Airport and arrival
Lhasa airport is located at Gongkhar, 93 km to the southeast of the city. Buses bring you to Lhasa city in around two hours. The shuttle bus transfer from the airport to Lhasa city is included in the airfare. Volunteers will be picked up by the coordinator

Airport tax
RMB 90

Banks and exchange
Only the Bank of China offers foreign exchange services and facilities in Tibet and certain up market hotels (Lhasa Hotel, the former Holiday Inn, and Tibet Hotel). The Bank of China has a main office (0891-6835078) and several sub-branches in Lhasa, which all cash travelers' checks while only the main office offers cash advances on major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and Amex). Its main office is located on Lingkhor Bei Lu 28, north of the Yak Statue and its hours of operation are 9:30 am -1pm and 3:30 - 6:00pm, Monday to Friday. Another convenient sub-branch lies on Beijing Dong Lu, between the Kirey Hotel and the Banak Shol Hotel. Its hours of operation are 9:30am-6:00pm, Monday to Friday, and 11am-3pm, Saturday and Sunday. The Bank of China Shigatse office, near the Shigatse Hotel, can provide travelers' checks exchange services also. Cash advances on credit cards are not available here. Due to a lack of conversion outlets, visitors may have to change their extra RMB on the black market before their exit.

Bike rental
Bike rental is available at some of the hotels; expect to pay about ¥2 per hour and to leave a deposit, up to ¥300.

City transportation
By far the easiest way to get around the city and its environs is by minibuses which have a ¥2 flat fare and run from around 7am to 10pm. Simply flag them down when you want one and pay the conductor before you get off. Cycle-rickshaws, a very few taxis and, on the outskirts, tractors also carry passengers - bargain for the fare before you get in; ¥5 should get you from the bus station to the centre of town on a tractor, or from the Potala to Barkhor Square in a cycle-rickshaw, but you'll pay at least double that in a taxi, if you can find one (Bike rental, Minibus routes).

Clothes
The type of clothing you bring depends on the season you are traveling. Casual attire is recommended. Warm clothing is a must to ensure a comfortable tour. You can count on experiencing the sudden onset of foul weather as well as temperature extremes while in Tibet. Wearing several layers of clothing that can be easily added or removed is the wise choice since temperatures may vary greatly within a single day. A windbreaker plus a sweater will work nicely for strolling around Lhasa in summer. During the peak tourism season, frequent rainfall makes waterproof clothing and raingear absolute necessities. Other essentials to pack include cotton or woolen underwear, woolen socks, long sleeve cotton or lightweight wool shirts and T-shirts. Women should avoid skirts or dresses. Comfortable, sturdy sneakers, walking shoes or hiking boots are also recommended. Don't forget to bring along a warm hat as well as warm gloves.

Currency
The currency is named Renminbi (RMB) and comes in bank notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 & 100 Yuan (¥) and 1, 2 & 5 Jiao. Coins come in 1, 2 & 5 Fen (1 Yuan = 10 Jiao or 100 Fen). Renminbi means “people’s currency”, Yuan means “unit”.

Customs
Customs allowance tobacco: 400 cigarettes, Liquor: two 75cl bottles of alcoholic beverages. Customs rules require an accounting of all valuables including watches, jewelry, cameras and currency that you are taking in. A copy of this is surrendered on departure and anything missing may well be treated as imported and duty required accordingly. Therefore make sure you obtain a police report for any goods stolen during your stay. Recorded video-tapes must be declared and may be viewed by the authorities on arrival.

Electricity
220 volts, 50 Hz.

Films
For film check out the photography shops on Kharnga Dong Lu opposite People's Park. Processing is also available here; expect to pay about ¥1 per print.

Food
Definitely not among the top cuisines in the world, Tibetan food is constrained by what will grow at over 4000m - which is very little. The traditional Tibetan diet consists in large part of butter tea, a unique mixture of yak butter, tea and salt which Tibetans consume in huge quantities. Into this drink is stirred tsampa, roasted barley flour, to form dough with the consistency of raw pastry but a not unpleasant nutty flavor. Yak meat, yoghurt and cheese (often dried into bite-sized cubes to preserve it) and sometimes a soup of a few vegetables supplement this. Most Tibetan restaurants serve thukpa (pronounced tukpa), a noodle soup with a few bits and pieces of whatever is available and, if you're lucky, you'll find momos which are tiny steamed or fried dough-wrapped parcels containing meat or vegetables. A thri momo is a solid dough parcel without any filling. The local drink, chang, a sweet, yellow beer made from a mixture of grains, was summed up by one traveler as tasting like bread and lemonade.

Health
An altitude over 3,000 meters is usually defined as high altitude. Since most places in Tibet are higher than this level, Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), also called Altitude Sickness is the biggest health risk to tourists in Tibet. AMS is common at high altitudes due to the decreasing availability of oxygen. Most people will experience differing degrees of symptoms at high elevation. The occurrence of AMS is dependent on the altitude, the ascent rate and individual physical condition. Symptoms of AMS include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. Most people will experience one or more AMS symptoms upon their arrival in Tibet. The symptoms will usually gradually decrease in severity during acclimatization. Mild AMS usually will not interfere with mild activity. The following precautions may help to prevent or lessen the effects of AMS:

• Since fluid loss usually accompanies the acclimatization process, drink plenty of fluids (3 - 4 liters daily at least) and eat carbohydrate food to keep the body properly hydrated;
• Do not over exert and only partake in light activity immediate after your arrival;
• Don't smoke, drink alcohol or take other depressants such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills. These will depress the respiratory drive and limit oxygen intake.
  It is significant that you report any symptoms of AMS immediately to your coordinator in Tibet.

Hospital
First People's Hospital, Lingkor Bei Lu (Mon-Fri 10am-12.30pm & 4-6pm; emergencies only at weekends). It's better to go in the morning when more staff are available and you'll need to take a Chinese translator. There is no dental treatment available in Lhasa, only extraction. You could also try the traditional Tibetan Medicine Hospital (Mentsikhang), Yuthok Lu (hours as above). Go upstairs and look for the only sign in English, which says "Outpatients' Office" - this is where the doctor who deals with foreigners works. Otherwise, as some staff are Tibetan and some Chinese, a translator who speaks both is ideal.

Internet
There are dozens of internet cafes in Lhasa. The internet service in the Makye Ame Restaurant and the Barkhor cafe are examples. In Chamdo, Ngari and Yadong there are also a number of other internet cafes but they are less reliable.
More Internet accesses:
Huiren Internet Cafe: Around the Barkhor, the largest internet cafe in Lhasa with unique furnishings, pictures and art works hung on walls for sale.
Jisu Internet Cafe: 76 Beijing Zhong Lu, Lhasa, Tel (0891)6832001
Shiye Internet Cafe: 230 Beijing Zhong Lu, Lhasa, Tel (0891)6830672
Qiubite Internter Cafe: Z310 Changqing Jie, Chamdo, Tel 13908956573.
Be aware that electronic mail from Tibet is monitored through the server, so don't mention any Tibetan names!

Language
Official languages are Mandarin (also named Putonghua) and Tibetan, business & administration languages are Mandarin (Potunghua) and English.

Minibus routes
Line #2: West from the small minibus stand opposite the cinema on Yuthok Lu north up Kharnga Dong Lu and then west along the front of the Potala. Some head west on Beijing Zhong Lu and Beijing Xi Lu and then turn south at the Lhasa, past the Norbulingka, while others follow the old road, Yuan Lin Lu, to the Norbulingka. All pass the bus station and then head west out of the city on Chingdol Xi Lu.
Line #3: From Beijing Dong Lu at the junction with Dosengge Lu, then loops north at Nyangrain Lu, west along Lingkor Bei Lu, down to the Golden Yaks Statue, then east along Beijing Zhong Lu and Beijing Xi Lu past the Lhasa and out to Drepung and Nechung monasteries.
Line #5: From the stand opposite the cinema on Yuthok Lu, north up Dosengge Lu, then west along Beijing Dong Lu and north up Nyangrain Lu to Sera Monastery.

Pharmacies
Most are along Yuthok Lu around the junction with Dosengge Lu. There is a pharmacy specializing in Tibetan medicine on the north side of Barkhor Square. Again, you'll need a translator.

Postcards
The search for postcards can be frustrating and expensive as sets on offer at the main sights are generally pricey. The sets at the post office and the Xinhua Bookstore are the best value.

Post office
On Beijing Dong Lu, east of the Potala (daily 9am-8pm).

Restaurants, eating and drinking
There is a huge number of restaurants in Lhasa, and you could eat in a different place every night for several months. Anyone seriously watching the Yuan can get a bowl of noodles in one of the small places near the Tromzikhang market for ¥3. An excellent night market stretches along Desenge Lu, north of Beijing Dong Lu. There are plenty of Sichuan hotpot stalls at the beginning, but keep going and you'll find Uigurs selling Xinjiang food - lots of spicy kebabs - towards the end. Prices are very cheap, but find out the cost of everything before you order. You can get tasty Muslim bread from bakeries outside the Mosque for a few Yuan. For trekking food such as muesli and chocolate, try the counters at the Kailash or Snowland Restaurants. The small shop on Beijing Dong Lu, opposite and east of the Yak Hotel, with "Indian foodstuffs abundant" written outside, sells such goodies as chocolate spread.
Barkhor Café, Barkhor Square. A good to place to sit with a chocolate milkshake, though the food is nothing special - the draw here is the rooftop terrace at the southwest corner of Barkhor Square. Reach the café by the spiral staircase to the right and look down on the evening bustle of the crowds as the setting sun bounces golden rays off the Jokhang roof. Inside, there's an Internet area.
Beijing Duck Restaurant, Beijing Xi Lu, opposite and a little west of the Grand Hotel Tibet; there's a sign in English (but no English menu inside). You'll pay about ¥50 per person.
Gangki Restaurant, corner of Mentsikhang Lu and Barkhor Square. This rooftop place is good value and has great views of the Jokhang, but is very popular with Tibetans and often extremely busy. Main dishes cost ¥10-30 and Tibetan tea and tsampa are also available.
Hard Yak Café, Lhasa Hotel, Minzu Lu. Offering starched linen, muzak, old magazines and a range of Western food, this place is an expensive haven for the culture-shocked. Expect to pay ¥60-80 for a main meal; the famous Yak Burger (¥68) is almost worth the price and should only be your choice when you’re seriously hungry.
Kailash, in the Banak Shol, Beijing Dong Lu. Their breakfast includes eggs, toast, hash browns and tomatoes for ¥20. Also on offer are yak burgers, spaghetti and various vegetarian options. Service is slack and it gets busy, but at least you get to wait in the pleasant environment of the hotel courtyard.
Lhasa Kitchen, Beijing Dong Lu, beside the Yak Hotel. Ignore the tacky lampshades and concentrate on the excellent Tibetan cuisine served in this upmarket but inexpensive place. Try soup with shaphali (meat and vegetable patties) followed by deysee (rice, raisins and yoghurt).
Mad Yak, in the courtyard of the Kirey Hotel. Pleasant Tibetan furnishings and large menu. There's some rather doubtful Tibetan singing and dancing every evening at 7pm. Go to Tashi 2 next door instead.
Makye Ama, behind the Jokhang, southeast corner of the Barkhor. The kind of New-Age café you might expect to find in the arty quarter of any Western city. Try the Indian dishes and rhodola, a local drink supposed to aid oxygenation. Comfortable chairs invite lingering and offer a view over the Jokhang perambulators, while the restaurant library boasts the best collection of English-language books in Lhasa.
Snowlands Restaurant, next to the Snowlands Hotel, on Mentsikhang Lu. Upmarket but moderately priced with a wide range of soups, salads, pizzas, yak steaks and curries prepared by a good Nepalese chef. Main courses for ¥30 and generous set breakfasts from ¥25.
Tashi 1, corner of Beijing Dong Lu and Mentsikhang Lu. Along with its sister restaurant, Tashi 2, in the Kirey Hotel, this is the mainstay of budget travelers in Lhasa. Both offer the same small and inexpensive menu, including a range of Tibetan momos and delicious bobis (tortillas with sour cream and vegetables or meat), as well as french-fries, spaghetti, mashed potatoes and fried yak meat. The cheesecake and the chocolate cake are excellent.
Third Eye, Mentsikhang Lu, opposite the Snowlands Hotel. Good Tibetan fare; on some nights a Western action movie is shown.
Yuyi, opposite the Banak Shol Hotel, Beijing Dong Lu. Sichuan cuisine served up in an informal atmosphere. No MSG is used but the food is not as spicy as it should be, unless you make it clear that you want the genuine article.

Shopping
A major activity for foreigners in Lhasa is shopping. The main area for browsing is the Barkhor, where the better stuff is in the shops behind the stalls, but it's much more expensive. The vendors on the street outside the Lhasa Hotel have essentially the same range, but in smaller quantities, and they start off at higher prices. The shop at the Pentoc Hotel has a good range of souvenirs, including yak-wool jumpers and socks. Another good gift is the handmade paper sold from a shop beside the Lhasa Kitchen.

Souvenirs
Tibetan thangkas (religious scrolls) and religious and secular paintings would appear to be obvious souvenirs, but many are of poor quality - you'll need to spend some time browsing before you buy. The least expensive thangkas - you'll find masses of these in the Barkhor - have a printed religious picture in the middle while the better-quality, and higher-priced ones, have a hand-painted image. Look carefully, though, at the quality of the painting itself; the best ones have finely drawn and highly detailed backgrounds, but the less skilled artists leave larger areas of the canvas blank with less meticulously painted details. The asking prices are high; bargain hard! Look also in the shops in Shol village just inside the Potala gate and the Lhasa Hotel lobby shop (9am-8pm) which has a range of paintings (¥500-2500) and will give you some idea of the top end of the scale. The Tibet Traditional Art Gallery next door to the Ramoche offers an excellent range of good-quality, hand-painted thangkas, but expect prices starting at ¥3000!
There are plenty of tailors in town, both Chinese and Tibetan, who can make traditional Tibetan or Western dress; look on Beijing Dong Lu west of the Yak Hotel. Many have samples made up and you can simply shop around until you find the style and material you want. From first measuring to collecting the finished item usually takes 24 hours. A huge range of materials, from light, summer-weight stuff, to heavier, warmer textiles, are available. Prices depend on the material, but light jackets start around ¥100 and skirts, trousers or a floor-length Tibetan woman's dress (chuba) at ¥80.

Telecommunications
There's a 24-hour office located next to the post office with direct dialing facilities and fax service. Alternatively, the business centre in the Lhasa Hotel (8am-8pm in the tourist season) sends faxes for ¥45-50 per minute and you can have faxes sent there for you, but you'll pay ¥20 per sheet when you collect them. The telephone code for Lhasa is 0891.

Tourist attractions

• Potala Palace: The most imposing attraction of Lhasa, once the centre of Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai.
• Jokhang Temple: The golden-roofed Jokhang is 1300 years old and one of Tibet's holiest shrines.
• Barkhor: The Barkhor is essentially a pilgrim circuit which is followed clockwise round the periphery of the Jokhang. It is also a hive of market activity, an astounding jamboree, a Tibetan-style stock exchange.
• Norbu Lingka: About three km west of the Potala is the Norbu Lingka, which used to be the summer residence of Dalai Lama

Time Zone
GMT+8

Visa
A visa is required to enter Tibet. You will apply for the visa at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.

Weather
Average daytime temperature during:
Spring (Apr - Jun): 8.3°C
Summer (Jul - Sep): 15.2°C
Autumn (Oct - Dec): 8.3°C
Winter (Jan - Mar): -2.3°C