Thorn Tree travel forum

1

It depends where in Tibet... If you mean central Tibet, I can't give you any clue, but if you mean Eastern Tibet, I can give you a brief account of our experience. We have been trekking in Kham in August 2005 (during monsoon) and out of 15 days trekking, we had 12 days of rain. We had to modify our itinerary because of the rivers which were too high : it was impossible to cross them either because of high waters or because the bridges had been swept away. Apart from walking under the rain for long days, we were deprived of the beautiful mountainscape as most of the summits were in the mist. Fortunately, we had an excellent team with us and we had the opportunity to stay overnight in local pepole's houses or tents whenever this was possible. So the bad weather was compensated by a rich human experience and by the real solidarity among us (the four of us and our Khampa team : our guide, our cook and the two yakmen who really did miracles). So, if you wish to trek during monsoon in Kham be prepared to be soaked and don't loose your sense of humor !
Domino
P.S. : I don't know whether you plan to trek independently or through a trekking agency. If you choose the second option and want to visit Kham, I can warmly recommand you Khampa Caravan, a trekking agency based in Gyalthang and specialised in trekking and other trips in Eastern Tibet (mainly Kham). Have a look at www.khampacaravan.com

2

I've been wondering about the monsoon weather myself. I hope to travel to Mt Kailash in Western Tibet in June or July but will also like to see other parts of Tibet around this time as well. Still looking for advice. -Kynan

3

Buy a good guidebook, like the LP or Footprint book. I don't think any place except the south east is a problem and then only because of road conditions...walking in snow is a great experience, use a compass and good map. Plan ahead. All the central valley will be fine, wildflowers, and grass!