Tibet Winter Tour

As everything has a comparison, and in fact, the winter of Tibet is not as cold as you would imagine. The temperature is about 15 degrees during the day, relatively cold in the evening, especially refer to some high altitude places, the temperature is about five degrees below zero, but in the whole, it is much warmer than the cities in northern China. The winter in Lhasa is even like the beginning of winter in the capital, and the winter in Tibet is more beautiful and honest, which can express the most real Tibet.

Tibet also shares the same nature as other ethnic minorities, and all the people believe in religion for the same reason. Tibetans are very loyal, honest and hospitable, and it is very safe to travel in Tibet. In fact, as long as you sign up the tour contract through a regular travel agency like us, of course, in the journey, in terms of vehicle arrangements our travel agency will certainly guarantee your personal safety, so it is not a problem.

Whenever you travel to Tibet, have to be prepared with a personal passport, Chinese visa and daily necessities, such as: skin protectors and a toothbrush and toothpaste, commonly used medicines, including high altitude medicines and medicine for enterogastritis, some of your favorite snacks, thick down-jacket, comfortable and warm shoes, sleeping bags, mobile phone, charger, camera, etc.

Summer is usually the peak season for traveling in Tibet. Most people think it is impossible to travel in winter because it might be very cold and covered with thick snow. The truth is: it is a myth. It can be a little bit cold in winter, with temperatures dropping below zero at night and warmer during the day. In the day time, the average temperature in Lhasa is usually between 12 and 15 degrees. You can see the weather is sunny, clear and feel warmer in the afternoon. A clear winter skies are ideal for photography, too, with bright sunlight and thin air to bring the clarity. The advantages in general are: less tourists, beautiful scenery, and cheap tour cost!

Yes, every November is the beginning of the winter in Tibet until the next February. The air tickets are almost half of the tourist season, of course, the travel costs will be relatively cheap. Therefore, those who wants to save the budgets are very welcomed to travel to Tibet in winter season.

Yes, but there are some places that cannot be visited due to heavy snow or the road is under construction. In addition, for foreign passport holders, some scenic spots are not open to them all year round, such as: the Lhamo Latso in Gyaca County, Lhokha Province and the Valley of the Kings or Chongye Valley branches, the Grand Canyon of Yarlong Tsangpo, Nanyi Ditch in NyingChi, Yadong County, Cona Lake, and Chamdo or Qamdo.

The start from every November is an ideal time to set the trip. At this time to travel to Tibet can enjoy authentic snow plateau, and appreciate the opportunity of Mt. Everest. When the warm sunshine spread on the squire of Jokhang Monastery will become the most enjoyable moment. Therefore, Lhasa and surroundings are highly recommended, the rests such as: Yamdrok Lake, Shigatse, Nyingchi, Lhokha (Shannan), Mt. Everest, can be arranged according to the length of your schedule.

In winter, when you go to Tibet, the first thing you should pay attention to is keeping warm. Although the average temperature in Tibet is around 15 degrees in the daytime, but can drop down to minus 5 degrees in the evening. The temperature difference between morning and evening is large, so you must wear thermal underwear, down jacket, thick trousers and warm shoes. Secondly, it is very important to choose the route. In winter, it is recommended to go to the areas around Lhasa and the lower elevations of Nyingchi. Another is the medicinal preparation such as cold medicine, anti high altitudes, vitamins and enterogastritis, etc. There are also sunscreen and moisturizing skin care products, lipstick and so on.

Winter is not a good time for hiking. If you really want to go hiking, you had better choose the independent small group to go hiking around Lhasa. The tour route is expected to include: Potala Palace, Jokhang Monastery, Barkhor Street and other historical sites, as well as the three major monasteries: Drepung, Sera and Garden Monasteries. It's fun to hiking around the Ganden Monastery, where you can see meditation and the beautiful scenery of the Lhasa valley. In addition, Drak Yerpa Monastery is also one of the most sacred hermits of Tibetan Buddhism, with dozens of meditation caves and numerous temples. If you are interested, you may also choose a cave to meditate on, which is a different experience that you can't get anywhere else.

Mt. Everest is open to tourists all the year round if the road condition permits. If the road to Mt. Everest is frozen blocked by heavy snow, it is not possible to drive to Mt. Everest. If you are planning to visit Everest in Winter, remember to check the weather forecast in advance. Mt. Everest in winter looks more majestic, and the snow line of the mountain is wider, snow layer is thicker, thus you may fully appreciate with the more original ecology style and beauty of the snow mountain.
Namtso is the highest and the most beautiful lake in the world, and you may feel awesome while standing beside her, as if place yourself in a blue world, the eyes are full its divine. Somehow, the only regret is that from late october, Namtso started to snow and get into ice period in an all-round way, the tour-bus can not enter into the scenery, which means Namtso is certainly can't be visited in winter.

A lot of people say go to Tibet by train, is a quicker way to adapt to the elevation of Tibet, actually this still debatable. Each individual has its difference physical experience, some people catching a flight to Tibet for the first time, after arrival got no reaction at all. Instead, some enter Tibet by train, may feel particularly tired, drowsiness, loss of appetite to eat because the long journey on the train, and all this fatigue will greatly increase the possibility of high altitude sickness. Therefore, this is completely depends on the individual physical quality. Considering the cost, I personally recommend flying into Tibet in winter. First, it is cheaper in winter, and secondly, it saves the travel time, so that you may have more time to rest and adapt to the altitude. Whether entering Tibet by train or by flight, each has its advantages and disadvantages, it is all your choice.

Choosing to go to Tibet in winter, just in time for the Tibetan New Year, people in Lhasa began to plan on the twelve month according to the Tibetan calendar, step by step to prepare goods for the New Year. Dried and fresh beef and mutton, ghee, ginseng fruit and highland barley wine are the foods that must be prepared for the Tibet Spring Festival. From the middle of December, you will have to prepare various kinds of Tibetan pastries and other foods with various patterns and tastes. If you arrange a trip to Tibet, you can have a feast for your stomach.

The end of October to the end of following February is the off-season in Tibet. Since most people do not usually consider this time as the best time to visit Tibet and the reason is largely due to the freezing temperatures and the temporary inability of some attractions to attract visitors. However, this prediction is not so accurate. The coldest areas are the remote areas in northern and western Tibet. Lhasa and the surrounding cities and Shigatse are suitable for tourism, with temperatures ranging from 10 to -5 degrees Celsius. Besides, winter tour is actually a hidden blessing to our tourists, especially for those with a low budget, can enjoy not only the lowest flight ticket, and good discount from the hotel, but also the most intense religious atmosphere and colorful Tibetan New Year.

People always feel that they cannot go to Tibet in winter, because in their impression, Tibet -- a snow plateau covered with snow and ice all the year round, must be more bitterly cold in winter, and the altitude sickness must be more intense. It is true that winter in Tibet is not as warm as spring, but it is still suitable for tourism. Perhaps you have been to Tibet, perhaps you have some understanding of Tibet, but only in winter, you can really see the poetry plateau, feel the soul of the holy land.

In response to this problem, I would like to say that there will be a little impact, but not that much. Because if you got high altitude sickness, regardless when to go, you will get affected anyway. The best way to prevent high altitude is depend on how your physical can adapt with the eviroment and always maintain a positive attitude. By the time you reached there, you may discover it is actually not as horrible as you would imagine.

At present, with the further development of tourism resources and the increase of tourists, the accommodation conditions in Tibet have been greatly improved. A few large cities have starred hotels of all levels, but the overall level of the hotels and guest houses is still lower than the peers in the mainland. But since winter is a low season for tourism in Tibet, some hotels and receptions are closed until the end of March next year.

If you want to travel to Tibet, whether if need to bring tents and sleeping bags? If you participate in our regular tour, there is no need to bring this equipment. Even in winter, our regular tour is to the cities with relatively complete accommodation facilities, and we will stay in star hotels along the way. For the further remote places such as Mt. Everest, while sleep in the guesthouse you may wish to bring along a personal sleeping bag, mainly in order to maintain good hygiene and preventing cold. In addition, the sleeping bag is very convenient to rent in Lhasa, and charged as date and quality. There are a lot of outdoor shops providing such business in Lhasa.

As the surface of Tibet is dominated by mountains and there are many lakes, there is not much difference between the scenery of Tibet in winter and summer, and more snow mountains and large areas of glaciers can be seen in winter.Winter snow-capped mountains, high visibility, regardless of whether they are indomitable spirit "mount Everest", or "namjagbarwa" stab into the sky, is easy to be clearly visible and deeper of snow on the mountain, snow line and more low, need not worry like a summer cloud covered the mountain could see nothing but regrets, so it can be said that the real snow mountain is in the winter season.

Such situation cannot be avoided, and it all depends on different places. Lhasa, as one of the warmest places in Tibet in winter. It is surrounded by mountains. There has no any impact on Lhasa throughout the entire winter season. The most popular scenic spots in Tibet that are likely to be blocked by heavy snow are Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake. Although these two places are prone to snow, and they are near traffic arteries. After snow, there will be snow plows and other overtime work to clear the road. However, if it is not allowed to pass, we will arrange to visit other attractions instead.

There is such a situation happened in the winter of 2018, and has introduced preferential policies to attract many tourists. "Winter swimming Everest" activities officially started from November 1, 2018, the open places as Namco, and the Potala Palace in Lhasa implemented at half price, the activities continue to March 31, 2019, during the period the Everest Base Camp scenic spot ticket down to half price of RMB 90/ticket as the ordinary price was RMB180.00. Therefore, there are many advantages for Tibet tourism in winter.