When is the high or peak travel season?
The peak travel season is from May-September, these are the best and most popular months to visit. The rainy season starts at the end of July and lasts almost all of August; fortunately, most of the rain falls during the night and there is not much heavy rainfall in the day. Despite the rain, there are many festivals in August you can't miss if you are interest in Tibetan culture and tradition.
The tourism seasons in Tibet are defined below:
High season: June 1st to October 30th
Shoulder season: March 1st to May 30th and November
Low season: November 1st to February 30th
High season marks the best time of the year to travel in Tibet; the climate is comfortable, there are many festivals, local activities, holidays and lush green surroundings. During this period, all the hotels and airlines will be at their busiest making traveling costs higher than the rest of the year.
If you are taking a train in Tibet, you should try to avoid the first week of May (May Days Holiday), the first week in October (China National Day), and late January/early February (Chinese Spring Festival). Train Tickets during these times are heavily booked by mass Chinese tourists and you will probably have to pay an expensive surcharge to acquire the tickets or you might not even be able to get the tickets at all
Can I withdraw cash from the local banks in Tibet?
Credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Master and Visa are accepted at the local, large hotels and tourist stores. You also can withdraw cash from the Bank of China ATM machines found easily in Lhasa, Shigatse and Tsedang. Sometimes, the China Constructional Bank also works with these credit cards, but a $2-4 (USD) surcharge is applied for each transaction. Obviously, there will be no ATMs or banks in rural villages, so when we visit you'll need to carry some cash with you.
