Tibet Lhasa Tour 4 Days

Best season

Lhasa is equipped with convenient conditions for tourists, and most of the attractions in these cities are historical and cultural sites. The roads are also in good condition therefore, you can list the Tibet Lhasa tour in your itinerary at any time.

However, the golden season for our Tibet Lhasa tour will be autumn (September, October, November). During this time, the weather is fine and pleasant, and the oxygen density, according to scientific statistics, is the highest. The thermometer rises to 19 to 20 degrees Celsius during the day and drops to 8 degrees Celsius at night.

In addition, some Tibetan traditional folk festivals are also celebrated in this season, such as the Shoton Festival, and Nakchu Horse Racing Festival. These festivals provide tourists with chances to gain a deep understanding of Tibetan culture.

Since our Tibet Lhasa tour 4 days is a short tour that only takes us through the cultural sites and avoids the high-altitude mountain region, winter (December, January, February) will also be fine as well. In winter, there is only a small volume of tourists, so it is easy to get discounts at hotels, ticket offices, and airports.

Most of the annual rainfall occurs in June, July, and August but it also offers the most comfortable season in Tibet with warm days and high oxygen in the air. You don’t have to worry about the rain though as most of the precipitation falls mainly at night, which has almost no effect on the comfort of travel. The peak tourist season also falls in August.

The spring season from March, April, and May is also the favorable time to visit Lhasa. Till 2019, Tibet was closed yearly in March to foreign travelers but now it has been opened. At this time it becomes increasingly warmer; by the end of May, the temperature during the day can reach 25 degrees.

Overall, the months of May, June, July, August, September, and October are the best months for our Tiber Lhasa tour.

Weather and climate

Tibet boasts different climatic conditions due to diverse terrain and altitude. It shares humid continental, humid subtropical, steppe, desert, and Savannah conditions around depending on the region.

Lhasa is located in the steppe climate zone characterized by the sparse rainfall combined with hot summers and relatively warm winters leading to the typical grass and herb landscape.

The approximate daytime temperature shifts around 15.1 degrees Celsius. The temperature may increase in May, June, July, August, September, and October with the highest daytime temperature reaching 22 degrees Celsius.

The average nighttime temperature is 1.2 degrees Celsius. Compared to the other places in China, Lhasa is 4.9 degrees Celsius colder over the year.

The Tibet capital also has a relatively pleasant level of humidity all year round. June, July, August, and September are the rainiest months in Lhasa.

Difficulty

Our Tibet Lhasa tour 4 days is more of a preliminary tour of Tibet’s capital that includes two two-day visits to its most important religious center and market. Therefore, this trip is one of the easiest trips you can take in the trans-Himalayan region of Tibet.

There is no long trek involved except of course for some comfortable walk around the monasteries and markets. All transportation throughout the Tibet Lhasa tour will be in a private bus or van.

Your stay will be in the finest hotel in old Lhasa town facilitating your comfortable stay throughout the trip. Breakfast is complimentary while you will have the freedom to enjoy the varied cuisine for lunch and dinner.

Above all, the Lhasa itself is situated at an altitude of 3680 m so a day of acclimatization will prevent any risk of altitude sickness making this tour accessible to people of any gender, age, or fitness level.

However, if you have any chronic illness, it is advisable to consult your physician before undertaking this trip.

Altitude sickness

Altitude sickness is a condition that occurs in high-elevated regions where the oxygen level in the air is comparatively lower than the area we come from. It has nothing to do directly with fitness or age, and it can affect even the most well-trained.

This is especially true if you overexert yourself at high altitude and do not drink enough water. That’s why, as you start your trip from Lhasa with us, we ensure to provide you with a bottle of water every day.

But we have to remember, that we will be above 3000 m altitude from the very first day of our Tibet Lhasa tour. And there will always be a few who may feel mild symptoms, such as headaches, lack of appetite, and insomnia but it often passes within 2 to 3 hours.

Therefore, we suggest you stay inside your room on your arrival day in the Lhasa hotel for rest and adaptation to the dry air of Tibet. Please make sure to talk to our guide before things get serious.

You should always carry Diamox, which can to some extent prevent and alleviate mild altitude problems. And, don’t worry, the journey is based on good acclimatization and only three days in Lhasa so the condition cannot get serious.

Accommodation

During our Tibet Lhasa tour 4 days, we offer you twin-bedded accommodation in one of the relaxing tourist hotels in the charming Lhasa old town on a bed and breakfast basis. Expect the dazzling spectacle of Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple,and Bakhor Street from your hotel balcony.

The rooms have private washrooms with water heaters. Internet may be available in bars, or luxurious rooms. When we made the advance booking of the hotel for you, we made sure the hotel could provide oxygen supplies and has proper heating and air conditioning.

As the major tourist attraction and the capital of Tibet, Lhasa boasts multiple levels of hotels from international 5-star luxury hotels to budget hostels and guesthouses.

If you are interested in upgrading your accommodations in Lhasa, please inform us when you book your trip. There are numerous local and international luxurious five-star hotels in Lhasa such as the St. Regis Resort Hotel, the Lhasa Manasarovar Hotel, the Lhasa Brahmaputra Hotel, and the Intercontinental Lhasa Paradise.

Meals

As part of our Tibet Lhasa tour, we will provide you with a daily breakfast at your hotel. You will have the opportunity to discover the local cuisine for lunch and dinner at the numerous restaurants and cafes in Lhasa.

Tibetan cuisine is a merge between local ingredients with Indian, Nepalese, and Chinese flavors. The main components are vegetables and meat, with only salt, garlic, and onions used for seasoning.

You must try lamb sausages, dried yak meat, momos, thukpa, tsampa, and Sichuan noodle dishes. The locals love yogurt, so make sure to give it a try. We also suggest you try the butter and sweet tea with your meal.

Lhasa has very charming nightlife and you can visit several of its bars popular among both locals and tourists. You can drop in Makye Ame, Ganglamedo Cafe, and Bar, Nepali Low House Music Bar, and Dunya Restaurant Bar for a Western-style bar experience.

Please note that the cost of lunch, dinner, drinks, and beverages is not part of our service. However, dining and drinking costs in Lhasa are quite affordable, with an estimated expense of $25-30 per person per day.

Transportation

During the Tibet Lhasa tour 4 days, private transportation by van or bus will be provided for all travel within Lhasa. Our Tibetan team will be there to assist you throughout the journey, starting from meeting you at the Lhasa airport to dropping you off at the airport from your hotel. All trips to Lhasa monasteries, parks, and markets will be conducted using private transport.

There are also blue and white taxis, DiDi taxis, tricycles, buses, and bicycles to get around in Lhasa.

Flight Information (If you fly from Kathmandu)

You can fly from your country to Lhasa or buy a plane ticket separate from the international flight. However, remember you need the Tibet Entry Permit to be able to board the flight to Lhasa and that you must make a stopover of at least 5 hours or stay at least one night in a Chinese city so that we can give you the original Tibet Entry Permit.

However, one of the easiest and hassle-free ways to get to Lhasa is to take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa which only takes from 1.5 to 2 hours covering an aerial distance of 600 km.

However, the full daily flights have not been operated yet but allowed only three flights per week from April 17, 2024. Himalayan Airlines operates three flights per week from Kathmandu to Lhasa, only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

If you decide to travel on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, you may have to make a connecting flight to Chengdu.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is the separate and most important point when planning a trip to Tibet where there is no free health care with high medical cost. We therefore recommend you take out travel insurance that includes emergency evacuation, medical and health coverage, and trip cancellation.

Physical fitness and health

For those who are healthy individuals with average fitness and no chronic ailments, our Tibet Lhasa tour is a great fit. The tour does not require extensive hiking in the mountainous region of Tibet where altitude, weather, and other unseen potential risks are involved.

We will stay in comfortable hotels at night and transportation will be in private transfers. If you are already active, participating in gym sessions, walking, or other exercises, no extra preparation is needed.

However, you will be part of a full-day exploration tour of Lhasa. Visits to monasteries and markets will be done on foot. If you are not very active, we recommend doing some walking in the park, climbing stairs, or running a month before the trip to prepare for the full-day exploration.

If you have chronic ailments like cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, please seek guidance from your doctor due to potentially expensive healthcare services in China.

We also suggest you bring a small first aid kit with the most common medicines for traveling. Although there are of course pharmacies and medicines in Tibet, some may not be available or may not be of the same quality.

In particular, do not forget to bring mosquito repellents, anti-diarrheal medicines, medicines to prevent road sickness, and any other medicines that you take or need to take regularly.

We also like to remind you that this tour is a group tour therefore a high degree of cooperation and flexibility from all the members is a must.

Communication and network

The mobile networks and connectivity in Tibet have greatly improved within the past few years. The availability of 5G service for high-speed mobile internet and communication is a significant development. After you land in Lhasa, you can obtain local SIM cards of China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile by presenting your documents. Our Tibetan guide will help you with the purchase and activation of the service.

As for internet connectivity via WIFI, there is WIFI access in the reception area of your hotel, in bars, and in some high-paid rooms. However, you cannot access Western blogs and websites including social media such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, Gmail, Twitter, and Google.

An effective fix to the problem is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to modify your country location when using the internet from Lhasa. You can either download a VPN app on your mobile device or use the SIM card with a built-in VPN, such as eSIM, which offers data plans of 5GB, 10GB, or 25GB for 7, 15, or 30 days.

Currency

The local currency used in Tibet is the Chinese Renminbi Yuan (RMB). You can change your national currency at the exchange counters of national banks or in hotels you stay at Lhasa. Please remember that banks remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays. It is best to take USD or EURO in cash with you for the exchange on-site. Also, hotels may charge some extra for exchanging the currency.

In Lhasa, you can also use ATMs where you can withdraw money using your credit or debit card. Most ATMs accept international credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard. However, it is advisable to check with your bank before traveling about possible fees and limits for foreign withdrawals.

The usage of credit cards is also increasing in Lhasa. You can pay bills with your credit cards in hotels, restaurants, and shops but not always and everywhere.

Additionally, certain mobile payment apps can also be used for payments. You can easily use WeChat Pay, Apple Pay, Alipay for your payment in Lhasa. This option is more convenient and safe.

It is important to remember that coins are not accepted in Tibet. As an international visitor in Lhasa, we advise you to carry the Chinese Yuan on hand so it’s easy to make the payments on-site.

What to expect?

Our Tibet Lhasa tour 4 days provides a unique opportunity to get a unique insight into the capital of the mystical Kingdom of Tibet. After landing at the Gonggar International Airport, you will already be able to breathe in the charming Tibetan air. As you drive to your hotel through the colorful and lively streets of the capital, you will be able to see how busy the lives of the locals are.

You will have the opportunity to see the local shops, restaurants, cafes, and markets as you explore the streets of Lhasa. The well-paved and well-maintained roads in the capital will make transportation easy for you, as we will provide a private vehicle for your convenience.

Throughout your journey, our Tibetan guide will be by your side to help you, translate for you, and provide you the detailed explanations about the significance of each monument in Tibetan Buddhism.

You will sleep in one of the most comfortable hotels in the old town of Lhasa. Each room bestows a wonderful view of the majestic Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Market.

Your tour will begin the next day with a visit to the mesmerizing architectural and religious sites of Lhasa. On the first day of the tour, you will explore the world-famous Potala Palace, walk in the park around the palace, and stroll along the cultural and historical center of Lhasa – Bakhor Street.

Then, the next day will be dedicated to exploring the monasteries of Sera and Drepung, located on the outskirts of Lhasa. Our activities will also include observing the living arrangements of the student monks and witnessing the engaging philosophical debates among the monks.

Each day of the tour starts with a delightful breakfast at your hotel, followed by pickup from our guide. You will have the opportunity to taste delicious local cuisine and take stunning photos. Your tour will end in the evening after a tasty dinner.

Visa Information

Access to Tibet by foreign travelers is strictly regulated by the Chinese Government. Therefore, any tour to Tibet must be booked through a reputable and authorized travel agency (like us) that will acquire the needed documents for the tour.

Another important point to remember is any personal or individual tour on your own to Tibet is not permitted (regardless of what the internet tells you). Also, consider the timeframe needed for securing the permits; when traveling from Nepal to Lhasa, a Chinese Group Visa along with a Tibet Travel Permit are required for which 15 days are needed to complete all the necessary procedures.

Since we will not be entering any sensitive regions of Tibet in our Tibet Lhasa tour, other permits are not needed (like in the Kailash tour).

•  Tibet Travel Permit

The Tibet Travel Permit or Tibet Visa is a document required to travel to Tibet for all non-Chinese persons, which means those who do not have a Chinese passport. This document can only be issued by the Tibetan Tourism Office through an official travel agency.

After you confirm and make the needed payment for the Tibet Lhasa tour with us, we will begin the processing of the Tibet Travel permit. Please note that once the tour has been confirmed, we cannot change the route as the sites we will visit will be indicated in the Tibet Travel Permit. If you wish to modify the route afterward, another Tibet Entry Permit must be processed again.

For this permit, we need you to send your scanned passport copy at least 15 days before our travel date. Please keep in mind the scanned copy must be in color, clear, and without any part cut off. If the passports are not properly scanned, the Tibet Entry Permit may not be processed.

After the permits have been approved and issued, the Tibetan travel agency will send the invitation letter to us so that we can apply for your Group Visa in Kathmandu. Before boarding the Kathmandu-Lhasa flight, you will show the Group Visa and upon arrival at Lhasa airport, the guide who will pick you up will already have the Tibet Entry Permit in hand.

•  Chinese Group Visa

When any international traveler chooses to enter Tibet via Nepal, we must obtain the Chinese Group Visa which is a single document issued for all the members in a group. Therefore, all group members must enter and exit the country at the same time. Please remember it is not necessary to obtain a Chinese group visa in advance.

We will process the Group Visa after you arrive in Kathmandu for which you need to submit your Passport, photo, and fingerprints to the Chinese Embassy. Your passport-sized photo must be (51mm x 51mm) with a white background, no glass, and no makeup. They will keep your passport for two official nights for the verification of your identity.

The Chinese Group Visa can be applied via regular application taking 4 business days and express application taking 3 business days. Regarding the charge of the Visa, it is as follows:

•  US Citizens: $175 for normal application (4 business days) and $185 for express application (3 business days)
•  Other citizens: $70 to $170 for standard requests (4 business days) and $90 to $180 for urgent applications (3 business days). The Visa fee here depends on your country of origin.