How to Visit Tibet

Special Permission

You'll need to apply for a standard travel visa to pass through China on your way to the Tibet Autonomous Region. You'll also need a special permit to enter Tibet. Tour agencies can usually help you apply for the three-month permit, but it's not a guarantee that the Chinese government will approve it. The U.S. State Department warns that even if you get a permit, much of the region is off-limits to foreigners. After arriving in Tibet, you'll need to apply for a Border Travel Permit at the Public Security Bureau in Lhasa if you want to travel around the region, including to the Nepal border crossing along the Friendship Highway. Restricted areas may expand and any access to Tibet could be blocked to foreign tourists at a moment's notice, such as if the Chinese government wants to keep foreigners away from places that have seen recent protests against Beijing rule.

Tour Companies

Many tour companies catering to Tibet travelers are in Lhasa, China or across the Nepal border in Kathmandu. Choices include packages ranging from group to private trips, as well as excursions into the mountains for the adventure-minded and a scenic train ride from Qinghai. You can also fly into Lhasa from Kathmandu or Chengdu. Some travel companies are dedicated to providing ethical travel, which bypasses the tourism-generating facade managed by China to focus on authentic Tibetan culture and stimulating local economies. The Tibet Ecotravel Collective, for example, can set you up with local guides to explore mountain paths, tucked-away monasteries and families eager to welcome you for the night. However you get to Tibet, remember that the high altitude can make the hardiest of travelers sick. Check with your doctor before travel if you have pre-existing conditions and take it easy the first few days after you touch down in Tibet.

Staying in Tibet

Most rural parts of Tibet have limited facilities for tourists, but the large cities are equipped with better facilities as China has attempted to bolster the tourism sector in recent years. Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, reported that tourism revenue in Tibet jumped 23 percent from 2013 to 2014. Luxury establishments include the St. Regis Lhasa Resort, with a shimmering golden swimming pool, spa and butler service. Cheaper places to stay include bare-bones hostels popular among backpackers and midrate economy hotels. Kathmandu has a number of charming hotels if you want to use Nepal as your base camp and pop into Tibet for a visit. Check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the latest vaccination recommendations several weeks in advance of your journey; typhoid and hepatitis A shots are recommended because of compromised food and water safety, and you should cut the risk by drinking sealed bottled water.

What Not to Do

While you can easily be nabbed by Chinese authorities for straying into restricted areas of Tibet deemed to be military-sensitive, you can also get busted for other things that set off the officials. Bringing photos of the Dalai Lama or other material considered separatist by authorities, such as the Tibetan flag, is banned. Free Tibet campaign activists warn that your actions could also affect the people you meet. If you talk politics with a Tibetan, your conversation partner could be punished. If you ask for a ride, the driver who picks you up could face pricey fines. If you take a photo of Chinese security forces, your tour guide may face repercussions. Keep to your approved travel itinerary, or the Tibetans you meet along your on-a-whim path could be in trouble as well as you.