China Travel Forum

[Tommy]

Anyone advice on the best time to travel to Tibet. Think it's best to arrive in Chengdu and then take a plane there ? Any helpful tips / advice would be recommended - Also if one intends to cross from Tibet in to Nepal does one need to organise a visa for there before hand or can it be got on the border ?

[Ian]

First thing: Nepalese visa: of course! As far as I know, not one western nation is exempted from having to apply for visas. Get yours in Peking or in Hong Kong!

As for Tibet: the route you mentioned is the most common one. I suggest you go overland so as to get used to the higher altitude as you reach Tibet. China is much lower; getting off the plane in Tibet will fell you as you try to catch enough air! Later you will suffer from a chronic headache. Beware of undercooked foods too - the water boils at 80 degrees, thus it will not kill of water-borne germs!
The so far only legal route into Tibet by road is via Golmud in Qinghai, terminus of the Xining-Golmud railway.

The season right now is not ideal; the best months are those in summer. Even then it gets pretty cold in some locales during the day; the most amazing thing is that you can experience a snowfall and bright, hot sunshine within the same day and the same place!

Good luck