How to go about trekking in Tibet? In Lhasa there are many official outfitters in just about every other shop you can come across. They will have the official symbol on the sign. First of all, the route of the trek needs to be agreed on, the number of days, sights to stop at, and the price. Does the price include food and lodging? Better to not then you can pick and choose as you go and like because you really don’t know what you will be getting. Then checking out the make of the vehicle, how old is it and how are the suspensions and breaks. Meet with the driver to make sure you will like his company. Check his face for signs of having habits of drinking too much alcohol. How many accidents has he been in and does he like his job? Is there an oxygen tank in the car? Permits, depending on where you are going will take one to four days for approval.
Outfitters are responsible for reimbursing you when trek changes due to poor weather conditions or vehicle problems. Any change in the itinerary after the contract is signed results in costly add-on. The rates are competitive, ask around and make sure the total amount of days on the trek and final sale price are the same in each outfitter. Some may give you the same rate but in fine print referring to 5 days of trekking instead of 7.
Brian decided he was physically not well enough to travel and would like to leave Tibet soon to reunite with his girlfriend in Taiwan. Nate and Stef are still in the group and we are looking for a fourth person to split the cost. We were told to cut the cost even more we can have a fifth person who can sit in the trunk space of the 4X4. I stated that I would not rotate myself to the trunk and would prefer four instead of five. If there was to be a fifth person then I am not going into the trunk on our one week trek.
We have decided to do Everest and x Kilash off. We will all be returning to Lhasa afterwards. Nate and Stef decided they would not go to Kathmandu after Everest because they have two entry Visa and would like to go to Hong Kong for the second entry usage back into China afterwards. Stef is also a vegetarian so we will both be eating the same food since I will most likely be ordering for the both of us. We are set to depart on Saturday morning returning on Thursday.
In our group we have assembled supplies we would share. A gas stove to heat water for coffee and tea at a scenic spot of our choice. Instant noodles, crackers, fruits, other snacks were a must for such a road trip.
