Thorn Tree travel forum

1

Unless you are particular about doing it by yourself, I can recommend several travel agents who give you an end to end solution of sorts, including gear, food et all.

I personally know people who've done the tour with these agencies and are thrilled abt it !

Vibha Chandra
USA

2

Are you talking about doing the trip on your own or hiring a 4WD? The length of the trip varies drastically depending on how you do it. I'm also trying to figure this out myself. It seems like with 4WD the trip might be 14-21 days. With buses, hitchhiking, etc. it could be at least a month. I haven't done it, this is only the impression I've gotten as I'm planning to do it this summer.

3

OK Mary, You can google up any decent weather website for weather data on many Tibetan cities, like Shigatse, maybe not further west than that tho'. June is cold, some snow most days, but warm sun - temp range 0-12C or so. I guess April wil be difficult, cold winds and many places shut down. Would be a great opportunity though to see it more naturally; why not email any hotel with an FIT travel agency in Lhasa: Banak Shol, Snowlands. Would be cheaper for sure - you will be wanting to go in a 4wd - very tough otherwise and not many views from the back of a truck...time to go from Lhasa - most go via the mountains, which adds 4 days or so. Straight there and back, the southern route is pretty good dirt these days, 4 days is comfortable one way. But there is so much to see on the way with short detours, and you will want to stay at Manasarovar and maybe Purang, and Guge; and the Kailash kora is incredible, IF you are acclimatised - a 5600m pass. it can take a week just seeing these places and getting the groove of west tibet. You will need to tough it; lots of tourists don't cope with traditional Tibetan tourist facilities, water from a well, basic accommodation - if you get out in the country on hikes, etc. you will understand. Good luck.