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Overview | 'Shangri La', 'the Rooftop of the World' - locked away in its Himalayan fortress, Tibet has long exercised a siren's hold on the imagination of the West. Tibetans are used to hardship and, despite the disastrous Chinese occupation, they have managed to keep their culture and humour alive. | When To Go | Although the Tibetan climate is not as harsh as many people imagine, be prepared for sudden drops in temperature at night, particularly in western Tibet. The most pleasant time of year is between May and early November, after which temperatures start to plummet. However, in May and June there is a wind factor to consider and dust storms are not unusual. During July and August you may find roads temporarily washed out along the Friendship Highway to Nepal. These two months usually see around half of Tibet's annual rainfall.October is the best time to make a trip out to the east. Lhasa and its environs don't get really cold until the end of November. Although winter is very cold, many restaurants are shut and snowfalls can sometimes make travel difficult, some travellers swear by these months. There are few travellers about and Lhasa, for example, is crowded with nomads and at its most colourful.March is a politically sensitive month the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising and fli | Visas | There are three levels of bureaucracy you need to jump through to travel in Tibet: a visa to get into China, a Tibet Tourism Bureau TTB permit to get into Tibet and an Alien Travel Permit to travel to certain regions of Tibet. The current regulations which could change tomorrow state that all foreigners wanting to visit Tibet must be part of a group though a 'group' can be only one person!. Then you can obtain the TTB permit required to buy an air ticket into Tibet. During the high season July to September you may also need a return ticket to either Kathmandu, Ch¨¦ngd¨± or Golmud, and perhaps a couple of nights' accommodation.The reality is that most travellers buy a package through a budget travel agency. The cheapest way into Tibet is an air package to Lhasa from Ch¨¦ngd¨±, which includes the flight, the semi-mythical TTB permit which you'll never see and, usually, transfer to Ch¨¦ngd¨± airport. On arrival in Lhasa these temporary 'groups' disband. It is now also possible to fl | Getting There | The only airline that flies into Tibet is currently Air China, though it is reported that a new airline called Air Tibet will be created to operate flights in and out of Lhasa. Royal Nepal Airlines also has plans to fly the Kathmandu-Lhasa leg. Flights to and from Lhasa are frequently cancelled or delayed in the winter months, so if you are flying at this time give yourself a couple of days' leeway in Chengdu if you have a connecting flight. |
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 |  | Lhasa Overland | From Kathmandu you fly across the Himalaya taking in breathtaking views of towering peaks all the way. From here you’ll visit Tsedang and cross the river to Samye Monastery. In Lhasa discover the famous Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple – the religious centre of Tibetan Buddhism, encircled by holy Barkhor Square – Tibet’s largest bazaar. |
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|  | | | | Roof of the World | From Kathmandu, you’ll take a breathtaking flight across the Himalayas into Tibet. Upon arrival you make the short journey to Tsedang, to visit Yumbulagang, the oldest fortress in Tibet. From here, you’ll cross the Tsangpo River to Samye Monastery, before continuing to Lhasa where you’ll marvel at the Potala Palace towering over the city and visit Jokhang Temple, the religious centre of Tibetan Buddhism. |
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