Essential Information for Your Spiritual Journey to the Roof of the World
A Tibet Entry Permit is required and you'd better apply for it at least 20 days before your trip.
If you travel with China Highlights we will make all necessary arrangements for the Entry Permit, we can help you to get a Tibet Permit when Tibet is open to foreigners (during stable political conditions).
Mid spring to late autumn is the ideal time to travel Tibet.
Tibet was closed for most of February and March in 2017 for the politically sensitive time of Tibetan New Year. And it will be closed from Feb.21 to Mar. 31 in 2019. It will be reopen from April 1st. So we suggest you to plan a Tibet tour from April 15th considering the time of applying for the permits.
If you travel Tibet in winter, you may meet harsh weather conditions. And tent hostels in Everest Base Camp will be closed. However, the hotel price, flight/train ticket price will be more reasonable. And you can avoid crowds in winter.
Note that Tibet will be closed during Tibetan New Year period, usually falls in February and March.
We suggest you to fly in, because, though the Qinghai-Tibet Railway gives you more time to acclimate, it actually goes much higher than Lhasa (5,072 m compared to 3,700 m), increasing the risk of symptoms.
Therefore you may not have a good rest on the train, which can make your body tired and easily get sick when you get off. It would be better to acclimate in your hotel room and Lhasa than on a train.
What's more, it's much easier to book a Tibet flight than a train, due to the high-demand for a limited number of train tickets. As train tickets to Tibet are always hard to get, flying to Tibet reduces the risk that your tour plans fail.
| Transport | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | Faster, easier to book, lower altitude exposure | Less time to acclimate, more expensive |
| Train | Scenic route, gradual altitude gain | Higher altitude exposure, hard to get tickets |
Usually you don't feel uncomfortable when you just get off the plane at Lhasa. But you will feel headache after a few hours, especially at night. You should spend a couple of days in Lhasa to acclimate to the high altitude.
If you don't feel well before you depart for Tibet you are not suggested to go to Tibet. Even a cold can make altitude sickness feel a lot worse.
We suggest you to fly in, because, though the Qinghai-Tibet Railway gives you more time to acclimate, it actually goes much higher than Lhasa (5,072 m compared to 3,700 m), increasing the risk of symptoms.
Therefore you may not have a good rest on the train, which can make your body tired and easily get sick when you get off. It would be better to acclimate in your hotel room and Lhasa than on a train.
What's more, it's much easier to book a Tibet flight than a train, due to the high-demand for a limited number of train tickets. As train tickets to Tibet are always hard to get, flying to Tibet reduces the risk that your tour plans fail.
