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Tibet Travel Guide

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  • Potala Palace, Tibet
    Potala Palace, Tibet
  • Lamas in Tashilunpo Monastery
    Lamas in Tashilunpo Monastery
  • Yak Butter Lamp
    Yak Butter Lamp
  • Tibetan Women
    Tibetan Women
  • Samye Monastery, Shannan
    Samye Monastery, Shannan
  • Yamdrok Yumtso Lake
    Yamdrok Yumtso Lake
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Tibet Autonomous Region lies on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of the southwest border of China and covers an area of 1,222,000 square kilometers (471,800 square miles). It is to the south of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province, to the west of Sichuan, to the northwest of Yunnan and to the north of India and Nepal. With an average elevation of 4,900 meters (16,000 feet), it is the highest region on Earth and is commonly referred to as the 'Roof of the World'.

The Himalayas, ranging from east to west on the southern edge of the Tibet Plateau, run for 2,400 kilometers (1,491 miles) with an elevation of more than 6,000 meters (19,685 feet). The highest peak here, also the highest in Himalayas and in the whole world, is Everest Peak, which is as high as 8,848.13 meters (29,029.3 feet) above sea level. The local people come from a variety of ethnic groups including Tibetan, Han, Monba and Lhota. Its capital city is Lhasa.

Tibet has a dry, cold climate with an average annual temperature of 1 degree Celsius (34 degrees Fahrenheit). In general, temperatures frequently drop suddenly after sunset. In the mountains and plateaus it is especially cold, and strong winds are common year round. The average annual snowfall is only 18 inches, due to the rain shadow effect whereby mountain ranges prevent moisture from the ocean from reaching the plateaus. The best time of year to visit Tibet is from April to the beginning of November.

Tibet has abundant cultural and historical relics that can be explored to develop tourism. Some key cultural relics are under state-level protection such as the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, and the Norbulingka Palace. The region currently has four tourist areas of Lhasa, the west, southwest and south: the Lhasa tourist area includes Lhasa, Yangbajain, Damxung, Gyangze, Zetang, Xigaze and Yamzhoyum Co Lake; western Tibet is Ngari Prefecture, the so-called 'rooftop atop the world's rooftop'; the southwest Tibet tourist district is a place for mountaineers; in the south, centered around Nyingchi, one can pass through the four seasons of the year in a single day.

Today, with daily flights in and out of Lhasa, visiting Tibet has become much more feasible and can take much less time. What is more, the newly-built Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest railway connecting Tibet with eastern Chinese provinces for the first time by rail, has already been a fantastic choice for visitors to Tibet. 

 Attractions
Lhasa: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkor Street, Namtso Lake
Shigatse: Mount Everest, Rongbu Glacier  Nyingchi: Namjagbarwa Peak 

 Tibet Railway: Attractions along the RailwayTourist Resources along the Railway 

 Maps: Tibet Autonomous Region Map & Lhasa City Map

 Recommended Tibet Tour Itineraries:
China Tibet Tour: 12 Days of Beijing - Xian - Lhasa - Shanghai
China Tours to the Everest Base: 17 Days of Beijing - Xian - Lhasa - Gyangtze - Shigatse - Dingri - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Lhasa - Shanghai
Tibet Highlights Tour: 13 Days of Lhasa - Gyangtse - Shigatse - Dingri - the Everest Base Camp - Zhangmu - Katmandu

Questions & Answers on Tibet Travel Guide
  • Asked By Robert | Aug. 02, 2012 03:19
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • we plan to visit Tibet in September. i know we have to book a tour through a Chinese travel agency and apply a TTB. but recently i heard that foreigners are not allowed to visit Tibet in July and August, is that ture? how about September? can we get the TTB?

    Asked By Terissa (UK) | Jul. 23, 2012 04:47
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • We going to travel to Tiebt in early July, what will be the weather at that time and what kind of clothes we should take? do we till need to a take warm clothes or wind-proof jacket?

    Asked By Ted (China) | Mar. 29, 2012 02:37
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • dear sir,

    we are group of 3 to 5 friends and willing to visit china on our own bikes. we would like to spend 4 or 5 days in near by town to khunjrab pass and we shall enter China from Pakistan.
    kindly guide us about

    travel documents you need,
    hotel stay with or with out food,
    cost per day per person, and minimum to middle range
    how many cities we can visit in between 500 kms from khunjrab pass
    fuel arrangements

    your proper and timely guidance will smooth our preparation to visit out beloved neighboring country CHINA in june or july.


    thanks and regards

    ahmad fawad.

    Asked By ahmad fawad (pakistan) | Jan. 30, 2012 11:18
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • Asked By Selina | Dec. 22, 2011 01:33
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
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