Treasures of Tibet - Private Tour

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to day itinerary as printed; however order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €342.20pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

China visa requirements

For all tours departing in 2026, no visa is required for British Passport Holders.

If you are departing in 2027 or later, you will require a visa to visit mainland China. We recommend you organise this 2 months before travel. If you’re 14 to 70 years old, you must apply for a visa in person at a visa application centre. If you’re aged 13 and under or aged 71 and over, you can only apply online.

You must provide biometric data (scanned fingerprints) for your application. There are visa application centres in London, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh. The details of their opening hours are on their websites. The Chinese Embassy has further information on visa categories and how to apply. The application process takes approximately 4 – 10 working days and the cost depends on the visa and class you choose.

You will require extra documentation for your application that you can request from us from 2 months before departure. They may ask for the Agency Licence Number which is China International Travel Service Ltd: 911100001013930695. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all the information they will require to apply for the visa.

We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.

You will need to fill in an arrival card online before travel for all travel dates. This can be done on the NIA’s official website https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/. To complete the form you will need to have your passport number and visa number. Once the form is complete you will either need to print out the QR code or have the QR code available on your phone.

Tibet visa requirements

British citizens require a Tibet visa and travel permit to enter Tibet. Mercury Holidays will arrange these documents on your behalf. To process your application, we require the following to be emailed to mypassport@mercuryholidays.com at least 45 days before departure:

• A colour copy of the passport page showing your photograph and passport number (JPEG or PDF format).
• A colour copy of your Chinese visa (not required for travel in 2026).
• Your occupation.

Please note you will not receive the Tibet visa or travel permit before you travel. These documents are issued locally and will be held by your tour guide, who will provide them as required during the tour. You do not need to carry a Tibet visa or permit with you before departure. We can only arrange Tibet visas and permits for British passport holders. Applications for all other nationalities are subject to approval and must be checked with us before booking.

Failure to provide the required documentation and information within the specified timeframe may result in your inability to travel. Mercury Holidays cannot accept liability for any costs or losses arising from late submission.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Altitude sickness is a fairly common condition that can occur when you ascend to a high altitude (generally higher than 2,500 metres above sea level) quickly. The decrease in atmospheric pressure can make breathing more difficult as the body is not able to take in as much oxygen. Most cases are mild with symptoms that can include: headache, nausea, dizziness and exhaustion. Several of the places in Tibet are located at high altitude (over 2,500 metres above sea level) including Lhasa, Shigatse and Gyantse. Therefore, you may find you experience some symptoms at this altitude. It is advised that at these high altitudes, you keep hydrated and avoid alcohol. If you do experience symptoms of altitude sickness during your tour, ensure you tell your guide immediately who will be able to advise the best thing for you to do. You can contact your GP before you travel for advice on medication for altitude sickness.

The tour pace for Treasures of Tibet is challenging. A higher level of fitness as required as you may be on your feet for most of the day though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, getting on and off coaches, trains and climbing steps which may be irregular. Travel will involve different forms of transportation for longer durations. Increased walking, possibly on uneven terrain, as well as more time at higher altitude, may be experienced. Ideal for those seeking a challenging and physical experience. These tours are not suitable for those with walking difficulties. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.

The currency in China and Tibet is the Renminbi, known as RMB or CNY. It is often referred to as the yuan. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. US Dollars are widely accepted in China and Tibet should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any personal purchases, such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £200 - £300 will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

Tipping

It is customary to tip your national guide, local guide and driver approximately CNY40 per person per staff member, per day. Your national guide will collect this for your convenience on the first day of your tour, approximately CNY360 per person for the total duration. Tips are collected in Chinese Yuan.

This is a fully escorted tour with local guides throughout ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

The Bullet Train has restricted Carry-ons: Aerosol spray cans containing hairspray, hair gel, styling mousse, insecticide and air freshener must be under 120 ml (4.2 fl oz). Lighters are not allowed on planes, trains or sights of special interest.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and China. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. If you have booked a triple share please note that your room will be a twin room with a rollaway bed or sofa bed added. This may limit the floor space in the room.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours. Unlike the western world, Chinese people do not normally pre-heat their plates and food can be presented at a variety of temperatures, which is a typical Chinese way of doing things.

If you are travelling within the below Chinese Public Holidays, please note that celebrations last for several days and during these times some businesses will be closed and coach, air and train travel may be affected. Tourist attractions will be open but may be crowded. Chinese New Year usually falls sometime between January 21 and February 20. Golden Week public holidays fall annually between 1st – 3rd of May and 1st – 7th of October.

On your arrival in Tibet you will be met by a representative from our local agent, China Travel Service, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/China Travel Service rep. will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day.

If you need to contact China Travel Service during your stay the details are: Head office address China Travel Service Head Office (Beijing) co. Ltd 15F CTS (HK) Grand Metropark Hotel Beijing, No.338 Guang’an Men Nei Streeet, Xicheng District, Beijing, China Tel: 0086 10 85908336 / 0086 10 85908341. Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for China Travel Service: During Office Hours: 0086 10 85228340 0086 10 85228725 After Office Hours: Ms. Linda Liu (Mobile): 0086 61 3911043036 Ms. Shine Cao (Mobile): 0086 61 8284532334

• Warm clothing and thermals in winter
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• Loo paper for public WCs
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• A travel plug adaptor as they use plug types A, C and I. The voltage in China and Tibet is 220 Volts.