Just about to leave Kathmandu for some trekking. Want to
head to Tibet in late May. Travel agents here say that I
have to go on a "group" tour where everyone enters and
leaves together. Is it possible to travel independently
from Nepal to Tibet? Also, is it possible to separate from
these tours before reaching Lhasa (in Shigatse or
elsewhere)? Right now it seems like I have to go to Lhasa
with the group and separate there. I would like to spend
more time getting to Lhasa, however. Any advice or info
would be greatly appreciated. Finally, are permits needed
to get to places outside Lhasa? Thanks!
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I've traveled overland from Kathmandu to Lhasa twice and
both times every Travel Agent in Kathmandu insisted that I
needed to travel with a group, and buy a tour, etc. etc.,
bullshit, bullshit. Both times I took the local bus to the
border, hitched a ride to Zang-mu and got in to Tibet with a
regular Chinese visa (no special permits). The CITS agents
in Zangmu will toss you in a Land Cruiser on a "tour" to
Lhasa and then you'll be on your own. (If you have the
chance, definitely visit Lake Namtso - it's incredibly
beautiful). Obviously rules change like the wind at that
border crossing, but I think it's worth the trip to find out
and I definitely think the the Kathmandu travel agents are
the most unreliable source you can find. Think about it -
how do they make their money?
Made it in two years ago from NEpal. Also got sa mate who
goes there a lot - normally need to obtain normal Chinese
tourist visa in a country other than Nepal. Situ may have
changed now. Good luck it's great. This is the perfect
time of year for trekking in Tibet. If you meet up with
someone else, give it a go. It will be a refreshing change
after trekking with the hordes in
Planning on going to Tibet from Kathmandu the end of May as
well. I've been told yes you have to do the group visa
thing. One of my friends was turned back at the Border
without one but another one made it in with a group without
paying all the tourist fees (trust me great story and going
to check this out when I get there). If you're looking for
people to join the so-called group, give me a shout. Have
a great time there!
I think its very important to get your Chinese Visa outside
of Nepal if you want to make the overland trip to Lhasa
without a organized "tour"
If you try to enter Tibet in land, itÆs not too easy, but
now itÆs possible. From the nepalian border town (Kodari)
to the tibetian border town (Zhangmu) itÆs a 12 km walk in
the mud. If you have a Chinese visa, you can enter, after
paying 150 dollar per person. This huge amount include the
fee of the transport to Lhasa (to come back, you have to
arrange your own transport). The chinese custom officers
will collect your passport, and if you donÆt want to pay,
you have to go back to Nepal. You canÆt do anything! In
Zhangmu, you can find accomodation easily, and you can use
your nepali rupees also.
Having a Chinese visa to Tibet is difficult, but if you
donÆt declare that you would like to go to Tibet, you can
have a visa easily, and the mode of the transport and the
place of the enter is not marked. I presented an air ticket
reservation to Peking, a hotel reservation (made by a
travel agency) to Peking, and filled the form (destination
Peking) in the Chinese consulate in Budapest (Hungary), and
after having the visa, I cancelled all of them. This is the
way to enter Tibet in land, without a group.