If you're traveling with your whole family, you would like to have your minors learn something while having fun and ensure the travel pace is slow and relaxing for the seniors. So, the ideal itinerary should be made within a reasonable duration, at moderate levels to suit the needs of all the members.
The safety and health of our family always comes first when we plan a trip. When it comes to a group adventure including your young people or seniors, it's all the more so. Tibetan people are well-reputed for their kindness. Even the minor crimes are not common in Tibet. The first thing you should take in account is the altitude sickness which troubles almost all new comers in Tibet at some degree.
There is no clear indication that minors or seniors would have bigger problems tacking this unique illness than the adolescents or average adults. However, kids who are not old enough to express their feelings and needs are not advised to travel Tibet, especially to the regions with altitudes above 4,000 meters. We've seen parents with kids aging below five, or haven young traveler at the age of two, doing okay in Tibet. But seriously, we would recommend parents travel to Tibet with kids older than eight. If you feel confident to take your kids with you to Tibet, you are also advised to arrange them a health examination and get some medical advice before heading to this “roof of the world”. For our loving seniors, as long as they don't have sicknesses that are not suitable to travel in high altitude areas, such as heart disease, hypertension, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, they are good to visit Tibet.
A Senior Tourist at a Tibetan Monastery
Tips for Preventing Serious Altitude Sickness
Kids below 12 may have little interests in art or culture, which can be the highlight of a Tibet trip to your seniors. So, if your family trip is an inter-generational one with both the young and the old, it will be more challenging to plan a trip satisfying all members. However, there is something loved by people of all ages. Yes, the answer is nature. Tibet is never devoid of natural wonders, from towering snow-capped mountains, to lakes of countless shapes and different charming colors; vast grassland and the toughest or agilest animals, and more. To begin your first Tibet trip with your loved ones, we hope you remember only one rule: no rushing--take it slow, remember to stop, look and enjoy.
Though Tibet offers fascinating natural scenery and celebrates festivals of religion, harvest, culture, all year-round. There are some certain times of year that are more family-friendly based on weather, altitude, budget and events.
Basically, May to October is the period when the weather is relatively mild and warm, and hence believed as the best time to travel Tibet for your minors and seniors. These times are also suitable for some easy outdoor activities such as short excursion in and around Lhasa, easy hiking in the forestry and river regions of Nyingchi, or an extended travel to Shigatse by taking the Lhasa-Shigatse train ride.
Lhasa, Nyingchi and Shigatse are the top three biggest towns in Tibet. They all have comfy hotels that can accommodate a big or small family. And in case of any unexpected health issue, they have the best medical services in Tibet. Moreover, there are convenient transport as well in these three cities, which can take some commute stress off.
Airports: Lhasa Gonggar Airport, Nyingchi Mailning Airport, Shigatse Peace Airport.
Train stations: Lhasa and Shigatse both have train stations for passengers. The train station of Nyingchi and the railways linking Nyingchi and Sichuan are still under construction.
Road condition: Roads in these three cities are mostly well-paved and in excellent conditions.
In comparison with solo travel, or travel with one partner which can save the single supplement, family trip involved of multi travelers certainly means a large amount of your budget for expenditure. Therefore, if your kids are teens or your seniors are in excellent health, you might be able to save budget by traveling to Tibet in winter without worrying too much about their vulnerability to cold.
Since the winter of 2017-2018, Tibet has been promoting its winter tourism by making a series of winter preferential policy. This policy makes it clear that the entrance fees, the cost on accommodation and transport, the air fares, be only charged either 30% to 50% of the original prices in the high seasons. Some attractions can even be visited for free. This valid period of this seasonal policy is normally the 1st of November to the 15th of March.
A Family Tour in Lhasa
Not only the adults who work in the modern jungle, need some computer-free time, your young and old will definitely be thrilled in the beautiful wilderness of Tibet. Getting into the green or the amazingly colored forests can be a magical way for adults to relax, which includes the hard-working care-giver(yourself). It is also full of wonders that can fuel the curiosity of your young and satisfy your elderly with the stunning scenery. As to a forest getaway, Nyingchi is the best place in Tibet to travel.
Nyingchi possesses the largest forestry coverage and thus the oxygen level in Nyingchi area ranks the highest in Tibet. In addition, the average altitude of Nyingchi is 2,900 meters, which is about 700 meters lower than that of Lhasa, and 1,000 meters lower than the average of the whole Tibet. In summary, the environment of Nyingchi is very physical friendly.
Best spots: Rivers and forests are the favorites of most kids, or even adults. With your companion, you can take them to do short hiking into the green and have some fun at the riverbanks. Nyang River, Lulang Forest, Shergyla Mountain, Mount Namcha Barwa are all fantastic natural attractions within easy reach from the seat of Nyingchi, the Bayi Town.
Best times: All the four seasons are good to go. Nyingchi is a city with sophisticated tourist affinities and amenities, which provide comfy accommodation, good restaurants and medical support.
If you want to have a culture vacation that is both with laid-back relaxation and also glorious cultural experience, you should definitely visit Lhasa. Though Lhasa is suitable for visiting all year-round, we do suggest that you visit Lhasa in winter, actually from November 1st to March 15th. This period is the off-season and benefits the tourists by the preferential policy (as mentioned above). Besides the money saving, you can also be free from overcrowding of the high season, and get some quality time in the historical sites at your own pace. Lhasa in winter is taken over by the most devout pilgrims, most of whom come to Lhasa to worship the Jokhang Temple to pray for well beings of your loved ones and cleanse the sins they think they had made. Some pilgrims stay in Lhasa during the winter to make money by doing short-term jobs to support their further pilgrimage journey to Mount Kailash. Therefore, if you travel to Lhasa in winter, you'll see the most authentic Tibet with the strongest religious atmosphere.
Tibetan tea-houses are the best places to experience the mid-morning relaxation of local people. Sweet tea, Yak butter tea (slightly salty), Tibetan noodles, are the normal servings which are at low price and very yummy. After the warm food and drink, you can take your family to visit the parks in Lhasa. The surprise you can give to your kids now is the winter wildlife that migrates to Lhasa from every October.
A Tea-house in Lhasa
Ask your kids and seniors what kind of things they expect to do in Tibet and help them make it possible to check off their wish list. You can actually get help from the kids and make them feel proud of themselves by accomplishing the task. For example, you can get them an actual paper map and introduce the attractions on the map and let them come up with a draft itinerary including their favorable activities and spots.
