China Travel Forum

[Gerald]

I'm planning a trip starting in May to Nepal, Tibet and China and have been looking about to try and figure out the best (and cheapest) route to take. So far it seems that getting into Tibet is a lot easier from China than it is from Nepal. I was thinking about going by land from Golmud to Lhasa and then on to Katmandu a while later. Can anyone tell me if I can enter Tibet that way independantly or do I have to be sponsored/accompanied by a travel agent? Secondly, does anyone know what the situation is once I'm in Tibet? I'd like to travel around clearly and I've come across a few websites (mostly tibetan travel agents) claiming that independant travel inside Tibet is prohibited, but the Beijing Tibetan Tourism Office's website says it can issue travel permits to individuals directly and that would suggest that it IS permitted. I'm rather confused about it all...any help?

Thanks

[Amy]

Entering Tibet from Golmud, you do not need to be in a group. To enter legally, you need to purchase a Tibet Travel Permit. The cost of the permit and bus ticket to Golmud is currently priced at Y1900 (according to CITS in Golmud last week). You can also hitch a ride illegally very easily in a bus by going directly to a bus driver. The cost of this should be Y500-Y600 if you are a good bargainer and around Y800-Y1000 if you aren't. Once in Lhasa, no one will ask for your permit. The permit is kind of like a tax they make foreigners pay. Once in Lhasa, you can arrange to go to other places such as the Everest Base Camp through travel agencies in the guesthouses in Lhasa. Places in east Tibet (Kham) and west Tibet (Ngari) require you to have additional permits that the travel agency will arrange for you if you plan to go to these places.