Travel Guide

Accommodation: Accommodation while in Tibet are simple and basic. The Hotel in Kerung and Saga are better standard in comparison to other enroute Guest houses. If you are starting trip from Lhasa, we will use proper good standard hotels in Lhasa and Shigatse. The Guest Houses enroute to Kailash have common toilet facility.

Food: Food will be all vegetarians. Special care is taken to ensure that food is always hygienically prepared, as this becomes an important aspect when travelling though remote Tibet. Safe drinking water is available at all meals and disinfected water is provided for hand washing outside toilet tents and before meals. The simplicity but quality of the food our cooks can produce on such rugged terrain will surprise you.

Fitness: Obviously the fitter you are before embarking on a adventure holiday the more enjoyment you are going to get out of it. Begin a fitness programme as it makes sense to get as fit as possible prior to the trip. You need to concentrate on building stamina. Running, cycling and swimming are all excellent forms of exercise, so too is walking, particularly up and down hills [and stairs]. Be sensible in your approach to getting fit and build up fitness gradually. There will be some uphill and downhill climbs but taken slowly they shouldn’t be too much of a problem. It is preferable that you have previous camping and hill walking experience but not essential.

Acclimatization: Proper acclimatization is very important as ascending too high, too quickly above 10,000 ft. will increase the likelihood of developing altitude sickness. This is totally preventable problem and our routes are planned specifically to allow a gradual gain in altitude. By slowly gaining height we reap the benefits of a gradual gain the fitness and acclimatization.

Equipment & Clothing: Well fitting, comfortable boots are to be preferred over training shoes for the actual trekking and clothing will be required for both extremes of climate, for hot sun when trekking through the lower foothills to freezing temperatures at night when camping in the high valleys. Shorts, skirt or lightweight trousers are ideal in the heat of the day along with T-shirt, long sleeved cotton shirts and sun hat. During the evening and the higher altitudes warmers clothing will be needed.

Insurance & Emergency Expenses: We suggest that clients insure themselves against a comprehensive claim policy,which should also include Helicopter Evacuation if necessary. Please note that our Kailash Tour Package does not include any rescue or evacuation expenses in emergencies. Any Emergency arrangement other than regular straight forward tour itinerary service should be borne by the client themselves.

General Considerations when Packing: Keep the weight and bulk down to a minimum. Baggage allowance on most international flights is 20 Kg's/44 lbs.. Most people tend to bring more clothes than they do actually need. You will only need one change of clothes for Kathmandu. On trek it is important to dress in layers. When it is hot you will only be wearing a base layer, when it gets colder you can add to this until you are wearing most of your clothes!

  • FIBRE PILE JACKET: [1]
  • LIGHT COTTON TROUSERS: [1]
  • BREECHES /TRACK SUIT BOTTOMS /ULTRA FLEECE TROUSERS: [1]
  • DUVET JACKET: Down or synthetic
  • WOOL BALACLAVA, WOOL MITTS:
  • WATERPROOFS: Jacket and trousers
  • SUN HAT
  • SCARF: Silk/Nylon, useful for keeping the sun off the back of your neck
  • SUNGLASSES / GOGGLES: Essential to get a pair which cuts out 100% UV rays
  • SUN CREAM: High protection factor [15 or higher] or high altitude glacier cream
  • LIP SLAVE/LABISAN: Protection for the lips. Get one with a sunscreen
  • WATER BOTTLE: 1 litre metal
  • IODINE: 2% SOLUTION [TINCTURE OF IODINE] obtained from most chemists put into a small glass dropper bottle. 8 drops of iodine will sterilise 1 litre of water in 20 minutes.
  • TOILET ITEMS: Soap, Towel, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Shampoo, Comb, Sanitary protection, Toilet rolls [2], etc. Toilet paper is provided on Trek.
  • HEAD TORCH: [Petzl recommended] - spare batteries and bulbs
  • SEWING KIT
  • SMALL KNIFE: Swiss army style - has many uses
  • NOTEBOOK/DIARY/PENS
  • SMALL PADLOCK: Useful for locking your kit bag
  • A COPY OF YOUR INSURANCE CERTIFICATE
  • MONEY BELT
  • READING MATERIAL: [1BOOK]
  • CHOCOLATE BARS, SWEETS!
  • PERSONAL MEDICAL KIT
  • SMALL PLASTIC BAGS /STUFF SACS OR PILLOW CASES: To separate and keep the gear in your kit bag in order.
  • CIGARETTE LIGHTER: for burning toilet paper and rubbish.

OPTIONAL

  • SKI STICK: Telescopic for easy carrying
  • THERMAREST: Or similar self-inflating mattress, gives decadent luxury
  • CAMERA GEAR
  • GAMES: Cards, chess etc. for the evenings
  • UMBRELLA: Not only for rain, makes a great sunshade
  • WET WIPES: Or similar.

Personal Medical Kit: We suggest that you bring the following:

  • Elastoplast
  • Adhesive tape
  • 4" crepe bandage
  • Elasticated knee and /or ankle support if you experience strain these joints
  • Blister dressings, e.g. moleskin, compead, spenco dressings
  • Nasal Decongestant
  • Throat lozenges/ glucose sweets
  • * Wide spectrum antibiotic [Ciproxin recommended]
  • Anti-diarrhoea - Immodium or Lomotil
  • * A course of Flagyll [treatment of giardia]
  • * Codeine Phosphate - constipator, cough suppressant and pain killer
  • Cold and flu suppressant
  • Aspirin / paracetamol
  • Rehydrate powder - useful for adding to your water bottle and for fluid replacing purposes
  • Small pair of scissors
  • Any special medicines you require

Symptoms of High Altitude Sickness: Rather than one or two, usually a group of symptoms begin to appear as a person gains altitude. These symptoms vary in intensity and in the elevations at which they appear, depending on the individual experiencing them. The predominant characteristic associated with maladaptation to altitude is headache. Usually a headache appears in the evening after a long day of ascending. The headache should be relieved by aspirins and should go away by the following morning. The principal symptoms that accompany the onset of altitude sickness are : headache and weakness, sleeplessness, often accompanied by irregular breathing, particularly at night, fluid retention [oedema], particularly about the eyes or fingers, depending on the degree of altitude sickness, dry cough, mild nausea, loss of appetite, ataxia or loss of co-ordination and severe breathlessness at rest.

If the symptoms are a mild annoyance then you should rest until they subside. If the symptoms become more severe or do not disappear after a night's sleep, then you should descend until you feel well.

The basic treatment for severe altitude sickness is immediate descent: altitude sickness can progress rapidly once it becomes serious. The person afflicted should be taken down between 1,000 to 3,000ft. [300 to 450m.], the distance increasing with the extent of the symptoms.

The drug acetazolamide [diamox] has been used for assisting with acclimatization when travelling to altitude. Some reports indicate that the drug might be useful in treating the early stages of altitude sickness in addition to its use in prevention. It has been shown that people who had headaches, nausea and felt unwell improved considerably within 30 minutes of taking the tablets. The adult dosage is one 250mg. tablet twice a day. The most pronounced and irritating side effect is a tingling sensation which can occur at any site and without warning. The dose can be reduced to 250 mg. per day. It is recommended that the drug is started on the morning of ascent above 10000ft./300m. and is continued until descent or the person feels acclimatised. If you decide to take acetazolamide, please inform your group leader. It should not be taken by people who are allergic to sulphur drugs.

Severe altitude sickness affects few trekkers, most know when to stop and head back down. All of our treks are based on experience and are planned to gain height gradually, with days allowed for rest and acclimatization. The above brief notes on altitude sickness are to point out what it is and to note the symptoms. Prevention is simple; make a gradual ascent and allow sufficient rest at intermediate altitudes.