China Travel Forum

[Susanna]

Anyone has any suggestions on the best/cheapest way of obtaining a permit to get into Tibet?
I will be travelling alone as a single female if that makes any difference..

[Eric]

Well, there's really only one way to get a Tibet travel permit if you're entering from China. I don't know anything about going to Tibet from Nepal, but from China, the permit includes in the price of your plane ticket. When you buy a plane ticket in China, you do so through government approved agencies, and the plane ticket prices are pretty much the same across the board. No discounts. Same with the permit. It's a government permit and the price is always the same.

You can set up overland trips to Tibet, but when you do so, again, your guide or driver will have a tourism license and will most likely include the permit price in the cost of travel. When you're setting up the trip you should ask just to make sure. I think the permit is around US$50, but I could be wrong.

Keep in mind, you will never see this permit. I never saw mine, and I don't know anyone who has. The permit gives you access to Lhasa, a few of the monasteries around the capital, and I believe to Shigatse. If you're going past Shigatse, you will need to get another permit, which your driver will arange. I believe that permit costs 50 yuan. You also need to have an itinerary, which your driver will provide to the permit issuing agency (probably the public security bureau). You actually will see this permit. But no one ever checked mine.
I did meet a couple who hitchiked through Tibet. They never paid for transport or permits. But that's pretty risky, especially if you're alone.
By the way, I forgot to add this, the price is the same whether you're traveling alone or with people. You'll probably have to hook up with other travelers in Lhasa to rent a land cruiser for excursions outside the city. THis is really easy. There will be tons of tourists and the guesthouses often have bulletin boards where other travelers leave messages about sharing cars, etc.

[Guest]

[Tibet_Adventure]

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