Tibet Travel Packing List

What’s the best way to pack?

If you’re planning a trip to Tibet, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared with all the essentials. Whether you’re embarking on a day trip or a multi-day tour, here are some of the items you’ll want to pack for your Tibet adventure.

Travel Gear

It is very important to pack lightly. No matter how long your trip is or where you are planning to go, it is always essential to pack with minimal amounts of clothes and other supplies. One medium-large backpack or rolling duffel and a day pack should be enough for a 2-4 week trip. Before getting on the plane, we recommend walking around the block several times with your bags and to see how it feels.

If it feels heavy, then it would be wise to take out any nonessential items. In general, Tibetans dress conservatively and do not reveal much skin. It is traditional for Tibetan women to wear long skirts but we do not pressure our guests to dress in traditional clothing. For men and women, shorts are inappropriate and instead, jeans or skirts are recommended. In the summer and spring, doing your own laundry is an excellent solution to dirty clothes. The strong sunlight and dry environment are perfect for allowing clothes to dry quickly.
Here are the essentials:

1 pair of Hiking Boots/Sturdy Sneakers
Sleeping Bag and insulation pad
Ground cloth or tarp (recommended but not required)
Rain Gear (waterproof pants and jacket)
Towel
3-5 T-Shirts
1 Lightweight Fleece or Wool Sweater
2 Pairs of Nylon pants
5-7 Pairs of Socks ( polypropylene or wool are recommended)
3-5 Pairs of Underwear
Sunglasses
Personal Toiletries (you may want to carry your own toilet paper and some zip-lock bags, as bathrooms may not be readily available.)
Personal Medication
Camera, Batteries, and Digital Memory Cards
Adapter and Surge Protector (see detail below)
Light-weight thermal shirts or long underwear ( recommended but not required)

Many of you may be wondering what type of power socket is being used in Tibet. For Class 1 appliances, a Type 1 3-pin plug and socket are being used. In Tibet, plugs are rated as 220V 50Hrtz.

Why is it important to bring these plugs? For one, this age is also known as the ‘cloud-computing‘ era, meaning more and more people are bringing their electrical devices overseas to use and enjoy. Whether it be a mobile phone, palm or PDA device, laptop, or other electrical device, all these use batteries and many need to be recharged. It is very important to bring along the right pin plugs because most often, the power socket type is not the same type as in your own country. Although these plugs are just a small item, they will save you lots of time upon arrival if the right adaptors are brought.

Not only will you be needing to bring along a power socket adaptor, but it is essential that you also bring a 2-pin adaptor socket to fit nicely into either a wall socket or a shave socket. This type of adaptor and socket is available at your local electrical or travel shop. Please check the socket-type pictures below.

If you can’t get these items in your own country, they are most likely available at the Chinese airport and will save you a lot of time and hassle later on. According to the travel blog, ‘Travel Feeder’, these items are essential for a smooth trip.

Please note that if you are embarking on an extended trekking trip, you should leave room in your pack for a camp stove, water bottle, down jacket, tent, etc. If you need to borrow or rent any equipment, please let us know beforehand. Most likely, Explore Tibet can lend you these items for the extent of the trip.

In addition to the essential items listed above, you may also want to bring the following:

Personal Music Player
Journal
Binoculars
Wide-Brimmed Hat
Swim Suit (for hot springs!)
Bandanas
Gloves
Scarf
Sunscreen- SPF 30+
Money Belt or Fanny Pack
Snacks (Cliff/Luna bars, trail mix, jerky and dried fruit are good options)
Other Personal Items that may make you feel comfortable

We also recommend that you view this Packing video: Watch this easy and efficient packing video.

Books on Lhasa and the TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region):

Tibetan Culture, Tradition & arts
Tibetan History
Tibetan Religion
Tibet Weather and Climate
Tibet: The Lonely Planet Country Guide
Trekking in Tibet: A Travelers Guide by Gary McCue
Tibet Handbook: Moon Travel Guide
Fodor’s Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan: Expert Advice and Smart Choices: Where to Stay, Eat, and Explore On and Off the Beaten Path
To a Mountain in Tibet by Colin Thubron
The Mount Kailash Trek by Constance Roos/Sian Pritchard-Jones
Trekking Tibet by Gary McCue/George Schaller
The Heart of the World, A Journey to Tibet’s Lost Paradise By Ian Baker
My Journey to Lhasa by Alexandra David-Neel
Altitude illness; Prevention and Treatment, How to Stay Healthy at Altitude by Stephen Bezruchka