It is no more a hard thing to travel to Tibet for foreign tourists. You can take flight or train from many cities in China such as Beijing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. For the moment, the most convenient places shall be Beijing and Chengdu. Xi’an is also a good choice but due to the limited flight (usually one flight only and not daily) and limited tickets of pass-by trains, it is still not easy to make connection there. You can also take a direct international flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa but which is not suggested except you have a tour there. According to a memo between the Chinese and Nepal governments, foreign tourists must obtain their China Visa in Kathmandu if they would like to enter from there, no matter if they get the visa already in their home country or not. This usually requires three days at least.
No matter which way you take, a Tibet entry permit is necessary for issuing the flight/train tickets.
This permit is released by the Tibet Tourism Bureau to officially licensed travel companies only. You shall provide a copy of your passport and visa with your Occupation info for the permit application. It usually takes five working days but we shall always try to apply for it as early as possible to secure a smooth trip since more and more travellers coming to Tibet making the queuing much longer than before. The cost is around 7USD charged by the government department. If you will travel outside Lhasa and some remote areas in Tibet, some other permits will be applied as well including the Alien’s Travel permit, military permit, etc. Continue Reading…
Related posts
How to describe Tibet? I have heard it called “Shangri La”, and I have heard it called “The Rooftop of the World”, but there is really no accurate way to describe this amazing and mysterious place in a few simple words or even paragraphs. It is an absolutely amazing place that time seems to have forgotten. It features some of the most breathtaking man-made, and natural sites in the world, and as a whole, has the friendliest people I have ever met. They seem to smile and laugh more than any other people in the world. The sky in Tibet is so blue, and seems so low, that if I stood on a chair, I felt like I could have touched. My trip to Tibet with my family, simply put, was a life changing experience.
The first site we visited, and the one which I was most looking forward to visiting, was the Potala Palace. It stands in the center of the city of Lhasa and it took my breath away. I was surprised at how big the whole complex is. The bottom half is painted half, with red buildings on the top. It looks like a giant fortress. It was the home to Tibet’s Dalai Lama. It was packed full of people, but because they limit the amount of tickets sold each day, it was not overwhelming. I’m glad I had a guide, because if one was allowed to wander alone, I’m not sure they could have ever found the way out. It seems to just keep going and going. It is like a huge labyrinth. It is full of unbelievably beautiful treasures. Every square inch seemed to be decorated. Even the ceilings are incredible. Everything seemed to have secret meanings. I’m sure that place could be studied for decades and never be fully understood.
Continue Reading…
Related posts
Tibetan mountain ranges and landscapes are home to an immense diversity of species of rare plants and birds. Tibetan forests are also famous for its tremendous spectrum of herbs for Chinese medicines. But due to the freezing temperatures and geographical altitudes, China’s tourist access to Tibet region has been very limited until recently. On July 1, 2006 Qinghai-Tibet Railroad commenced its passenger service, marking a remarkable milestone in China’s infrastructure building. This opens up a way for adventurous tourists to travel from Beijing to the remote Tibet by train with a low budget.
An estimated 90% of tourists would use the railroad to reach Lhasa, Tibet. It is an unique ground expedition across clear cascading streams, spectacular mountain ranges, and the colorful landscapes almost untouched by modern civilization. It would be the dream of urban travelers to experience nature with such a panoramic vision, indulging and rejuvenating for a true getaway from the hectic city-life.
A Centennial Dream Comes True From its initial conception in the early 1950s, the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad went through a lengthy 50 years to build. The first section of 814 km, from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Golmud began operation in 1984. The Golmud-Lhasa section commenced construction in June 2001. On July 1, 2006, the 1,956-Km Qinghai-Tibet Railroad started its full-length operation. Its 2 inaugural trains, “Qing 1″ and “Tibet 2″, started service from Golmud and Lhasa separately. China President Hu Jintao labeled the project as an unbelievable achievement both in China and the World’s railway construction. This completed mission also realized a centennial dream of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the pioneer of China’s democratic revolution.
The Physical Deterrents Geographical conditions from Golmod to Lhasa are especially harsh. Perennial icy soil as hard as steel, thick blankets of Winter snow and the high altitudes deterred and slowed down project progress through the many years of site execution. An American, Paul Theroux, prophesized that Kunlun Range was a definite impossible geographical barrier for railroad to get to Lhasa. But the inauguration of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad, now the world’s highest railroad terminating in Lhasa, has proven Theroux’s prophesy untrue.
Key Facts of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad Qinghai-Tibet Railroad is the world’s highest. 960 kms of its tracks are located 4,000 m above sea level. The highest point is 5,072 m above sea level or 200 meters higher than the 2nd highest Peruvian railroad in the Andes. 550 kms of the route run on frozen soil Tanggula Railway Station is the highest railway station in the world (5,068m above sea level) Fenghuoshan Tunnel is the world’s highest tunnel on frozen soil (4,905 m above sea level) It is the world’s longest plateau railroad, extending 1,956 kms from Xining, Qinghai to Lhasa, Tibet. The Golmud-Lhasa section zigzags 1,142 kms across the Tanggula and Kunlun Ranges. Kunlun Mountain Tunnel is the world’s longest plateau tunnel built on frozen soil(1,686 m) The maximum design train speeds are 100 km/h in frozen zones and 120 km/h on non-frozen areas.
Environmental Friendly Chinese authority responded to international call for environmental friendly and sustainable development. 8% of the total development cost was set aside for conservation of environment. Recommendations by the Academy of Environment Protection were taken seriously by the Chinese government before construction. Qinghai-Tibet Railroad was credited with the honor of being the first environmental friendly railroad in the world.
Train Schedule for Tibet Tourists can join in this rail route from several different cities in China. 1. Western Beijing Train Station to Lhasa, the whole journey is 4,064Km and takes 47 hours and 28 minutes. The ticket fee is RMB389 (USD48) for a hard seat, RMB813 (USD102) for a hard sleeper and RMB1262 (USD160) for a soft sleeper. It leaves Beijing at 21:30 every night and arrives in Lhasa at 20:58 on the third day. Another train leaves Lhasa for Beijing at 8:00 each morning and arrives in Beijing at 8:00 the third day, via Xian, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku. 2. Chengdu Train Station to Lhasa, the whole journey is 3,360km. The ticket fee is RMB331 for a hard seat, RMB712 for a hard sleeper and RMB1104 (USD140) for a soft sleeper. It leaves Chengdu at 18:18 on the odd days and arrives in Lhasa at 18:28 on the third day. It leaves Lhasa for Chengdu at 9:05 and arrives in Chengdu at 9:55 the third day, Via Guangyuan, Baoji, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku 3. Chongqing Train Station to Lhasa. The whole journey is 3,654Km The ticket fee is RMB355 for a hard seat, RMB754 for a hard sleeper and RMB1168 for a soft sleeper. It leaves Chongqing at 19:20 on the even days and arrives in Lhasa at 18:28 on the third day. It leaves Lhasa for Chongqing at 09:05 and arrives in Chongqing at 09:55 the third day, Via Guangan, Dazhou, Xian, Baoji,Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku.
Preparing for the cold temperatures, Travelers to Tibet are advised to bring Winter clothing like ski jackets, winter coats and thermal under-wears.
Subert Kiing travels and writes for http://www.1asiatravel.com http://www.tropicalcaribbeantravel.com/RoyalCaribbean.html http://www.1asiatravel.com/china.html Reprint of this article is permitted by including the above links. webmaster@tropicalcaribbeantravel.com
Continue Reading…
Related posts
