If you have any questions related to Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan tours or tours to Pan-Himalaya region, please kindly list here. PTT will reply you within 24 hours. Additionally, maybe your questions are of great universality to those who have same inquiries.
The questions listed below are some representative ones asked by our clients. We hope they could be helpful to you and give you quick and clear answers.
1. Do I have to get visa for Tibet? We hear that there are some limitations for foreign travelers from the world? We are from Germany.
Yes indeed, you need to have a valid passport, a valid China visa and a Tibet Travel Permit (Often shortened as TTB, sometimes is also called Tibet Entry Permit). Additionally, if you want to go out of Lhasa area to places such as Nagqu and Nagri or some other places, you need to hold the Alien’s Travel Permit. However, do not worry about the materials which you have to prepare. We will issue all the permits as per the confirmed tour for you.
2. Can I enter Tibet without China visa?
Sorry you can not. Tibet is called Tibet Autonomous Region of China, so it’s essential for you to have visa for China and then a TTB can make you book air-ticket or train-ticket to Tibet.
3. Can you issue China visa for us? We are now in Katmandu?
In fact, you can easily get visa for China in the Chinese Embassy in Katmandu, below is the information for Chinese Embassy in Nepal:
Ambassador: Mr. Zheng Xianglin
Address: Baluwatar, Katmandu, Nepal
Tel: +977-1-4419389
Fax: +977-1-4414045
Email: chinaemb_np@mfa.gov.cn
Office Hours: Only on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9:00am to 11:30am. (Except Holidays in China)
4. Is it hard to purchase Tibet Entry Permit?
You can easily get it from a travel company, but except diplomats, journalists, and government officials, who have to be under the arrangement by the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Government if want to go to Tibet.
5. How can I receive Tibet Entry Permit once it is issued? Can I print the e-copy one out to take with me?
Sorry you need to take the original version not the copy printed-out one. We will send you the permit document as follows:
We can send you the permit by Express Delivery if you are in China Mainland before you enter Tibet. We can also arrange some one to give you the permit at the airport of Chinese cities, tell us your flight information, and our guys will wait you there.
6. What’s your tour type for Tibet, I mean is it join-in tour?
All we provide are the private and customized tours; means there are no other tourists in your group, only you families, your friends, and someone you are familiar with or recognize.
At the same time, if you want others who you don’t recognize to join your group, it’s also okay.
7. What about hotel accommodation like in Tibet? Can you pls kindly give us some description about that?
Unlike other major cities of China or other countries, the hotel accommodation of Tibet may not be as what you expect with the same standard, but most of them are with great local characteristics. There are 3 main kinds:
Guesthouse: This is for those who want budget tour, twin-sharing, triple-room, four-bed room. When it is during the trekking tour, if you don’t want to choose campsite for your overnight, guesthouse may be the unique choice for you.
Standard hotel: This requires good locations, comfortable room accommodation, with private bathroom on basis of twin sharing, usually ranked 3-star.
Deluxe hotel: This is ranked 4-star hotel or better one but only can be found within Lhasa, if you want hotel accommodation to be better in other places, 3-star hotels are also available. And some of them may be of no stars, but absolutely comfortable.
Commonly, we call the room with two beds “Twin sharing”, for those who want to choose room with 1 big bed, we call it “Double room” (Shortened as DBL). Both of the two are available but the DBL one need to book as early as possible.
8. Is there Internet service provided in the hotel?
As great progress has been made in most of Tibet’s hotels, however, you still need to check with our travel advisor to check if there is Internet Service in the hotel before you make confirmation.
9. what about hot water for shower in the hotel?
Like which in Nepal, the water flow may sometimes run small and just warm, especially in some remote area. And most of hotels are using solar energy, so we suggest you take shower once you arrive at hotel.
10. Can you please tell us something about vehicle which you are going to use for us?
Sure, tour vehicles such as private car, SUV (4WD, Toyota Land Cruiser, type 4300, 4500 or 4700, Mitsubishi SUV, etc, this is based on the remote routes such as way to Ngari, Shannan, Mt. Everest Basing Camp, etc., for these roads may be full of bad conditions), bus (Chinese King-Long brand if there are over 8 pax.) are available, vehicle difference may differ from your group size.
11. Good day! As we 2 want our tour covering Chengdu, Tibet, Kathmandu, is it possible purchasing air-ticket from you?
Yes of course, you can choose likes this:
1) Flight from Chengdu to Lhasa, Kathmandu back to Chengdu.
2) Flight from Chengdu to Kathmandu, Lhasa back to Chengdu.
Both of the two are package-flights provided by Air-China (CA) with good prices, but from Lhasa to Kathmandu or Kathmandu to Lhasa, you may buy another air-ticket via Pan-Tibet Travel, we also recommend you to take land transportation between Lhasa and Kathmandu. You may tell us your exact departure date and we will offer you the day’s real time fare.
12. What’s your advice on our personal health care and medication?
Travelers' diarrhea is the most common travel-related ailment. The cornerstone of prevention is food and water precautions, as outlined below. All travelers should bring along an antibiotic and an antidiarrheal drug to be started promptly if significant diarrhea occurs, defined as three or more loose stools in an 8-hour period or five or more loose stools in a 24-hour period, especially if associated with nausea, vomiting, cramps, fever or blood in the stool. A quinolone antibiotic is usually prescribed: either ciprofloxacin (Cipro)(PDF) 500 mg twice daily or levofloxacin (Levaquin) (PDF) 500 mg once daily for a total of three days. Quinolones are generally well-tolerated, but occasionally cause sun sensitivity and should not be given to children, pregnant women, or anyone with a history of quinolone allergy. Alternative regimens include a three day course of rifaximin (Xifaxan) 200 mg three times daily or azithromycin (Zithromax) 500 mg once daily. Rifaximin should not be used by those with fever or bloody stools and is not approved for pregnant women or those under age 12. Azithromycin should be avoided in those allergic to erythromycin or related antibiotics. An antidiarrheal drug such as loperamide (Imodium) or diphenoxylate (Lomotil) should be taken as needed to slow the frequency of stools, but not enough to stop the bowel movements completely. Diphenoxylate (Lomotil) and loperamide (Imodium) should not be given to children under age two.
Most cases of travelers' diarrhea are mild and do not require either antibiotics or antidiarrheal drugs. Adequate fluid intake is essential.
If diarrhea is severe or bloody, or if fever occurs with shaking chills, or if abdominal pain becomes marked, or if diarrhea persists for more than 72 hours, medical attention should be sought.
Though effective, antibiotics are not recommended prophylactically (i.e. to prevent diarrhea before it occurs) because of the risk of adverse effects, though this approach may be warranted in special situations, such as immunocompromised travelers.
Malaria in Tibet: prophylaxis is recommended only for travel along the valley of the Zangbo river in the extreme southeast. For many years, the drug of choice has been chloroquine, which is inexpensive and generally well-tolerated. The recommended dosage is 500 mg weekly, starting one-to-two weeks before arrival and continuing through the trip and for four weeks after departure. Chloroquine may cause mild adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal disturbance, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and itching, but severe reactions are uncommon. Other choices include mefloquine (Lariam), atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone)(PDF), doxycycline, and primaquine. Mefloquine is taken once weekly in a dosage of 250 mg, starting one-to-two weeks before arrival and continuing through the trip and for four weeks after departure. Mefloquine may cause mild neuropsychiatric symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, and nightmares. Rarely, severe reactions occur, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, hallucinations, and seizures. Mefloquine should not be given to anyone with a history of seizures, psychiatric illness, cardiac conduction disorders, or allergy to quinine or quinidine. Those taking mefloquine should read the Lariam Medication Guide (PDF). Atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone) is a recently approved combination pill taken once daily with food starting two days before arrival and continuing through the trip and for seven days after departure. Side-effects, which are typically mild, may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, or dizziness. Serious adverse reactions are rare. Doxycycline is effective, but may cause an exaggerated sunburn reaction, which limits its usefulness in the tropics. Primaquine may cause hemolytic anemia in those with G6PD deficiency, so a blood test documenting normal G6PD levels must be obtained before starting primaquine. In those with normal G6PD levels, the main side-effect of primaquine is gastrointestinal disturbance, which can be minimized by taking the medication with food. Insect protection measures are advised in these areas.
Altitude sickness may occur in travelers who ascend rapidly to altitudes greater than 2500 meters. Most roads and towns in Tibet are at altitudes over 3000 meters. Acetazolamide is the drug of choice to prevent altitude sickness. The usual dosage is 125 or 250 mg twice daily starting 24 hours before ascent and continuing for 48 hours after arrival at altitude. Possible side-effects include increased urinary volume, numbness, tingling, nausea, drowsiness, myopia and temporary impotence. Acetazolamide should not be given to pregnant women or those with a history of sulfa allergy. For those who cannot tolerate acetazolamide, the preferred alternative is dexamethasone 4 mg taken four times daily. Unlike acetazolamide, dexamethasone must be tapered gradually upon arrival at altitude, since there is a risk that altitude sickness will occur as the dosage is reduced.
13. We want to travel Tibet and Nepal during this October for about 15-day, can we just travel on our own and need you to book air-ticket for us?
1) We are sorry that in Tibet you can not travel on your own, but Nepal is okay. Because for all foreigners who want to travel in Tibet need to get Tibet permit through a travel agency. (Except diplomats, journalists and government officials who want to travel in Tibet need to be under the arrangement by the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Government.
After getting the permit, a travel agency could buy you the air tickets or train tickets, and you can pass the check-in points at the airport or the train station.
Only the guide could hold the permit after your arriving in Tibet, and it is effective only in and around Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, if you want to travel in other places, it requires you to hold another permit known as "Aliens’ Permit". Otherwise, if you happen to meet and are stopped by the police en route without any effective permits, you will be sent out of Tibet or have trouble in both politically and economically. Furthermore, the travel agency which booked with will also be in trouble.
14. What’s your cancellation policy?
All cancellation requests must be made in writing. Cancellation refund will be issued within 10 working days of our receipt of your written cancellation requests.
The cancellation fees will be assessed as follows:
Up to 30 days prior to departure – US$40.0p.p
29-16 days prior to departure - 10% of the tour cost
15-7 days prior to departure - 20% of the tour cost
6-3 days prior to departure - 50% of the tour cost
2 days or less, or no show - 100% of the tour cost
After the trip has commenced, we are unable to refund any amount for unused services due to your early departure, late arrival, or missed days on tours.
(Above policies refer only to tours without in and out transportation services of the 3 destinations, because the airlines, railway or bus company all have their own cancellation policies. In that case, we will show you their cancellation policies on their website.)
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