What Should You Pay Attention to When Taking Kids to Tibet?

Tibet is located in the southwest of China, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, and is known as the "Roof of the World." At the same time, it has beautiful snow-capped mountains and lakes and rich Tibetan customs. For families, taking children to Tibet is an unforgettable experience, but there are some important things to note.

High Altitude Sickness

The average altitude in Tibet is very high, thus it is an adventure for most travelers who set foot in this area, let alone children. You'd better take kids to Tibet who are over four years of age. Even at five, sometimes they couldn't express their feelings clearly to their parents. The description of this syndrome explained by kids may be misunderstood as jet lag, food safety, or even cold, which is very dangerous for kids if the treatment is delayed. The most suitable age for children to travel in Tibet is seven or eight years old. Parents must pay attention to the health condition of children and slow down the pace of the trip.

Here are some suggestions for avoiding high-altitude sickness.

Kids should be checked by doctors whether they can have a Tibet tour. Parents should attention to the health of your children and not get sick before departure. If there are symptoms such as a cold, it is not recommended to take your children with you. After getting to Lhasa, please prohibit your kids' fierce activities in high-altitude areas, including running and jumping as it's easy to cause hypoxia. Also, you shouldn't take a shower in case of catching a cold, or the high altitude sickness will be more serious. Trekking for kids should be avoided because of the kids' physical condition.

>>See more about Altitude Sickness in Tibet

Best Time to Visit

The best months for travelers to get to Tibet are from April to October. But for travelers who only want to visit Lhasa, you can get to Lhasa in any season. Because even in winter, the weather in Lhasa is warm. For travelers who want to travel to some other places outside Lhasa, you should not get to Tibet in cold months. April to mid-June and from mid-October to late November are the best time for kids to visit Tibet. In these periods, the sky is clear with fewer clouds, and the number of tourists is less. You can have a wonderful Tibet trip in the warm season. Commonly, kids will travel to Tibet during their summer vacation. However, it is the rainy season in Tibet. The sky is not clear with many clouds. Thus, travelers cannot see many high mountains in a far distance. A great number of tourists will travel to Tibet from late July through September, so you'd better avoid the peak season during this time.

>>See more about Best Time to Visit Tibet

Local Culture

Tibet has unique cultural and religious traditions. Before taking your children to Tibet, educate them to respect local culture and beliefs and abide by local codes of conduct. When visiting monasteries, remind children to be quiet and respectful. Help children understand and appreciate this special place by explaining and introducing them to the cultural background of Tibet. Encourage children to take the initiative to learn from local people about their way of life, traditional handicrafts and folk culture. Participate in local cultural activities and festivals to let your children experience the charm of Tibet firsthand. This will help children broaden their horizons and increase their respect and understanding of multiculturalism.

>>See more about Tibetan culture

Food

For most kids, traditional Tibetan food is not as tasty as their expectation, such as tsampa, yak butter tea, yak meat, and mutton. However, besides this local food, there are still many Chinese and Western foods in many Tibetan cities. You can enjoy Chinese noodles, cuisines, Indian pancakes, American food and Nepalese lentils. Thus, there are many choices for kids. The restaurants are very clean in most cities, while the facilities in some rural areas are basic. You'd better bring some dry food or packet food when you visit some far areas because you can only eat traditional food whether you like it or not.

If your children are above four, you can take them to Lhasa. This city is safer for kids because it is the center of Tibet, and the living condition is higher than in other remote areas. If your children are old enough, you can take them with you to some other places.

>>See more about Tibetan Food

Accommodations

The accommodations in Lhasa are better than in any other area of Tibet. There are many hotels with qualified conditions and services, such as St. Regis Lhasa Resort and Intercontinental Lhasa Paradise. But the size of the room is a little bit small. If your family needs several rooms, you can book an adjoining room connected by a door.

The rooms in some remote areas are small, and they only have one single bed. For a family, this kind of room is not enough. So they have to book an adjoining room. If you don't mind living in a big room, you can choose tented accommodation at Everest Base Camp.

>>See more about Tibet Hotels

Tibet Tour Exploration

Tibet has many attractions not to be missed, such as the Potala Palace, Namtso and Everest Base Camp. But taking into account the child's physical strength and attention, it is best to choose some relatively low-altitude routes, as well as easy and interesting activities. For example, you can tour Lhasa city, experience Tibetan culture, visit Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery, travel from Lhasa to Shigatse, Lhasa to Nyingchi, and have a light hike by Namtso Lake.

>>See more family Tibet tours