I found an interesting post about traveling to Tibet. When you read between the lines, it is clear that there are risks but the government’s tourist bureau is working to make Tibet a safe destination for tourists.
Although I’ve been to China many times, I’ve never reached Tibet.
Maybe that’s because of the story I heard about the time my brother-in-law got off the plane and had a small stroke and some bleeding.
I’ve hiked/climbed mountains to 11,000 feet (about 3,353 meters) above sea level in hip-deep snow and the elevation does make the heart pound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u19sR8YlVCQ
Lhasa’s altitude is 3,490 meters or 11,450 feet and is one of the highest cities in the world.
The post I read about traveling to Tibet was from Free Travel Guides. Here are a few of the interesting facts from that post.
- The oxygen density in Tibet is about 50% of what’s normal at sea level, so altitude sickness is possible.
- Road conditions are a challenge for tourists who are driving or being driven.
- Safety is a big concern for the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region.
- A four-step safety system exits, where tourists will receive security education meaning what to look out for and how to respond, a security alarm code probably similar to the US code on danger from Islamic terrorist attacks, and emergency and travel insurance has been made available and may be mandatory.
- There is a 110 emergency telephone number to use when needed.
- The TIB (Tibetan Tourism Bureau) has daily updates related to tourism, security education and conditions of security.
- The best way to reach Tibet would probably be using the Qinghai-Tibet railway instead of the airport. That way your body has more time to acclimate and you get to see great scenery as you climb into Tibet.
- About 4 million tourists visited Tibet in 2008 and Tibet has become an increasingly attractive location for tourists.
For more about Tibet see Chinese Gold from Dead Tibetan Caterpillars and/or The Tea Horse Road
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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too.
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