外国人去西藏需知 Tibet Travel Information
外国人办理进藏手续
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于目前西藏自治区交通和旅游基础设施、接待能力、政府鼓励发展团体旅游，并采取凭进藏确认函办理进藏旅游手续的办法。
护照和签证：来西藏的外国旅游者或登山者均须持本国签发的的护照及中国驻外国使领馆核发的签证。但与中国缔结免签证协定国家的旅客例外。
进藏确认函：凡有组织的海外旅游团体进藏旅游须由西藏自治区旅行接待社办理进藏确认手续。欲进藏的海外散客西藏旅游局不分别在北京、成都、格尔木、上海、西安、香港和尼泊尔、日本、美国等设立有旅游办事处，具体负责散客组团和进藏旅游咨询等服务。
Flights to Lhasa
1.Chengdu-Lhasa: at least 2 or 3 flights (two hours) daily;
2. Kunming-Lhasa: no direct flight from beginning of November to April next year, 1 or 2 flights every week from May to October;
3.Xining-Lhasa: no direct flight from beginning of November to April next year, 1 flight between Xining and Lhasa daily from May to October;
4. Kathmandu-Lhasa: (55 minutes) on Tuesday and Saturday;
5.Chongqing-Lhasa: (2 hours flight) on Wednesday and Sunday;
6. Beijing-Lhasa: (four hours) daily from May to October, no flight from November to April next year.
7. Xi'an-Lhasa: (two hours 40 minutes) daily from May to October, no flight from November to April next year.
Tickets to Lhasa can be obtained from China Airline offices in Chengdu, in Beijing, in Kathmandu, in Chongqing, in Xi'an, in Xining and in Hongkong, but at first, you must have a special Tibet entry permit which is processed in Tibet, your travel agent will arrange it for you, so it's easiest to liaise with your travel agent.
Flights to Chamdo
China Airlines have connections to Bangda Airport near Chamdo from Chengdu on Tuesday and Friday(1 hour 10 minutes), because of the high altitude of the Bangda Airport, the flights are instable and must be canceled sometimes. In addition, it is usually also very difficult to obtain the tickets.
Accommodations
All gateway cities offer the full range of luxury to budget accommodation (five star-hotels, four-star, three-star, two-star, one star hotels and guesthouse). In Tibet, four-star hotels, such as Lhasa Hotel and Tibet Hotel (the new building) are at the top of the range. Outside of the main towns (Lhasa,Tsedang, Shigatse,Naqu and Gyantse), be prepared to sleep in simple or very simple guesthouses which are highly variable and often unclean. So you'd better take sleeping bags for accommodation in simple guesthouses. Or you can also set up a camp if you will. Camping is often much preferable. For accommodations in those simple guesthouses in small places, bring your own disinfectant and toilet paper. Click hier to get information about hotels in Tibet.
Telephone Services
The major hotels in Lhasa, in Tsedang and in Shigatse have international IDD telephone connections, in these cities (in hotels), you can send and receive international telefax messages. In Lhasa, in Tsedang, in Shigatse and in Naqu, travelers can use IP cards which must be purchased in Tibet, it will be much cheaper to call by IP cards than in hotels. In many small towns, DDD calls can also be made andreceived locally. Travelers can also use their own mobile in Lhasa.
Tibet international dialing code is 86
Money
The national currency is the Yuan or Renminbi (RMB), popularly called "Kuai", 1Yuan=10 Jiao, 1 Jiao=10 Fen. The exchange rate is approximately US$1=8 Yuan.
Major currency denominations are easily changed in the larger cities. In Tibet, man can change money only in Lhasa hotel, Tibet hotel and the Bank of China, the Bank of China has branches in Lhasa,Tsedang and in Shigatse, travelers' cheques and credit card can be used in the Bank of China in Lhasa, sometimes also in Lhasa hotel and Tibet hotel. Remember to carry a sufficient amount of RMB for long overland drives or treks. Tip for guide and driver on your tour can also be given in cash (US dollars, Euro etc.).
Travel Permit and Military Permit
For Tibet tours, foreign travelers must have not only a standard Chinese visa but also a special travel permit which must be issued in either Lhasa,Chengdu, Kunming, Beijing, Xi'an or Xining. That means that a standard Chinese visa is not sufficient for Tibet tour, and individual travel for foreigners is not permitted within Tibet, in some special places, travelers must even have military permit also. Chinese visa are generally obtained from most Chinese embassies and consulates.
To obtain such permits, it is necessary to make your travel arrangements through a bona fide agency, providing details of full name, sex, nationality, date of birth, occupation, and passport number. Please note that it's also impossible to obtain flights to Tibet without the Travel permit.
The permits themselves specify every destination and town that you wish to visit and can not be changed once you have arrived in Tibet, therefore be certain to detail all possible destinations in your request as well as the route you wish to follow.
Visiting Monasteries
Most monasteries extend a warm welcome to foreign guests and in remote areas will often offer a place to stay for the night. Maintain this good faith by observing the following courtesies: Always circumambulategompas and other religious objects clockwise, thus keeping shrines and choertens to your right.
Don't touch or remove anything on an altar.
Don't take prayer flags or mani stones.
Don't take photos during a prayer meeting. At other times always ask permission to take a
photo, especially one using flash. The larger monasteries charge photography fees, though some monks will allow you to take a quick picture for free. If they won't there's no point getting angry, you don't know what pressures they may be under.
photo, especially one using flash. The larger monasteries charge photography fees, though some monks will allow you to take a quick picture for free. If they won't there's no point getting angry, you don't know what pressures they may be under.
Don't wear shorts or short skirts in a monastery.
Take your hat off when you go into a chapel.
Don't smoke in a monastery
