Kailash Saga Dawa Festival

Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your CEO, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy please bear in mind that all clients must have medical coverage and that we require a minimum coverage of USD 200,000 for repatriation and emergency rescue. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.

** Please be advised that if you have recently travelled to Turkey, or you are a Turkish citizen, it is possible that your Chinese visa will not be approved. Please contact your local embassy for further information. ** NEPAL - Visas are available at the Nepal border town of Kodari. You will also need to provide two passport photos and the following fees in US dollars cash only: Multiple entry visa valid for 15 days - US $25: Multiple Entry Visa for 30 days - US $40 and Multiple entry visa valid for 90 days - US $100 Please note that visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. The visa requirements for your trip vary depending on where you are from and where you are going. We keep the following information up to date as much as possible, but rules do change. It is important that you check for yourself with the embassy of each country. Your travel agent can assist. Please, keep in mind that all countries require passports valid for at least 6 months from the moment of departure from the country. CHINA: all nationalities require a visa to visit China Most nationalities also need an official Letter Of Invitation (LOI) before they can apply for their Chinese visa. You can obtain the LOI through our visa support agent in China. The visa support link you need to complete will be sent to you or your travel agent by email when you confirm your booking. You must read the instructions carefully and fill out all the details. When filling out your Chinese Visa Application form, Please ensure that you list the same details as appear on your LOI when filling out your Chinese Visa Application form. Passengers traveling to Tibet: As Tibet continues to be a sensitive area for travel to the Chinese government you must refrain from listing Tibet as one of the places you are going to visit as your application form or your Visa will be denied. We will provide you with the necessary documents to obtain your Chinese Visa, please use the details provided when filling out your Chinese Visa application form. Please submit a copy of your Chinese Visa to us once you receive it in order to arrange your permit for Tibet. Norwegian nationals travelling to Tibet: Please be advised that starting in 2018, travellers from Norway are now eligible to apply for a permit to enter Tibet. However, please keep in mind that applications made by Norwegians are being reviewed very carefully by the Tibetan authorities. If you are planning to travel with a Norwegian passport, please ensure that you have appropriate travel insurance in case your Tibetan Permit application is unsuccessful. HOW TO FILL IN CHINA LOI FORM ONLINE: As Chinese visas are dated specifically for entry and exit, please ensure you enter the correct dates as per your flights entering and exiting China. Please remember to put exactly the same dates when you fill out the application at the Chinese embassy. You will need to provide additional documentation to the consulate (i.e. flights tickets, hotel reservations) if these dates fall outside the duration of the tour. Please do not submit the below application until 3 months prior to your entry into China. The details will be forwarded to our local agent in China and you will be emailed your Chinese Invitation Letter (With day by day Itinerary) only once we are within 60 days of the trip start date. Once you have received your LOI you can apply for your visa by going to the nearest Chinese embassy.Please, remember that it is your responsibility to check whether passport details, name spelling and dates on the LOI are correct. As of April 3rd, 2018, all Chinese visa application forms must be typed. Handwritten forms will no longer be accepted. Following the successful implementation of their 144 hour visa free program for the Shanghai district, The Ministry of Public Security of China have announced the extension of the 144 hour visa free program for provinces of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. As of the 29th of December 2017, over 50 foreign nationals can now enter or exit via one of the following ports: - Beijing Capital International Airport - Railway West Railway Station - Tianjin Binhai International Airport - Tianjin International Cruise Homeport, or - Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in Hebei Province and Qinhuangdao Harbor.

Important Notes

1. ALTITUDE SICKNESS This trip operates at altitudes over 3500m (max altitude 5630m). Whilst we travel slowly allowing plenty of time to acclimatise you may experience headaches, nausea, lethargy on arrival in Lhasa and on the Kailash kora. It is important to be aware of the affects of altitude on one's tolerance especially on long driving days. 2. PARTICIPATION IN KAILASH KORA If anyone is unable to participate in the Kailash kora they may remain in Darchen with our drivers. 3.ACCOMMODATION Accommodation in western Tibet (particularly on the Kailash kora) and at Everest Base Camp) is extremely basic - only multishare rooms may be available and little or no running water. Basic pit toilets. 4. WEATHER The sun is intense - hat and sun screen are essential as well as drinking plenty of water as altitude exacerbates dehydration. 5. Peak season notice: Golden Week falls between October 1st and 7th, 2019/2020/2021. Please note that Golden Week is a semi-annual 7-day or 8-day national holiday for the people of China. This is a very busy time of the year for domestic tourists, so expect some crowding at major attractions. We recommend booking these dates well in advance as accommodations and transportation availability is extremely limited.

Meals

Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Included breakfasts will usually be asian style consisting of noodles or congee (rice porridge) or bread and eggs. Vegetarians will be able to find a range of different foods, although in some areas the choice maybe limited. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets. Food in Western Tibet is limited in variety - we recommend bringing snacks, museli bars etc for snacks on the Kailash kora.

Dossier Disclaimer

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.