According to militarynous, Tibet (Tibetan: བོད་, Chinese:西藏) is a territory and a former independent state in China (Asia) bordering India, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal. The traditional capital of Tibet is Lhasa. A number of major cities in Tibet are: Shigatse, Gyantse, Chamdo and Nagchu.

Tibet is known for Tibetan Buddhism, Dalai Lama, views, the Himalayas and the many impressive monasteries and buildings such as the Potala Palace. According to mathgeneral, Tibet is a very high country. The southern part of the area is in the Himalayas and the rest in the Tibetan Highlands. Due to the altitude, the air is less rich in oxygen. This means especially for many tourists that they have to acclimatize for a while after arrival and that they can have little physical effort. Tourism is Tibet’s main source of income.

Where is Tibet located?

Travel information of Tibet

Official name: Tibet
Continent: Asia
Area: 1,246,000 km²
Capital: Lhasa
Population: 2,700,000 inhabitants
Form of government: Autonomous region of China
Highest point: 8,848 m (Mount Everest)
Distance (Amsterdam – Lhasa): 7,635 km
Flight time: approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes

Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.

Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete tours and holidays to Tibet. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compile your ideal trip yourself.

Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Tibet?

Weather and climate
Tibet has a high mountain climate. During the summer months the temperatures are around 10 to 20 degrees and during the winter months around 5 to -10 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Tibet can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Tibet can be found at Climate info.

Best time
May, June and September are the best months to travel to Tibet. This way you avoid the relatively cold winter months and mass tourism.

Language
Tibetan is the official language in Tibet. In addition, a lot of English is spoken.

Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 7 months when applying for a visa.
A visa is required. This is valid for 3 months and can be requested at the consulate of China in The Hague, which can be reached via visaforchina.org.
In addition to a valid visa for China, you need a travel permit for Tibet, which is only issued to groups. A tour operator will arrange this for you. If you want to travel outside the capital Lhasa, you will need an Alien Travel permit or Military Permit in addition to the standard permit. A visa for China is not valid if you enter Tibet from Nepal. You will then explicitly need a Chinese visa from the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu.

Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in China (also for Tibet): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Chinese Embassy and Consulate in the Netherlands: nl.china-embassy.org.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.

Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Tibet it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).

Malaria
Malaria occurs outside the major cities. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.

Money and Currency
In Tibet, payments are made with the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Tibet can be found on our ATMs page.

Tipping
In Tibet it is not customary to tip.

Time difference
During our summer time it is 6 hours later in Tibet.
During our winter time it is 7 hours later in Tibet.
Tibet has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Tibet can be found on our time difference page.

Traffic and route
In Tibet you have to drive on the right.
In Tibet, you must have a Chinese driver’s license to rent and/or drive a motor vehicle.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Tibet.

Electricity
In Tibet you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Tibet can be found on our electricity page.

Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 110
– Fire: 119
– Ambulance: 120

Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.

News and newspapers
The latest news related to Tibet can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Tibet can be found on Abyznewslinks.

Internet
Websites from Tibet end in.cn.
Tibet official website: tibet.net.

Telephone
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Tibet is 0086 or +86.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Tibet? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
All Tibet area codes can be found on Wikipedia.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Tibet.

Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Tibet.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Tibet.

Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Tibet can be found on Beleven.org.

Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotel), restaurants and destinations in Tibet, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.

Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Tibet?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Tibet. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.

Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Tibet can be found on Protected Planet.
Tibet is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Tibet? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.

Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Tibet.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.2.
– Tobacco: Buying and or smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed

Did you know that…
…Tibet is part of China?
… There is less oxygen in the air in Tibet than here?
…Tibet is on average at an altitude of 4,000 meters?
…The famous Potala palace has no fewer than 13 floors?
…The government of Tibet is in India?
…More than 1 million people died during China’s reconquest of Tibet?