Five Suggestions on Alleviating High

Altitude Sickness

The best time to travel to Tibet spans from April to Oct. and there are many travelers planning to have Tibet tours by bus, by train or by the airplane. As we know, Tibet is the highest plateau in the world and travelers are likely to experience of symptoms of altitude sickness while having Tibet tour, esp. the first or second after their arrival in Lhasa. However, there are certain things we can do to alleviate or avoid high altitude sickness. Today, I’ll share you five suggestions on alleviating high altitude sickness given by Tibet tour gurus.

Symptoms of Altitude Sickness

To majority of tourists, their body will respond to altitude change in different ways, particularly for those who fly from much lower altitude to Lhasa tibet, their symptoms might be stronger. Overall, people may have the following symptoms:
Fast heart rate, 
Headache, 
Shortness of breath, 
Loss of appetite, 
Fatigue, etc.
Tips: Normally as your body acclimatizes to the high altitude, the above symptoms will disappear in one or two days. So there is no need to be panic or use oxygen mask, otherwise you might get addicted to it.

a.Drink More Water

Dehydration may happen easily due to the low air humidity in the high plateau. Besides, the amount of hemoglobin shall increase causing the rise of blood viscosity, in this way, thrombus may be formed easily, which may lead to heart and cerebrovascular diseases. So, you are suggested to drink more water to avoid this.

b.No Smoking or Less Smoking

 Smoking shall not only consume the oxygen in the air, but also the carbon monoxide generated by the cigarette shall be absorbed by the hemoglobin. Smoking shall obviously aggravate high altitude sickness.

c.Try More Abdominal Respiration

 When the travelers are walking or climbing, they can put both of their hands on hips making the muscles of their arms, collar bones, shoulder blade and those of the body above their waists do assisted respiration so as to strengthen the circulation of the respiration systems.

d. Avoid Over-hot Water Showers

 Showers with over-hot water shall fasten the metabolism aggravating oxygen deficiency, which may lead to pulmonary edema. Besides, it’s not advisable to have shower shortly after your arrival in Lhasa to minimize the chance to catch cold.

 e. Insist on High Carbohydrate Diet

 Carbohydrate can provide heat quickly increasing the amount of the exchange of oxygen; while too much fat and animal protein shall aggravate high altitude sickness.

Can Travelers Smoke in Tibet?

Most of us like traveling and a large percent of us would like to travel to Tibet. However, it is not that everyone is able to Tibet travel as Tibet is on the highest plateau. When travelling to Tibet, we should be careful taking care of ourselves and there are certain issues we should pay attention to. Then can travelers smoke in Tibet?

You may have heard about high altitude sickness which is a common disease which may happen when people have just arrived in Tibet. And as the altitude is pretty high, the oxygen content is quite low on the plateau. So as for the answer of the question considering smoking in Tibet, it’s “yes” but, you are not supposed to smoke when you have just arrived in Tibet for your good for smoking may make you breathe hard. And you may not want to smoke on the plateau so as not to do any harm to the environment for it is such a beautiful holy region. Besides, you should avoid catching a cold. Drink enough water, keep a good mood (but do not be too excited) and have a good rest after you have just arrived in Tibet.

If you notice any of these a quick check with a pulse oximeter will clearly let you know the level of oxygen saturation in the blood. If you are lack of oxygen, do not be anxious. Temporary lack of oxygen will not do any harm to your body and disappear after adaption for a while. But if you are badly in lack of oxygen, you need an oxygen supplement immediately. You can take the oxygen in the hotel, clinic or hospital. Oxygen canisters are easily available in Tibet and can be purchased from hotels.

However, if you do not feel too bad, it is suggested to try to avoid take any oxygen and adapt to high altitude by yourself. Because there is still a long way to go, and if you quite depend on oxygen, you will find it harder to adapt to higher altitude at Shigatse, Rongpu Monasteryand Everest, which are above 3400m.

Trekking Strategy

You may know that tibet travel can be really fantastic, especially when you choose trekking in Tibet.

Equipment

1. A bike (two spare inner tubes; one outer tube; one chain belt hole puncher; one bicycle pump; one internal hexagonal wrench; two brake cables; four brake rubbers; one link chain rectifier; one clamp; glue for realtime skin repair; etc.). Please don't give up these articles by thinking they're too heavy or too big in size. In fact, a bicycle pump only weighs one gram and is as small as a ham sausage. These are all special tools and are quite convenient.
2. Backpack (bicycle saddlebag).
3. Compass, altitude meter, flashlight and ten batteries.
4. A piece of firecrackers (1000) to be cut to 2 to 4 pieces with 1 piece at hand. Fire it when coming across wild wolves and other animals (do not fire it if the animals don't attack ) using matchsticks (lighters are not easy to kindle because of a lack of oxygen at an an altitude of four to five thousand meters). Knives and axe may not work well on wild animals and it is better to use firecrackers to frighten them and embolden yourselves.
5. 500ml alcohol.
6. 500ml gasoline. Inflame the gasoline (fire the firecrackers first) for self-defense when coming across animal attack camping at night.
7. One long stick ( it's for self-defense and it is more helpful than knives. Every one who has a tibet trekking tour for the Mount Everest should have one).
8. High altitude tent, sleeping bag, camping mat and moistureproof mat.
9. Cotton-padded clothes, rain-proof clothes, hat, sunglass and lipstick (necessity for going for the Mount Everest).
10. Alcohol cooker (can only drink cold water and eat cold food without it, and drinking wine can warm your stomach ).
11. 2 ropes, a pair of scissors and 1 knife.

Drugs

1. Trauma: red flower oil, woundplast, mercurochrome, gauze, rubberized fabric, bandage and alcohol.
2. Cavum laryngis: Compound Caoshanhu Tablets and Watermelon Frost Throat-Clearing Buccal Tablets.
3. Clearing heat and antiphlogosis: radix isatidis infusion.
4. Healing pulmonitis: Cefalexin Capsules and ofloxacin.
5. Anti-oxygen deficiency: amylaceum (useful).
6. Antiphlogistic drug: spiramycin.
7. The stomach and intesitine drugs: Motilium, norfloxacin and Agastache rugosus liquid.
8. Cold cure : VC Yinqiao Tablets (In fact, the key point is to heal pulmonitis, for on plateau, a cold can easily become pulmonary emphysema and cough may lead to pulmonary diseases.).

Food

One box of Master Kang instant noodles; ten pieces of ham sausage; 15 steamed buns (in steamed stuffed bun's size) and 6 bags of hot pickled mustard tuber; 2 bottles of coke; 1 bag of chocolate; 1 bottle of wine (not alcoholism, but for warming the stomach while eating cold food); 5 L to 6 L water.

Qinghai Tibet Railway

If you are planning to have a Tibet tour in your holidays, you must know more about the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Extending 1,956 kilometers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway connects, Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, and Lhasa, capital of Tibet. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway ends Tibet’s history without railway, and sets a new record for the world’s highest railway.

As 960 kilometers of it sits at 4,000 meters above sea level, the designers and engineers of this railway had to solve various difficulties in its construction. The three major challenges faced were the fragile ecosystem, the lack of oxygen and permafrost. Many foreign experts had thought that it was impossible for the Chinese to conquer these difficulties. However, a few years later, they were shocked at this man-made world wonder, and reputed it as a miracle in engineering.

Since its operation, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has become one of the busiest railways in Asia. Millions of travelers flock to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to experience this great work on the snowfields. In order to help travelers know more about it, We had collected abundant information about the highest railway in the world, including how the engineers overcame the challenges of its construction, where travelers can take a train to Lhasa, how to book train tickets to Tibet, what travelers can experience along the railroad, and the impacts of the railway, etc.

Tibet Railway Map

the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the first railroad to Tibet, linking Tibet with mainland China and ending Tibet’s history without rail.

Why did China build Railway to Tibet ?

"It is impossible to build a railway to Lhasa across the Kunlun Mountain Range", It was wrote by the modern railway travel expert Mr. Paul in his book "Travel around China".  In such a complex geological conditions , It was extremely difficult to build roads and rail tracks on the snowland. But the Chinese government determined to construct Tibet Railway since the great Chinese leader Mao Zedong sent a team to the Tibetan plateau to investigate the feasibility of constructing the railway in 1955. Since then, China was facing numerous difficulties and consuming half a century , and finally to build the fantastic railway to Lhasa.

China Made the Engineering Miracle in the World

Both economic and geographic difficulties were encountered in the construction of this most elevated railroad. As is well known, such a feat of engineering must require huge investment, which was a big challenge for China at the time. But, the biggest challenges lay in the harsh geographic conditions on the high plateau. The fragile ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and also the lack of oxygen at the high-altitude, and the permafrost were major problems which made the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Railway specifically eventful.

Qinghai Tibet Railway Journey

Reputed as “the sky road”, the railway itself is a great wonder without doubt. Of course, the breathtaking scenery gives additional attraction to this charming rail-track.  Journey of  Qinghai Tibet Railway is extraordinary,exiting experience, especially the train climb up to Qinghai Tibet Pleatau from Xinning.  Do not miss any moment of extraordinary nature which you will watch trough the window of the train. This magic railway goes through the distant lofty mountains, green rivers, blue lakes green oasis and prairie...  changeable sky makes rain, snow, sun and incredible weather.  

The train travel offers more possiblity to explore attractions along the railway, travelers can easily stop at any of Six Main Train Stations of Qinghai Tibet Railway to travel aroud, then continue the way to Tibet.

Rail Lines Connect China and Tibet

Train Connects China and TibetCurrently, seven cities from all directions in mainland China offer direct trains to Lhasa tibet. They are Beijing in north Shanghai in east, Guangzhou in south, Chengdu and Chongqing in central, Xining and Lanzhou in west. But it does not indicate that you can board a train to Tibet only in these cities. Trains to Tibet pass through many important cities in China, like Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Xian, Changsha and Taiyuan. However, what is the best city to start train journey to Tibet, Qinghai Tibet Railway Map drews even railway lines from China to Tibet and also gives the most authoritative overall review of 7 major railway lines from China to Tibet.

Xining is the real start point of Qinghai Tibet Railway, it is also the connecting point of Qinghai Tibet Railway and railways in mainland China. the most popular lines are Beijing to Lhasa Train, Shanghai to Lhasa Train and Xining to Lhasa Train, for more train lines, see Trains from China to Tibet

Tibet Train Tickets Booking

As the travel flow of Qinghai Tibet Raiwaly grows increadibly annually, travelling through Qinghai Tibet Railway becomes increasingly popular, specially in peak seasons of Tibet tourism. Tourists have to book the train tickets months in advance through Tibet travel agencies. However, it is virtually impossible for individual tourist to book ticket on their own.

Tibet Vista is one of the licensed local travel agency which can provide timely tickets booking service, and also offer “Train Ticket + Tibet Tour” packages. Conact us for Tibet Train Travel & Tickets Booking.

Lhasa Express - Tibet Train

Lhasa ExpressIn order to ensure that the trains run on the high plateau safely, and that passengers travel on-board comfortably, all the trains to Tibet are well-designed taking into account the conditions faced - high elevation, low temperature, lack of oxygen, harsh climate, etc. The biggest feature of Tibet Train is the Oxyen suppy system, travelling adove 4000m, the Oxygen supply is the key element to ensure passengers' comfort and safety. There are two oxygen-supply systems on each train. One is used for increasing the oxygen level in the train, by temperature and air pressure controlling systems, when the train enters into the plateau zone. The other is directly used by passengers through an independent port. There are oxygen supply tubes and private oxygen masks masks in each cabin for emergencies. 

Top Six Reasons Why You Should Visit Tibet

Tibet is a holy place full of miracles. Some people say that Tibet is a great paradise for tourists,where you can take fantastic photos, visit Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries, even trek Everest Base Camp. However, it has more to offer for visitors. Here are my top six reasons to visit Tibet.

Breathtaking Natural Landscape

The best time to visit Tibet starts from April to early November. When May comes, clusters of canola flower flourish everywhere, rendering Tibetan plateau into a golden yellow. Under the brilliant sunshine, snowy mountains stretch for thousands of miles away. Blue sky, white clouds, snow mountains as well as green pastures offer you a refreshing feeling. It’s a great place for you to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. I bet you’ll lose yourself in this fabulous world.

Adventurous Tibet Highways

Reputed as one of the most mysterious paths in the world, Qinghai-Tibet Line crosses many famous mountains and rivers, such as Kunlun Mountain (4,700 meters), Tangula Mountain (5,515 meters), Tongtian River and Tuotuo River. In this miraculous route to Tibet, you are likely to experience four seasons within one day and catch a glimpse of marvelous plateau scenery, like vast grasslands, beautiful salt lakes, endless desert and lovely wild animals, etc.

In fact, there are five major overland routes to Tibet, namely, Yunnan-Tibet Highway, Sichuan-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway. And each highway has its own characteristics. How could you tell their difference without taking a Tibet adventure cycling tour ?

Fascinating Tibetan Colors

All of the colors used in Tibetan Buddhism and its rituals hold specific meanings. Stepping on the soil of Tibet, you would not be able to take your eyes off those splendid colors. Red is considered to be orthodox for Tibetan monks’ clothing; golden monasteries are the dwelling place of Gods; copper prayer wheels are the smallest reincarnation. Wherever you go, colorful pray flags are always fluttering in your sight. Tibetan colors will change your visual experience.

Stunning Tibetan Lakes

Yamdroktso Lake, one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, is located at the Nangartse County of Shannan Prefecture, some 110 km to the southwest of Lhasa. Standing at an elevation of 4,441 meters above sea level, the lake looks like a turquoise gem lying among majestic mountains. The water is as smooth as a mirror with white clouds and snow mountains reflecting on. Even the best photographer can’t capture the best of Lake Yamdroktso.

Wonderful Tibetan Festivals

There are more than 100 major or minor festivals throughout a year. As long as you tour Tibet for half month in any season, you will certainly to come across a festival there, and you will be amazed by festal revelry of the Tibetan people.

Losar Festival, Shoton Festival and Saga Dawa Festival are the most important festivals for the local Tibetans. Here you can not only observe Buddha painting show, Dharma assembly as well as Tibetan opera performance but also take part in traditional dancing and singing, folk activities, etc. Why not come to have a jolly time in Tibet tour?

Delicious Tibetan Cuisine

As an important part of Chinese cuisine, Tibetan food is worth your coming! There are many types of dishes in Tibet. While the best place to enjoy them, I believe, is Lhasa, for Lhasa is the capital city as well as the biggest city of Tibet. The most popular dishes are stewed chicken with Chinese caterpillar fungus, a traditional herb which can also be stewed with beef. Then, there are fried mutton ribs, roast lamb leg, air-dried meat, cold yak tongue, fried beef ribs, Tibetan sausage, potato curry, stewed beef and turnip, braised beef, steamed dumplings stuffed with beef, zamba, steamed bread stuffed with potato, rice curry, ginseng sweet rice and various kinds of desserts.

If you are still looking for reasons to travel Tibet, why not go there and find your reason out?

Money, Currency and Credit Card

Currency

In Tibet, you still use Chinese Yuan 'RMB', pronounced Ren Min Bi. But in Tibet people don't use coins as other big cities in China.

Exchanging Money

In Tibet, bank of China is the only place to change foreign currency and travellers' cheques. Some 4 or five star hotels provide currency exchange service for the hotel guests. The rate is base on the current cash buying rate published by bank of China. It is wise to estimate the total amount of the money you need in Tibet and change all the money in Lhasa. The other places where you can change money are Shigatse, Zhangmu and Purang. If you are travelling in small towns or countryside, try to exchange your cash into small denominations. Big cash like 100RMB or 50RMB is sometimes difficult to get rid of in rural area of Tibet.

Using Credit Cards

Credit cards is a convenient payment method in Lhasa, but do not work well in other cites in Tibet. Most of the four star, five star even 3 star hotels in Lhasa accept credit card, and usually ask you to pay 3-4% extra bank charge. The Lhasa branch of Bank of China is the only bank in Tibet provides credit card advances. You can get cash by ATM of bank of China with a 3% commission and withdraw at most RMB2000 cash.

Keep Some Small Change

Keep some small change like 0.1, 0.2 or 0.5RMB, called 1, 2 or 5 Mao with you, and donate them to the beggar by the street.

In the past, there have been reports of travellers receiving counterfeit money as change for large bills. It is recommended you carry small bills (RMB 10, 20 and 50) to reduce your risk of getting into trouble.

Where ATMs Are Available

In Lhasa, Shigatse, Tsedang, Baiyi, Lhatse, Zhangmu, Saga, you can use your bank card to withdraw money when necessary, but it is better to prepare enough cash for the trip in Lhasa as the ATMs in small cities sometimes do not work. Besides, the number of ATMs are quite few in small cities, for example, there is only one ATMs in Lhatse, in case it is out of work, you cannot find alternative.

10 Misunderstandings about Tibetan Culture You May Have When Touring Tibet

Misled by ambiguous information on the internet, many foreign tourists have mistaken some facts about Tibet. In this post, we’ll clear all those misunderstandings up, including Tibetan people, Galsang flower, Tibet altiplano red, Tibet winter, Tsangyang Gyatso, prostration pilgrimage, palm-up gesture, altitude sickness, Tibetan body language, etc.

1. Tibetan People and Local Security

Misunderstanding A : Tibet is not so safe to stay. The locals are ignorant and barbarous.
Misunderstanding B : All the Tibetans have faith in Buddhism and they are the most innocent people on earth.
Fact : Believing in Tibetan Buddhism, the vast majority of Tibetan people are much simpler and friendlier than other region. But like any other place in the world, bribes and extortions also exist in this pure land. In terms of public security, you can take it easy. Lhasa tibet is one the safest place in China.

2. Galsang Medok

Misunderstanding : Galsang medok is cosmos bipinnata.
Fact : Galang, in Tibetan language, means happiness, and medok refers to flower. Thus Galsang medok (Galsang flower) is also named as happy flower in Chinese. As for Tibetans, all the nameless wildflowers can be called as Galsang medok. However, what Galsang flower exactly is still hangs in doubt. As the city flower of Lhasa, Galsang medok symbolizes love and auspiciousness.

3. Tibet Altiplano Red

Misunderstanding : The ultraviolet in Tibet is so strong that we must go back home with altiplano red.
Fact : There is no deny the fact that people are likely to get sunburnt under the brilliant sunshine. But the real reason for altiplano red does NOT rest in ultraviolet ray. Due to the long-term oxygen deficit, residents on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau often have angiotelectasis and contrafluxion, especially in cheeks and lips. Therefore, it’s common to see Tibetans in altiplano red. If you take preventive measures, like wearing sunhat and sunscreen, it won’t change your skin color in a short-time Tibet tour.

4. Tibet Winter

Misunderstanding : It’s not suitable to travel Tibet in winter for its chilliness.
Fact : Tibet in winter is not so cold as you thought. Thanks to thin air and high altitude, you can still enjoy cozy sunshine in the daytime. Lhasa is a good case in point. The daily temperature here is around ten degree centigrade, making it much warmer than some Chinese northern cities. Besides, with tourists fading away, you would encounter flocks of pilgrims prostrating in front of Jokhang Monastery, taking Barkor kora, etc. And you can get better discounts on all kinds of fees in this slack season.

5. Tsangyang Gyatso

Misunderstanding : “That day, that month, that year…” is a line from Tsangyang Gyatso’s poetry.
Fact : “That day, that month, that year…” is the lyric in a song named Believer rather than Tsangyang Gyatso’s poem, let alone Canyangcuo love song. Tsangyang Gyatso, the sixth Dalai Lama, had undergone through ups and downs in his life. He was also one of the great folk poets, creating many classic poems. If you want to know more about him, Secret Gospel of Tsangyang Gyatso and the Most Beautiful Reunion in the Secular World must be helpful.

6. Best Time to Visit Tibet

Misunderstanding : June to July is the best period to travel Tibet.
Fact : With an total area of 1,200,000 square kilometers, Tibet has all kinds of topography except ocean. Every place has completely different scenery in each season, so it’s hard to say which one is the best season to visit Tibet. Generally speaking, Tibet is a great summer resort for its warm days and cool nights. But with summer holidays coming, Lhasa is packed with swarms of Chinese students and tourists. Meanwhile, the rainy season starts from June and more landslides might happen. Actually, when to go to Tibet totally depends on your starting point, travel budget, personal interest.

7. Tibetan Buddhist Prostration

Misunderstanding : They are so backward to kowtow for self-blessing.
Fact : Three-step kowtow is an important expression of devotion to Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan pilgrims prostrate themselves by lying face-down on the ground and stretching out their arms and legs so as to earn merit. Most of they would spend several years making pilgrimages to Lhasa and other religious centers, completing the entire distance in a series of prostrations. They are neither fool nor superstitious. Here I don’t want to dig deeper into Tibetan Buddhism but tell you that they did this for the sake of all the living beings. It covers all the animals and human beings on earth, of course including you. When you know the truth, will you still laugh at their ignorance?

8. Palm Up in Tibet

Misunderstanding : Tibetans are very poor and palm up means begging for money.
Fact : Palm up is a kind of Tibetan etiquette gestures. If you are invited to Tibetan family, the hostess must treat you with bowls of yak-butter tea. You can use this gesture to express thanks to their hospitality and decline refilling more politely. When Rinpoche or Kampo puts their palm up in religious activities, it means that the event got a happy ending and you can leave now.

9. Altitude Sickness

Misunderstanding : As long as i have done enough exercise, i would be immune to attitude sickness.
Fact : Altitude sickness is not bound with physical strength but the capacity of blood transporting oxygen. Most visitors to Tibet would have mild symptoms such as headache, tinnitus, asthma, sleeplessness and so on. It may disappear in the following days, or get worse to vomit, nausea, diarrhea, etc. If severe symptoms happened, you are strongly advised to go to hospital and get immediate medical treatment.

10. Tibetan Body Language

Misunderstanding A : It’s good to show our love by touching a Tibetan child’s head.
Misunderstanding B : If Tibetan men or women go hand-in-hand, they must be homosexual.
Fact : In Tibetan customs, touching heads is regarded as the sacred action. Only Lamas and Rinpoches are qualified to do that. So please remember not to touch their heads casually. And passionate Tibetans often take the initiative to shake hands with you. Usually they would hold your hands with their left hand and clap by right hand. This behavior is often mistaken by first-time travelers as homosexuality or sexual harassment. However, it has nothing to do with age, gender, etc. As long as they think you are a good person, they would hold your hands firmly and show you around with great pleasure. Don’t feel surprised or uncomfortable for their friendliness.