Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that Tibet would end up as one of my favourite travel destinations of all time. Besides the spectacular National Geographic-worthy scenery, I thought I would share some reasons why you should visit Tibet at least once in your life:

Tibet is every photography enthusiast’s paradise

Tibet is very photogenic. When it comes to natural scenery, no other country comes close, except probably New Zealand and Switzerland, but there is a wilder and deeper side to Tibet that makes it breathtakingly beautiful.

Think dramatic white clouds, beautiful turquoise lakes, vast frozen glaciers and rocky, towering mountains that are largely uninhabited. You don’t even have to visit the 3 holy lakes to be treated to spectacular views like these.

 

 

Panoramic view of Lhasa

Also, have you ever visited a destination where every walkway, building and passerby looked this photogenic? Keep your eyes peeled and cameras handy, because pleasant surprises await at every turn.

 

Tibetan Pilgrim

 

There are more Tibetan pilgrims in winter compared to any other time of the year.

 

;;;

Masquerading as a Tibetan pilgrim (Told you there are surprises at every turn!)

 

You’ll be intrigued by their cultural heritage and religious traditions

Did you know that the bold, intricate designs of the traditional costumes worn by local Tibetans are not just beautiful works of art? They tell a story too. From the costumes alone, you can ascertain which part of Tibet a person is from and whether he/she is a farmer or nomad.

 

Tibetan pilgrims and sporty-looking tourist (aka me)

Tibet’s culture and identity are inextricably linked to Tibetan Buddhism. Visits to places of worship and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Potala Palace, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Jokhang Temple are eye-opening experiences as Tibetan Buddhism is unlike any other religion.

Sera Monastery

The Monks Debate at Sera Monastery aims to deepen the monks’ understanding of the holy scriptures. Monks who are seated are questioned by those who are standing. Depending on the quality of the answers, the standing monk will either clap his hands with both palms facing each other (this means the answer is good) or with both palms facing up (meaning the answer isn’t satisfactory and requires further justifications)

 

Potala Palace, the main residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959

Tibetan Knot  – Blue symbolizes the sky, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water and yellow symbolizes earth.

Rituals are a vital part of the culture and their meticulous attention to detail can be seen from the way these places of worship are constructed, to the Tibetan prayer bells, wheels, flags and even the way pilgrims pray by sliding on the ground continuously in full prostration.

Tibetan pilgrim holding a prayer wheel at Bakhor Street

Prostrating Tibetans (Gotta love those stylish braids too)

 

Tibetan cuisine is delicious, if you avoid tourist traps

We had a very good Tibetan guide (his name is Chimple) who brought us only to restaurants frequented by the locals. After hearing horror stories about how tough and tasteless yak meat is, I was pleasantly surprised that the yak meat we had at every meal was succulent and tasty. It is compulsory to hire a guide in Tibet, so go on, ask your guide to take you to his favourite local joints!

Butter tea is a common beverage in Tibet and Chimple brought some of his home-made butter tea to sample. Did you know that authentic butter tea is made using milk from the female yak (also known as nak) but most butter teas found in shops today use ordinary butter? It was a privilege to have had the opportunity to savour this delicacy.

Tibetans are a welcoming bunch (and they can speak Mandarin too)

Everywhere we went, Tibetans would smile warmly at us. It is useful to have a decent command of the Chinese language because Tibetans can speak Mandarin too.

Exploring a Tibetan village

We had the chance to visit a Tibetan village and some of the local houses, which gave us a deeper understanding of their living environment and how Tibetan Buddhism is a way of life for everyone.

Typical Tibetan house

 

Tibetan living room

Even when the rest of the house looks like it needs a makeover, their dedicated prayer room is always spick and span. As most Tibetans are still devoted to the Dalai Lama, who is currently in exile in India, religious activities are closely monitored by the Chinese government.

Altar in the prayer room

 

Flour cakes made with flour and butter for prayer rituals

 

 

Butter lamps for praying

Words and photographs alone cannot adequately express how enchanted I am with Tibet, and I would urge you to visit this beautiful destination at least once in your lifetime. You’ll only truly understand what I mean when you’ve personally experienced the wonders of Tibet.

Plus, where else can you enjoy such a gorgeous view during a massive traffic jam?

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For more information on my trip to Tibet, click on the links below to read my previous posts:

Tibet: Altitude Sickness & Acclimatisation Tips

Taking the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa

You may also be interested in this article on preventing altitude sickness in Tibet written by YoWangdu Tibetan Culture business and website:

Altitude Sickness Prevention in a Nutshell

 

 

I peered out of the window where a vast expanse of mountainous landscape stretched out to the horizon. The view from the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (the world’s highest railway) alternates between snow-capped mountains and meandering lakes against the backdrop of the blazing sun and azure blue skies; a feast for the eyes if you are a nature lover. My eyes were glued to the breathtaking scenery and despite being at an altitude of 15,000 feet, all my worries about possible altitude sickness were cast into oblivion. There was just something extraordinary about this harsh and hostile environment that I found remarkably attractive.

The sun rays began streaming in in the most unforgivable manner at close to 9 a.m. Even in winter, at temperatures way below freezing point, the sun in Tibet is scorching. I remember forcing my eyes open as I wanted to soak in the beauty of what laid before me. At one point, there was an announcement that we were about to pass by Namtso Lake, the second largest salt lake in China and the highest salt lake in the world. I sat up in excitement, armed with my camera, and gasped in amazement when I set my eyes on the sparkling turquoise blue waters that seemed to span across eternity.

Namtso Lake, the highest salt lake in the world

Time came to a standstill before majestic mountain ranges came back into focus, and in the blink of an eye, three long but fruitful hours had passed. All this while, my husband was sound asleep as he was experiencing mild symptoms of altitude sickness.

It is possible to suffer from altitude sickness on the train, since it reaches a highest point of over 16,000 feet above sea level. Barring that possibility and the 15-hour total travel time from Xining to Tibet (or even longer from other cities), I could still completely understand why the Qinghai-Tibet Railway remains highly popular among travelers to Tibet. Mother Nature definitely spent a little more time on the roof of the world, and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway gives you unrivaled access to its raw, untainted beauty.

Northern Tibet

The train ride itself is also pretty comfortable if you are in the first class soft sleeper berth, which is frequently sold out in the peak season. The staff and fellow passengers are genuinely friendly and surprisingly polite especially if you speak Mandarin. Truth be told, I never felt more relieved to have a relatively decent command of the language. I had a long chat with a college girl traveling alone from Changsha all the way back to her hometown, Golmud, for the Chinese New Year festivities. She gave me a tip or two on places to visit in Tibet as we munched on some snacks before calling it a night. I don’t usually warm up to strangers quickly but in this situation, talking to her felt very comforting and was a much welcomed distraction from the fears of falling prey to altitude sickness.

Me in my soft sleeper berth

I have heard horror stories about the toilets on board but personally, I found the condition of the toilets rather acceptable. Although the train offers meals and the food selection isn’t too shabby, most passengers bring their own food and so did we. We stocked up on Japanese cup noodles (we were overjoyed that they came with slices of meat!), snacks and drinks for the journey. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the train ride and would highly recommend it over taking a plane.

You can take the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from many cities, including Xining (where we boarded), Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Lanzhou. It is necessary to hire a guide for your adventures in Tibet and you can easily book the tickets through your appointed guide.

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For more information on battling altitude sickness in Tibet, read my previous post here:

Why is Tibet worth visiting? Read my latest post about Tibet below:Why Tibet is Worth Visiting

Having received many queries from friends and readers on my recent trip, I will be sharing 6 tips on overcoming altitude sickness and acclimatizing in Tibet based on my personal experience in today’s post.

My
trip to Tibet was a spontaneous decision made less than a month ago. We
had a few days to spare before Singapore beckoned and winter seemed
like the perfect time to avoid the tourist crowds in the land of snows. At the back of my mind however, I was worried that JW and I would fall prey to altitude sickness at the roof of the world.

What is Altitude Sickness?

Altitude sickness is common when you travel to altitudes of more than 8000 feet (2500m) due to lower oxygen levels. There are three types of altitude sickness, the mildest being Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), which causes headache, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPE) causes breathlessness due to the build up of fluids in your lungs, and may be accompanied by cough, fever and frothy spitum. HAPE can be fatal in a few hours, so do take extra care to descend to a lower altitude if you or your traveling companion experiences this.

High Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACE) is like a more severe case of AMS, except that symptoms such as headache, nausea and the works progressively worsen and cause unsteadiness, confusion, drowsiness and ultimately, coma. Again, it is important to descend immediately as HACE will also kill you in a few hours.

Who is more susceptible to Altitude Sickness?

Unfortunately, no one is able to tell who is more susceptible to altitude sickness, but the good news is, you can take preventive measures to alleviate symptoms as and when they arise:

1. When you go to Tibet makes a difference

Winter may not be the best time to head to Tibet, but it is remarkably beautiful even at this time of the year.

Winter is probably the worst time to head to Tibet as altitude sickness worsens during this time of the year due to the lack of vegetation and thus oxygen. I think we took a risk by going there in winter, but taking medication before the trip definitely helped (read on to find out more).

Spring and summer are apparently ideal seasons for travel in Tibet but do take note that you would also have to deal with the tourist crowds due to peak season.

2.  How you get to Tibet matters

 

Qinghai-Tibet Railway (credit: Wikipedia)

If you fly straight into Tibet, the possibility of getting serious altitude sickness is much higher as a result of the sudden change in altitude.

On the contrary, taking the Qinghai-Tibet Railway would lower the risk or at least lessen the extent of altitude sickness. That said, the train does climb to very high altitudes (up to 15000 feet) between Golmud and Lhasa, which is not ideal for acclimatization. To give you a better comparison, Lhasa is only 11975 feet (3650m).

Based on reviews on TripAdvisor, it appears rather common for travellers to suffer from nausea and vomiting on the train.

For the reasons above, it is generally advisable to acclimatise in a lower highland (about 8000 feet) for 1-2 days before heading to Tibet. You can fly into Xining (7464 feet), capital of Qinghai and tour for 1-2 days before continuing your journey to Lhasa by train.

 

3. Take altitude sickness medication before your trip

Due to time constraints, JW and I couldn’t afford to spend extra time in Xining. We flew to Xining in the day and boarded the train to Lhasa in the evening on the very same day. I think luck was on our side as I only experienced very mild light-headedness while JW had fatigue.

I believe we could have had it worse if not for the medication that we had been taking prior to our trip.

Here are 3 types of altitude sickness medication that you can consider:

i) Hong Jing Tian

 

Hong Jing Tian, 红景天

This popular Tibetan herb helps your body to adapt to high altitudes. Personally, I would highly recommend this herb for its effectiveness and lack of side effects. We took this continuously 2 weeks before the trip and throughout the entire duration of our trip. During the trip, we experienced very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.

We bought this in China, but if you are heading over from Singapore, you can purchase this from the Chinese emporium at People’s Park.

 ii) Diamox (Acetazolamide)

Diamox is the most commonly prescribed western medication for altitude sickness. If you are based in Singapore, you can only purchase this from pharmacies located in hospitals (I got mine from Guardian pharmacy at Gleneagles Hospital), but before you head down, be sure to first obtain a prescription from your GP.

What I didn’t like about this medication was the side effects. I took Diamox the day before I flew to Xining and I experienced numbness and tingling sensations on my hands, feet and even face, as well as increased urination. I decided to stop Diamox immediately and reverted to Hong Jing Tian, which served me well.

iii) Dexamethasone 

I didn’t take this medication at all and I am no doctor, but based on my understanding, this should only be taken when you experience severe altitude sickness such as HACE. For such cases, Dexamethasone and Diamox might even be taken together.

 

4. Take it slow in Tibet

Walk slowly and have ample rest throughout your trip. The air is much thinner and you might have difficulties breathing, especially when sleeping.

If you can, try to regulate your breathing by slowing it down with longer inhalations and exhalations. I found this particularly helpful whenever my breathing went out of whack.

 

5. Stay at a better hotel

Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa, Tibet

Since the majority of travellers experience altitude sickness, it makes sense to put up at a comfortable accommodation with an in-house clinic and oxygen bar. I’m talking about the Shangri-La Hotel, the only hotel in Lhasa currently that has an oxygen bar.

The hotel has an excellent heating system which is perfect for winter travel, amazing beds and sumptuous western buffet breakfast so you can start your day on the right foot.

6. Eat Carbohydrates, Drink Water & Avoid Alcohol

Resting and eating well are of paramount importance when it comes to battling altitude sickness. As a lot of walking is required and more energy is lost due to breathing difficulties, it is advisable to stick to a diet that is made up of 80% carbohydrates. It is also important to drink more water than usual, and to avoid alcohol which only dehydrates your body further.
I followed this routine strictly while I was in Tibet and found that it worked for me.

Butter Tea – Made of yak butter, black tea, water and salt

According to the Tibetans, butter tea (made using yak butter, black tea, water and salt) gives you energy and helps with acclimatisation too. We tried this courtesy of our guide and it really tastes just like liquid butter.

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I wish I could tell you that by doing all of the above, you would be completely unaffected by altitude sickness in Tibet.

The truth is, altitude sickness affects each individual differently, and even the fittest person may not be able to escape unscathed. That said, by taking good care of your health and ensuring that you take the necessary preventive measures for acclimatisation as shared above, I believe you’ll be more likely to wing it and make it through!

I hope you found this post useful. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.

For first dibs on my Tibet trip and other upcoming adventures, follow me on my social media platforms below:

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Have a great week ahead!

*****

Read more about my adventures in Tibet below:

Why Tibet is Worth Visiting

Taking the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa