Lhasa Travel Forum

Hi All,

Some buddies and I were planning to make an overland trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu, taking side trips to various spots including Everest Base camp. We were planning to do this ourselves, but everything I've read to date seems to indicate that a guide would make things really easy. The only problem I have with this is that we are a bunch of very independent travelers who do not like sticking to a schedule. Any bits of advice on the beat routes, when and how to get the Tibet travel visa and where would we obtain the permit to hit Everest Base camp?

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

What is the weather like from mid to late September around the Lhasa area and the base camp of Mt. Everest?

Would it be cold at night?

I am interested in spending two days in Lhasa (day 1 &4) and then make a trip to Namtso Lake,departing for Chengdu on day 5.

Can anyone recommend a travel agent with Tibetan guide? I read that it is necessary to book a package tour in order to get into Tibet.

Hello,

we are planning a trip from Chendgu to Lhasa and then on to Kathmandu in September. We want to take the train from Chengdu to Lhasa. What is the best way to get tickets for the train?
Once in Tibet we want to stay in Lhasa for 3-4 days and then travel to Kathmandu via Gyanstse, Shigatse, E.B.C.,etc. More or less the standard tour offered by the travel agents. So far we are only 2 people, but still looking for someone to join. Does anyone have an indication about how much a tour like this will cost?
Further I am looking for a hostel recommendation in Lhasa??
Does anyone know what the weather is like at the end of September/beginning of October?

Thanks a lot!

Anna

Does anyone out there know of a cheap way to get from Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal overland around the end of April 2010?
I`ve searched a lot of travelagents as it seems we have to join a tour to leagally make this journey. But it looks as they all cost a bit to much(around 1000$- 1500$ pr person) for a budget traveler. I found cheaper options (400$-500$), but they all go the wrong way
Sofar i havent found any information on any of them going back for the same price. Does anyone know? Or know of any agencies that have "cheap" offers "the right way" (Lhasa- Kathmandu)?
If you have made this trip yourself I`d really like to hear from you aswell.
This would be the 2nd last leg of our 20 week Asian tour,(the last being from Kathmandu to Mumbai) so would be sad to change plans because of this, it would mean a wery long and expencive detour as we will start and end our tour in Mumbai.

We could fly, but i would really like to travel across the Himalayas on the ground, to se the nature in all its glory. Kind of the point in going there in the first place.

Or would it just be best to forget all about it an consentrate on the southeast and eastern parts of China (HongKong area, Shanghai, Beijing)
If so, is it possible to travel overland from Myanmar(Burma) to India\Bangladesh, i know it is "impossible" the other way round

I am looking to book a group tour in late September and have been communicating with discovertibettour.com. Does anyone know about this online site or can anyone recommend a site to book with? Thank you in advance.

Hi I am interesting in training from Xi-an to Lhasa. I hope to hang around Lhasa for a few days, looking around the city, get used the to altitude, that sort of thing. Then I want to head up on a tour of some of the sites in the region, 4-5 days, eventually ending at the Nepal border where I would catch a bus to Khatmandu. Seems simple enough right?

Questions:

1. Is it difficult to get a train ticket from Xi-an to Lhasa? (someone mentioned on another thread that it was)

2. I want to avoid paying for a tour guide while in Lhasa city to help cut the costs of the whole experience, is this possible? Is it advisable?

3. What will the cost of the 4-5 days tour/vehicle and driver cost to the Nepal border? And should I just book this VIA the message boards in Lhasa?

4. Is the trip from the Nepal border to Khatmandu a viable option?

Hello!

Can any one tell me if there is any way to Lhasa-Katmandu or the other way around overland that doesn´t include a tour? Any kind of public transportation maybe... Meaning leaving in any date and spending less time and money.

If so how many days would it take?

And by air which would be the company with the best airfares?

Thanks a lot!
Patricia

Hi! I will be in chengdu and I would like to visit Lhasa. It is posible to go from chengdu to lhasa by train? Thanks, Sandra

We're planning a trip to Lhasa (via train from Beijing- Xining - Lhasa), and were thinking that to save money, we could find a travel agent willing to get us the train tickets and travel permits, but hire our own guide just for a couple of days, staying without a guide in Lhasa itself. Does anyone know if this is feasible? Is it legal to travel in Lhasa city without a guide?

On a side note, Any hotel rec's for Lhasa, Xining, Chengdu, Dunhuang, or LanZhou? We've got too many places we'd like to visit! Trying to decide which are the must-see, kid-friendly places in this part of the country (Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, & Tibet). Many thanks for any advice you can give us. Have a great day!!

Hi out there,

I'm looking to book a private deal with Great Tibet Travel but wanting confirmation they are a good company. Can any one recommend a company , this or other please

Cheers

Hi Everyone,

I forgot to post these questions in my last posting.

Has anyone ridden the train from Beijing to Lhasa?

How long is the train ride and how much does it costs? My trip is in September.

Also, does anyone have any tips on how to deal with high altitude sickness?

Thank you

Hi everyone,

This is my first trip to Tibet, and, as with any trip, one has to budget time. I've browsed my Lonely Planet Guide Book. I have one to two weeks to spare.

Which monasteries are must see and which ones I could skip? The monasteries in question are Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery near Lhasa and Shalu Monastery and Sakya Monastery near Gyantse.

Furthermore, if I have to choose between Lake Nam-tso or Lake Yamdruke-tso, which one should I pick?

Any suggestion and opinion would be helpful.

Thank you

Hi all,

I'm intending to do a 4-wheel-drive trip starting from Chengdu into Lhasa. Would anyone know how long this would take, and can recommend any local tour agents or guides who would be able to do this kind of trip? Language is not a problem, as I understand Mandarin. Thanks!

Hello,
I am an American Buddhist student.
I have been asked by my Lama (Buddhist teacher)
To spend the summer with him in the Surmang Valley in Kham Tibet.

It looks like it will be easy to get my 90 day tourist china visa.
Does anyone know what other permits I may need?
I was told Surmang valley is just outside of the T.A.R.

My Destination
Tibetan: Surmang Valley, Kham
Chinese: Xiao Zormang, Quing-hai

I will be leaving the USA, May 30, 2009
Flying to Beijing, then to Xi-ning and then flying into Yushu (Tibet) then driving to Surmang

Any help would be great,
Thanks,
William

Tibet route to Kyrgyzstan via Xinjiang?

I am planning a Tibet trip in late June/early July, and afterwards, (depending on what kind of Chinese visa I get in Kathmandu, or Lhasa), I'd like to continue into China proper, and visit Xinjiang, and maybe even Qinghai.

My question is what kind of transport is there from Lhasa to Xinjiang? What's the website for the Chinese train that goes from Lhasa north? Does it stop in Urumuqi, or do I have to backtrack through Xining?

Another question is what route do I take to enter Kyrgystan (from China)? I choose Kyrgyz because Canadians get visa on arrival. I am also interested in entering Kazakhstan from China, but then I need to pre-arrange a visa, but where in that part of Western China, I don't know.

Tajikistan also borders Xinjiang, but I am not sure if foriegners are allowed to cross here?

I am planning for a trip to Lahasa and Everest Base Camp during April 09 and looking for travel mate for us to share the costs that are prohibitively expensive for a single travller. If interested, please drop me an email.

I would also like to know train and plane fare between Lahasa and Changdu/Beiging.

Thanks in advance

I plan a trip from Shangha to Kashgar via Tibet using China Youth Travel Service which also uses name My Tibet Travel.
Does anyone have experience of using this company and how do you rate them?

I will be working in Kathmandu starting late september and i was wondering if someone could help me out. I am am taking the train from Beijing to Lhasa then wanted to travel onwards to Kathmandu, either overland or by plane. Does anyone know whetehr the direct bus link is open to travellers or would i have to go on one of the expensive overland tours? If i took the flight option, how much is a one way to Kathmandu from Lhasa and how often do they fly?

Cheers

Hi,

I think it's been announced that Tibet is safe for tourists to visit again and I'm thinking of going to Lhasa next month. Anyone got any updates on visas / travelling / best points of entry? Also, I'm thinking of going on my own - anyone got any tips on joining a tour group or travelling alone?

Thanks!

Hi! I plan to travel to Lhasa next month. At the same time I worry about the current situation in Lhasa. I just wonder is it safe to travel to Lhasa? Is it possible to fly in there/ get the TTB permit done in / Nepal (Katmandu)/ Chengdu ? Thanks!

I have plan on landing in Beijing April 15. Will I still be able to go to Tibet, as planned, later in the month?

I have absolutely no political agenda -- just a desire to see regular tourist sites.

Hi There,

I will be traveling to Tibet in September so I was wondering if someone knows a good travel agency in Lhasa. I have plans to spend 20 days traveling around so I would like to get an idea how much it will cost me. I have my "itinerary" in mind:
Lhasa (3-4 days) – Gyantse - Shigatse - Saga - Paryang - Darchen - Kailash Kora starts: Trek to Diraphuk - Trek to Zuthulphuk - Trek to Darchen and get forward to Hor at the northern shore of Lake Manasarovar - Hor-Paryang-Saga-Old Tingri via Lake Pelkhutso - Ronbuk Monastery and Mt. Everest Base Camp - Nyalam - Kathmandu.

I would like to have some comments about this "route" as well if you had been to those places. Any comments are appreciated.

thank you very much

Vidya

Hi,

I'm planning to take the train from Guangzhou to Lhasa and fly back to Guangzhou in July. Is it true that the train operates on odd dates (1st/3rd/5th) or days (Monday/Wednesday/Friday)for July? Which airlines I can take from Lhasa to Guangzhou and how much is the air tickets? What about the flight schedule?

Hi,

I will be traveling in China in May. I plan to take a train from Chengdu-lhasa.
But for my return, I want to fly. Where can I find flights going from Lhasa to Shenzhen or elsewhere in China?

Thanks,
J

I am meeting my daughter in Beijing this May. We intend to train to Lhasa and travel the southern route to Kashgar. We have an itinerary from Windhorse Tours but need two additional travel companions to make it cost effective. Pre-packaged tours exceeded our time allowance. We have 12-14 days to make this trip at a cost of around $1,400/person. If interested email me at msurowiec@sbcglobal.net.

Hi All

Is there anyone who knows Yak Hotel's owners'page address. I've been surfing for it in Google, but given up.

Thanks a lot
Eastboy

Dear VTrs

i'm planning to visit Tibet, especially Lhasa this summer. i just wonder which month would be best to visit Tibet? How much the plane ticket costs from Huh Hot, Inner Mongolia to Lhasa, approximately? How many days would be enough to explore Lhasa, especially Buddhist Monasteries?

Thanks in advance

Hi! I understand that travelers need to obtain permit to get into Lhasa. But if is a traveler already have a China's visa,do they still need a permit to Lhasa? If necessary, where is the best place to get the permit done. I understand there're many touts and scams upon visa.Please enlighten me. Thanks!

Hi my name is lisa lee. I am an Asian American.
I am going to backpacking to tibet soon,,I am looking
for some good hotel advices and also potentially
travel mates if we get along ok.