550 kilometers of this railway is laid on frozen earth. Its highest point is as high as 5,072 meters. The highest station on the line is Tanggula Station (5068 meters above sea level) which is also the highest station in the world. In addition, the Qinghai-Tibet railroad runs through the world’s most elevated tunnel, Fenghuoshan Tunnel (4,905 meters above sea level) built on frozen earth and the world’s longest plateau tunnel, Kunlun Mountain Tunnel (1,686 meters long) built on frozen earth, too.

　　You can get a better understanding of this engineering miracle in the world by viewing the following facts about the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

　　► Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the world’s highest railway. Some 960 kilometers of its tracks are located 4,000 meters above sea level and the highest point is 5,072 meters, at least 200 meters higher than the Peruvian railway in the Andes, which was formerly the world’s most elevated track.

　　► The railway is the world’s longest plateau railroad, extending 1,956 kilometers from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. The newly completed Golmud-Lhasa section zigzags 1,142 kilometers across the Kunlun and Tanggula mountain ranges.

　　► About 550 kilometers of the tracks run on frozen earth, the longest in any of the world’s plateau railways.

　　► Tanggula Railway Station, 5,068 meters above sea level, is the highest railway station in the world.

　　► Fenghuoshan Tunnel, 4,905 meters above sea level, is the world’s most elevated tunnel on frozen earth.

　　► Kunlun Mountain Tunnel, running 1,686 meters, is the world’s longest plateau tunnel built on frozen earth.

　　► Upon its completion, the maximum train speed is designed to reach 100 km/h in the frozen earth areas and 120 km/h on non-frozen earth.

　　► Construction of the Golmud-Lhasa section of the landmark railway commenced on June 29, 2001 and test runs were on July 1, 2006.

　　► 1,686 meters: Kunlun Mountain Tunnel, running 1,686 meters, is the world’s longest plateau tunnel built on frozen earth.

　　► 4,905 meters: Fenghuoshan Tunnel, 4,905 meters above sea level, is the world’s most elevated tunnel on frozen earth.

　　► 45 stations: Altogether there are 45 stations along the rail line. Tanggula Railway Station, 5,068 meters above sea level, is the highest railway station in the world.

　　► 120 kilometers per hour: Upon its completion, the maximum train speed is designed to reach 100 km per hour in the frozen earth areas and 120 km per hour on non-frozen earth.

　　► 1,956 kilometers: The railway is the world’s longest plateau railroad, extending 1,956 kilometers from Qinghai’s provincial capital Xining to Lhasa in Tibet.

　　► 5,072 meters: Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the world’s highest railway. Part of its tracks are located 4,000 meters above sea level and the highest point is 5,072 meters.

　　► 550 kilometers:About 550 kilometers of the tracks run on frozen earth, the longest in any of the world’s plateau railways.

All Airports in Tibet

　　All Airports in Tibet

　　How to get to tibet? By air is the easiest way to travel to Tibet. At present, there are five airports in Tibet, namely, Lhasa Gongar Airport, Nyingchi Milin Airport, Ali Kunsha Airport, Chamdo Bangda Airport and Shigatse Peace Airport. This year, Tibet plans to built another another airport in Nagchu of northern Tibet.

　　Lhasa Gonggar Airport – the first airport in Tibet

　　Lhasa Gonggar Airport is the most frequently used one by tourists who get to Tibet by flight. This airport is also one of the highest airport in the world, at an elevation of 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) above sea level. It is located at a place where Yarlung Tsangpo (also known as Brahmaputra River) is very wide on the right bank (southern bank) and designed to handle wide-bodied aircraft in the thin Tibetan air.

　　The Gonggar Airport, surrounded by green mountains, is 87 kilometres (54 mi) from Tsetang and 70 kilometres from Lhasa. The Lhasa-Gonggar Airport Highway has been put into use and it is only takes half an hour from the airport to the urban district of Lhasa. This airport has launched the following air routes, Lhasa to Kathmandu, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Shangri-la, Kunming, Chongqing, Xian, Guangzhou and so on.

　　Chamdo Bangda Airport – the second airport in Tibet

　　Chamdo Bangda Airport, also known as Bamda Airport, is located in Bangda, Qamdo (also Chamdo) prefecture of eastern Tibet. With an altitude of 4,300 meters, it is the highest airport in the world and can handle jumbo jets. The airport is 2.5 hours by mountain road from the county seat of Qamdo, Chamdo Town which is 128 km away from the airport. The long commute is the result of no flat land closer to the city being available to construct an airport.

　　Its runway is the longest publicly used runway in the world, at 5,500 m, because the low air density at this altitude makes a higher takeoff and landing true airspeed necessary.

　　Chamdo Bangda Airport handles flights to and from Chengdu and Lhasa. All the flights are before noon. The flight returning to Chengdu departs one hour after the plane from Chengdu landing at Chamdo airport.

　　Before landing, you will be warned to move slowly on leaving the plane for you may feel light headed or dizzy because of the thin air.

　　Nyingchi Milin Airport – the third airport in Tibet

　　Nyingchi Milin Airport is built in Nyingchi Prefecture of eastern Tibet Autonomous Region. This airport is located in a winding valley, which makes it one of the most challenging instrument approaches in the world. It is the lowest airport in Tibet, at an elevation of 2,949 meters above sea level.

　　Nyingchi Milin Airport is the third airport put into operation in Tibet, with a designed annual passenger flow of 120,000. Situated in the valley of Yarlung Zangbo River, it is known as ‘the world’s most difficult airport for planes to reach’, and surrounded by over 4000m high mountains enveloped by clouds and fogs throughout the year. Planes have to fly through the narrow and winding river valley. The narrowest flight path is less than 4 km from one mountain ridge along the valley to the opposite one.

　　There are just 100 days airworthy in the Nyingchi Airport each year according to meteorological data. At present, there are very few flights to and from the airport. Among them, Chengdu-Nyingchi flight is a busy airline. There are a lot of travelers entering Tibet through Nyingchi as the low altitude of Nyingchi can help them against the AMS. Travelers flying to Lhasa and travelling eastwards can fly out through Milin airport.

　　Ali Kunsha Airport – the fourth airport in Tibet

　　Ali Kunsha Airport, also known as Ngari Gunsa Airport, is located near the town of Shiquanhe or Ali in Ngari Prefecture, western Tibet Autonomous Region. This airport started operations on 1 July 2010, becoming the fourth civil airport in Tibet. Kunsha Airport or Gunsa Airport, built at an elevation of more than 4,200 meters above sea level, is also one of the highest airports in the world. This airport offers flights from Chengdu to Lhasa on each Tuesday and Friday. It is expected to handle 120,000 passengers by 2020.

　　Shigatse Peace Airport – the fifth airport in Tibet

　　Shigatse Peace Airport, or Shigatse Air Base, is a dual-use military and civilian airport serving Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region. On 30 October 2010, the airport was opened as the fifth civilian airport in Tibet, becoming the fifth airport in Tibet. The airport is located at 43km away from downtown of Shigatse which is 3782 meters above sea level.

　　Shigatse Peace Airport is projected to handle 230,000 passengers and 1,150 tons of cargo annually by 2020. It offers flights to and from Lhasa and Chengdu. From Lhasa to Shigatse, flights will only take half hour. And to Chengdu, flight hour is about two hours and fifteen minutes. It takes about 3 or 4 hours from Shigatse to Lhasa by road (250km). The railway between Lhasa and Shigatse is under construction. In the near future, it will be more convenient to get to Lhasa from Shigatse.

　　Nagqu Dagring Airport – the sixth airport in Tibet

　　Nagqu Dagring Airport is planned to build at an altitude of 4,436 meters in Nagqu prefecture of northern Tibet. It will be 102 meters higher than Bamda Airport in Tibet’s Qamdo prefecture, currently the world’s highest airport in Tibet. Its construction will begin in 2011 and is scheduled to take three years.

　　More flights will be put in operation this year to connect major cities in Tibet and also link Tibet with other major cities nationwide. The increase in flight services is expected to help Tibet’s airports handle 2.2 million passengers and 15,000 tonnes of cargo in 2012.

　　Moreover, the conditions of the railways and roads to and in Tibet is also being improved. Getting to Tibet by railway or by highway is time-consuming but money-saving.

Friendship Highway – The Road from Kathmandu to Lhasa

　　Friendship Highway – The Road from Kathmandu to Lhasa 

　　how to get to tibet?The Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway is a celebrated road from Kathmandu to Lhasa, renowned for its scenic wonders. This famous international road travels gently up to Kodari (1873m) from Kathmandu (1300m), before leaving Nepal to make a steep switchback ascent to Zhangmu (2300m), the Tibetan border town. The road then climbs to the top of Tong-la (5120m) and continues to Tingri (4390m), and then down to Shigatse and Lhasa(3510m). The road forks at Tingri, with one branch extending south to Rongphu Monastery near Everest Base Camp and then forks again, with another branch heading west to the city of Ali in west Tibet.

　　The highway from Kathmandu to Lhasa is very well paved and maintained by Chinese government so it will be a pleasant journey by overland to Lhasa from Kathmandu.

　　The overland route from Kathmandu to Lhasa is also an ideal route taking in most of Tibet’s main culture cites, Sakya, Gyantse, Shigatse and Lhasa. Highlights en route are Sakya monastery – the largest monastery in Tibet, Shigatse – Tibet’s second largest city, Tashilungpo Monastery – the seat of Panchen Lama, Shalu Monastery, Gyantse (Tibet’s ancient trading hub) and the beautiful Turquoise Lake – Yamdruk Tso which is Tibet’s largest freshwater lake.

　　Some tourists will feel the effects of Altitude Mountain Sickness in varying degrees. AMS begins at 2,000 meters, becomes pronounced at 3,500 m and requires adjustments for each 400 m above that. If not treated quickly, it can be fatal. The 1000 km long Friendship Highway, from Kathmandu to Lhasa, goes through seven passes over 3500 meters, four of them rising over 4000 m, one over 5000 m. Therefore, you have to know how to avoid AMS before setting your feet on the road.

　　The symptoms of AMS appear at different levels of elevation, like headache, feeling heart beating fast, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, thirsty, dizziness, fatigue or weakness, hard to fall a sleep, etc.

　　To prevent the occurrence of altitude sickness, visitors should have a proper rest and avoid strenuous activities days before they go to high altitude.

　　Visitors (with a severe cold, a high fever, acute or chronic pulmonary diseases, severe cardiovascular diseases), women in late pregnant and kids under three years old should avoid traveling to regions with a high altitude.

　　Do not smoke and drink alcohol during acclimation.

　　Do not take shower at the first two days of Lhasa to avoid catch cold.

Get to Tibet by Bike from Kathmandu, Nepal

　　Get to Tibet by Bike from Kathmandu, Nepal

　　It is a challenging way to get to Tibet by bike from Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. The excursion of getting to Tibet by cycling requires more courage, fitness and planning than the other way of getting to Tibet. Besides, foreign tourists are not allowed to cycling in Tibet, therefore you have a hire a local tour guide who may accompany you by a 4WD vehicle along the tour that carries your personal gear, camping equipment, cooking equipment and food; you can also catch a ride if you’re exhausted or tired. Most importantly, a local Tibetan guide with abundant experience can be very helpful in the remote areas. Though the cycling route from Kathmandu to Lhasa is a well constructed highway – Friendship Highway, most areas along the way are at high altitude and sparsely populated. When you are in trouble, it is difficult to get help from others. Therefore, a tour guide is not merely a mandatory requirement, but a basic need.

　　From Kathmandu to Lhasa is the most popular bicycling route in Tibet, and with good reason. In just under 600miles (1000km) and 13 to 16 days, this journey crosses six major passes, traverses the backbone of the Himalaya, offers a look at the North face of Mount Everest, and visits two of Asia’s most interesting cities. A challenging 4 to 6 day side trip is the ride to Mount Everest Base Camp.

　　Highlights en route are Sakya monastery – the largest monastery in Tibet, Shigatse – Tibet’s second largest city, Tashilungpo Monastery – the seat of Panchen Lama, Shalu Monastery, Gyantse (Tibet’s ancient trading hub) and the beautiful Turquoise Lake – Yamdruk Tso which is Tibet’s largest freshwater lake.

　　Moreover, there are many other historical and scenic sites along the road. Samye Monastery and the Yarlung Valley, near Tsetang, are just a few days to the south. This route follows the river valley at elevations below 12,000 feet, so a relatively easy round trip could be completed in 7 days or so. Another possibility from Lhasa is a visit to Ganden Monastery, which is a pleasant 25-mile (41km) ride to the east up the Kyi Chu, followed by a steep 1500feet (460m) climb above the valley. The round trip could be done in 2 days of riding, and allow an extra day for visiting the monastery.

　　Of course, you can also get to Tibet from China mainland by train, by air or by overland, especially taking a train ride to Tibet by the world’s highest railway can offer you countless scenic wonders.

Get to Tibet by Bike from Kathmandu, Nepal

　　Get to Tibet by Bike from Kathmandu, Nepal

　　It is a challenging way to get to Tibet by bike from Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. The excursion of getting to Tibet by cycling requires more courage, fitness and planning than the other way of getting to Tibet. Besides, foreign tourists are not allowed to cycling in Tibet, therefore you have a hire a local tour guide who may accompany you by a 4WD vehicle along the tour that carries your personal gear, camping equipment, cooking equipment and food; you can also catch a ride if you’re exhausted or tired. Most importantly, a local Tibetan guide with abundant experience can be very helpful in the remote areas. Though the cycling route from Kathmandu to Lhasa is a well constructed highway – Friendship Highway, most areas along the way are at high altitude and sparsely populated. When you are in trouble, it is difficult to get help from others. Therefore, a tour guide is not merely a mandatory requirement, but a basic need.

　　From Kathmandu to Lhasa is the most popular bicycling route in Tibet, and with good reason. In just under 600miles (1000km) and 13 to 16 days, this journey crosses six major passes, traverses the backbone of the Himalaya, offers a look at the North face of Mount Everest, and visits two of Asia’s most interesting cities. A challenging 4 to 6 day side trip is the ride to Mount Everest Base Camp.

　　Highlights en route are Sakya monastery – the largest monastery in Tibet, Shigatse – Tibet’s second largest city, Tashilungpo Monastery – the seat of Panchen Lama, Shalu Monastery, Gyantse (Tibet’s ancient trading hub) and the beautiful Turquoise Lake – Yamdruk Tso which is Tibet’s largest freshwater lake.

　　Moreover, there are many other historical and scenic sites along the road. Samye Monastery and the Yarlung Valley, near Tsetang, are just a few days to the south. This route follows the river valley at elevations below 12,000 feet, so a relatively easy round trip could be completed in 7 days or so. Another possibility from Lhasa is a visit to Ganden Monastery, which is a pleasant 25-mile (41km) ride to the east up the Kyi Chu, followed by a steep 1500feet (460m) climb above the valley. The round trip could be done in 2 days of riding, and allow an extra day for visiting the monastery.

　　Of course, you can also get to Tibet from China mainland by train, by air or by overland, especially taking a train ride to Tibet by the world’s highest railway can offer you countless scenic wonders.