Tips for Visiting Tibet the First Time

For the consideration of tourists' health, Tibet Tour would like to provide some tips for visiting Tibet the first time. First and foremost, tourists coming to Tibet the first time should avoid doing some strenuous exercises. A lot of tourists are over worried about the possible high altitude sickness on Tibet Plateau. Actually, most visitors in Tibet could overcome the high altitude sickness. The slight symptoms of high altitude sickness will get relieved or disappeared in 1-2 days after you arrive in Lhasa if you ensure a good rest, drink enough water and eat enough fresh fruits. To avoid catching a cold, tourists visiting Tibet the first time are not advised to bath frequently on Tibet Plateau. There is obvious temperature difference between day and night. The temperature is pretty low in the morning and night. It is necessary to pack enough warm clothes.

Most of the restaurants in Tibet provide Sichuan style cooking. Tourists making a Tibet tour in Lhasa will have more choices in restaurant. Restaurants providing Tibetan style food, western style food, Nepal style cooking and Thai food are available in Lhasa. For tourists planning to visit the remote areas in Tibet, it is necessary to prepare some solid food for the restaurants in these places could only provide very simple Tibetan food or there is even no restaurant in these regions.

The ultraviolet radiation on Tibet Plateau is much stronger than that in the plain areas for it is of high altitude and thin air. For the protection of the eyes and skin, tourists making a Tibet tour are strongly suggested to prepare a pair of sunglasses, a sun bonnet, sun-blocking cream and lip-stick in advance. For tourists has a relatively physical condition, it is necessary to purchase a oxygen bag in case of need.

The climate on Tibet Plateau is pretty changeable. Generally, the period between May and September is regarded as the best sightseeing season in Tibet, but that period is also the rainy season for most areas in Tibet. It is reported that the oxygen content is relatively higher than the dry season in the rainy season. Hence, tourists making a Tibet tour between May and September have less chance to catch a severe high altitude sickness. For tourists making a self-driving tour to Tibet in the rainy season along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, Yunnan-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Highway or Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, it is necessary to pay close attention to the climate along the highway. Natural disasters (such as land slide) happen frequently especially along Sichuan-Tibet Highway and Yunnan-Tibet Highway in the rainy season.

It is a dangerous thing to enter into Tibet if you are suffering a cold. The slight cold symptoms might cause severe high altitude sickness symptoms. It should be noted that tourists suffering a heart disease or respiratory diseases are not advised to go to Tibet in the consideration of health for these diseases might get worsen suddenly on Tibet Plateau with low oxygen content.

Tourists willing to buy some local specialties as souvenirs in Tibet are not advised to buy some expensive stuff in the local market in case of be taken in. Tourists are strongly suggested to buy those rare medicinal herbs in the exclusive shop rather than the traditional market for it is hard to distinguish the real stuffs and the fake stuffs.