A Zen Escape in Winter Tibet

“We are all dust in the embrace of nature.”

At the end of 2020, after our company holiday, Xin Ge and I planned a trip to Tibet. We booked hotels and flights, and with great anticipation, the pandemic struck our city—Harbin—once again. The situation became serious, and reluctantly, I had to cancel everything. I spent the 2021 New Year with a touch of regret. Just as I’d given up, on the second day of the Lunar New Year I saw a friend’s post on WeChat Moments about traveling to Chengdu. A spark ignited. I began checking with hotels, airports—any channels I could for travel policies and information. On the third day of the new year, I bought flight tickets to Lhasa and headed for that pure land……

Dates: Feb 16–26, 2021

Route: Harbin – Lhasa – Basum Tso – Nyingchi – Lulang – Bomi – Baxoi – Sossum Village – Lhasa – Yamdrok Lake – Lhasa – Harbin

Electronics: Canon R6 + DJI Mavic Air drone + DJI Pocket + iPhone

1. On the first day in Tibet, don’t pack your schedule. Rest well at the hotel and avoid showering or washing your hair to prevent worsening altitude sickness.

2. Try to book a hotel with oxygen supply, because most people will still experience some discomfort from the altitude.

3. Oxygen canisters bought at pharmacies or scenic spots in Tibet aren’t entirely useless, but I think they don’t help much. They basically contain compressed air with only a slightly higher oxygen concentration than the ambient air. What really works is getting medical oxygen at a hospital. If you feel truly awful, just go to the hospital.

4. The Potala Palace has free admission in winter. Once inside, there’s a charge of 200 yuan per person for something—I think it’s like an offering or donation. If you book a ticket and then cancel, you can’t rebook within seven days. Plan your schedule carefully.

5. Things to bring:

(1) Insulated mug: Many places to eat in Tibetan areas provide hot water. Especially in winter, a sip of warm water is very comforting.

(2) Chocolate or other small snacks for energy and to stave off hunger. Carry some with you. When meals are delayed or you feel unwell, a little bite helps.

(3) Warmer clothing. Especially in winter, mornings and evenings are cold. During the day you won’t be in short sleeves; a hoodie or sweater is fine. The sunshine feels warm, but most places you’ll visit are at high altitude, so the temperature is lower.

6. If you plan to go to Shigatse or Everest Base Camp, you need a Border Permit. You can get it for free in advance from your hometown, or apply for it in Tibet, but that costs more. I’ve seen online suggestions that it’s better to apply locally because required permits might vary per region. A travel agency can get you the correct one based on your itinerary. Since I didn’t go, I can’t give exact details or prices.

Fresh off the plane in Lhasa, my body felt normal—no severe altitude sickness. We obeyed the rule: after landing we went straight to the hotel without planning anything, just relaxing there for the night to really start the next day. Hotel: Pincuo Kangsang View Hotel (Potala Palace Branch). They upgraded us to a view room for free! The location is easy to find on the main street. Opening the window to see the Potala Palace felt absolutely wonderful.

In the evening, to minimize activity, we made a dinner reservation right at our hotel. Definitely book early—the earlier, the better the seat! We lucked out as the second reservation and got a window seat to enjoy Lhasa’s night view.

But while eating, Xin Ge started showing signs of altitude sickness—a headache. Under the spell of beautiful scenery and music, he bravely finished our first Lhasa meal. Back in the room, the headache set in bit by bit… haha.

We had booked Potala Palace tickets for the next day, but waking up with a throbbing, painful headache—even after taking Gaofanling (altitude sickness medicine) and using the oxygen in our room—we still felt awful. We decided to postpone the Palace visit, pushing it back two days to recover. Then we discovered cancellation means waiting seven days to rebook, by which time we might already be elsewhere. So we steeled ourselves: we had to go! We got up, washed, and got ready. The more we moved, the better we felt. Stepping outside the hotel, breathing Lhasa’s morning air, the discomfort vanished. Haha. So we had breakfast and took a taxi to the Potala Palace—just a few minutes’ ride, very close. With limited time, we skipped walking, though a stroll would have been great too.

Afterward, we wandered to the square park opposite the Palace, bathed in warm sunlight. With excitement, we took a tiny selfie against the vast Potala Palace.

That’s the viewpoint across the street—the spot featured on the 50-yuan note.

In the afternoon we went to Barkhor Street. Altitude sickness still lingered a bit, so we just strolled briefly and didn’t go elsewhere.

Because of the altitude, we didn’t linger long in Lhasa. On the third day, we booked a five-day, four-night private car trip to Nyingchi and headed there. Nyingchi’s altitude is lower. If you’re afraid of altitude sickness or you exercise regularly (making you more prone to it), consider going to Nyingchi first, then Lhasa—it helps you acclimatize.

The four of us (a big brother and a big sister, both traveling solo and veterans of Tibet) plus a driver made five people. Quite comfortable. The driver was a woman—a fantastic driver. Xin Ge felt humbled, haha. If we wanted to stop anywhere along the way, we could just ask her. She was very nice.

Leaving Lhasa, we first stopped at Basum Tso: serene lake, blue sky, and a perfectly timed small boat leaving ripples.

We spent the night in Lulang, famous for its stone pot chicken. For a chicken lover like me (the weasel loves chicken, as the saying goes), this was a blessing. The flavor was great.

Waking up early the next morning, Xin Ge and I went out to soak in the mountain morning:

Small bridge, flowing water, grasslands, steed, mountain forests, snow peaks, morning mist—so breathtakingly beautiful it’s beyond words.

Then we went to Grass Lake. Since it was winter, the water had receded, and we could walk on the lakebed—a unique delight.

Next came the glacier I’d been dreaming of.

The driver told us this year’s glacier has shrunk a lot compared to previous years; every year it gets smaller because of climate change. So if you long for Tibet and its glaciers, come early—you never know when they’ll be gone.

That night we stayed at a nearby hotel. I don’t know if all places here are this cold, but thankfully the front desk guy was very nice and helped carry our luggage to the second floor. Incredible strength, haha, I was stunned.

It was clear blue at first, then some clouds drifted over, veiling the mountain’s silhouette. Though not perfect, we still witnessed the rare “golden peak” glow—something “nine out of ten miss.” Feel so lucky.

On the last night of our Nyingchi loop, we stayed at the renowned Sossum Village, face to face with Mount Namcha Barwa.

In the early morning, Xin Ge waited by Namcha Barwa for sunrise~~~

Leaving Sossum Village, we started the return journey, heading back to Lhasa. We waved goodbye to our travel companions of five days—till fate brings us together again.

That night we checked into another trendy hotel: Gu Zang Shu Hua Oxygen Boutique Hotel (Lhasa Jokhang Temple Gucheng Branch).

It’s a uniquely styled Tibetan hotel. I found the conditions okay—after all, it was low season, the price was reasonable, so good value. What I loved most was the vibe inside. There’s an open-air rooftop terrace, romantically decorated.

A famous sweet tea house on Barkhor Street: one yuan a cup. Put your change on the table and the staff will take the money and pour you a cup. Many local Tibetans sit here to rest and chat.

In the evening we found a Tibetan restaurant right inside Barkhor Street, very prominent.

The next day we had booked a Tibetan-style photoshoot. Hahaha, a photo lover like me had long set my eyes on this studio: 1987 Image Workshop.

Almost SOOC, no filter needed. We did a grassland theme, bouncing up a small hill along the way~~~

After the shoot, in the afternoon we strolled near the Potala Palace again and found a yogurt shop: Yak Yogurt House.

On the third day back in Lhasa, we booked a day trip to Yamdrok Lake, giving up on Everest Base Camp. After all, it was winter, the accommodation there has always been rough, and it would be even colder—the scenery might not be great either. So Xin Ge and I decided to save Everest for our next summer Tibet visit~~~ A little something to look forward to.

Returning from Yamdrok Lake, we ended our Tibet trip.

The initial excitement and final reluctance rushed through those ten short days. Just as we were getting used to the altitude, it was time to leave. Our country’s magnificent landscapes, Tibet’s mystic serenity, the people and moments we met along the way—all are gifts from life. I think the meaning of travel doesn’t lie in which spot you check off or how many places you’ve been, but in the feeling of boundless freedom the moment you set out on the journey.

Looking forward to the next trip~

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