[GENERAL INFORMATION OF TIBET]

Most importantly, all travellers should bear in mind that Tibet being extremely remote and isolated remains one of the most captivating but least developed parts in the world.

With a very short history of tourism (just about 15 years), despite being upgraded the facilities for tourist are still at basic and limited scale. So visitors are requested not to have high expectation in terms of facilities in Tibet. You can rather take this tour as an adventure from every point of view e.g. road, hotel, visa, altitude, etc. However, we will always put all our efforts in making your journey as pleasant as possible.

Best Season:
May to August Clothing: The popular time of the year to visit Tibet is May to October with light clothing. November to May warm clothing. However, a warm jacket or sweater, sunglasses, chap stick, suntan lotion, Swiss knife, water bottle and a small medical kit etc. are always advised.

Bookings & VISA:
Minimum of 2 weeks in advance. A firm booking with full payment along with full passport details (Full Name, Sex, Nationality, Passport Number and Date of Issue, Date of Birth, Profession, and Expiry Date, Full address) should reach us. We arrange TIBET / CHINA visa. However, 5 full working days is required with a condition that client should be available in KATHMANDU; otherwise urgent charge for visa will have to be borne by the client.

VISA FOR TIBET HAS TO BE ISSUED BY CHINESE EMBASSY IN KATHMANDU, NORMAL CHINESE VISA ISSUED OVERSEAS IS NOT VALID FOR ENTRY INTO TIBET FROM NEPAL.

Clothes & Accessories:
As the temperature in Tibet is low and involves high altitude journey, it is always advised to carry warm clothes (better along with a sleeping bag with you). As the weather is harsh and dry, chap stick, suntan cream, sunhat, sunglasses with sporty shoes are always recommended.

Accommodation:
There are standard tourist hotels with modern facilities as well as no-frills basic accommodation.

What to Bring:
Warm jacket, cotton shirts / T-Shirts, comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunhat, sun tan lotion, chap stick, water bottle (1 litre), a medical kit; FOR KAILASH TOUR / TREK, Down Jacket, Gloves, Woolen Shocks, Trekking Shoes & Warm Cap.

Altitude & Health Tips:
Travelling in TIBET is an adventure involving high altitude and could be strenuous. While most visitors have only minor effects from the altitude, we advise particularly those with history of heart, lungs or blood diseases to consult their doctor before travelling. Mild headache, fever, loss of appetite or stomach disorder can occur in a process of acclimatization. Our advise for better acclimatization -- drink 4 litres of water minimum a day, do not exhaust yourself so much, breathe deep and rest more than usual. Many hotels keep bottled oxygen for emergencies.

Weather:
Tibet is not as cold as it sounds. During tourist season from April to October, it is cold in the night, warm and sunny during the day. The temperature falls dramatically in shade and at night. June, July and August are the monsoon season.

Climate:
Temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the Lhasa area.

Flight Operation:
China South West Airlines operates its flight from May to November only.

Airport Tax:
Airport tax in LHASA airport is Yuan 90 (US$ 12).

Tour Cost:
Tour cost will be settled on the basis of type of hotel and no. of pax.

Landslides:
As Tibet tour is operational mainly during the monsoon, there are high chances of landslides mostly in the Nepalese part (also in the early leg in Tibet). In case of landslides, to cross them, extra vehicle with porters may have to be arranged. In that case, you are kindly requested to contribute nominal charges for porters and vehicle, ranging from Rs. 200-300 per person. We wish there would be no botheration as such. Besides the landslide expenses, if our guide/Tibetan guide raises any unjustifiable extra expenses en route, you are kindly requested to have a receipt from the guide with his/her signature so as to enable us to reimburse accordingly. Without the receipt, reimbursement is not possible.

Money:
Banks in TIBET / CHINA are closed on SATURDAY & SUNDAY. So, you are kindly requested to carry about USD 100 per person IN CASH to cover your extra expenses for main meals and others en route to LHASA. In case of dollar in cash, even local people help you get them exchanged in Chinese Yuan. Traveller's cheque & credit cards are very difficult to be cashed outside banks especially outside LHASA.

If payment is made in TC, you are requested to accompany the guide to the bank in LHASA for about 15 minutes for an extra counter signature on the TC. Your direct presence and counter signature ensures immediate encashment of the TCs for our agent in LHASA. Otherwise, it may take months. Your kind co-operation in this regard will be highly appreciated.

Guide:
We always try to provide a good English speaking Tibetan guide. However, as per new regulation, the guide association provides guides on a queue basis. As guides in Tibet do not get enough exposure to English language, please do not expect fluent and spontaneous explanation from him / her. Your frequent questioning will encourage him/her to explain well, question by question.

Monastery Entry Fee:
It is included through out your tour for the monuments and monasteries as mentioned in the itinerary, whereas photography fee is not. So, kindly pay the photography fee accordingly if you persist in having the photos inside the monasteries.

Breakfast:
From the first day onwards, breakfast will be offered after an hour's drive from KATHMANDU at a mountain resort at DHULIKHEL. So, please do not bother for breakfast in your hotel, which may cause delay to report to the bus stand. Breakfast is included throughout your tour.

Tipping:
Guides and drivers are not paid well in TIBET. So, you are kindly requested to tip the guide and driver so as to enable us to have them happy for our future groups as well.

Last Minute Checking:
Very importantly, on the last day, if you are travelling with a group visa, please make sure that your guide has the original visa copy with him and other necessary travel documents (travel permit for the group and alien's travel permit for the individual travellers) before you leave your hotel for the airport for the final departure. This will enable you to checkout from the immigration without any hassle. (This point does not apply if you are carrying your visa for Tibet in your passports)

Cancellation:
50% of the tour / trek cost will be charged as cancellation fee if you cancel the tour within 7 days prior to the start of the tour. No refund, thereafter, also for NO SHOWS, DELAYED ARRIVALS or whatsoever reason.

Services Included:
Hotel accommodation in twin-sharing room on bed & breakfast basis in the respective hotels in Lhasa and en route. All transportation by mini-coach / coach as per group size, however, in case of bad road due to bad weather, 4 wheel Toyota jeeps will also be provided to the group above 5 pax with an extra cost of US$ 50 per person (specially for the overland tour), sightseeing with good English speaking Tibetan guides per itinerary, airfares (as per itinerary), entrance fees to the monasteries & monument, TIBET travel permit fee & airport / hotel / airport transfers.

Services Not Included:
Airport taxes, Tibet / China visa (US$ 33 for the individual visa & US$ 26 for group visa for 5 pax and above) Nepal re-entry visa fee, all insurances, urgent fee for Tibet / China visa and all personal expenses such as drinks, laundry, tips, etc. Any extra cost involved in case of landslide or whatsoever including porter charge from border to Zhangmu and vice versa.

Hotels en Route:
As the facilities in TIBET are very basic, hotels, although they look gorgeous, do not have proper facilities even in LHASA. So, in the remote areas, it is obvious that hotels may not have enough double rooms and clients sometimes may have to have triple, four or five bedded rooms in some places. However, we always try to provide twin bedded rooms. Especially, first two nights have to be spent in such hotels that may not have bathrooms attached and could require you to use common toilets. So, you are kindly requested not to have a high expectation from the tour in terms of the facilities in the hotels.

Recommended Restaurants in LHASA:
Eating out in LHASA is enjoyable. The following restaurants are recommended that serve cheap & best food ranging from Tibetan to Chinese, continental to semi-Chinese.

1. Snowland Restaurant/Barkhor
2. Mad Yak Restaurant/Barkhor
3. Duniya Restaurant/Borkhor
4. Kailash Restaurant/On The Roof Top Of Hotel Banaksol
5. Barkhor Café/ Barkhor
6. Makeyame Restaurant/Barkhor

Risk & Liability:
Sampurna Aventura is always ready to make your journey smooth and pleasant. However as all TIBET tours are run strictly under TIBET TOURISM AUTHORITY, Sampurna Aventura or its agents shall not be responsible for any change or cancellation of programs due to any unavoidable circumstances such as road blockade, flood, snow, unrest, cancellation of flight, delayed arrival of clients, sickness, accidents or breakdown of vehicles. Any extra cost incurring thereof shall be borne by the clients on the spot. So It is most advisable that clients to have full insurance against medical, cancellation and personal accident risks.

NOTE: CLIENTS TRAVEL TO TIBET AT THEIR OWN RISK AT ALL TIMES.
 

For further details, Contact us at :
SAMPURNA AVENTURA Travels & Tours (P.) Ltd.
SAMPURNA Treks & Expeditions
G.P.O.Box: 19960, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4425736, Fax: 977-1-4425729
Email: info@viajesnepal.com, URL: www.viajesnepal.com