Thread: Visiting Tibet

The border between Nepal and Tibet will in all likelihood be closed until the 25th August. Travel permits will also likely be issued from that date.

This coincides with the 100day anti foreigner campaign under way in China, which started on 15th May.

I wonder how much shit will hit the fan if the West started a 1000 days anti-China campaign...?

Probably end in war.

and what would the point of that be?

i had wanted to travel up there as its been over 18 years since i was last there. First trip was 1984

For now looks like anyone that wants a taste of Tibet will need go to Leh in Ladakh

great photo. Stunning

It does not matter to me as we both were only thinking to go to Tibet. Two people are all time allowed everywhere. That's why it is not a problem for me. But only persons of a nationality can go to Tibet, this is somehow strictness.

An update

Early this afternoon (August 31, 2012) the girlfriend received word (from one of her girlfriends who works for a travel agency in Australia) that Tibet was letting tourists in.

We did some checking with an agent here in BKK and received this note (edited):

“We have just checked with our local agent and have been advised Tibet reopened for group. At the meantime, the following conditions should be met.

a. The group of 5 passengers up and must be the same nationalities

b. The passport copies and the valid visa should be offered 20 days in advance.

c. The payment should be paid to Tibet local agent by Foreign travel agencies directly 20 days in advance before arrival. Tibet local agent need to apply Tibet permit with the remittance.

“Just checked. The Tibet government has total tourist number control. At present, the number in Sep is already reached their control number. Sorry that they cannot visit Tibet in Sep”

you could always go to ladakh in india.

tibetan people, culture and food, fantastic scenery and trekking, and if you go by road from manali or srinagar, it will be a road trip that you will never ever forget, nor want to repeat.

I met a lady who went to Tibet years ago. Whilst going through a high mountain pass, the truck drove past a donkey (or local equivalent) frozen solid standing up.

Just saw this and if true we might plan a trip in the coming months: Easing of Tibet restrictions welcomed

3:25PM BST 16 Apr 2013

The Chinese government’s decision to ease restrictions on travel to Tibet has been welcomed by specialist operators to the region, keen to resume tours to one of the most remote - and controversial - parts of the planet.

There remains some confusion as to exactly what the new regulations entail, but operators understand that a ban on almost all foreign travellers to the region, imposed last June, has been lifted. Although not able to travel completely independently, British travellers will be able to visit the country on organised trips - though the necessity to travel in a group has been lifted.

“This is a very significant relaxation of the restrictions,” said Heather Chan, general manager of CTS Horizons, a China specialist. “It has been very frustrating having to tell people wanting to go that the territory was effectively closed. There are so many who want to see those stunning lakes and snow-capped mountains.”

The holy grail for all travellers to Tibet is the Potala Palace, the dramatic Buddhist temple carved into a hillside occupying pride of place in the capital, Lhasa. It was the home of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader until he left for exile in India in 1959, following the incorporation of Tibet into China.

Looking so forward to some ( mysterious ) Tibet pics SL

^Hope so and want to do it quick before they change their minds again.

The girlfriend will write a short note to the travel agent (in Thailand) today and request a train trip across the Tibetan Plateau and then a stay at the St. Regis.

Railway: Qinghai

St.Regis

What I would really love ( if you can ) is some misty early morn pics of some old buildings / mountains / trees ,, that is all good painting material for me

Anyway gratefull for anything in this mysterious land

just remember to be very careful about hygiene, there's an endemic tapeworm in that part of the world that will grow on your liver until its time for a dog or cat to eat it. at thing point it bursts out of its cyst and kills you via analeptic shock; making you a rather tasty snack for its next host.

^thank you for the warning

^^I am sure we’ll get those types of pictures if we’re allowed in, however I would like to see a Sky Burial. That would be something to witness.

Witness to a Tibetan Sky Burial

On the steps in front of Drigung Monastery, a dozen monks chant. Before them on the courtyard flagstones lies a body, wrapped in white cloth, which was carried in on a stretcher an hour ago. The monks are praying for a spirit that was once present here, but now is emancipated from its former home. It is the third such visitor today, for Drigung Gonpa has a profitable but gruesome specialty: disposal of the dead.

My team and I arrived here last night, after a long day's drive from Lhasa to Meldor Gungkar County in Central Tibet. Drigung monastery is on a steep hill, overlooking our camp. Above the religious complex is a site for "sky burial," a term meaning disposal of a corpse by allowing it to be devoured by birds. The birds, which are summoned by incense and revered by Tibetans, cast their droppings on the high peaks. Sky-burial is practiced all over the plateau, but Drigung is one of the three most famous and auspicious sites.

After the chanting is over, we walk up a well-trodden path to a high ridge, keeping a respectful distance behind the funeral party, which has come all the way from Lhasa to discharge this final duty to their departed friend. The charnel ground, or durtro, consists of a large fenced meadow with a couple of temples and a large stone circle of stones at one end where the ceremony takes place. Prayer flags hang from numerous chortens, and scent of smoldering juniper purifies the air. Vultures circle overhead, and many more are clustered on the grass, a few meters from the funeral bier.

Tibetans practice several forms of disposal of the dead, but sky burial is the most common method and indeed a very practical one in a land where fuel is scarce and the earth is often too hard to dig. For me, this is an extraordinary opportunity, for these days not one visitor in five hundred is privileged to witness the ceremony I'm about to see. But I am apprehensive, too, wondering how I will stomach the sight of death.

Men in long white aprons come out, and unwrap the corpse, which is naked, stiff, and swollen. The men hold huge cleavers, which are in a few strokes whetted to razor sharpness on nearby rocks. The bright sun and clear blue sky diffuse somewhat my ominous feeling. The coroners themselves, are not heavy or ceremonial, but completely businesslike as they chat amongst themselves, and prepare to start.

Tibetans believe that, more important than the body, is the spirit of the deceased. Following death, the body should not be touched for three days, except possibly at the crown of the head, through which the consciousness, or namshe, exits. Lamas guide the spirit in a series of prayers that last for seven weeks, as the person makes their way through the bardo--intermediate states that precede rebirth.

As the first cut is made, the vultures crowd closer; but three men with long sticks wave them away. Within a few minutes the dead man's organs are removed and set aside for later, separate disposal. The vultures try to move in and are prevented by waving sticks and shouts. Then, the cutters give a signal and the men all simultaneously fall back. The flock rushes in, covering the body completely, their heads disappearing as they bend down to tear away bits of flesh. They are enormous birds, with wings spanning more than 2 meters, top-feathers of dirty white, and huge gray-brown backs. Their heads are virtually featherless, so as not to impede the bird when reaching into a body to feed.

For thirteen minutes the vultures are in a feeding frenzy. The only sound is tearing flesh and chittering as they compete for the best bits. The birds are gradually sated, and some take to the air, their huge wings sounding like steam locomotives as they flap overhead. Now the men pull out what remains of the corpse--only a bloody skeleton--and shoo away the remaining birds. They take out huge mallets, and set to work pounding the bones. The men talk while they work, even laughing sometimes, for according to Tibetan belief the mortal remains are merely an empty vessel. The dead man's spirit is gone, its fate to be decided by karma accumulated through all past lives.

The bones are soon reduced to splinters, mixed with barley flour and then thrown to crows and hawks, who have been waiting their turn. Remaining vultures grab slabs of softened gristle and greedily devour them. Half an hour later, the body has completely disappeared. The men leave also, their day's work finished. Soon, the hilltop is restored to serenity. I think of the man whose flesh is now soaring over the mountains, and decide that, if I happen to die on the high plateau, I wouldn't mind following him.

Originally Posted by hazz

just remember to be very careful about hygiene, there's an endemic tapeworm in that part of the world that will grow on your liver until its time for a dog or cat to eat it. at thing point it bursts out of its cyst and kills you via analeptic shock; making you a rather tasty snack for its next host.

I'd like to find someone who prepares food at the next Communist Chinese Politburo meeting and pay them to infect all the food with these worm eggs.

Originally Posted by hazz

just remember to be very careful about hygiene, there's an endemic tapeworm in that part of the world that will grow on your liver until its time for a dog or cat to eat it. at thing point it bursts out of its cyst and kills you via analeptic shock; making you a rather tasty snack for its next host.

Truly an authority.

Don't you mean anaphylactic shock?

I don't think you'd achieve analepsis by means of the tapeworm, but the tapeworm might and so benefit from such, as a result of "snacking" on your liver.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

^^I am sure we’ll get those types of pictures if we’re allowed in, however I would like to see a Sky Burial. That would be something to witness.

Watched a program on that once late at night just before I went to bed , normally sleep with the windows open , didn't that night

Echinococcus





Or hydatids, common in all countries especially among livestock.

Humans are infected too, constantly.

Running barefoot in the park can be hazardous to your health, in Brisbane, LD.

The girlfriend was corresponding to one of her girlfriends who works for a travel agency in Australia and she told her Tibet was open but you needed a guide with you at all times.

The agent we work with in Thailand told the girlfriend she was busy this week but would start scheduling our trip next week.

I was looking around and found a site that might be helpful to others, if they wanted to travel to Tibet: Tibet Travel Updates « The Land of Snows

UPDATED 13 April 2013

Each year I do my best to keep up-to-date on the various travel regulations and restrictions across the Tibetan Plateau. Tibet, including the[at]regions of Amdo and Kham, can sometimes be politically unstable. When areas and regions are unstable, the government (not travel agencies) either closes specific areas or imposes travel regulations, such as group travel. It is important to remember that it is not the travel agencies who impose or even want these regulations, but rather it is the Chinese government who hands down these travel restrictions. Travel agencies must abide by the regulations given to them by the Chinese government.

Here are a list of Current Travel Regulations for each region of the Tibetan Plateau:

Lhasa and the Tibet Autonomous Region

Currently, Lhasa is OPEN to foreign tourists! Permits began being accepted again on 25 March 2013. The current regulations state that no group travel is required, however that could change by the time high season (June through early October) comes. It appears that for now, solo travelers can apply for travel permits. Also, mixed nationality groups can also apply for permits. Remember….permits are just 1 thing that you need in order to travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region! You also need a tour guide, a private vehicle and driver. Only a travel agency can arrange these for you.

This year, the Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) is requiring all foreign travelers going to Lhasa and the Tibet Tourism Bureau to pay a tour deposit in advance before they will process travel permits. The deposit depends on the length of your tour and ranges between $500 USD and $1000 USD per person. This sounds strange (and is!), but this deposit is required before your permit can be applied for. This deposit goes towards your tour cost and must be sent to the travel agency you use at least a few weeks before you plan to arrive in Lhasa. This is NOT a rule the travel agencies are making, but rather is a rule handed down to travel agencies from the Tibet Tourism Bureau. So, when your travel agency asks for this deposit, please understand why they are doing it.

There are doubts about Japanese and Norwegian tourists being able to get travel permits for Tibet. Because of disputes that the Chinese government has with these nations, it might not be possible for these people to get permits. It is best to contact an agency and see if they are able to secure permits for you.

And on and on (for different regions),.......

So it looks like we'll be going as long as the Chinese government doesn't place any restrictions during the high season, when we plan on visiting.

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Originally Posted by S Landreth

^^I am sure we’ll get those types of pictures if we’re allowed in, however I would like to see a Sky Burial. That would be something to witness.

Watched a program on that once late at night just before I went to bed , normally sleep with the windows open , didn't that night

It does seem like it would be gruesome.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Tibet was open but you needed a guide with you at all times.

Yes, it's those pesky locals ! They're always bitching about their poor treatment by the Chinese philanthropists.

That's a bugger ,I had thought to do a short trip to Tibet,sometime. We are in chengdu at the moment and enjoying it immensely .theres a Tibetan neighbourhood here might try to visit it tonight(last night in chengdu) although the plan is to go to a Chinese hooters bar tonight . Kunming tomorrow, loads of photos with her and me clicking away, will do a thread when I get back. Beer is pretty ordinary and makes one piss like a fuckin racehorse.