Geography
Lying to the north of the 3000 kilometre-long Greater Himalaya Chain, and protected on its northern side by an expanse of impenetrable desert, Tibet has always been a difficult country to gain access to. The Tibetan Plateau is one of the highest and most extensive on earth. The average height of the land area of Tibet as a whole is around 4000 metres, and visitors to Tibet will spend considerable amounts of time at altitudes in excess of this figure. Above 4000 metres there are generally no trees, and the landscape of most of Tibet is, as a result, open and harsh in appearance. Typically, the scenery comprises rolling brown and orange hills, with a backdrop of distant snow-covered peaks, punctuated by occasional settlements where, with irrigation, it is possible each year to grow a single barley crop. As recently as the start of the 20th century, very few Westerners had managed to reach as far as the capital, Lhasa. Amongst the first to be given permission to enter the territory were a number of British mountaineering expeditions, which between 1921 and 1938 attempted to climb Mount Everest from a basecamp in the Rongbuk Valley. After the annexation of the country by the Chinese in 1950, Tibet was even more tightly sealed off from the outside world. In the first years of the 1980’s the first tourists were allowed into Tibet, and the trickle had become something of a flood after the official opening of the country to individual travellers in 1984. However, following a period of political disturbance at the end of the decade the Chinese reimposed restrictions once again. It is now only possible to enter Tibet as a member of a recognised group. The extent of the area known as Tibet had always been difficult to pin down, but with the coming of the Chinese, borders have been drawn up, and the so called TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region) is now bounded to the north by the Chinese Provinces of Xinjiang and Quinghai, and to the east by Sichuan.

Time Zone
The time throughout China is GMT +6 hours.

Climate
During the period from May to October, the weather in Tibet can be surprisingly mild, with warm, dry and sunny days and crisp cold nights. At the time of our trips to Tibet (May to October), night time temperatures at our highest camps, are likely to fall well below freezing. This high plateau-land experiences regular strong winds, especially in the afternoons, and dust storms are not uncommon. The influence of the monsoon brings a little rain to Tibet during July and August. At any time of the year it is possible to experience snowfall in Tibet.

Rough guide to temperatures

Customs, Religion & Dress
The Buddhism practiced in Tibet has developed over centuries from a number of influences. Known as Vajrayana (the Diamond Vehicle), it is tantric in its outlook, which is to say its focus is upon the individual achieving enlightenment through yogic and meditational practices. In this, guidence is given by teachers who devote their lives to learning the Buddhist scriptures. This form of Buddhism is very rich in imagery. Various sects associated with individual monasteries place differing emphasis on certain tenets of these teachings. The dominant sect in Tibet is the Gelugpa or ‘yellow hat’ whose leader is the Dalai Lama. The period of the Chinese Cultural Revolution was a bleak one for Tibet where many monasteries were damaged or torn down by cannon, dynamite and bare hands. Following the death of Mao Tse Tung in 1976 the Chinese authorities softened their attitude to Buddhism and today many monasteries are functioning again and the religion is openly practiced by the people of Tibet. Visitors are welcome in most monasteries and holy places. As a general rule it is fine to take photographs of the external building but you should seek permission before using a camera inside. Sometimes this is permissible after making an offering (donation). Tibetans do not show their legs in public. When trekking above villages it is fine to wear shorts but it is a good idea to carry long pants or a skirt so that you are appropriately dressed when passing through towns or villages. When in doubt you should seek the advice of your trip leader.

Currency
Politically part of China, Tibet uses the Chinese Yuan Renminbi. As of February 2006, the exchange rates are:

£1 = 14.0 CNY
$1 = 8.0 CNY
€1 = 9.6 CNY

It is not necessary to purchase Chinese currency outside the country. There are exchange facilities in Lasa. Your travel money should be carried in the form of cash or travellers cheques. Dollars are preferable to Sterling. You may encounter difficulties exchanging Sterling travelers cheques in Tibet. Credit cards can be used to purchase some goods in Lasa and are particularly useful for more expensive items such as carpets and Tanka paintings.

Visas
All nationalities need to obtain a visa for entry into Tibet. For all of our Tibet trips, your visa is arranged by us, but you must inform us if you have made a separate application for a Chinese visa which would remain valid during the period of your KE trip. Rates vary depending on your nationality. Full details of current rates and the visa application process will be sent to you when we confirm your booking on a KE trip.

Vaccinations
You should visit your own doctor and dentist for a check-up prior to taking your trip to Nepal.
The following is a ROUGH GUIDE for immunization. (We must stress that this is only a basic guide to the most commonly required vaccinations for travel worldwide. You must seek and abide by the specific advice of your local doctor/medical professional).

(a) Polio (normally you will just need a booster.)
(b) Tetanus.
(c) Typhoid. A full course requires 2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks.
(d) Hepatitis (A) and (B).
(e) Anti-malarial prophylaxis: Please refer to your doctor for the most up to date information about anti-malarial medication for the areas that you will be visiting.
(f) Rabies pre-exposure vaccination. Please refer to your doctor for advice on whether you need rabies pre-exposure vaccination. In the unlikely case of your being bitten, this vaccination does not eliminate the need for urgent evacuation to a suitable medical facility for additional treatment,. However, it does simplify that additional treatment and also prolongs the period that you can safely delay before receiving post-exposure treatment.

Given enough notice, your doctor will be able to administer all the above vaccinations.

Additional Sources of Information

Books
Trekking in Tibet. Gary McHugh.
The Tibet Guide. Stephen Batchelor.
Tresspassers on the Roof of the World. Peter Hopkirk.
Tibet and its History. Hugh Richardson.
A Cultural History of Tibet. Snellgrove/Richardson.
Abode of Snow. Kenneth Mason.
Seven Years in Tibet. Heinrich Harrer.
People in High Places. Audrey Salkeld.
Tibet Handbook. Victor Chan. (In depth guide to monasteries and religious sites)
The Trekkers Handbook. Tom Gilchrist.

Maps
It is possible to get hold of a reasonable map of the route from Lhasa to Kathmandu in Kathmandu.
Schneider Maps 1:50,000.
Jumla NH44-11 (Start of the Mount Kailas trip).

Our trip dossiers/itineraries give details of books and maps that are specific to a particular trip. Click here for details of book and map retailers.

Web
Lonely PLanet - www.lonelyplanet.com
Rough Guides - www.roughguides.com