Tips Before Traveling to Tibet

If you are planning your Tibet Travel, we have some travel tips for you before traveling to Tibet. Tibet is neighboring to mighty Himalayan ranges with average altitudes range between 4,000m and 5,000m, numbers of world highest peaks including Mt. Everest are located, thus it deserves the name of roof of the world or third pole of the earth. You can find all of the Tibet Travel Packages here, but if you have no idea about how to start your Tibet trip? Don’t worry! Check the following tips before carrying out your tour. 

1. Make a plan in advance

If you plan to travel Tibet, you shall book a Tibet Tour at least 20 days in advance. Generally, you need 2-3 days to confirm hotel booking and 10 days for the Tibet Tourism Bureau to issue the Tibet Travel Permit.

Note: There are three travel permits. If you just want a sightseeing around Lhasa, a Tibet Entry Permit will meet your requirement. If you want to explore places outside Lhasa such as Mount Everest, you need to obtain both the Tibet Entry Permit and Aliens’ Travel Permit. If you want to travel to backend areas such as Mt Kailash, you need to get an extra Military Permit(Frontier Pass). The Frontier Pass and Aliens’ Travel Permit are easy to handle after the completion of the Tibet Travel Permit and take about 1.5 hours respectively.

2. Best Time to Go Tibet

Generally, the best time to visit Tibet is from May to October when the weather is comfortable and oxygen content higher. Of course, it is the peak travel period. What’s more, you can choose to go to Tibet in winter and please see Tibet Winter Travel Tips.

3. What to Pack

Don’t forget to bring your passport, Chinese Visa and all needed permits. You are unable to have a Tibet tour without them. If you want to have a comfortable Tibet travel, you shall prepare these things, such as, warm clothes, lips balm, comfortable walking shoes, snacks, altitude sickness medicine, motion sickness medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine.

4. Keep Healthy

If you plan to travel Tibet, you shall have a thorough physical examination before traveling Tibet. If you have one of these diseases, such as severe hypertension, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, severe altitude sickness, you cannot go to Tibet. Try to keep healthy and not have a cold before entering into Tibet and in Tibet. If you feel not good before leaving for Tibet, you are advised to go to Tibet. 

5. Must-see Attractions

When you go to Tibet, there are many must-see attractions, such as,

6. Respect the local customs


Pilgrimage is the tradition of Buddhist in Tibet, for the ordinary Tibetan, pilgrimage is a means of accumulating merit or good luck. They may go on pilgrimage in the hope of winning a better rebirth, cure an illness, end a spate of bad luck or simply because of a vow to take a pilgrimage if a bodhisattva granted a wish. 

Toast and Tea

When you come to a Tibetan family, the host will usually entertain you with toast and barley wine. You should sip three times and then drink up. To entertain guests with tea is a daily etiquette. The guest has not to drink until the host presents the tea to you. 

Presenting Khada 

Present Khada (or hada) is a common practice among the Tibetan people to express their best wishes on many occasions, such as wedding ceremonies, festivals, visiting the elders and the betters, and entertaining guests. The white hada, a long narrow scarf made of silk, embodies purity and good fortune. 

Sky Burials

Sky burial is a common form in Tibet. There are many prohibitions. Strangers are not allowed to attend the ceremony. Visitors should respect this custom and keep away from such occasions.