IMG Tibet Trek Frequently Asked Questions

This information should answer many of your initial questions and also guide you through the next stages of preparing for the expedition. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need javascript enabled to view it

Why should I trek Tibet with IMG?

We know we're not the cheapest deal around, and we don't want to be. We spend more providing the best personnel, equipment, logistics and safety measures — things that many lower-cost programs cannot afford and do not have. We don't cut corners. As you shop around, consider the following:

• IMG guides are professionals and are great teachers as well as strong climbers. All have done numerous high-altitude expeditions, including the Himalaya. Our clients enjoy the immense benefit of a core group that has climbed together extensively, producing a team that knows how to work well together. We do not think you will find any other Everest climbing or trekking programs that will be led or staffed by persons of the caliber we field. We challenge you to try!


• IMG always complies with all local, state, federal, and international regulations for the countries in which we climb. This includes proper visas and climbing permits, full insurance and equipment for our guides and Sherpa support teams, and complete adherence to all environmental regulations. Our clean business record allows us to operate with full liability insurance. All client funds are deposited in a regulated trust account. We take our business seriously!


• IMG Sherpas are top-notch. We hire the same great Sherpas every year, we treat them with respect, we pay them well and they like working with our teams. Most of them have been on many climbs with us over the years and many of them have multiple Everest summits. Our enthusiastic cooks do a great job and our menus are well considered. It makes a difference!


• IMG trek itineraries are longer than most others offered on the market. We know how to acclimatize properly and we don't rush. Unlike most other teams, we actually take our trekkers to Base Camp and invite them to stay there for several days as members of an expedition team. If you want to trek to Everest Base Camp, go with a team that actually gives you a real chance to fully experience it!


• IMG brings advanced technology to the mountain. Solar power at Base Camp quietly supports our satellite communications, allowing us to maintain excellent emergency contact capabilities and keep friends and family informed of our progress during the long weeks away from home. IMG will post regular internet dispatches from all of our teams at www.MountainGuides.com.

How do I get there?

International Mountain Guides has worked for many years with the staff at CTT Destinations to provide professional travel service for participants in our programs. For help with your plans, we urge you to contact Pirjo at CTT Destinations: 800-909-6647 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need javascript enabled to view it

The flights in and out of Lhasa can only be booked through our Chinese Travel agency. We will provide details regarding this segment. The price of this roundtrip segment has historically be about $500. Travel to Tibet requires a special visa. We will procure the Tibet visa authorization on behalf of the team.

What kind of insurance do I need?

We invest in insurance coverage for commercial liability and medical and disability insurance for our guides and Sherpas while participating on our programs. We cannot insure you for your personal needs, but we do expect you to be as fiscally responsible as we are. We strongly recommend that you insure yourself against potentially expensive difficulties that may arise. First, trip cancellation insurance may provide financial relief should you be forced to withdraw from the climb before it even happens. Next, make sure you have adequate traveler's medical and evacuation insurance for coverage should you have a problem during the trip. Medical care and evacuation from Everest can be expensive. CTT Destinations can assist you with these needs.

What's included in the expedition fee?

• The team will meet in Beijing. Hotels and meals are covered from the time the team arrives in Beijing until returning to Beijing at the end of the trip.
• Also included are ground transportation
• tours in Beijing and Lhasa
• all group camping supplies such as tents, stoves, etc.
• all meals while trekking / climbing
• Park fees and trekking permit fees
• liaison officers
• Sherpas
• camp staff
• radio comms and satellite telephone equipment at Base Camp
• yaks and porters.

• Flights from home to and from Lhasa
• Travel expenses and hotels before or after the stated itinerary
• personal gear
• excess baggage charges
• airport taxes and visas (we will procure the Tibet visa for the team)
• Sherpa tip pool (we suggest $200 per person)
• satellite telephone air charges
• personal sundries and beverages
• costs incurred as a result of delays or events beyond the control of IMG
• recommended insurance policies (medical, evacuation, trip cancellation, etc.)
• customary but optional tips for IMG staff

What immunizations will I need?

• Tetanus/Diphtheria: You should already have. Do you need a booster?
• Polio: You should already have. Do you need a booster?
• MMR: You should already have. Do you need a booster?
• Meningitis: Recommended. Consult your physician.
• Hepatitis A: Recommended. Consult your physician.
• Hepatitis B: Not a bad idea. Ask your physician.
• Cholera: Ask your physician. Not usually recommended any more.
• Typhoid: Not a bad idea to be safe. The tablet form, Vivotif Berna, is good for five years.
• Rabies: The new vaccine is easy. Rabid animals are occasionally encountered in China.
• Malaria: Not necessary unless you plan on traveling, for example, to certain parts of Thailand before/after the trip... then malaria chemoprophylaxis is recommended (we suggest Malarone.)

We recommend that you visit the travel clinic at a major University Hospital or your local Public Health Department for the most up to date info on travel requirements, or check the Center for Disease Control Website at www.cdc.gov.