How to Prepare for Tibet's Unique Travel Challenges

The Roof of the World is a double-edged sword. Its rarefied heights conjure mirror-like lakes, knife-edge ridges and monasteries that seem to float among clouds, yet the same altitude can ambush travellers who arrive unprepared. However, every challeng including thin air, bone-chilling nights, blazing sun, bureaucratic red tape, is predictable and solvable.

High-Altitude Hypoxia  

At 4,000 m the atmosphere contains only 60 % of the oxygen most of us are used to. Headaches, dizziness and nausea can appear within hours of landing. Begin training your body two weeks before departure by taking Rhodiola or prescription acetazolamide under medical guidance. Schedule your itinerary like a staircase: spend the first two nights in Nyingchi (3,000 m), then ascend slowly to Lhasa (3,650 m) and only afterwards to higher passes. A fingertip pulse-oximeter the size of a car key will tell you when your saturation dips below 85 %; a pocket-sized oxygen canister bought in Lhasa provides instant relief and buys time to descend.

Wild Temperature Swings  

Sunshine at noon can feel like a mild European spring, while midnight on the same plateau can rival a Siberian winter. The secret is one jacket that behaves like three. Wear a moisture-wicking base layer, add a zip-off fleece mid-layer, and snap in a waterproof shell with a built-in down vest. Roll the pieces you're not wearing into a hand-pump compression sack; the bundle shrinks to the size of a loaf of bread and slips neatly into the bottom of your daypack.

Relentless UV and Desert-Dry Air  

The Tibetan sky is merciless. UV indices regularly top 15, and humidity can drop below 30 %. Arm yourself with a broad-spectrum SPF 50+ stick, wrap-around glacier-rated sunglasses and a tube of SPF lip balm. Drink two litres of warm water daily and mist your nasal passages with a 30 ml saline spray; both habits prevent the nosebleeds that plague visitors who rely on hotel air alone.

Permits for Entry  

Only with foreign passport and Chinese visa, you cannot take a train or fly to Lhasa. You need a Tibet Travel Permit—a document stamped by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. Email a scanned copy of your passport and Chinese visa to a licensed Tibet-based agency at least 30 days before arrival. The agency will courier the original to your hotel in mainland China. Attempting to travel independently risks being escorted back to your country. Diplomats and journalists must use a separate foreign-affairs channel; ordinary tour operators cannot process their paperwork.

Sparse Supplies Beyond Lhasa  

Once you leave the capital, convenience stores vanish and petrol stations can be a hundred kilometres apart. Think of Lhasa as your last-chance supermarket. Stock up on vacuum-packed yak jerky, electrolyte energy bars and extra oxygen canisters at the Barkhor Street or malls. Drivers on the Friendship Highway or the Everest Base Camp route will happily store your cache in the Land Cruiser's roof box.

Sensitive Culture and Fragile Environment  

The interior of monasteries and military checkpoints are no-selfie zones; drone flights near borders require special clearance and are often refused. Ask your guide each morning where cameras are welcome and where they are forbidden. Pack a large cotton scarf that doubles as a dust mask, sun shield or emergency towel, and carry a collapsible shopping bag to keep plastic waste out of turquoise lakes.

Conclusion 

Still have questions? Drop our Tibet travel consultants a line today—let us turn your dream of standing on the roof of the world into a perfectly prepared reality.