Travel Forum / Destinations / Asia / November 2005

I have always wanted to see Tibet, and figure I should do it now while
we're young and in shape and without children.  Several factors are
intimidating me, though, and I was wondering if anyone had some wisdom
to share.

#1. Cost.  The airfare isn't a problem, as we will be using frequent
flier miles.  I am more concerned about guides, transportation,
etc...my ability to speak Mandarin is very, very limited, and I hear
Mandarin doesn't take one far in Western China anyway...and I know no
Tibetan at all.  Hence the need for reliable guides.  While I don't
mind roughing it, I really would prefer a place to stay that has heat
and hot water and no bugs (not a requisite, but a preference).  But
most of the "tour packages" I see (I'm looking at studenty-teachery
ones) are quite expensive, in the $1500-$2500 per person range, which
is well beyond our financial means.  Any advice or here for keeping it
at or below $1000?  Or is such a thing just not possible?

#2. Altitude.  I've been on the Tren a Las Nubes (the Train to the
Clouds) in the Andes in Argentina, which takes you up to a town called
San Antonio de Los Cobres, which is at 12,000 feet, and I had a rough
time even putting one foot in front of the other.  Lhasa is slightly
higher, and some of the other places in Tibet I'd like to visit are
higher still.  I have also gathered, from reading up on the sights to
see, that many of them require treks of a few miles under these
conditions...anyone been out there?  About how many days should one
budget to get used to the altitude?  Do you know about medical
resources like in the region in case we need them?

#3. Bird flu.  I hate to be alarmist, but the news keeps talking about
it.  Any sense of how much of a danger this is right now?

Despite this worry-wartism, I am still very enthusiastic about going.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

- Skiold
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