According to updated confirmation by Tibet Tourism Board that a 20 days advance is minimum for applying Tibet Travel permits, and relevant documents, such as: chinese travel visa for those, who enter tibet from Nepal (either by land or by flight)

Aba county is a small town approximately 550km northwest from Chengdu. In Tibetan, it is also Ngawa City, located on the eastern Eidge of Tibetan plateau at an elevation of 3,200 metres. There are about 70,000 inhabits living in the city and the territories around the township; Towards south, the valley is covered by grassland and forests; whenevre in Winter and Summer time, the travel to this area is vry convenient;

37 monsateries are scattered around the town, two of the largest ones are in Aba township; one is Geerdeng monastery, is a Gelugpa monastery on the northwestern edge of the town, and houses now about 2,500 monks; and the only found Jonangpa tradition of Gelukpa sect, is found in the eastern end of this town called: Setenling monastery, being built in the 13th-14th centuries, and reconstituted in the late 19th century

There are four main festivals are celebrated annually, of which are:

• [Great Prayer Festival] January 8 to January 15 according to Tibetan calendar
• [Aba Monk Festival] June 11 to June 17 according to Tibetan calendar
• [Zachang Festival] September 15 to September 17 according to Chinese lunar calendar
• [Horse Race Festival] Middle of July according to Chinese lunar calendar

The location of Aba county

Accordingly, the restriction order on travel to Everest region is now lifted; however, there is one other mountain climbing permit is required for those, whom want to reach further EBC to the glacier or even to advanced camp; for detail permit applications please feel free to contact Tibetan Trekking

According to Airchina announcement that an new international direct flight will be running to connect China Chengdu and Frankfurt Germany;

The flight is with umber of  CA431 (CTU to FRA)/ CA432 (FRA to CTU); Schedule is 3 flights a week on Tuesday, Friday, Sunday;

This new air-route will help visitors to save at least 5 hours minimu in the air,  and making travel costs hundreds of euros cheaper, it will not only benifit the tours for Sichuan province,  but also the tours to provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet;

Bhutan visa fee has been increased for 2013 according to the updated information from the Department of Immigration’s Rules and Regulation 2012, Annexure III, the rvised Bhutan Visa Fee is as follows:

1, Visa Fee

• Single entry visa fee: US$40
• Double entry  visa fee: US$80
• Triple entry visa fee: US$120
• Multiple entry visa fee: US$200

2, Visa Renewal Fee:

• Up-to three months: Nu.1000
• Up-to six months: Nu.2000
• Up-to one year: Nu.4000

The above revised visa fee and visa renewal fee are applicable for the visas processed starting from 1st January 2013

Tomorrow will be the first day of 2013, in the past 364 days of 2012, Tibetan Trekking had been through a lot……, we thank our partners, visitors whom choose to travel with us, thank you for your support and patience! In the arriving new year of 2013; we will do better work, and wish to see you people again, and making a lot new friends!

Thank you

Tibetan Trekking Team

Editor’s Note: The following contents was originally published on Ethics and Social Dimensions of Tourism, UNWTO. As a member of travel industry we follow this code, and share this with our partners, travellers and tourists;

Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) is a comprehensive set of principles designed to guide key-players in tourism development. Addressed to governments, the travel industry, communities and tourists alike, it aims to help maximise the sector’s benefits while minimising its potentially negative impact on the environment, cultural heritage and societies across the globe.  click to download global code of ethics for tourism

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