Travelling to Tibet?

[zvrbanac]

Hello,

I am trying to arrange a trip to Tibet, but as it turns out, foreigners( student also) can only travel there with arranged by an agency.

They dont make trip arrangments for one person only, so if there is someone interested to travel there and wants to join me, please contact me!

I currently live and study in Beijing, CAU.

Also, any experience from someone who has been there is more than welcome!

Thanks,

Zoran

[vmominchina]

My husband and I traveled there with just four people. The guide met us at the airport with a vehicle and all the paper work was completed for our Visa. I would suggest you research some agencies -- make sure you request a Tibetian guide. It is a very large country and you do need some help with transportation initially.

We went before the train but I have that on my list for the next trip!

Our guide said Tibet is great all year. The winters are not that cold is Llasa.

vmom

[akdn]

Hi, you might want to post this question on the Lonely Planet forum. Periodically, there are posts enquiring about / looking for people to make up groups to get to Tibet from Beijing.

[zvrbanac]

thank you , i hope i will find someone soon!

[roddy]

In the past (several years in the past, admittedly) the easiest thing to do was go to Chengdu, which is where most people travel to Tibet from, and join a 'tour' there. Things have quite possibly changed quite a bit, so I don't know if that's still the best option, but might be worth looking into.

[akdn]

Yeah, in the past most people heading to Tibet did used to congregate and form groups in Chengdu. However, that was before the train line opened. Now it's theoretically just as easy (relatively speaking) to book tours from other cities on the Lhasa train line (including Beijing). I know that the Hantang Hostel in Xi'an has a sign up advertising this service. You could try putting up a sign in a similar backpacker hostel in Beijing...

Are you travelling in the winter holiday? I'd have thought there would be other students in Beijing also interested in going. Maybe there's a way to connect with them?

[zvrbanac]

unfortunatley no one from foreign students in my Uni is interested.....

[Lugubert]

The billboard at Sim's Cozy Garden Hostel in Chengdu was very efficient in getting groups together, for Tibet or more local places of interest. Nice place, competently run by an experienced backpacker couple, and very helpful travel desk.

Phone 028 81979337. Located at North Section 4 First Ring Road No. 211.

No, I get no commission, I just hope they'll still be in business next time I'm there.

We were 6 persons for Tibet by train. Five of us were in hard sleeper, carriage #1; I only soft, #5. The group permit of course went with the majority, which included the only native speaker. The guard demanded a permit (which she called "invitation"?!) when I tried to enter. I think she understood when I said that the permit was with the others, but that didn't help. Ten minutes to go, so I ran to #1, got that guard to understand that I had to see my group for the permit, was allowed to enter, pushed my way to, you guessed it, the farthest compartment, where the permit holder was. We managed to get back to guard #1, who by walkie-talkie informed her colleague that I was OK. Ran back, got inside, found my compartment and placed my gear before the train started.