What to buy?

In Lhasa's Barkor Street, tourists can buy nearly everything.

Popular souvenirs include Tangka (a kind of scroll paintings with complicated patterns, usually Buddha images), Tibetan knives, colorful aprons, fur hats, caps, as well as Tibetan medicine like saffron, aweto and snow lotus. Tibetan silverware jewelry, jade, prayer wheels, carpets, and tapestries are also worth buying.

Tip: Bargain before buying!

Where to stay?

There are over 50 star-rated hotels in Lhasa with prices ranging from 200 yuan ($30) to 6,000 yuan ($877) a night. In other prefectures of Tibet, there are fewer star-rated hotels, but you can always stay at a family hotel, as local residents are very kind to travelers. Family hotels will charge less, about 20 yuan ($3) to 100 yuan ($15) per person per night.

During high season, like China's National Day holiday (October 1-7), it is usually difficult to book a hotel in Lhasa, but fine in other prefectures.

What to eat?

Zanba (roasted highland qingke barley flour), mutton, beef, buttered tea and highland barley wine are common Tibetan food and beverages. Spicy Sichuan cuisine is also popular in Tibet in many restaurants.

Travel tips:

The biggest problem in traveling in Tibet is altitude sickness-rapid heartbeat and headache or nausea. Take a good rest after you reach the plateau, walk slowly and drink plenty of water.

Wear more layers of clothing to combat the cold weather.

Take cash if you are going to places other than Lhasa. If you are not on a tour, it is wise to hire a jeep or car from Lhasa to venture into the distant mountainous areas of Tibet.