Mount Kailash is atremendously holy to Buddhism, Hindus, Jains and the Bon followers. The Bonfollowers was the original religion of Tibet prior to the Buddhism. MountKailash is located in the western part of Tibet at the distance of 1200km fromLhasa, the capital city of Tibet and 150km from the border between Nepal andTibet.

How to travel to Mount Kailash

Foreign tourists can only go to Mount Kailash as part of an organized tour and you will have to go through a travel agent who can arrange your Tibet entry permit and necessary Mount Kailash permits. There are more permits required to travel to Mount Kailash than normal Tibet tours so the Mt Kailash tour permit takes longer period of time to finish since the Tibet travel agent needs to get Kailash permits from several different departments of the government office so we recommend to book the Mount Kailash trip in a month advance.

How to get to Mount Kailash

There are three main ways to get to Mount Kailash. From Simikot to Kailash is one of the tourist choices that the tourists can fly from Kathmandu to Nepal Ganj and from Nepal Ganj to Simikot. From Simikot, you can have 6 days trek in the Limi valley of the west Nepal all the way to Sher border which is close to Purang county in Tibet, known as Taklakot. Purang county is located to the south of Mount Kailash at the distance of 120km.

From Kathmandu to Kailash via Kyirong border, another way to get to Mount Kailash and it is an overland tour from Kathmandu to Kyirong border at the distance of 150km and continue to Mount Kailash and back to Kyirong.

Kyirong is the biggest border between Nepal and China Tibet. Kyirong is a multi-national tourist crossing border and it is also a very important commercial border between Nepal and China Tibet. You can see hundreds of Nepalese support truck, transferring the goods from Kyirong to Kathmandu.

From Lhasa to Kailash is the most popular way to get to Mount Kailash. Travelers can fly to Lhasa from mainland China or fly to Lhasa from Kathmandu as well. Usually there are 14 days Mount Kailash program starting from Lhasa and back to Lhasa via visiting Gyantse and Shigatse including doing three days Mount Kailash trekking. If you add Guge Kingdom and Tholing, the Mount Kailash tour program will be 17 days from Lhasa to Lhasa.

For the tourists who don’t have much time but still like to go to Mount Kailash can fly to Kailash directly from Lhasa which is around two hours flight. The Ngari Kunsha airport is between Mount Kailash and Ngari prefecture. From Ngari Kunsha airport to Mount Kailash is just 4 hours’ drive.

Flying to Mount Kailash from Lhasa and back to Lhasa is between 9-10 days program and many tourists who don’t have much time choose this option even if the flight cost is expensive. Since there is only one daily flight between Ngari prefecture and Lhasa, we recommend you to book the Mount Kailash tour by flight from Lhasa in two months advance as the flight tickets between Lhasa and Ngari prefecture are extremely busy during the peak season and extremely difficult to get. The peak season is May, July, August, September and till late October.

If the tourists had more time, they can take Kailash northern route program. Kailash northen route tour program is a Mount Kailash loop tour via Saga, Baryang, Mansarovar lake and then to Guge Kingdom and Tholing. Continue to Seng Ge Kabab, known as Shiquanhe and through the vast northern plateau of western Tibet via Gertse, Tsochen, Sangsang and back to Lhasa with 21 days Mount Kailash tour itinerary. This Kailash northern route trekking is a great adventure Tibet tour.

Three days Mount Kailash trekking

Three days mount Kailash trekking is the highlight of the Mount Kailash pilgrimage tour. When you get to Dharchen which is a small town, located to the foot of the Mount Kailash, your Tibetan guide will contact the local community of the Yak and Yak men or porters for three days Mount Kailash trekking. If your group is going to camp during three days Kailash trekking, we recommend to hire Yak and Yak men since you not only need to carry your bags but also need to carry all the camping equipment and all the necessary of cooking items. If the group is going to stay in lodges around Mt Kailash, we recommend to hire porters since you have your belongings only to carry during three days Kailash trekking because the porters can walk along with you and assist you while you are crossing Drolma la high pass.

It is important to tell your Tibetan guide a true condition of your health whether you can really do three days Mt Kailash trekking or not. If you think it is difficult for you to walk the entire three days Kailash trekking, it is better to tell the guide to help you hire a horse and horse man for riding so that sometimes you can walk and when you are tired, you can ride the horse so that you will complete the three days Kailash trekking but please keep in mind that you cannot ride the horse from the top of Drolma la pass until you reach the flat valley to Zutrul Phuk. There are around 5-8km distance from the top of Drolma la pass to the flat valley. Three days of hiring horse and a horse man approximately cost you 245US$. If you really think that you could not do the Kailash trekking because of your health condition, you can stay in the hotel in Dharchen and can take a day excursion to Tarpoche by walk or by conservative bus. It takes you 2 hours to reach Tarpoche by walk and 20 minutes by drive. From Tarpoche, you can enjoy a great view of Mt Kailash and the most beautiful valley of the first day of the Mount Kailash trekking.

During the second day of Kailash trekking, you can take a day excursion to Mansarovar lake. There are 50km distance from Dharchen to Mansarovar lake and you will have a great view of Mt Kailash and the entire Mansarovar lake from Chiu Gompa which is a small monastery located to the west shore of the Mansarovar lake and around 50Km from Dharchen. From the courtyard of Chiu Gompa, you will again enjoy a marvelous view of Mt Kailash.

Three days Mansarovar lake trekking, known as Mansarovar lake Kora

Before 2013, three days walking around Mansarovar lake was a very good itinerary, included in the Kailash pilgrimage tour but nowadays, it is not possible to include three days Mansarovar lake Kora because Mt Kailash and Mansarovar lake conservative management company does not allow the tourists to drive tourist or private vehicles around the Mansarovar lake. If you like to do Mansarovar lake Kora, you must go by the conservative bus which does not stop overnight at the Mansarovar lake so nowadays, you can take a Mansarovar lake Kora by conservative bus which takes you around 3 hours’ drive. For the tourists or pilgrims who like to spend more nights at Mansarovar lake during the Mansarovar Kora, we recommend you to take a conservative bus from Horchu which is to the east of Mansarovar lake and get off the bus at Gossul Gompa, located to the south east of the Mansarovar lake and spend over night there. The next day, you can ask your local guide to request the driver to come to pick you up at Gossul Gompa. In this way, you can complete a Mansarovar lake and spend the second night at Chiu Gompa, located to the west shore of the Mansarovar lake.

Tirthapuri and Guge Kingdom Excursion:

Travel to the further western part of Tibet: Tirthapuri and Kyunglong Guru Gyam and Guge Kingdom and Zanda county

After Mt Kailash trek, you can extend Mt Kailash tour to Guge Kingdom and Zanda county. It is a four more days tour itinerary after Mt Kailash and Mansarovar lake. You can drive to the further western Tibet after three days Mt Kailash trek. It is 60Km distance from Dharchen to Tirthapuri, spend a night in Tirthapuri, visit the monastery in Tirthapuri and the ruins of Kyunglong Guru gyam. Guru Gyam was the original kingdom of Shangshong before the 33^rd Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo re-united Tibet.

Continue to Guge Kingdom and Zanda county. We recommend you to spend two nights in Zanda county, visiting the ruins of the Guge Kingdom but nowadays, you can at least visit a few of the renovated temples including the white and red temples. Another very important visiting site in Zanda county is Tholing monastery which dates back to the 11^th century when the famous Indian Master Atisha came to Tibet. The wall painting in Guge Kingdom and Tholing monastery is an extraordinary beautiful, unique and antique.

On the way back, if you have enough time, it is worthy to visit Dungkar and Peyang because in those two small monasteries and caves, you can witness the old painting of the Niwari and Kashmir style which has more than a thousand years history.

A proper altitude acclimatization is required to reduce the risk of serious altitude sickness during your Mt. Kailash tour

The entire western Tibet including the Kailash region stands at the average elevation of 4600mt above sea level which is an extremely high altitude for the tourists who are traveling to Tibet from sea level so it is compulsory to have good acclimatization from the beginning of your trip. If you fly to Lhasa from mainland China or Kathmandu, it is very important to spend three nights in Lhasa and a slow going sightseeing around Lhasa which really help you to acclimatize to the altitude.

During your stay in Lhasa, you are recommended to drink a lot of water even if you hate going to the toilet many times because Tibet is a very dried and high elevated place which dehydrates your body very quickly so you need a lot of water to re-fresh and give more oxygen to your body. After spending three nights in Lhasa, if you can manage your Kailash program to drive up between 500-700 mt every day for the up-coming three nights, according to our experience, you won’t get any altitude problem during your Kailash pilgrimage tour and you will successfully complete the Mt Kailash Kora.

If you come from Kathmandu to Kyirong border to travel to Kailash, we strongly recommend you to spend two nights in Kyirong in order to acclimatize to the altitude. It is very important to let your body slowly to accustomed to the high altitude.

Kathmandu is just 1500mt and Kyirong is already 2900mt so during one day, you already climb up to 1400mt which is not an easy task to acclimatize so you need a day to rest and walk around Kyirong. It is the same thing that you need to drink a lot of water which really help you. You can take a short hike to Darkar Terzong which is the most sacred cave of Mila Repa, dates back to the 11^th century.

After spending three nights in Kyirong, you can slowly drive up to Saga at the elevation of 4640mt. The driving distance from Kyirong to Saga is not very long and you can still drive up to Drongba or Baryang but we don’t recommend to drive that long because slow move is another extremely important to acclimatize to the altitude.

If your Kailash trekking is started from Sher border near Purang county, Logically, you must have been acclimatized to the altitude because you already spend around a week in the high altitude area of western Nepal by doing 6-7 days trekking to reach Sher border but according to our many years of experience, we still recommend you to spend two nights around Mansarovar lake or Dharchen which is the starting point of Mt Kailash trekking, known as Mt Kailash Kora because Tibetan people believe even if you are acclimatized to the high altitude of specific place, it does not mean you are acclimatized to the other part of the place which means even if you are acclimatized to the high altitude of west Nepal, it does not mean you are acclimatized to the high altitude of the Kailash region but of course it is always easier to get used to the high altitude when you already have been to a higher place before you come to Tibet so we recommend you to spend one night at Mansarovar lake and another night in Dharchen to slowly acclimatize to the altitude and make sure you will succeed your three days Mount Kailash Kora.

Road condition to Mt Kailash & lake Mansarovar

Mt Kailash Adventure tour is not a difficult travel destination any more now comparing to 10 years back. Prior to the black paved road to Mt Kailash, doing a normal Mt Kailash pilgrimage tour, starting from the old Dzangmu border and driving up to Mt Kailash took more than a week so you had to have around 15-17 days to complete this normal and shortest Mt Kailash pilgrimage tour by that time but nowadays, if you drove directly from Kyirong border to Mt Kailash, you can reach within two days easily so that is the difference of the road condition comparing to 10 years back and today.

The most popular Mt Kailash adventure tour starting from Lhasa, driving through Gyantse, Shigatse and then to Mansarovar lake and Kailash is a complete paved road and the scenery is more beautiful with a black paved road than with the old dusty road. The entire road for Kailash northern route including Guge Kingdom and Tsaparang county has been paved and the road from Shiquanhe to Kashgar has also completely been paved. The road from Hilsa or Sher borer to Kailash trek has also been paved. The last part of the road between Pekutso and Saga county has just been finished paving the black road.

Today, all the different Kailash tours and Kailash trekking have very good conditioned paved roads therefore it is very important to up-date the Kailash and Mansarovar tour itinerary and make the best suitable Kailash pilgrimage tours.

In many of the websites, we still see old versions of Mount Kailash tours such as, drive from Lhatse to Zangzang in a day, another day from Zangzang to Saga, from Saga to Baryang but nowadays, you can cover these places within one day with the good new road. If you still keep the old version of the Kailash tour programs, it will be very boring to the clients.

Accommodation Facility During Kailash Tour

Planning a trip to Mt Kailash and lake Mansarovar is not a luxury travel destination. Traveling to Kailash and Mansarovar lake is a spiritual and pilgrimage tour for the people who believe in Kailash as a sacred and holy Mountain. For others, who are traveling to Kailash and Mansarovar lake is a mystical and adventure tour once in a life time therefore one must not expect to have luxury or very comfortable hotels and resorts during your Mt. Kailash adventure tour. If you are looking for a luxury travel, then Kailash is not a right choice of your trip.

However, the accommodation facility is far better than before and every year, there is improvement of the accommodation facility in Kailash region. When you book the most popular Mt Kailash tour, starts from the holy city of Lhasa, the accommodation condition in Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse is very good. After Shigatse, the places that you are spending overnights are Saga and sometimes in Drongba and Baryang. In those three places, you can get two-star conditioned hotels with shower and toilet but you must not expect the hotels as good as 2* hotels in the cities or the ones that you have in the western countries.

At Dharchen, there are several different hotels which have shower and toilet and among them, the best hotel is Himalaya hotel and the owner of the hotel is advertising as 4* hotel but I would say it has 3* condition service level.

If you take an excursion to the far western Tibet where Guge Kingdom and Tholing in Tsaparang county (Zabrang), there are nice hotels around with shower and toilet and the best hotel in the county is Tholing Chengbao hotel.

In Purang county, the best hotel is Hotel Himalaya and it is also considered as 4* condition. It is a comfortable hotel with hot shower.

In Kyirong county, there are several different kinds of hotels and among those hotels, the best hotel is Phuntsok Rebsal hotel. Phuntsok Rebsal has nice restaurant and they serve continental food.

The accommodations around Mansarovar lake and Mt Kailash are very basic. The guest houses at lake Mansarovar is very basic including the guest house at Chiu Gompa. The guest houses are on the basis of dormitory. There is no shower and toilet inside the guest houses. There is very basic traditional toilet outside the guest houses and for washing, you need to ask the guest house owner to bring a thermos of hot water and you can use the hot water for washing face and hands.

The guest houses during your three days Mt Kailash trekking is also very basic and the guest houses are also on the basis of the dormitory and there are between three to 8 beds in the dormitories. There is no shower and toilet inside the guest houses. You need to use the very basic toilet outside the guest houses and for washing, it is the same condition as the guest houses around Mansarovar lake that you need to ask the guest house owner to bring the hot water for washing.

We strongly recommend you to bring your own thin sleeping bags or if the sleeping bags are expensive to bring for just three nights, you can bring an inner layer to use while sleeping in the guest houses in Mansarovar lake and around Mt Kailash Kora because the hygiene in the rooms is very poor and we are also not sure if the guest house owner washes the blankets every day or not.

Even though the accommodation around Mansarovar lake and Mt Kailash are very basic, the highlight of the Mt Kailash pilgrimage tour is to go to Chiu Gompa, enjoy the best view of Mt Kailash from the courtyard of Chiu Gompa and an extraordinary view of Mansarovar lake and Mt Gurla Mandata from Chiu Gompa.

Three days trekking around Mt Kailash is the most important part of Mt Kailash pilgrimage tour and even the accommodation is very basic, one must not miss doing three days Mt Kailash trek because it is a once in a life time pilgrimage tour or a great adventure journey.

Food Facility During Mt Kailash Pilgrimage Tour

During your Lhasa to Kailash tour, you can get continental food in Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Kyirong. After Shigatse, there are Chinese and Tibetan restaurants on the way and you can get pretty good food in Saga, Drongba, Baryang and Dharchen.

There are also nice Chinese and Tibetan restaurants in Purang and Tsaparang counties. The food during three days Mt Kailash trekking and around Mansarovar is very basic. You can get very simple food such as noodle soup, fried rice only so it is very important to tell your local Tibetan travel agent to bring different kinds of snack including biscuit, dried and fresh fruit, cheese, Chocolate, bread etc. during three days Kailash trek.

After Shigatse, on the way to Kailash, the breakfast in the hotel is extremely basic and in some of the hotels, they even don’t have breakfast therefore it is very important to tell your agent to bring toast, bread, coffee, tea bag, Jam, butter for the breakfast, packed from Lhasa.

If your Tibetan local travel agent is an experienced one like Tibet Shambhala Adventure, they would prepare all those items even if you did not ask them but we are afraid that most of the travel agents don’t prepare breakfast items from Lhasa.

Important Notice For Mt Kailash Pilgrimage Tour

As we earlier mentioned that traveling to Kailash, you need to have an organized tour with all necessary Tibet entry permits and Mt Kailash permits. To make those necessary Tibet permits, you need to send your passport copy to the local agent your tour operator who will prepare the permits so it is extremely important to send the correct passport copy to your local agent to prepare your Tibet entry and Mt Kailash permits.

Some tourists send their old passports to the local agent which have more than a year validity when they book the trip and, in the meantime, they apply for a new passport and apply for the China visa with the new passport without giving any information to the local agent or your tour operator. When you send your China visa to the tour operator which you get on the new passport, it is already late to change all your necessary documents for the Kailash permits because to get Kailash permits, you need at least 25 days and the permits that are prepared for you is in your old passport and in the permit group list with Tibet Tourism Bureau’s stamp has your old passport number even if the other details are the same so you will get a problem to board the flight from mainland China to Lhasa or to enter the China custom at Kyirong border or from Kathmandu to Lhasa.

There are some tourists who send the old passport with China visa to their Tibet tour operators when they book the trip and in the meantime, they apply for a new passport and new China visa with a new passport without giving any information to the tour operators so the tour operators arrange all your necessary Tibet permits and Mt Kailash permits in your old passport with China visa but when you come to Tibet, you show the new passport with new China visa but your Kailash permits are with your old passport with old China visa so the passport number and visa number are different and you cannot travel with your group to Tibet because the passport number and Visa number in your permits are wrong. This kind of small mistake can create a huge problem therefore make sure to plan well before you book the trip to Tibet and should you send the same passport and China visa to your Tibet tour operator.

Just in case you had this kind of above passport problem, you should tell your Tibet tour operator from the beginning or must bring both passports with you.

Another very important thing is if you come from Kathmandu to Tibet with a group, example if it is a group of five people traveling together to Mt Kailash but at the end of the day, if some tourists are going back to Kathmandu by flight from Lhasa and some of the tourists are going back to mainland China, then it is essential to let your Kailash tour operators know that you are going separately after your Kailash tour and need to make a separate China visa from the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu because once you are in Tibet, it is hardly possible to split the China visa.

When you come from mainland China to Lhasa for your Kailash tour, it is not a problem that you can get your Tibet permits on time in the hotel in mainland China or will be delivered to you on your arrival day in mainland China. With the original Tibet permits, you can fly to Lhasa and your guide will be waiting for you at the airport and welcome you to the holy city of Lhasa. There is no other checkpoint to go through.

If you come from Kathmandu to Lhasa by flight, the original permits will come with your Tibetan guide and you can come through China custom with China visa and your guide will help you thorough the military frontier.

The most complicated paper work is when you come from Hilsa or Sher border to Mt Kailash because it is a small border and they don’t have usual working hours’ time. it is only opened when there is group coming from Nepal side.

Therefore, it is very important to inform to the Tibetan guide by the Nepali guide. Once guide in Tibet knows that the group is at Nepal side, the guide needs to report the military frontier and China custom to help the guide to go down to the Sher border from Purang county which is 25km distance. The army does not accept the application until we know the group is already at Nepalside.

Once you cross the border, all the necessary paper work and stamp need to be done in Purang county, not at the border itself like other borders. Your guide needs original passports to make new permits for Kailash tour in Purang county and need to go through many different departments so it almost takes half of the day or even more, depending on how the bureaucracy is. Sometimes they are fast and sometimes they are slow depending on their leaders whether they are in the office or they are at the meeting outside the office so all the tourists need to be patient and must be ready for waiting your guide for a pretty long time to come back. Even if your guide made an appointment time, it might be late for the guide to meet you by depending on how fast the bureaucracy finishes the necessary permits.

Another thing which is not punctual in Kailash region is the Yak and Yak men. They are also not on time and they don’t come on time according to the appointment that your guide had with so sometimes you need to wait for them an hour or even more, even if your guide informs the Yak and Yak men community to come sharp, all these kinds of events are out of control and you need to be patient. You should not expect the same rules and regulations that is being practiced in the western countries.

What If You Get Altitude Sickness During Three Days Kailash Trekking?

It is possible to get altitude sickness during three days mount Kailash trekking, especially from your first day of Kailash trek. If you are seriously sick from altitude, your guide will tell you to return to Dharchen and you must listen to the guide and return to Dharchen but please note that generally, your guide can not come with you to Dharchen because the guide must go with the main group to complete Kailash Kora because the main group need help, especially while they are walking over the highest part of Mt Kailash Kora when they cross Drolma la pass at the elevation of 5600mt above sea level.

It is possible to call the ambulance from Dharchen to come to pick you at Dhiraphuk monastery and go to Dharchen and rest if you are not very serious. If you are very serious, it is better to contact your insurance company and drive to the lower place as fast as possible and fly to a lower place as fast as possible. The easiest way of flying back to lower place is either to drive to Sher border which is around 150km from Dharchen and call the helicopter rescue from Nepal to pick you at Sher border or another option is to fly to Lhasa from Ali Kunsha airport.

If your symptom is not very serious, you can ask theguide to take you to Purang county near Sher border and stay there until themain group finish Kailash Kora, you will be definitely better because Purangcounty is only over 3600mt. When you book the Mt Kailash pilgrimage tour, it isvery important to book with a reliable and experienced Tibetan local travelagent who knows how to deal with high altitude sickness and at least is providingsome oxygen and first aid medical kit.

WhenIs The Best Time To Travel To Mt Kailash?

The Kailash trek can be done from late April till end of October and the best time to travel to Kailash is from late May till late July and from September till late October. During this period of time, in general, there is no snow and no rain so it is a very comfortable period of time to travel to Kailash but nowadays, you can travel from late April till late October because throughout Kailash destination, you can stay in guest house and hotels including the three days Kailash trek so even if it snows or rains a little bit, it does not bother your trip.

You had to sleep in the tents for entire itinerary Before the guest house or hotels were built in Kailash region, so by that time, if you don’t choose a right time, it is not convenient to pitch the tents and sleep in the tents but nowadays, we don’t have to sleep in the tents unless someone wants to.

If you like to travel to Mt Kailash during a festival, Kailash Saga Dawa festival is one of the most important festivals in the Kailash region. On the 15^th of the 4^th month of the Tibetan calendar, thousands of Tibetan pilgrims gather in Tarpoche which is the starting point of kailash trek. Some high Lama and monks do ritual ceremony and raise their giant prayer flag pole. They replace the prayer flag with new colorful Tibetan prayer flags. The Kailash Saga Dawa festival is very unique, spiritual and interesting so it is worthy to be in Kailash during Kailash Saga Dawa festival.

Weather In The Western Tibet And Kailash Region

The weather in the Kailash region is not as harsh as many people imagine. From late April until end of June, it is always a clear blue sky and sunny so it is warm during the day time but chilly during the early morning and evening.

From July till beginning of September, it is a real summer time in the Kailash region, it starts raining and all the grassland turns into green and flowers are blooming. The rain in the Kailash region is not as heavy as the rain fall that you have in the low-level place so it does not bother your Kailash journey.

The landscape becomes very beautiful dominated by a huge green grassland and thousands of Yak and Sheep, grazing on the green grassland, the grassland is dominated by the snow-capped mountain.

During this period of time, the weather is warmer and more comfortable but can be cloudy and raining sometimes. From Mid-September till late October, it is again another clear blue sky but chilly in the early morning and evening so it is important to bring warm jacket.

From November onwards, it is getting colder and colder and begin to snow so both during the day and night time is very cold and it is hardly possible to do Kailash trek between November till March.

It Is Vital to Pack the Correct and Essential Gear for The Kailash Trek

Even the Kailash trek is taken during summer period of time, the temperatures in the Kailash region is very much unpredictable. It can be pretty cold in the early morning and evening time but it can be very warm during the day time because during most of the day time, the sun shines very brightly and the sunlight is very strong as you are much closer to the sunlight therefore it is very important to bring both summer and winter clothes for changing according to the different temperature of your daily trekking.

Here are some suggestions of what to bring for your Mt. Kailash tour from Tibet Shambhala Adventure according to our many years’ experience of organizing Kailash tours.

1. Comfortablewind & water proof jacket
2. Comfortablewind & water proof trekking pants
3. Water proofrain coat of shell
4. Comfortabletrekking shoes
5. 2-3 pairsof high-quality wool trekking socks
6. pairsof trekking underwear
7. One pair ofthermal tops and bottoms
8. Two goodquality T-shirts
9. One goodwinter coat or winter dawn jacket
10. One thick fleece
11. Gloves
12. Sun Hat with a wide brim
13. Skull cap
14. Polarized sunglasses
15. Trekking poles
16. 30-50 Liter trekking backpack
17. Sleeping bag rated between 10-15°C
18. Micro spikes (optional) If there is no heavy snow aroundKailash trek, not necessary to have
19. Headlamp
20. 1-liter water bottle similar to Nalgene water bottle
21. Personal toiletries such as Sun cream Extreme SPF50+25ml,lip balm, small bottle of perfume, soap for washing hands, wet tissue(optional)
22.  Small quick-dryingtowel
23.  Blister &first aid kit:

Cold medicine,

Sore-through medicine

Headache medicine

High altitude medicine

Antibiotic

Amoxicillin

Gauyuanan- very good high-altitude medicine made in Tibet

Antibioaxy blister Pads,

Under wrap,

Wrist brace,

Knee brace,

Adhesive bandages

Medical Tape- Lightweight, breathable surgical tape for blisters and cuts. 

Nitrile Medical Gloves- To prevent cross-contamination in case you need to examine someone.

Antiseptic or Alcohol Wipes- – Cleaning wounds.

Butterfly Closure Strips (3)

Dressing/Gauze – Sterile non-stick absorbent; for larger wounds.

Triple Antibiotic Ointment – Sample size tube.

Hand Sanitizer – Repackaged in a mini dropper bottle

Ibuprofen Tablets (10-200 mg) – Anti-inflammatory and pain relief Note: Be sure to list expiry dates and recommended doses for any medications that have been repackaged).

Antihistamine Tablets (3) – For bites and allergic reactions.

Duct tape-tiny roll. Handy for any and all repairs

Antiseptic Applications – burn treatment application

Small Utility Tool – Which has knife, scissors and tweezers; e.g. Swiss army classic knife

Sewing Needle – Use dental floss for thread.

Safety Pins (2) – For slings fashioned from clothing.

Tiny Whistle – Check the sternum strap of your backpack; chances are you have one without knowing.

Emergency Fire Starter – Normally a small Ziploc bag of clothes dryer lint or a couple of Vaseline-coated cotton balls. Occasionally a light my Fire steel if I feel like channeling my inner-frontiersman (Note: I generally only take a fire starter if I’m heading out into extreme or remoter-type areas).

Small Business-size Card – Listing emergency contact and any important personal medical information.

Your Tibet tour operator is one of the most important parties that will be involved in your trip, so it is important to choose the right one. You can’t go wrong with a company that is Tibetan-owned and operated, with an actual office in Lhasa and an all-Tibetan staff—including the drivers, travel guides, and cooks. You can count on their skills and local expertise, knowledge, and understanding of the environment, religion, and culture of Tibet. Be sure to choose a tour operator that is fully registered, has an international license, and is acknowledged by the China National Tourism Bureau and the Tibet Tourism Bureau.

The best way to get to Tibet is through a travel agency. Not only will it make the process easier, it eliminates the guesswork involved in planning a trip by yourself. Moreover, one of the important things that a Tibet tour operator can do for you is to get you your travel permit, which is like a visa. It is another important travel pass besides the Chinese visa. You will need a Tibet tour permit to enter the country and get around, whether by car, plane, or by train, so it makes sense to have it before your trip. Only a travel agency is able to secure travel permits for international travelers.

A seasoned and established Tibet tour operator will effectively plan and customize your trip to your needs and preference. The best travel agencies can fulfill any travel objective, including pilgrimages, cycling and trekking tours, family trips, festival attendance, peak climbing, and day tours. Of course, you can also book a conventional sightseeing tour, the choice is yours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged, too, in case you are looking for a more one-of-a-kind experience. Tour operators are professional, accurate, and flexible, so they are able to fulfill every traveler’s unique requirements.

Have you always dreamed of exploring Tibet like a local? Make that wish come true by choosing the right tour operator to help you arrange your trip. Just make sure that it is a Tibet travel company that is owned and operated by Tibetans whose local knowledge, experience, and expertise will be helpful in planning a memorable trip. They can ensure that you see and experience the country the best way possible. Reputable Tibetan travel agencies can handle any kind of tour, including custom-tailored tours, cycling and trekking, mountain climbing, family tours, festivals, and day tours.

Tibet is rich in culture and history, with unique traditions and breathtaking sights that are unique to it. Only a good Tibet travel company will be able to help you experience everything you want during your trip. Their assistance will be helpful throughout the planning process, from choosing where to go and planning your itinerary, getting your Chinese visa, and most importantly, getting your Tibet travel permit, which is essential to every international traveler. Keep in mind that the best way to get your travel permit is via a Tibetan travel agency that is internationally licensed, fully registered, and acknowledged by the China National Tourism Bureau and Tibet Tourism Bureau.

The Tibet travel company specializes in trekking, peak climbing, pilgrimage, mountain biking, and motorbiking tours. They can arrange trips to the less visited parts of Tibet, with tailor-made tours that can take you to off-the-beaten paths aboard a yak or a horse. Rest assured, all adventures come with experienced Tibetan cooks who are used to catering to international travelers. So, you can count on them to prepare Western, Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan cuisine no matter where you go.

Consider a Tibet travel company that will go the extra mile to take you beyond the popular destinations. Some companies can even arrange trips to the base camp of Mount Everest, as well as round-trips to any area of Tibet, including Amdo and Kham in Eastern Tibet, and Mount Kailash.

Planning a spiritual retreat? Consider arranging a trip to Tibet with help from a good travel agency—preferably one that is locally owned and operated by Tibetans. Only then can you be sure to make the most of a Tibet tour that is tailored to suit and support your spiritual enrichment and growth. Tibet has a good selection of destinations where you can enjoy the meditative atmosphere and calmness of breathtaking Buddhist monasteries, temples, and palaces, as well as the gorgeous Himalayan peaks and lakes.

The scenic beauty and serenity of Tibet are contributing factors to a fulfilling spiritual journey. Moreover, you are likely to discover and appreciate the local culture that promotes tolerance and peace. Start your planning by working with a Tibet tour operator that can help you pick or arrange an appropriate itinerary, customize your trip, and assist in securing your permit and visa. Only a good travel agency that is fully registered and internationally licensed can secure a Tibet travel permit for international travelers.

A spiritual Tibet tour will typically begin in Lhasa, the administrative capital. It is a city with plenty of lovely monasteries, including Jokhang temple, and the Drepung Monastery. Potala Palace is another attraction that should not be missed. It was the winter Palace of the successive of the Dalai Lama and it is currently a World Heritage Site and a museum. Just east of Lhasa is Dark Yerpa Hermitage  where you can find meditation caves and a great small temple located on the small hill with a great view of the Kyichu valley of Lhasa city.

Lhasa is also a jump-off point for trips to the Mount Kailash, a sacred mountain and pilgrimage site for Jains, Bon, Hindus, and Buddhists. In Hindu mythology, the mountain is associated with Shiva. If you are a devotee, you can walk 53 kilometers around Kailash Parikrama. Darchen is a town at the foot of the mountain where you can spend the night. Another must-see destination for spiritual Tibet tour is Namtso, a picturesque lake found between Bango County of Nagqu and Lhasa’s Damxung County.

You cannot go wrong with Tibet if you are looking for a journey that can enrich your spiritual side. When you work with the right travel agency that specializes in custom Tibet local tour packages, you can experience a one-of-a-kind peaceful spiritual vacation. Planning this type of tour should come with careful consideration of the travel or tour operation you will choose to help and guide you throughout your journey. Here are some of the things you should know during the planning process:

• Find a reputable tour operator – Consider a Tibetan travel agency that has a good track record in organizing custom tours for different types of travelers, including those who want to go on a pilgrimage. Look up reviews and feedback to verify the quality of their services and trips. This company will also be in charge of helping you get your Tibet travel permit, which is mandatory for all international visitors. Likewise, they will take the hassle out of planning a trip to Tibet by yourself.

• Explore the Tibet local tour options – Go over tour operator’s selection of travel options and get to know the itinerary. Make sure a package can cover all the places you want to see, visit, and experience. Compare packages to see which one can fulfill your reason for visiting Tibet. Be sure to choose a tour that is suitable to your preferred travel dates, and that it will fulfill your objective of having a peaceful spiritual vacation.

• Get in touch with the tour organizer – Send an inquiry to get a quote on the Tibet local tour that you want. This is a good time to discuss your travel objectives with the travel agency, too. Be sure to ask as many questions as you can. Their answers will help you make an informed decision about your tour before you finalize and pay for your booking.

Planning to visit Tibet sometime soon? One of the most important things you will need for your trip is the tour permit, which is also known as the ‘Tibet travel permit,’ ‘Tibet Entry Permit’, or the ‘Tibet Visa.’ It is essential for every foreign visitor to the country because it serves as your entry pass to board the train or a flight to Lhasa. Only the TTB (Tibet Tourism Bureau) can issue the Tibet tour permit, which will show your tour date, group number, tour operator, number of travelers, and the daily itinerary. The travel group list is also covered by the permit, and you need to always have it with you to get into Lhasa and any other areas of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Here are the other things you must know about it:

• Where to get it – You cannot get the Tibet tour permit by yourself. Only tour operators will be able to acquire it for you, so you need to find a reputable and trustworthy travel agency to assist you with that.

• Who needs it – The National Tourism Administration advises all international tourists to get a Tibet travel permit before they are allowed to enter the country. All tourists can acquire it through a reputable Tibet tours operator or travel agency, but if you are a government official, journalist, or diplomat, you need to see the Tibet Foreign Affairs Office for it.

• Chinese visa requirement – Tibet is among China’s provinces, so you need to get a Chinese Visa before you get your Tibet tour permit. It is also the ‘L visa’ for international tourists. The travel agency should be able to help you with this.

• When it is necessary – The travel permit is essential throughout your trip, so keep it with you until you arrive in Tibet. You will be asked to show it when you check-in for your train ride or flight to Lhasa. Once you arrive in Lhasa, you need to give your original Tibet permit to the local guide who is leading your trip as he needs to show it at the checkpoint when you are traveling by road in a group.

Tibet is a great place to visit with lots of activities, outdoor adventures, and colorful culture and traditions await every visitor. There is something for everyone in this destination, but to fully enjoy everything you want to experience, it is best to work with the best Tibet travel agency. Tibet is an enormous region; it certainly makes sense to have a tour operator help arrange your trip. They will help you every step of the way—from planning your itinerary to getting your permit and visa, and throughout your trip. Here are tips on finding the right travel agency:

• Choose a local company.

Go for a Tibetan-owned and operated tour operator that can provide the most authentic experience with their variety of high-quality tours, which can be customized to match your unique preferences and requirements. A local company will let you see Tibet from the perspective of local travel guides, too. Make sure that they are fully registered, internationally licensed, and recognized by the China National Tourism Bureau and the Tibet Tourism Bureau.

• Find out who will be coming with you.

The best Tibet travel agency will provide local travel guides, cooks, and drivers, so you do not have to worry about getting around and thriving on your own. This also ensures that you can make the most of your trip and enjoy all the places you want to see and experience. Dependable guides are multilingual.

• Determine what they can do for you.

Good travel agencies in Tibet will help you secure your travel permits and visa. They also offer customized itineraries, in case you want to plan something special for your group.

• Read reviews about the company.

Look up feedback written by travelers who have worked with the best Tibet travel agency. Their reviews can be informative when you want to verify the overall quality of their experience and the service of the travel company.

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