Can you travel independently in Tibet without a tour guide?

Located quite literally on the lap of the Himalayas, Tibet is a traveler’s dream. However, if you’re a solo traveler planning to visit the plateau, you may want to re-evaluate your plans. Visiting Tibet without a guide as a foreign tourist isn’t a possibility.

Fortunately, there are many incredible Tibet group tours that showcase the country beautifully. If you want to travel to Tibet independently, you can book a private Tibet tour to explore their spiritual and natural wealth with a local guide.

Tibet reopening for tourists

Tibet has gently reopened its borders for travelers. As of May 2021, ex-pats living in the Chinese mainland are welcome to explore the pristine plateau. Students and visitors already in China can also plan their trips to Tibet.

Solo travel in Tibet

Regrettably, international tourists cannot travel without a guide in Tibet. Due to restrictions put in place by the Chinese government on its provinces, you cannot travel solo in Tibet as an independent tourist. Furthermore, international tourists have to be a part of a larger Tibet tour group to receive a Tibet travel permit.

If you want to visit as a solo traveler, you can book a private tour to Tibet. That way, you can explore the plateau to your heart’s content with only a tour guide to help you navigate around geographically and culturally.

Did you know?
The capital, Lhasa, holds two world heritage sites – the Potala Palace and Norbulingka, both of which were the residences of the Dalai Lama.

Traveling to Tibet without a tour isn’t possible, but traveling with an experienced local guide can be a blessing to any solo traveler. The cultural behind-the-scenes that a tour guide can provide, combined with these Tibet travel tips is the perfect recipe for the experience of a lifetime in Tibet.

Want to join a group?
Let us know your preferences and we at Himalayan Glacier will help you find the right travel group for your to trip to Tibet.

Is Tibet Safe to Travel in 2022?

Due to its sparse population and a far-flung location, Tibet has been relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 virus. They had shut down to foreign tourists early in the pandemic, and are still reluctant to open up, for good reasons. Keeping in mind the current updates on the virus and further uncertainties, Tibet is open and relatively safe to travel, with some safety regulations in place.  

Travel Tibet independently with an experienced, English-speaking local guide – plan the perfect trip with Himalayan Glacier!

Tibet Travel Regulations for 2022

As an autonomous region of China (one of its 31 provinces), there are various travel regulations that you should know before planning your trip. The first point to be noted is that you can only enter Tibet through the Chinese mainland, or Nepal. You can take advantage of this by exploring the quaint beauty of Nepal and Tibet during your travels. Some essential health regulations to be noted:

• You need to submit a screenshot of the QR of the Green health code from your city.
• To receive the Green code, you need to have a COVID-19 nucleic acid and IgM serum antibody-negative test results. (From no more than 2 days before departure).
• You will have to submit the negative test results to the China Health Declaration Certificate, which will issue a certified Health Declaration Form (HDF) or a Health Declaration Code (HDC).
• In addition, you will need to present a certificate issued by your company, local police station, or residential committee, to prove that you have remained in mainland China for the last 3 months.
• Finally, you’ll need a negative COVID-19 test report before applying for your Tibet permit dated at most 7 days before the permit application.

Did you know?
Locals observe the Lhakar or ‘White Wednesday”- a practice whereby Tibetans promote their own culture, speak their language, shop exclusively in Tibetan shops, and wear Tibetan clothes.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive Tibet travel guide, or have any queries about traveling to Tibet with a local, English-speaking guide and the latest safety regulations, you can talk to our travel experts. For more information on updated COVID-19 guidelines, traveling solo to Tibet, and receiving a Tibet travel permit, you can contact us, or WhatsApp us at +1-410-307-0007.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tibet safe to travel to?

Yes, it is absolutely safe to travel to Tibet and crime rates are notably low. Tibet is connected by air internationally only through Nepal; there are no direct flights to Tibet’s capital city Lhasa from any other countries in the world. Traveling to Tibet is strictly regulated. A visitor entering from Nepal is required to possess a valid Chinese visa and a Tibet Travel Permit which can be arranged by Himalayan Glacier in Kathmandu. Visa regulations for China and Tibet Travel Permits are subject to change, so it is always better to keep yourself updated before planning a visit to Tibet. It is expected from all visitors to respect while traveling to Tibet as it is an autonomous territory of China.

How can I get a travel permit while traveling from China?

It is practically not possible to get your Tibet travel permit without the help of a tour operator. If you inform us 8 to 10 days in advance before you enter China, we will acquire the travel permit and deliver it to your hotel in mainland China. Under extreme conditions, our staff will manage to handover the permit to you in person at the airport or the railway station.

Is there any age bar to get Tibet visa?

There is no age limit for visiting Tibet until now. It is absolutely alright if you wish to take your kids or elderly parents for a Tibet tour. It should be taken into account that there are only basic facilities in some of Tibet’s remote locations outside the capital city. Thus, it may be quite difficult to take care of the kids or old people. So, taking advice from a doctor regarding your parents’ Tibet tour is significant.

How to get Tibet Travel Permit?

Although Tibet is an integral region in China, traveling to Tibet cannot be fulfilled just with a Chinese visa. Without an additional Tibet Travel Permit, neither visitors can board a train or a flight nor make entry into Tibet. Even individual tourists are not allowed to travel inside Tibet without a tour operator. So, to acquire this permit, you are first required to book a guided tour with Himalayan Glacier. After this, you will have to send a copy of the information pages of your passport and your Chinese visa copy. We will then hand over the copies to Tibet Tourism Bureau for processing your permit that will take around 8-10 days.

It is highly recommended that you plan for your Tibet Travel Permit at least one month before setting out for Tibet. We will deliver your permit to you at your hotel in mainland China or email a copy of the permit depending on how you travel (flight or train).

Is it possible to get a Tibet visa/permit with a tour package?

Yes, it is very much possible to get your Tibet visa or the Tibet travel permit depending on the tour package that you purchase. For any of your Tibet travel plans, you can ask Himalayan Glacier to manage your trip and we will organize everything right from the scratch flawlessly.