Our China-Tibet Adventure offers a lovely sample of Beijing and Shanghai, two great cities. But the heart of our trip is a five day exploration of Tibet, the mountain kingdom of magic and mystery.

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Tibet by Train!: Frequently-Asked Questions about China-Tibet Railroad Adventure

Starting in Beijing, we will tour the highlights including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, before we board the train to Lhasa. Our ride across the continent will include stops at several famous sights such as Qinghai Lake, Hol Xil, Kun Lun Mountain and the Potala Palace. We will complete our tour in Shanghai, and a chance to see the vibrant and exciting city.

This FAQ page is intended to accompany other pages about this trip and about our company. Some of the answers below may include links to other other sites; please use the BACK key of your browser to return to this page.

Contents:

• How high will we be while in Tibet?
  
• What makes the train trip from Beijing to Lhasa Tibet unique?
  
• What are the sleeping arrangements for the trip from Beijing to Tibet?
  
• What are the meals like on the train to Tibet?
  
• What are the hotels like on this tour?
  
• The 2007 China-Tibet tour ends in Shanghai on Rosh Hashana, September 12-14, 2007. Is there a Jewish community in Shanghai that I can join with for this observance?
  
• Do I need any special medical or cancellation insurance?
  
• I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
  
• Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
  
• I'm a vegetarian. Will that be a problem?
  

How high will we be while in Tibet?
Tibet is a high-altitude destination, so if you have any health conditions that are exacerbated by altitude, please consult your physician before registering for this trip.

A short portion of our train route is over 16,000 feet (5000 meters) above sea level, but the train is pressurized, and there is supplemental oxygen at each seat, so this should reduce (but not eliminate) the effects of the high altitude.

During our time in Tibet, our hotels are in cities that lie between 11,500 and 12,600 feet (3500 to 3850 meters) above sea level, and during our drives between them, the highest pass we will cross is over 15,730 feet (4794 meters). We have planned the tour itinerary to start slowly in our exploration of Lhasa, and give a day to start adjusting to the altitude before climbing the many steps of the grand Potala Palace. Our sleeping altitudes are:

Lhasa: 12,000 feet / 3650 meters
Shigatse (Xigatse): 12,600 feet / 3840 meters
Tsedang: 11,500 feet / 3500 meters

Here is a website with further information about preparing for high altitude travel in Tibet, courtesy of Access Tibet Tours.

What makes the train trip from Beijing to Lhasa Tibet unique?
First of all, a little geography lesson: the first half of the trip (Beijing-Lanzhou) crosses highly-populated agricultural land and barren desert, on busy tracks that have been used for decades. The next portion of the trip (Lanzhou - Xining - Golmud) is through much less populated high plateau, including crossing the grasslands and lakes of Qinghai Province, on tracks completed in 1984. The new track (opened in July 2006) runs from Golmud (Gormo) to Lhasa, and although it often parallels a long-standing gravel road over the mountains, very few people live near the route.

The Chinese railroad builders had to overcome numerous obstacles in their effort to lay tracks that will be able to carry heavy freight trains, as well as fast passenger trains, for many years to come. Perhaps most challenging are the need to adapt to crossing one of the highest rail passes in the world, and the problem of laying permanent track on permafrost.

We won't attempt to spell out the details of these challenges here, but as more travelers, scientists and engineers use the line, there are sure to be articles about how well the track is holding up.

In the best case scenario, our train will travel on schedule, and offer several photo stops in the mountains to take stock of this spectacular engineering feat. In the worst case scenario, there could be enough problems maintaining the track that portions of the line are closed for repairs. In this unlikely event, we will make alternate arrangements to get to Tibet. In any case, we will spend enough time in Tibet to have an in-depth experience of that mythical land at this unique moment in its history.

What are the sleeping arrangements for the trip from Beijing to Tibet?
This is the most modern train in China, and was designed specifically for this trip. We have reserved soft sleeper class accommodations, which consist of a compartment with two upper and two lower berths, and a toilet at the end of the car. Please note that because of the high demand for tickets on this train, all compartments will have four occupants. We will endeavor to keep our group together as much as possible, but it is possible that you will share a compartment with travelers who are not part of our group.

Please be aware that on rare occasions, on short notice the Chinese railroad has switched soft sleeper travelers to "hard sleepers," to accommodate VIPs. These consist of 6 berths, with 3 on each side of a cubicle that is open to the corridor.

What are the meals like on the train to Tibet?
Because we will be on the train for about 48 hours, we will have 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners on the train. Because we won't be able to all sit together for meals, and because we want to give each person the maximum flexibility while on the train, train meals are not included in the tour fee (but almost all other meals are included). Because the train is designed primarily for Chinese and Tibetan travelers, the menu will offer a variety of Chinese dishes. During stops enroute, you may also find vendors selling snacks on the platform.

What are the hotels like on this tour?
In Beijing, we stay at the modern Tianlun Dynasty Hotel in the heart of the Wangfujing shopping district, and not far from Tiananmen Square.

Hotels in Tibet do not always meet the same quality standards as our hotels in Beijing and Shanghai, especially outside of Lhasa. Because of this, many tour companies only stay in Lhasa, but in order to experience the diversity of Tibetan life, we are also visiting Shigatse and Tsedang where our hotels will be the "best available."

In Shanghai, we have reserved rooms at the Peace Hotel, perhaps China's most famous hotel, overlooking Shanghai Harbor and the Bund promenade along the Huangpu River. The hotel's history goes back to Shanghai's glory days of the 1920s and 1930s, when it hosted many famous guests, including Noel Coward, who wrote the play Private Lives while residing there.

Please note that reservations have been made at the above hotels, but hotel bookings are subject to change.

The 2007 China-Tibet tour ends in Shanghai on Rosh Hashana, September 12-14, 2007. Is there a Jewish community in Shanghai that I can join with for this observance?
Yes! You can join with Shanghai's small but historic Jewish community for evening services and other activities. There is currently a rabbi from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement at Shanghai's new Jewish Center, and they hold regular services, shabat and holiday meals, and other activities.

In recent years, several books have been written about the Jewish history of Shanghai and other cities in China. This history includes early merchants, emigrants from Russian, and the Iraqi / British Jews who built many of Shanghai's most prominent buildings back in the 20s and 30s (including the Peace Hotel).

Please note that although our hotel is near the traditional Jewish Quarter of Shanghai along the river, the new Jewish Center is near the old airport used for domestic flights. It is a 20-30 minute taxi ride from our hotel to the Center.

Do I need any special medical or cancellation insurance?
We are one of the few companies that includes basic medical and evacuation travel insurance for all of our trips. In other words, we cover you for any illness or injury which occurs during the tour (except while in the water for scuba diving, for which we recommend DAN insurance).

We also recommend that everyone on our trips have personal medical insurance, in which case the coverage included with our tours is secondary coverage, which is intended to cover deductibles, co-pays and other costs not covered by your personal insurance.

To protect your financial investment, we also encourage you to add trip cancellation insurance to the tour fee for your trip, at the time of your deposit, or within 10 days after the deposit is paid. The price varies by trip, so please ask us for the amount for your tour, or see your statement.

This coverage can be useful if you, your traveling companion, your business or life partner, or a family member have an occurrence that causes you to need to cancel your trip. Please read our Terms & Conditions carefully so that you understand our cancellation policy.

Many other companies offer this coverage as well. Be sure to read the policy carefully, so that you know what situations are and are not covered by the policy.

I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
Most of our trips draw more single travelers than couples. When couples do join us, it's usually because they're looking forward to interacting with a gay group; if they wanted a holiday by themselves, they wouldn't have signed up to travel with us. Furthermore, the activities included with our trips serve as natural ice-breakers. Within a day, you'll be traveling with friends.

You don't need to pay the single supplement if you're traveling alone. We'll be happy to match you with a roommate. Pay the single supplement only if you want a bedroom to yourself.

Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
No. Most people who travel abroad with us don't speak the language. But we encourage you to brush up on any language skills you have that are relevant for the area you're going to, and to learn a few basic phrases, such as hello and thank you, in the local language. You'll find even a few words make a big difference in your interactions with local people.

I'm a vegetarian. Will that be a problem?
No. Let us know about that, or other special dietary restrictions on the questionnaire we send out before the trip.

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