Planning to travel to Tibet in 2024? This comprehensive guide will help you design the perfect itinerary, choose the best route, and understand the various transportation options. Whether you are from Malaysia, Singapore, or elsewhere, this guide will help you plan your ideal trip to Tibet.
Tibet Travel Guide: Independent Travel vs. Group Tour
To travel to Tibet, tourists (including Malaysia and Singapore) can choose to join a tour group, or form their own group (commonly known as a self-organized group or a small package group), and then ask a travel agency to make an itinerary according to their needs and apply for a Tibet Entry Permit. The following is a comparison between independent travel and group travel:
Participating in a Tibet tour group can be divided into participating in a Tibet tour group organized by a travel agency in the departure place (such as Singapore or Malaysia), or a tour group arranged by a local travel agency in China.
In addition to the above options, friends from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China can also choose to charter a car, or go directly to Lhasa and then find travel companions to join a group, or travel alone.
Advantages and disadvantages of traveling in Tibet with a group
Advantages of Tibet Tour:
1. Professional travel agencies plan the itinerary. You only need to pay the tour fee and all travel matters will be included.
2. Starting from the airport of departure, you will be led by a tour guide throughout the trip, including food, accommodation and attractions.
Disadvantages of Tibet tour group:
1. The cost is fixed, the number of people in each group is large, and the itinerary is relatively simple.
2. You cannot explore Tibet in depth and experience the fun of planning your own itinerary.
Join a group tour to Tibet organized by a local Chinese travel agency
Advantages of group travel:
– It meets the needs of independent travel in Tibet and the price is relatively cheap.
– Pass the middleman’s profits directly to consumers, resulting in lower costs.
– You can buy cheap air tickets to China on your own to further reduce travel expenses.
Disadvantages of group tours:
– You need to take a flight to China, usually the meeting point is Chengdu.
– More time is needed to choose the right itinerary.
Tibet Tours (Small Group Tours)
Advantages of self-organized travel:
– Tailor-made itineraries to meet all your travel needs in Tibet.
– Everyone in the group is familiar with each other, relatives and friends, and there is no barrier between them.
Disadvantages of self-organized travel:
– The smaller the group size, the higher the cost (the cost is inversely proportional to the number of people).
– It’s hard to find enough friends and family to travel with.
Tibet Tour Charter
Advantages of chartering:
– The price is relatively cheap and the itinerary is flexible.
Disadvantages of chartering a car:
– Only applicable to Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau residents, not applicable to foreign guests.
Transportation to Tibet
Foreign visitors (including those from Malaysia and Singapore) can only enter and exit Tibet by plane or Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
– Plane: Most people choose Lhasa, and a few choose Nyingchi.
– Qinghai-Tibet Railway: Most people choose Xining-Lhasa or Chengdu-Lhasa.
Tourists from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and the mainland can choose to enter and exit Tibet by road, including chartering a car, driving by yourself, taking a bus, cycling or even walking.
Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of various modes of transportation in and out of Tibet
Aircraft into Tibet
- Advantages: fast and time-saving (only 2.5 hours from Chengdu to Lhasa), can avoid altitude sickness.
- Disadvantages: higher cost.
Qinghai-Tibet Railway
- Advantages: Experience the highest altitude plateau train, with unique and magnificent scenery along the way.
- Disadvantages: long travel time, difficult to buy train tickets, small berth space, uncomfortable, and prone to altitude sickness.
Entering and exiting Tibet by road (self-driving)
- Advantages: Slow ascent, reducing altitude sickness, and charming scenery along the way.
- Disadvantages: takes a long time and is not suitable for foreign guests.
Tibet Travel Route Arrangement
Tibet is so vast that it is impossible to travel all over it in one trip. It is recommended to arrange a 10-day trip. The longer the time, the more places you can visit.
Tibet tour 5 days itinerary
Fly in and out of Tibet, with routes including Lhasa and surrounding areas (Yamdrok Lake).
Tibet Travel 10 Days Itinerary
Lhasa - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Namtso - Lhasa
– Reference itinerary:Tibetan Classics 8 Days
14 days itinerary
Lhasa - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Saga - Ali Sacred Mountain and Holy Lake - Zada - Saga - Shigatse - Lhasa
– Reference itinerary:14-day pilgrimage to the sacred mountain in Ali, Tibet
The above is an introduction to various routes. You can choose the most suitable itinerary according to your personal needs.
More Tibet travel tips:
– Tibet Travel FAQ
– Tibet Tourist Attractions Ticket List
– About Altitude Sickness
– Tibet Attractions Introduction
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