What to Pack

Pack the minimum wherever you travel! Planing a trip to Tibet is just the same as in any other places. But remember Tibet is on the roof of the world and most part of it is remote area. The things to pack should be in your consideration beforehand.

(1) ID card, the Travel Permit issued by the Tibetan government.

(2) A large backpack and a smaller one. The smaller one can be used for daily activities and can also be put into the big one when necessary.

(3) A waist pack to put property and important documents.

(4) Cold-proof clothes: the temperatures change greatly on the altiplano. In the north part of Tibet, people wear thick coats all year round (including July and August which are the hottest months in most of the areas in China). The highest temperature is 4-5 degrees centigrade in northern Tibet. It also snows in July and August. In Lhasa, the temperature in July arrives at 30 degrees centigrade at daytime, but falls to 10 degrees centigrade at night. Sometimes it will snow or sleet at night, so you'd better take some down garments (those with hats will better), woolen sweaters, warm gloves, warm and wind-proof shoes and socks. Wearing several layers of clothing that can be easily added or removed is the wise choice since temperatures may vary greatly within a single day. A down coat is necessary for those who are traveling beyond Lhasa and Shigatse into more remote areas such as the Everest Camp. A windbreaker plus a sweater will work nicely for strolling around Lhasa in summer. During the peak tourism season, frequent rainfall makes waterproof clothing and raingear absolute necessities. Other essentials to pack include four or five pairs of cotton or woolen underwear, four or five pairs of woolen socks, long sleeve cotton or lightweight wool shirts and T-shirts. Women should avoid skirts or dresses. Sturdy sneakers, walking shoes, or hiking boots are also recommended. Don't forget to bring along a warm hat as well as one or two pairs of warm mittens or gloves.

(5) Protection against sunburn light: as the sunshine is really strong, you'd better take the sunglasses, sunhat and suntan lotion etc. Ladies should take the high SPF sun-cream.

(6) Medicine: medicine is a must for travelers to Tibet. Since the boiling point of water is somewhat lower in Tibet because of the oxygen shortage and low air pressure, it is better to boil water for a longer period of time. Drinking water should be purified with iodine or other purification tablets to prevent intestinal complaints. And when you first arrive, you may have loose bowl, so you should prepare some bitter aloes, berberine and so on. But the water in Tibet is very pure, where most of the water is natural mineral water. Furthermore, take some chrysanthemum tea, sealheal mulberry leaves and gen-seng powders, vitamin C pills, and some pain-killers, and enough medicines for colds, diarrhea, nausea and fever. Some nasal ointment and throat-moistening pills will be of great help for those who are sensitive to chilly or freezing weather conditions. Please consult your doctor prior to your travel to Tibet.

(7) Torches that you can use to take pictures and also in case of power cut. In some areas, the electricity will be cut after 22:00.

(8) Oxygen bag is also necessary, for there are lots of places of high elevation. To avoid anoxic accidents, you can buy some oxygen bags in Tibetan hospitals or some of the hotels.

(9) Travel canteen and sleep bag: you should drink much more water to strengthen cycle on the altiplano. You'd better take the down sleepbags, small bucket, little plastic basin and slipper for special lines. hi Travel Tips.