WEATHER
Tibetan terrain is dry, cold, windy and dusty. Night is colder rather than day. Torrential rain and strong wind is common feature. The most pleasant months for Mount Kailash trip are from May to September. During this period maximum temperature is 22 degree centigrade and minimum temperature is 0 to -10 degree centigrade.
FITNESS AND ALTITUDE
This trip can be joined by anyone who can walk for average of 5-6 hours a day. Our itinerary is set on slow pace hike to meet the acclimatization and enabling our clients to enjoy the best. But as this trips goes above 3000m, you may suffer from Mountain sickness alias altitude sickness. Most of the trekkers once they are acclimatize; rarely suffer more than mild discomfort from the altitude.
Advise: Drink approx. 3 liters of water per day.
HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
In Kailash Mansarovar tour participants are required to travel and trek through high altitude region. In such places, the atmospheric air is under low pressure and they may suffer from altitude sickness. Therefore participants need to be done medical test thoroughly before joining the trip. We also recommend walking for 4 to 5 km per day at least 3 to 4 weeks prior to the departure date.
TRANSPORT & ROADS
Roads in Tibet are, for the most part, blacktop. Overland travel is by Tourist Coach in Tibet section and in Nepal will be by private bus. A truck is provided to carry all the gears, food supply, and camping stuff and luggage (clients should be able to carry their own daypack in case of landslide, etc.).
ACCOMMODATIONS
In Kathmandu three/four/five star hotel accommodation as per the plan. In Tibet accommodation will be in lodges at every point except at Kailash Parikarma and Mansorovar. At these two points, accommodation will be on tent, provided by us along with form mattresses, sleeping bags. Be noted that amenities in Tibet are very limited and therefore the quality of accommodation will vary from one place to another. In most of the places only 2- 6 bed sharing rooms are available. Single room will not be guaranteed.
FOOD & DRINK
While trekking/touring, all main meals, tea, coffee, juice and drinking chocolate are included. All the food are prepared by our trained cook and are served hot, however in some occasion specially while traveling, pack lunch are provided to reach the next camp on time. Boiled water/mineral water will be provided at every camp to fill your drinking water bottle.
TELEPHONE
We at Shangri-La Voyages understand the importance of being in touch with your dear and near ones. For the smooth running of the trip, we are equipped with mobile/satellite phone. This enables you to remain in touch with your home throughout the trip. Also telephone lines are available at various points of the journey. It is advised to leave behind your contact and address our office in case of urgent message. Our offices will make it a point to dispatch your message to your home at the earliest.
INSURANCE
The participant to Kailash tour must have comprehensive travel protection insurance that includes curtailment of tour, helicopter evacuation and other medical emergencies. You must provide us with the name, policy number and emergency contact number of your chosen insurance company.
EMERGENCY
Oxygen with mask and regulator sets for emergency/medical purpose is always available in tour and during the trek/parikarma. Shangri-La Voyages makes every effort to minimize the risk of sickness and changes in itinerary. However, Charges for unforeseen circumstances are the responsibility of the clients. Shangri-La Voyages is not responsible for charges incurred in the case of illness, landslides or other emergency events. In the case of a landslide, it may be necessary to transfer vehicles.
CURRENCY
In Tibet most of the places of Kailash Mansarovar Tour only Chinese currency ‘Yuan’ is accepted. So you are advised to exchange required Chinese currency before leaving for Tibet. You can exchange INR/USD with Yuan in Kathmandu or at border. ATM facility is available in Lhasa and Shigatse only.
TOUR LEADER/COOK/HELPERS
With each group we send one professional tour leader/guide accompanied by experienced cook and required number of helpers as per group size. All of them are friendly, courteous and are fully committed in providing the highest level of customer satisfaction. Our guides are highly experienced and most of them have already scaled peaks above 8000 meters. Our cooks are well trained to prepare North Indian, South Indian, Punjabi, Jain and continental dishes as per requirements.
VISA INFORMATION
Visa for entering Nepal
Indian nationals do not require a visa for Nepal. Non-Indian nationals require a 15-day multiple entry visa which can be availed on arrival at Nepal airport. To get a visa on arrival at the airport you need to have 2 copies of recent photograph along with USD 25 for 15 days valid multi entry and USD 40 for 30 days valid multi entry.
VISA FOR ENTERING TIBET
Indian as well as non Indians need Chinese Paper Visa for entering Tibet. For Tibet only group visa is issued by the Chinese Authority. For visa procedure we must need copy of your passport at least 35 days prior to the commencing your trip. You may send it us through email to our official email address.
We do procedure of Chinese/Tibet visa for Indian Nationality from Delhi Office to make it convenient. You must submit your original passport at Delhi Office at ten days before your date of travelling.
For Non Indian Nationals including NRIs we do visa procedure from Kathmandu. We need your original passport with two passport size colour photos on the arrival day of Kathmandu.
Notes to be considered for Chinese (Tibet) Visa
- For Chinese (Tibet) visa you must be in possession of valid passport for at least 6 months.
- The copy of your passport that you send us thirty five before and your actual passport must be submitted before four days (Monday to Friday working days) to avoid the risk of not getting the visa.
- The traveler who is joining Kailash Mansarovar Heli Tour should send us scan copy of passport with passport size photographs before thirty five days prior to commencing the trip.
- Do not apply for Chinese visa in your home country by yourself, if you are intending to travel Tibet via Kathmandu (Nepal). If you had applied for the Chinese Visa in your home country prior to arrival in Kathmandu, it would be automatically cancelled when we apply for you in Kathmandu.
Notes to be considered by travelers who enter Tibet via Main Land China
If you intend to enter Tibet via main land China you need to apply for your Chinese Visa from the Chinese Embassy in your home country. Once you have the Chinese visa you should scan it with clear and readable letters and email to us along with the copy of your passport. On the basis of these documents we will apply for your Tibet entry permit from Tibet Travel Bureau. With the combination of the Chinese Visa and Tibet permit you would be allowed to enter Tibet from mainland China. Once your Tibet permit is issued we will deliver it to your hotel where you would be staying in mainland China at an extra charge of courier. Hence, please also send us your hotel address and telephone number so that we could deliver the Tibet Travel Permit.
RESPONSIBILITY
All arrangements within Tibet are solely at the discretion of China Tibet Tourism Bureau, a government organization and we have no control over the facilities.
CHECK LIST OF PACKING
The following list is suggested to pack for Kailash Mansarovar Tour. Please use this list as a guideline. Adjustments to the list can be done according to your needs and interests.
Clothing
- Thermal trousers
- Under Garments
- Lightweight cotton long loose fitting pants
- T-shirts
- Light and weight thermal tops
- Fleece jacket or pullover
- Down jacket
- Lightweight gloves wool or fleeced
- Thick, warm wool hiking socks
- Hiking shoes with spare laces
- Running shoes or sandals with back strap for evening
Accessories
- Daypack Bag (30-40L)
- Torch or headlamp with spare bulbs and batteries
- Basic First Aid Kit
- Prescription drugs if you may be taking daily
- Trekking Poles/ sticks
- Refillable water bottle – Min 1 Litre
- Swim wear for bath at Mansarovar (if you need)
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses with UV protection + retainer (thread / chain)
Personal Hygiene / Toiletry
- Light weight towel
- Tissue /toilet roll
- Wet wipes / Body wipes
- Anti bacterial hands wash
- Tooth brush/paste (preferably biodegradable)
- Soap (preferably biodegradable)
- Deodorants
- Foot powder / cream
- Multi Nail clippers / Swiss army knife
- Face and body moisturizer
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Small hand mirror
- Wide tooth comb / brush (especially for women)
Extras
- Reading/writing material
- Camera & Binoculars
- Bed sheet (if you need your own)
- Shawl / Thin fleece blanket
- Protein bars, chocolate, dried fruits, candies, snack, readymade foods
- Umbrella or Rain Suits
- Pooja Samagri according to your tradition
Note: Shangri-La Voyages (P.) Ltd. provide each traveler duffel bag, Sleeping bag and wind cheater in the service.
FIRST AID MEDICAL KIT
Shangri-La Voyages (P.) Ltd. provides first aid medicines. However, we highly recommend you to bring your own medical kit. The following is a list of suggested medicines to be carried out.
*Cotton *Betadin *Savlon or Dettole *Band-Aids *Adhesive roll & strips *Gauze pads *Ace Bandage for the ankle * Knee cap *Anti diarrhoeals tablets *Diamox *D-cold *Brucet Tab [painkiller] *Ciplox eyedrop *Small Scissors & knife *Safety Pins *Lighter *Dehydration Salt (electrolytes) Packets *Foot Powder and Cream *Heat Balm for muscles/ joints/ moov spray *Vicks inhaler/ vapourub or amrutnajan / Vicks tabs *Lip balm *Dust mask* Motion sickness medicine (especially if you have the sickness for car)
RISK & LIABILITY
Shangri-La Voyages (P.) Ltd. will do it’s best to make the tour safe and smooth. As all the tour programs are conducted strictly under the rules and regulations of Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB), Shangri-La Voyages (P.) Ltd. will not be liable for any change in the itinerary due to unavoidable circumstances such as landslides, road blockage, flood, snow, political unrest, cancellation of flight, sickness and accidents. Any extra cost arising due to the above circumstances shall be borne by the clients on the spot. Therefore, it is best advisable to have yourself fully insured against such accidents of unpredictable natural calamities.
Booking Procedure
Please send to our official email with your passport copy, 2 passport photos and booking amount of INR 10000 for Indian Nationality and USD 250 for Non Indian Nationality. The booking amount may send us by bank transfer. Be noted that, the amount is non refundable if in case you cancel your trip.