Winter travelers decide it's time to visit Tibet
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-14 11:09

Think winter is a bad time to go to Tibet? Think again. The weather isn't as cold as you might expect, prices are lower than during the more traditional tour periods, and the Tibetan travel authority has put together a tempting list of options for those who want to sample a slice of wintry life at the rooftop of the world.

The stately Potala Palace rises above the Tibetan capital Lhasa — one of the stops on a new package of winter tours to the high-altitude region that are becoming increasing popular among Shanghai travelers. [Shanghai Daily]

The secret is already out, however. City travelers to Tibet may jump threefold this winter, according to the Shanghai Tibet Tourism Bureau.

"We're getting many phones calls every day asking about winter touring in Tibet," said spokesperson You Yong. "No one here expected such a busy season."

In past winters, the bureau would usually send about 100 travelers packing to Tibet. This year the figure may reach 300 — mostly because of recent media coverage.

Newspapers and TV stations gave wide publicity to Tibet tourism last year as the area marked its 50th anniversary as an autonomous region.

And the Chinese National Geographic Magazine published a special edition in October in which it selected 11 Tibetan natural sights as the most beautiful places in China.

As a result, many travelers decided they just couldn't wait for warmer weather to see Tibet's charms for themselves.

Despite the region's breathtaking altitude, Tibetan winters are far from extreme. Daytime temperatures in the capital, Lhasa, and in Shigatse, another poplar destination, hover around 10 degrees Celsius under mostly sunny skies. Overnight lows can drop to minus 5 degrees, but the low humidity helps keep travelers comfortable.

The Shanghai bureau has even added new tours to capitalize on growing local demand.

Another plus is that Tibetan travel costs about 1,500 yuan (US$186) less in winter than it does in summer. The current price for each of the three new tours is 5,900 yuan per person, air tickets included. Foreign residents need to add 1,980 yuan for special permits.

The new routes are a Nyching seven-day tour, a six-day classical tour including Lhasa, Yang Lake, Gyantse and Shigatse, and a seven-day tour starting February 24 for Tibetan New Year celebrations.

Major attractions for winter tours include a two-hour sightseeing cruise along the Great Canyon of Yarlung Tsangpo in the Lin Zhi region.

Located at the southern end of the Tibetan Himalayas, the canyon is 5,382 meters deep and 496 kilometers long.

Visitors can see Namcha Barwa peak on the way. Namcha Barwa, described by the Chinese National Geographic Magazine as "the most beautiful mountain in China," is located in southeastern Tibet, and at 7,782 meters above sea level, ranks as the world's 15th highest peak.

The bureau said the best seasons for visiting Namcha Barwa are autumn and winter when the humidity is relatively low and visibility is higher than in summer.

Since the Tibetans have a different traditional calendar, tourists can also enjoy an extra New Year party Tibetan style. Travelers will be invited to Tibetan homes for the countdown on the night of February 27.

For more information, visit the Tibet Tourism Bureau's Shanghai office Website: www.himalayatour.com.cn for the Chinese version and www.tibet-tour.com for English speakers.