Thorn Tree travel forum

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There are many good places to stay in Xining. One of the most popular places for travelers is the Post Hotel. It is located about 200m east of the train station. They have clean dorm rooms and very low priced doubles with bathrooms (around Y50 for this room).

It is possible to get a Tibet Travel Permit in all three of those places though I am unsure about where to get it in Shanghai. I sent you a pm with more information about getting it in Xining.

When you apply for an Alien Travel Permit you usually have to put your itinerary on it. The office will issue you the permit for as long as your trip is.

It is possible to hitch from Shegar to Everest Base Camp, though traffic on the road is light. The local traffic won't be going to Base Camp so you will have to pay extra to get all the way there. You may get lucky and find a spot in a 4WD going up there, but they may or may not pick you up. 4WD's from Lhasa to Base Camp often don't pick up other travelers for free.

From EBC to Darchen is also possible, but not easy. Once you get back on the main highway near Shegar or Tingri it will be easier (but still not easy) to get a ride to Darchen.

If you plan on staying at a monastery I would recommend bringing a sleeping bag. Monasteries are often very cold inside and if they have blankets available for guests, they will have never been washed.

Need more travel information for Tibet? Check these out…

The Land of Snows

Life on the Tibetan Plateau

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Just to add about the Kailash Kora, you would be well advised to bring a tent with you in case a monastery is full, or you get there late and can't find anyone around etc. I don't remember there being monasteries at regular points all the way round either, double check on the Tibet LP map. Once the sun went down it got cold even in June. If you are going in June, try and time it to catch the Saga Dawa ceremony at the start of the Kora. Monasteries may be full at this time. Check exact date in online & in Lhasa (and check with several different places in case one is wrong).

The kora itself isn't gruelling but it does reach 5600m at one point so make sure you are well acclimatised and/or have altitude sickness medicine, oxygen etc. The water en route is supposedy contaminated with giardiasis (nasty intestinal parasite) so make sure you boil it for 10+ mins first (remember water boils at a lower temperature at altitude).