"I Took the 46-Hour Train to Tibet: My Journey from Shanghai to Everest Base Camp"
Our take
Traveling to Tibet is not just an adventure; it's a transformative journey that brings together breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and unforgettable experiences. One traveler’s recent trek from Shanghai to Everest Base Camp, as detailed in their account, captures the essence of what makes Tibet a top travel destination. With over 50 countries under their belt, this journey has etched itself into their memory as one of the most remarkable. For those considering a similar quest, this guide offers insights that go beyond mere logistics. It highlights the importance of connectivity and cultural immersion, crucial aspects for any adventurous spirit. You might also find value in exploring Are there any travel guides specifically related to geographical and cultural divides within countries? and Travel Driver/Guide for further enriching your travel experience.
The journey begins with meticulous planning, as entering Tibet requires not just a spirit of adventure, but also the right permits and guided tours. The author notes the necessity of booking through agencies like "Tibet Vista," which not only simplifies logistics but enhances safety and comfort during the trip. The 46-hour train ride to Lhasa, the highest-altitude railway journey in the world, serves as a significant highlight. It's a reminder that the journey itself is part of the adventure, allowing travelers to witness the ever-changing landscapes of China. The experience of sharing a sleeper compartment with fellow travelers adds a communal layer to the expedition, embodying the inclusive and empowering aspects of travel that resonate with a generation eager for connection.
What truly elevates this Tibetan adventure is the immersive experience of local culture. The author’s exploration of Tibetan Buddhism and participation in unique cultural classes deepens their understanding and appreciation of the region. From the awe-inspiring Potala Palace to the lively debates of monks at Sera Monastery, these interactions highlight the significance of cultural exchange in travel. As readers, we are reminded of the importance of engaging with local traditions, which not only enrich our travels but also foster a sense of respect and understanding. For those venturing into new territories, this mindset aligns perfectly with the ethos of adventure, as seen in the traveler’s statement about forming connections with fellow tour members.
However, the journey is not without its challenges. The author candidly addresses the realities of long-distance travel, from unsanitary train conditions to altitude sickness concerns. These honest reflections serve as practical advice for future travelers, emphasizing that preparation goes beyond excitement. Embracing the unexpected is part of what makes travel so rewarding. As we consider this account, we can ponder the broader implications of travel in our lives. How do these experiences shape our perspectives and foster connections across cultures?
As we look to the future, the significance of sustainable and responsible travel cannot be overstated. With the increased interest in places like Tibet, the challenge will be to preserve their beauty and culture while accommodating the influx of visitors. The question remains: how can we ensure that our adventures contribute positively to the communities we visit? As travelers, we have the power to make choices that celebrate rather than exploit, and it’s up to us to carry that spirit into our next adventures. The journey continues, and so does the excitement of discovering the world together!
Hi, I've traveled to over 50 countries so far, but my recent trip to Tibet (thisMarch) has become one of my top three favorite travel destinations.I’d like to share this experience and I hope this will be helpful to people who are planning to visit Tibet!
※Useful apps before travelling China
・WeChat - the most popular messaging app
・WeChatPay or Alipay - the most reliable payment method
・Amap - instead of Google map
・China Railway 12306 - To book a train ticket
※To Enter Tibet
You need to book some guided tour and get travel permit which will be issued by them.I did mine with an agency called "Tibet Vista". I booked the “7 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Small Group Tour” and we visited Lhasa, Shigatse and various monasteries along the way to Mount Everest Base Camp. On the last day of the tour,we said goodbye to Tibet and headed to Kathmandu by jeep provided by them.The agency was very reliable and helpful until the tour ends.The tour cost me around 1200 USD(includes hotels,some meals,all the entrance fee, jeep transfer to Kathmandu and single room supplement fee($125) because I was a solo traveler .
★Sleeper train experience to get to Lhasa which takes approximately two days
I flew from Japan and took the Z164 train from Shanghai to Lhasa which runs every day. It starts from Shanghai Railway Station at 18:33. And on the third day, you will arrive at Lhasa Railway Station at 15:05. Covering 4,373km in total, the whole train trip to Lhasa takes 46:44 hours.
※Ticket Options
Hard Seat:Not recommended for this long-distance journey)
Hard Sleeper (2nd class,around $140): Open-bay compartments with 6 bunks
Soft Sleeper (1st class,around $200): Private 4-bunk lockable cabins
You can book the ticket to Lhasa from Shanghai (Train Z164) up to 15 days in advance via the official China Railway 12306 English Website. However, since Tibet entry permits are required and this route is highly popular, booking through certified Tibet travel agencies is often recommended for guaranteed sleeper berths. You can book the ticket through Tibet Vista also with additional fee. I chose the train from Shanghai to enjoy the scenery and the journey to Tibet. It was very difficult to get the train ticket by yourself (especially first class) but I bought it as soon as sales started.The first-class sleeper compartment was a four-person room, and I shared it with three young Chinese women.Most of the passengers were Chinese, so I used a translation app to communicate with them.I was planning to use a dining car but I heard the food there wasn't very fresh from other passengers,so I was mostly eating instant ramen which I brought from Japan(there is free hot tap water you can use anytime) and also some kind passengers gave me fruits and snacks.The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest-altitude railway in the world, with parts of its entire route passing over 4,000 meters above sea level.I was a bit afraid of altitude sickness because I’ve never experienced over 3,000 meters in my life but I only had a slight headache.Every train car is equipped with an oxygen supply system just in case. By the way,I need to mention about negative points as well.What I disliked on this train journey was that the toilets were unsanitary. Since there's no shower, body wipes and disinfectant wipes are essential. Having disposable slippers is also convenient, as you won't have to wear shoes every time. I brought a book to kill time but I ended up spending more time talking to other passengers and looking at the scenery. Also I was sleeping almost half of the time on the train, so the two days on the train wasn’t as difficult as I had expected.
★7 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Small Group Tour by Tibet Vista
I got picked up by a driver at the Lhasa station and after arriving at the hotel in Lhasa,I was really impressed with the quality of the hotel. It was a four-star hotel, and the room was wonderful, the breakfast was satisfying so I had a very comfortable stay there for three days. Our tour guide, “Tintin” was very professional,knowledgeable and super kind.He gave us a detailed schedule for the day every morning, which made us feel at ease.He speaks English very fluently and I was impressed by his knowledge of everything about Tibet. It goes without saying that the beauty of the Potala Palace,the most memorable experience in Lhasa for me was seeing the Tibetan Monks Debate in Sera Monastery.While learning about Tibetan culture, I also strongly felt that this scenery could only be seen here.And also I enjoyed the cultural experience classes to discover the traditions of Tibet in a deeper way.Especially,the experience of writing own name in Tibetan script was very unique. My interest in Tibetan Buddhism and culture has deepened by these experiences. The welcome dinner and Tibetan music show was not only a good time but also a great opportunity to get to know the other tour members better. The journey from Lhasa to Everest base camp was a continuous series of incredibly beautiful views.Even during long drives, I didn't sleep and I kept gazing at the scenery outside the window.Our driver's driving skills were excellent.We frequently overtook trucks and other vehicles on mountain roads, but I never felt scared. However, the ride is very bumpy,so I recommend holding onto something at all times. The comfortable guesthouse we stayed at Everest base camp was very clean and had private rooms.There was no shower but it’s better to avoid shower when you’re at high altitude place.I visited on the end of March but it was still very cold (around minus 10 degrees at night) and snowed, so warm clothing is essential.The base camp is also at an altitude of over 5000 meters, so it’s better to walk slowly when going outside. The hotels we stayed in Shigatse and Gyirong(A town on the border between China and Nepal) were also amazing so it was very easy to get rid of fatigue.I spent a lot of money for this whole Tibet trip, but the satisfaction I got was by far more.The group I traveled with on this tour was a multinational group, coming from Italy, Thailand, India, Australia, New Zealand and US. By the last day, we became good friends who can say to each other, "Let’s travel together again with the same tour guides in the near future." I am very grateful to the guide and driver for a well organized and safe trip.Travelling in Tibet with this amazing member is a memory I'll cherish forever.
※Be careful when taking pictures of the city
There are many places in China where taking pictures or videos is strongly prohibited. Lhasa also has some places where photography is prohibited, such as military facilities.When you're not with a tour guide, it's best to avoid taking pictures of the city unnecessarily.If any problems happen on-site, just contact your tour guide or the company immediately and everything will be fine.
★Thank you for reading and feel free to ask any questions,I’m happy to help you!
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- My trip to Tibet (Lhasa, Shigatse, Mount Everest Base Camp, Potala Palace and more)Hello! I did a trip to Tibet a while ago and thought I‘d post about my impressions. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anything. How to enter Tibet: I’m a german citizen and I visited Tibet during my 30 day Visa-Free stay in China. I took the plane from Chengdu to Lhasa airport. There is a 34 hour train also but I didn’t feel confident enough to spend this long on a train. Tibet is more heavily controlled by the Chinese government, so you cannot go in without a special permit. These are not issued to regular people so you‘re going to need a guided tour. I did mine with an agency called Travel Vista (www.tibettravel.org). I booked the 8-day Tour which included Lhasa, Shigatse multiple monasteries and Mount Everest Base Camp. The physical permit was delivered to the hostel I stayed at and handed to me personally by the delivery man, the agency stayed in contact with me during that time and made sure I receive it. The tour cost me around 1500 USD, it included my flights, hotels, transportation and the tickets to all sights and monasteries. Itinierary: Days 1-3: We got picked up by a driver and got transported to our hotel in Lhasa. The first day was meant to relax and get accustomed to the altitude and general low oxygen in the area. The next day our trip started, the first monastery we visited was Drepung Monastery, after that we visited Sera monastery where we got to witness monastic debates between the monks. After the first full day we had a welcoming buffet and some performances of traditional Tibetan arts. The following day we also visited Potala Palace, Lhasas inner city, where we had lunch and practiced Buddhist rituals like meditation and printing mantras on prayer flags and visited Jokhang Monastery in the heart of Lhasa. Day 4: After the first full two days in and around Lhasa we made our way to Shigatse. During our drive to Shigatse we got to see Tibetan landscapes and nature. We looked at the mountains from different viewpoints, visited Yamdrok Yumco lake (one of my favs), Karola Glacier and Shigatse Bally farmlands. We also visited a Tibetan household where we had lunch and arrived to Shigatse in the evening. The next day the journey to Mount Everest began. Day 5: It took the whole day to Everest Base Camp and on the way we stopped at many more beautiful viewpoints across the Himalayas. In the late afternoon we arrived to Everest Base Camp, had some hotpot and went to the highest monastery in the world, Rongbuk monastery right next to Everest Base Camp. We spent the night at Base Camp. There are newly constructed container hotel rooms units where you can see Everest outside the window of the room. Day 6: In the morning the view to Everest was the clearest, we spent some time admiring the mountain and prepared for our way back to Shigatse. On the way back we stopped at various viewpoints to also see Mount Lhotse Day 7: The last full day was our way back from Shigatse to Lhasa, we visited Tashilhunpo monastery and drove along the Yarlung Zangbo river back to our hotel in Lhasa. We also had another farewell dinner with performances of Tibetan dances and music. Day 8: Transportation back to Lhasa airport in the morning. Impressions: Seeing the landscapes, the monasteries, the general differences of life in Tibet and especially the Mount Everest was an amazing experience. Tibetans are crazy resourceful, it’s amazing what you can get out of a Yak. Lhasa and especially Shigatse have been surprisingly developed, Shigatse is a important economic center tho. These monasteries are remote places, very silent and reclusive, but I wouldn’t say the trip was very spiritually awaking in that sense. Very informative, I learned more about Tibet, monks and Buddhism than ever before in my life. Difficulty/challenge: The tour itself wasn’t really challenging, what is a little heavy however is the general altitude and the lack of oxygen. We had oxygen tubes provided for us and hotel rooms are generally provided with additional oxygen outlets. We definitely had older people with us, so it should be possible for anyone that has a regular physical condition. Since I didn’t use any additional oxygen I did feel a little dizzy most of the time and got out of breath quickly. These monasteries are pretty huge and have a lot of steps, which, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t be a problem to me (I‘m a 27 year old male) but in these altitudes I did feel exhausted pretty quickly. That being said, not once did I seriously struggle, it was all just a little bit more exhausting than usual. Conclusion: I was glad to do it with the agency I did it with, they managed everything and stayed in contact while doing it. Our guide was a cool Tibetan dude who had a lot of knowledge and told us interesting things. I had a nice group and nice experiences so I‘m really happy with my decision and the overall trip. Seeing Everest from the Chinese side is quite mesmerizing and a experience that I wouldn’t want to miss. Recommend for everyone that wants to see Tibet, the Himalayas, Everest, but doesn’t want a trip thats too rough. So yea, if u have questions feel free to ask! If u made it to the end, thanks for reading! submitted by /u/SetchmoKannibale [link] [comments]
- Lhasa Travel ExperienceHello! I recently did a Tibet Group trip with three of my friends, and I thought I’d share some impressions and practical information while it’s still fresh in my head. We’re all 25-year-old Norwegians, and honestly none of us knew that much about Tibet beforehand. Like many people, I had seen Seven Years in Tibet, but beyond that I mostly just knew it looked remote and very different from anywhere I’d been before. However, the trip ended up being one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had! How we entered Tibet As Norwegians, we used the 30-day visa-free entry policy for China, which made things surprisingly easy. We only had to fill out an arrival card before landing in China, and apart from that entry into mainland China was completely smooth. For Tibet itself, foreigners can’t really travel independently, so you need permits and an organized tour. 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