'Snow Season' of Tibet Travel Begins
On November 6th, Lhasa and other regions in Tibet welcome the first snowfall of autumn. The surrounding mountains of Lhasa City have been covered with snows, which signifies the beginning of 'snow season' of Tibet.
Winter is the best time to view snow-clad mountains of Tibet. Mt. Everest, Mt. Namcha Barwa and other peaks are the most spectacular and only can be seen clearly during this season.
Owing to the strong sunshine, the winter of Tibet is not very cold. The temperature of daytime is usually between 10 - 18 oC (50 – 64.4 oF). However, mountain sickness is possible to be more serious due to the thinner vegetation and drier air. So places with lower altitudes, such as Lhasa and Nyingchi are recommended to be visited.
- 2:08 A.M. EST, Nov 8, 2007
Admission Fees of Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple to Change
According to Tibet Tourism Bureau, the admission fees of Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple in Lhasa are to change from January 1st, 2008.
Potala Palace will carry out floating price from the low season (November 1st – April 30th) to peak season (May 1st – October 31st). The charge in low season will remain CNY 100, while in peak season it will be adjusted to CNY 200 (fees for Zhol City included). A preferential price will be implemented for religious people.
As to Jokhang Temple, it will be changed from CNY 60 to CNY 75 for a paper ticket.
- 2:05 A.M. EST, Nov 8, 2007
Tibet Weather Forecast: Precipitation to Appear from Nov 8th
According to Tibet Meteorological Station, abundant rains and snows are to appear in the whole Tibet from November 8th, which will release the dryness of Lhasa City in the past months.
It is estimated that due to the influence of northern cold airs, on November 6th and 7th, there would be light rains or snows in Chamdo, Nyingchi and East Nakchu, while other regions would be cloudy and overcast. From November 8th, rains and snows will hit the entire Tibet from west to east, with isolated medium snows or more in Nakchu and southern boundary areas.
- 0:28 A.M. EST, Nov 6, 2007
Trial Flight on Sichuan Kangding Airport Succeed
On October 28th, Sichuan Kangding Airport, the second highest airport in the world, achieved success on its trial flight.
Kangding, the capital county of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Region in Sichuan, is historically a famous trade center on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, with spectacular natural sights. The Kangding Airport is located on the Zheduo Mountain in the northwest of the county, with an altitude of 4,280 meters (14,042 feet). It started to be built on September 7, 2006. The runway is 4,000 meters (2.5 miles) long, which allows Boeying 737 - 700, A319 and other same types of airplanes to take off and land.
Southwest Branch of Air China plans to first open Chengdu – Kangding round-trip flights on May 1st, 2008. The single trip covers a distance of about 320 kilometers (199 miles), costing 35 minutes.
- 3:20 A.M. EST, Oct 29, 2007
Renovation on Tibet's Earliest Chinese Cliff Inscriptions Completed
According to the Cultural Bureau of TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region), the earliest Chinese cliff inscriptions of Tibet located in Gyirong County of Shigatse has recently completed renovation.
The Chinese inscriptions were sculpted in 658 and describes about the experience of Chinese envoys to India in Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). The sculpture was discovered in the early 1990s, and listed as key cultural relics under state-level protection in 2001. It is quite helpful to learn the relationship between Chinese Tang and Tubo Kingdom (7th Century - 877) of Tibet, as well as transportation between China and other countries.
This year CNY 1.2 million was invested on the renovation project of the cliff sculpture. After that the mountainside is reinforced, the simple road is rebuilt, a shield pavilion and a monument is newly built. The new monument is sculpted with imitated characters of the original for visitors to learn clearly about that event.
- 3:19 A.M. EST, Oct 29, 2007
Qinghai Lake to Remain Open This Winter, Admission Fee to Decrease 50%
To enhance the winter travel, Qinghai Lake will stay open this winter, and the admission fee of the 151 scenic spot will decrease to CNY 50 during the low season (October 16th – April 15th).
The lake area used to be closed after the National Day Holiday (October 1st – October 7th). With the increasing travel to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the tourist season of this famous lake is extending. So the lake decides to continue opening this winter.
During the winter time, all scenic areas of Qinghai Lake along with the hotels will give a 50% discount more or less, and groups including over 50 persons could enjoy a welcome ceremony and folk artistic performances for free. In addition, there will also be ice sculpture exhibitions, skating, tackling on the ice, and bonfire parties.
- 3:18 A.M. EST, Oct 22, 2007
