Altitude in Lhasa?

[Chelsea Cruiser]

My wife and I are looking to do a river cruise in China, the one that sounds the best includes staying in Lhasa, Tibet for a couple of days. My worry is that my wife suffers with migraines, and by what I have read the altitude at 14000 ft does result in some people developing headaches. If my wife did get a migraine while visiting Lhasa that would be a big problem for her.

Has anyone else either been to Lhasa and is it worth the risk considering the altitude and its side effects?

Thanks

[didicruiser]

I just came back in September. I took the altitude sickness medication Diamox. My DH didn't take anything. We did feel some effects, kind of felt like a hangover! Some Advil took care of it easily. However, neither DH or myself are prone to headaches.

The two temples in Tibet are wonderful as well as the people/area surrounding the temples. Well worth going. You don't have to climb up the Potalla temple to enjoy Tibet. I will be happy to answer any questions 😄

[Floridiana]

I took Diamox and got altitude sickness anyway. (headache, vomiting) I don't think it has to do with being prone to migraines because it hits people randomly. Our guide called a doctor who stayed for an hour with me in the hotel room throughout the entire time the drip infusion took. I was o.k. afterwards but not really at my fittest level.

 

You could take gingkobiloba and vitamin E for about 14 days beforehand. Supposedly helps and is harmless.

[Peregrina651]

You can also ask this question on the thread Viking China. It has a large following including a couple of folks who did the Tibet portion this past year.

[sprinkles]

IMHO - for me "yes it is worth the risk". I LOVED Tibet and it will always be one of my favorite memories. I've had migraines all my life - didn't get a migraine up there (although I guess my head was splitting that first night). Did get altitude sickness despite staying hydrated and taking Diamox. Spent the first night laying on the cold bathroom floor because walking was just too much of an effort and the vomiting was bad (I REALLY remember that first night - lol). The next day DH got me some oxygen (seems like they sold it everywhere) that and tons of water helped (my Mom got really sick too, and the oxygen finally got her out of bed).

 

Guess I'm not making it sound that wonderful. But Tibet really was, all depends on how big your sense of adventure is. Back then it was more about "toughen up", I think now I would be more apt to make DH get me some medical attention. By the way, that memory isn't enough to scare me out of going to Machu Picchu (I was supposed to be going there in March, but that trip had to be cancelled - now it's on my list for next year). Good luck deciding, whatever you do - China was an amazing trip, especially if you can get off the beaten path - I still hold a place in my heart for the Tibetan people.

 

Tammy

[roaming_kiwi58]

We had 3 nights in Lhasa on our APT trip. We took Diamox with us, but neither of us took any of it. We flew direct from Beijing to Lhasa, which you are not supposed to do - should be gentle increase in elevation. We didn't find the days to be too bad, as long as you didn't get too energetic. We climbed right up all the hundreds of steps at the Potala Palace, but slowly!

 

The nights were a different story! We had to keep drinking through the night to help relieve the feeling of having an elephant sitting on your chest! Didn't have bad headaches at all - just a bit of a woozy feeling during the day. No vomiting or anything, but everyone is different. One of our party had to go on oxygen for 24 hours. The hotels all sell canisters of oxygen. You really can't predict until you get there whether it is going to be a problem to you. Enjoyed Tibet and pleased to have crossed it off our bucket list.

 

We did Machu Picchu after the Tibet trip and MP was not a problem at all. Cuzco is much higher than MP (and a little lower than Lhasa). Cuzco was much less of an issue than Lhasa, for us. Our guide in Peru had no sympathy at all with people in our group who thought they were suffering because of altitude - he said it was all in the mind! His attitude was not appreciated - ok for him who was born and bred in Cuzco!

 

Give Tibet a go - it is an amazing place.

Edited January 7, 2015 by roaming_kiwi58

[Floridiana]

Your Peruvian guide was uninformed. (I was going to write 'idiot'.) Altitude sickness can be life threatening if it goes beyond headache and vomiting.

 

Tibet is indeed a fascinating place. As were the entire 4 weeks we spent in China. Our most interesting trip so far.

[roaming_kiwi58]

Yes, I totally agree - we were appalled at our Peruvian guide's attitude to altitude sickness. We are well aware that altitude sickness can be fatal.

 

But there is no knowing beforehand how any individual will react. Which is why I say Tibet is worth a go. Don't be scared off by horror stories. There is help available if you need it. Just be sensible and aware of the symptoms and what helps alleviate the symptoms.

[Chelsea Cruiser]

To all of you that have given such good advice, thank you so much. I guess it now depends how much my wife would like to check this off her bucket list.

 

Again many thanks

[Floridiana]

Good plan!

If she doesn't want to go to Tibet, I would choose an itinerary in China that includes the Yangtze River. We also added the Silk Road, not many Western tourists there, maybe a handful of Europeans. We booked the one company that offered it, China Focus out of San Francisco. Our group was small, just 8 people, which meant that we also ate at non-touristy restaurants and twice used trains instead of busses, what an adventure!

[Chelsea Cruiser]

Good plan!

If she doesn't want to go to Tibet, I would choose an itinerary in China that includes the Yangtze River. We also added the Silk Road, not many Western tourists there, maybe a handful of Europeans. We booked the one company that offered it, China Focus out of San Francisco. Our group was small, just 8 people, which meant that we also ate at non-touristy restaurants and twice used trains instead of busses, what an adventure!

 

Thank you so much what a good idea, just one question regarding the company you used, are the hotel accomodations of a good standard?

[Floridiana]

The hotels in Bejing, Shanghai and Xi'an were 5 stars. The others were the best the city could provide which means USA 4 star and sometimes 3 star on the Silk Road. The Silk Road west of Xi'an is China's Wild West.

 

We had a much more immersive trip than the large bus tours we saw and sometimes met in the touristy restaurants. There was no western food except for breakfast. Our river cruise had ~ 200 Chinese passengers, 12 Brits, 15 Swiss, 5 Germans and 8 Americans, only one of them unused to travelling outside the US and Canada. He had a hard time. You will experience positive and negative aspects of Chinese behavior.

 

Our guides were all excellent, especially in Guilin (You HAVE to see the Li River Karst area!) and in Bejing. All gave us an insight into their personal life and into Chinese society way beyond looking at monuments and nature.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Floridiana

[sprinkles]

Chelsea Cruiser, we went with the same company (China Focus) in 2008. It really was an amazing trip (our was 21 days). The hotels were awesome 4 and 5 stars (the only problems with our hotels was they were Chinese and had REALLY HARD beds - lol. Everything else was totally awesome except for the ship we went down the Yangtze on - we were kind of jealous of the Viking ships - ours had REALLY small cabins, but the food and tours were fine.

 

For other adventures off the beaten path in China besides the Great Wall and Yangtze River that I personally loved.

 

Panda reserve in Chengdu - I spent the extra money and went into the enclosure and had pictures with and petted a Panda! I could have spent two days there.

 

Terra Cotta Warriors - pretty amazing

 

Did other things too, but all kind of a whirlwind in my mind. China Focus was really awesome (and a deal for the 6 in our group - as Dad took all of us) our hotels all had "American Style" breakfasts - that and protein bars plus Pringles sustained us for the trip. There were six in my family plus 6 others in our group (so 12 total). We all got tired of the "traditional" Chinese Family dinners but did not starve.

 

But honestly - Tibet is number one in my mind from the whole trip. As others said, no one knows how they will react when they get up there. We also flew in (not the right way to go) as soon as we landed Mom could barely walk off the plane. But like I said, some oxygen and tons of water got her on her feet (we spent 3 days up there).

 

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread. Floridiana talking about China Focus got all my memories stirring. Truly one of my most amazing vacations. We brought toys and things to give out to the children - I have the most amazing photos of DH teaching a child how to play with a Frisbee!

 

Tammy

[Floridiana]

Tammy,

We went in May 2014 after the May holiday when Chinese tourists are out in force. I bend everybody's ear about this trip.:D

 

Chelsea cruisers,

Definitely include Guilin and the half day boat trip on the Li River. It has the fingerling mountains that you see in Chinese art. An amazing sight. In 2015, the bullet train will be finished and Hong Kong is then only 2 1/2 hours away by train.