Heath, Safety and Security for Tibet Travel

Health, safety and security are the first priority for every tourist to every destination. There are some ideas and suggestions to help you have a worry-free trip.

Health in Tibet

A healthy body is an essential requirement to participate a tour, especially in Tibet, with high altitude and extreme climate. Before visiting Tibet, you need to take a full physical examination and consult your doctor whether your body allows a travel to Tibet. It will be extremely risky to visit Tibet for a traveler with heavy cold, severe anemia, high blood pressure, heart disease or breathing disease (pneumonia, tuberculosis, tracheitis and bronchitis) etc. If your physical condition is ok for a Tibet tour, it is also important to keep healthy during your tour.

Avoid High Altitude Sickness

Visiting the roof of the world, the high altitude sickness caused by decreasing availability of oxygen is the biggest challenge for the new-comers. It is a normal phenomenon to get high altitude sickness in different degrees on the arrival days in Tibet. Symptom includes sleepless, loss of appetite, lacking in strength, restlessness... etc. After 2~3 days’ stay, the discomfort will be relieved usually. So we suggest that tourists have a Lhasa city tour to acclimatize the high altitude before traveling to high-altitude areas like Everest and Ngari. Remember to avoid strong activities and not take shower on the first day in Tibet. More food with rich carbohydrate and more hot water will be helpful. The temperature is much lower in early morning and late afternoon, so it is very important to keep warm.

Protect Your Skin

Located in the highest plateau with special environment, the climate of Tibet is very dry and cold, with thin air, strong ultraviolet rays and much dust, which might be risk to travelers’ skin. While traveling in Tibet, protecting your skin becomes necessary.

Sun Protection: Strong ultraviolet rays always lead to skin damage and skin aging. You can wear the sunscreen of high SPF on your face and neck to against the intense sunlight. Sunglasses, sunhat, and seamless scarf can also effectively protect your from being exposed to the scorching sunlight

Hydrating and Moisturizing: Due to the arid climate and strong wind, your skin and lips will become very dry even chapped. You need to drink as much water as possible. Vegetables and fruits are necessary as well to improve your skin condition. Use lipstick to moisten your lips and wear mask to keep out the wind.

Food & Drink Tips

Unhygienic and undercooked food may cause diarrhea or other diseases, so stick to safe food is important in your tour. All the food must be cooked and hot, and the fruits must be washed in clean water. Street vendors are not recommended for fragile stomach. If you are keen on street food, please find sanitized places to eat.

In China, tap water is undrinkable before you boil it. The rooms in Tibetan hotels are always equipped with electric water boiler supply for guests. You can also bring a water bottle on your journey, and it is very convenient to get water in the restaurants en route. The buttered tea is featured drinks in Tibet, which also be good for reducing high altitude sickness. You can have a try. There are several delicate cafes in Lhasa and Shigatse offering good coffees.

Medical Care Service

When you get serious high altitude sickness, don’t hesitate to let your travel guide know who will take actions accordingly. Most of the hotels also have oxygen box for sale. But you’d better not use it immediately when you feel lack of oxygen slightly, for you would be dependent on it. If you need other medical care, go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible or contact us for help. Some starred hotels in Lhasa and Shigatse are equipped with 24-hours’ medical room. Travelers are advised to bring a first-aid kit in common use in that a hospital or clinic is difficult to find in the remote areas of Tibet.

Safety & Security in Tibet

Tibet is as safe as other regions in China. The crime rate is rather low in Tibet. The reports of violent crimes and other unlawful acts are seldom heard. Most Tibetans are devout Buddhists, who believe that good deeds will accumulate merit and bring a happier and more peaceful life. They might be just curious about the foreign friends and glad to help you, instead of doing something bad to you. However, there still something you need to pay attention to.

Beware of Animal Attacks

Animal attacks are seldom happening in Lhasa City. Though there are many rescued dogs in monastery, they won’t attack you unless they are seriously disturbed, but still need to be careful. The wild animals might be dangerous. If you want to get close contact with the wild nature in your tour, you need to be careful of the wild animals and free-ranging ones, including brown bears and yaks which are reported to attack the locals. If you take a trekking to the countryside area, you should be careful as well. The large Tibetan Mastiffs are apt to roam the street to help the villagers of housekeeping. If they scratch you, it may lead to serious illness. Make sure you keep a wide berth with them.

Photograph with Permission

There are too many beautiful landscapes and splendid scenes in Tibet. Undoubtedly, every traveler wants to record the good views with his phone lens or camera. Natural scenery can be shot as you please. However, taking photos optionally in some places is not permitted. In the monastery, taking picture of the statues of the Buddha might be regarded as an action of offending deity, which may arouse the dissatisfaction of the local Tibetans. In the scenic area, most of the beautifully-decorated yaks and Tibetan Mastiffs are “models”, and somebody may ask you for expensive photography fee after you take pictures of them. If you want to get some nice shots with the local people or their featured animals, ask for their permission or negotiate the prices first.

Guard against Pickpocketing

Tibet is a rather safe place, but pickpocketing may happen everywhere, especially in crowded places. Keep in mind that cash, jewelries, cellphones, cameras and other valuables are all targets for the pickpockets. Travelers must take good care of the possessions wherever they go, especially in the crowded streets, crowded restaurants and railway stations which are favorite places of the thefts. When your find that your personal safety and property security are infringed, ask your guide for help or call 110 to call the police at once.