Journey Into the Heart of Tibet

Yes. Every foreign passport holder needs a Tibet Travel Permit (TTB Permit) to enter Tibet. It is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau and applied for exclusively through a certified travel agency — we arrange it for you as part of your booking. Depending on where you go, additional permits may be required: the Aliens’ Travel Permit (PSB) for areas outside Lhasa such as Shigatse and Nyingchi, the Frontier Pass for border areas including Everest Base Camp and Mt. Kailash, and a Military Permit for sensitive areas such as Ngari.

Tibet’s tourist season generally runs from April to October. Lhasa is at its best in May, June, September and October, when skies are clear and temperatures are comfortable. Everest Base Camp has the clearest views in spring (April–May) and autumn (September–November). Winter (November–March) is very cold, and Tibet may be closed to foreign travelers.

Lhasa sits at 3,658m, so most visitors feel the altitude to some degree — often a mild headache in the first 6–10 hours after arrival. It is manageable: our tours include acclimatization days, our guides are trained to recognize and respond to altitude sickness. Consult your doctor about preventive medication such as Diamox before you travel.

You can fly to Lhasa Gonggar Airport from major Chinese cities, or ride the Qinghai–Tibet railway — one of the world’s great train journeys — from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xining and other cities. We arrange either option, and several of our tours combine the train with the itinerary.

There is no age limit on Tibet Travel Permits — our oldest traveler was in his early 80s. For the altitude itself, we do not recommend bringing children under three years old. Travelers of any age should consult a doctor before a high-altitude trip.

On our small group departures you join other travelers: groups run with a minimum of 3 travellers — usually 3–8 pax, and never more than 16 — and you choose the departure date, the starting point and the itinerary length that suits you. Private tours follow the same routes but run only for your own party, with your own dates and your own pace. A 3–8 group costs a little more per person and is quieter, with more freedom to change the day on the road; a 3–16 group costs less per person and gives you more people to travel with.

We are a Lhasa-based Tibet tour operator, not an overseas reseller. Since 1999 our own guides, drivers, vehicles and office have run every trip we sell — which is why we can quote quickly, keep our pricing honest, and fix things on the ground if plans change. More than 7,200 travellers from over 40 countries have travelled with us, and our TripAdvisor rating is 4.9★. You can read exactly how we work, in plain language, on our Why Us page.