How to Enjoy a Comfortable and Affordable Family Tour in Tibet?

Taking your kids to Tibet is not hard, and you can plan the trip with maximum efficiency to ensure that both you and your children can enjoy the trip of a lifetime on the Tibetan plateau. Taking kids to Tibet is not difficult, and while there are very few issues with getting into this awesome plateau land of Buddhas and mountains, there are some things to consider to make sure that your trip is the best possible for all concerned. With complete preparation and the help of a qualified and reliable travel agency, you can make sure that your trip is perfect for your family. Here, we have a list of the top tips for parents planning a trip to Tibet with their children.

Contact a Reliable Tibetan Local Travel Agency

The first thing to do is to contact a reliable and trustworthy travel agency to handle the details of your family trip to Tibet. For any parent, planning for the safety and security of their children is paramount when considering a trip to Tibet. Ideally, you should be looking for a travel agency that con give you all the services in one go, rather than one that farms out the actual tour to another company or to independent guides. An all-in-one company can give you that on-stop service that makes for a better relationship for the tour itself.

You should also consider their prices before choosing the travel agency. For travel to Tibet, cheap is sometimes not best, but nor is highly expensive. What you should look for is that company that can give you value for money, so pricing should be reasonable based on your requirements. You should also look for the team that has professional guides with enough experience to be able to answer all your questions and give you the best experience of their homeland. Dedication to the customer is a must here. And they should take the safety of you and your family seriously, making sure that you and the kids you are with are safe at all times.

One of the best ways to find out about the different tour operators is to do some research and read the client reviews they have on TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor is an independent website that allows real customers to leave their own honest and unbiased reviews of the many different companies that offer trips to Tibet. This way, you can be sure that the travel agency you choose has a good reputation for excellent customer service.

Choose the Best Time for Your Family Tour in Tibet

Knowing when to visit Tibet is an important factor for the planning of your tour of the plateau. There are certain times of the year that are more suitable for different kinds of tours, and Tibet is a region that can feasibly be visited all year round. The climate also plays a part in traveling with children, and you want them to enjoy themselves as much as you do, so it is best to avoid times when the weather may dampen their spirits.

Ideally, the spring and autumn seasons, from April to May and September to October, are the best times to travel to Tibet with kids. At these times of the year, the weather is better, with clear skies and bright sunny days for touring. The early spring and late autumn can get a little chilly at night, but with a few good warm sweaters, you can comfortably enjoy the plateau region with your children. Summer, with its monsoon rains, and winter, with the intense cold and snowy landscapes, are often not ideal for traveling to the high altitudes of the plateau with kids.

Choose the suitable travel route for your family tour in Tibet

Now that you know when to come, you need to decide on where to go. Tibet is a vast land that stretches for thousands of kilometers, and traveling to many of the western areas of the plateau takes several days. Long drives often make kids bored, so unless your kids are ok with long drives, it is best to limit your tour to those areas that are reached more easily with shorter journeys.

Some of the best places to visit in Tibet include Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, and Shigatse, the second city of Tibet. The capital is an amazing city of both ancient and modern, with many attractions to visit during your stay. The heart of Tibetan culture, tours in Lasa include the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, and several monasteries in the area.

Shigatse is an ideal day trip, and the journey passes through other interesting locations, such as Lake Yamdrok and Gyantse, so the long drive is broken up with interesting attractions along the way. Lake Yamdrok is one of the most outstanding sights near Lhasa, and stretches out for miles across Shannan Prefecture. And Gyantse, with its 32-meter 108-chapel Kumbum stupa is an awesome experience, even for the kids.

Pay Attention to High Altitude Acclimatization for Little Kids

Altitude sickness is one of the most common concerns for tourists to Tibet, and more so for those parents with young children. Acclimatization to the high altitude of the Tibetan plateau is important, especially for the kids, who may suffer a little more than adults when it comes to acclimatizing. It is best to have them checked by your doctor before traveling, to make sure that there will be no adverse effects from altitude sickness.

While you are acclimatizing, make sure that the kids understand what they are feeling when it comes to altitude sickness. And give them the care and attention they need to help them get over it more easily. Kids do tend to run around a lot, so while acclimatizing, it is a good idea to keep them occupied with other things, so that they do not over-exert themselves. And whilst you are traveling in Tibet, make sure that they are well hydrated and rest whenever they need it, to keep the altitude sickness from returning.

Pack the Necessary Clothes and Personal Care Items

Packing for your kids is just as important as everything else you are preparing for the trip to Tibet. Let them pack themselves, and it will be all toys and no clothes. Make sure that you pack a variety of clothes to suit the climate, including lighter clothes if you are traveling in the warmer months of the year or thick sweaters and quilted jackets for travel in the colder months. For spring and autumn, you should bring a combination of both, as it can be warm in the daytime and cold at night. The same should be said of your own packing. And include hats and gloves, as they will help you stay warm.

Sun block is a necessity in Tibet, believe it or not, and you can get sunburned staying out in the intense high-altitude sun all day. Sunglasses can also help with the bright days, and moisturizers will help keep your face and hands from getting chaffed in the cold winds. If you or your kids need to take regular medications, then make sure that you pack enough for the entire trip and some extra just in case of delays. Multi-vitamins can also help with acclimatization for the kids, and can give them a good start in a nutritional diet while traveling the plateau region.

Few places in Tibet, outside the major hotels in Lhasa and Shigatse, have hot showers, so staying clean with cold water can be troublesome for kids, as they can catch a cold. Bring wet wipes to clean themselves with easily and without getting cold.

Join In Our Small Group Tour or Private Tour

One of the best ways to tour around Tibet is to take part in a Small Group Tour. While this is not for everyone, it can be a great way to travel the plateau, reducing the cost of the trip and allowing you to travel with other travelers that are interested in the same things as you are. Small Group tours allow you to join a pre-set tour with a pre-determined itinerary, along with other travelers that are interested in going to the same places. You will be part of a tour group of up to 12 people, kids included, and will be able to make the most of the time you have in Tibet in the hands of a professional and experienced guide.

If the idea of a Small Group Tour is not your ideal kind of holiday, then we have some amazing family tours that you can consider, or you could just tell us what you want and we can customize things just for you. Our most recommended family tours are private tours just for you and your family, and include tours around the area of Lhasa, with excursions as far afield as Shigatse and Shannan Prefecture. You will have your own experienced guide and driver, and a private tour vehicle for the whole trip. Or, if you cannot find what you are looking for in our Family Tours, you can always tell us what you want, and we can customize the itinerary to suit your personal preferences. The choice is entirely yours.

Conclusion

Taking a family tour in Tibet is not as hard a trip as you might expect. Traveling to Tibet with kids can be an amazing experience, for both you and them, and you can make the most of this amazing land with your kids experiencing one of the most unique cultures in the world. And with our Small Group Tours available for families to join in on, a family trip to Tibet need not be too expensive to afford. So come and book your trip now, and let your kids see the wonders on the Roof of the World.