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Tibet |
Facts about country
| Capital | Lhasa |
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Population |
2.4 Million |
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Main Languages |
Tibetan, Mandarin |
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Electricity |
2 Plug System 220 50 HZ |
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Currency |
Renminbi (RMB) |
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Exchange Rate for US $ as of Oct 2001 |
8.26 Yuan per 1 US$ |
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Safe to Drink Tap Water |
No |
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Size |
1,220,000 sq km |
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Transport |
bus, plane, taxi, rickshaw |
| Cash Machines (ATMS) | No (only for Chinese Banks) |
| Credit Card Usage | Yes (not for cheaper hotels) |
| Religion | Buddhist |
| Measurement System | Metric System |
Recommended Budget per Day in US $
| Total Budget per Person | Accommodation | Meals | Transportation | Other |
| 50 $ | 5 $ | 5 $ | 5 $ | 35 $ (Tour) |
Main things to See (we give descriptions only on places we visited)
| Things to See | Visited | Brief Description | Recommend (10 is best 1 is don't bother) |
| Lhasa | Y | A really nice city with many sights to see in the area surrounding the city. It is home to the Potala Palce, Jokhang temple and the Barkor. One can also visit nearby monasteries such as the Sera, Drepung, and Gandea Monastery. | 10 |
| Everest Area | Y | We only viewed Mt. Everest from a distance. It was really beautiful. There are trips up to Everest Base Camp. One can hike up or one can take a 4WD to the base camp. | 8 |
| Lalungla Pass (5050m) | Y | Views of Mt. Xixapangma 8013 m, Mt. Makalu 8464m, Mt. Lothse 8516m, Mt. Cho Oyu 8201m, and Mt. Everest 8848 | 10 |
| Xigatse | Y | The Tashilumpo Monastery is in Xigatse and is the main attraction there. It used to house over 4000 monks but only has 600 monks now. Overlooking the town is also the Xigatse fortress. | 8 |
| Gyantse | Y | This is one of the less Chinese influenced towns in Tibet. Here one can visit the Palkhor Monastery and the Dzong Fort overlooking the town. | 8 |
| Sakya | N | ||
Popular activities and Tours (Being not included does not mean they do not exist)
| Hiking / Trekking | x |
| Scuba Diving | |
| Historical Sites | x |
| Sightseeing tours | x |
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Ballooning |
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Bungy Jumping |
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Safaris |
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| Boat tours | |
| Fishing | |
| Horseback riding | |
| Canoeing | |
| Camping | |
| River Rafting | |
| Sky Diving | |
| Abseiling | |
| Surfing | |
| Windsurfing | |
| Kayaking | |
| Sailing | |
| Mountain biking | x |
| Rollerblading | |
| Motorbike | |
| Sand boarding | |
| Snorkeling | |
| Water Skiing | |
| Skiing | |
| Bicycling | x |
| Others |
Feeling and Opinions on Tibet
Tibet has been easily one of our favorite places that we have visited so far on our journey. The people are really friendly, unique and special. The sites are one of a kind, especially the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple. We wished we could have spend more time there, but our permits only allowed 7 days. It was well worth the extra money and the hassle getting there.
© Copyright 2001 Backpackwithus All Rights Reserved
Maren & Kirk