Don’t count on the weather
Summer is a great time to visit the plateau but it is also the rainy season. The winters are long and dry and the springtime sees snow in many places. Don’t expect to plan your way out of unpredictable conditions.
Consider flying into Tibet and taking a train out
The quickest and most convenient way is to fly in and fly out. But if you want to experience the train trip, and see amazing mountain plateau views then you should fly in and take a train out.
Don’t forget your Tibet entry permit
All non-Chinese passport holders need a Tibet Entry Permit to visit Tibet, and the only way to enter Tibet is to travel in groups. No individual travelers are allowed to travel to Tibet at the moment. All tours must be booked in advance by a Chinese travel agency. Your whole tour in Tibet must be accompanied by a licensed tour guide.
Currency
The unit of currency is Chinese Yuan. The Bank of China can exchange all foreign currencies. The banks in Tibet/China are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Travelers Cheques and credit cards are very difficult to be cashed outside the banks especially outside Lhasa. ATM facilities are easily available in Lhasa and Shigatse; however, it may be difficult to find one in other smaller towns or in remote places.
Tibet is very diverse
If you are interested in learning a few phrases pre-departure be ready for the bewildering language variation present on the Tibetan plateau. Languages aside, religion, dress, and culture also varies from region to region and between farming and nomadic areas.
Keep healthy
Try to keep healthy and not catch a cold before entering and while in Tibet, as illness makes any altitude sickness feel worse. Take it easy and rest well, keep warm, drink a lot of water, and eat simply the first two days in Tibet to reduce any altitude sickness symptoms.
You cannot visit temples without a guide
You can wander around Lhasa on your own, but you are forbidden from going into temples without a guide. You are required to hire a driver and guide for the run from Lhasa to the Nepal border.
Tibetan cuisine
Tibetan people have unique food and drink due to special geographic conditions of high altitude, harsh climate, their traditional religious beliefs and ethnic customs. Their daily diet mainly consists of Tsampa (roasted barley flour), dried beef, yak and mutton strips, Tibetan noodles (thukpa), Tibetan sausages (blood sausage and white sausage), Tibetan dumplings (Momos), and endless cups of butter tea. Other food includes Milk curd and Yogurt, Ginseng Fruit Rice, Tibetan Sweet Tea and Tibetan Barley Wine (Chhang).