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Topic: Do I need a permit to travel to Lhasa, Tibet
Posted: 2004-01-19 02:56:15
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I am getting conflicting information concering travel to Tibet. I want to go from Chengdu, to Lhasa. Stay in Lhasa a few days and return to Chengdu on my way back home! So, do I need a "Permit". Is it easy to get buy a plane ticket to Lhasa without buying an expensive tour? Anyone with some experience here? |
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Author: RICHARD TORRES| Post | |
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2004-01-20 19:45:59 |
yes, Tibet Permit is needed if the foreigners want to visit Tibet and it's obtained only through travel agencies. With the Tibet Permit, travel agencies can issue the ticket to Lhasa.
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2004-01-28 00:16:09 |
Tibet Travel Permit can only be obtained via travel agency. And you can buy the flight ticket to Lhasa only when you get the "Permit"! Tibet is really a mysterious place to be visited! Anna |
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Author: ANNA| Post | |
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2004-07-01 17:42:30 |
Our family just returned from a visit to Lhasa. The situation with the "permit" remains a mystery to us. After much hassle and confusion, my impression is that the whole permit thing looks like a very complicated scam. At the airport in Chengdu, we asked at Air China (CAAC) to buy a ticket to Lhasa. They first said that the next available flight was not for several days, then they asked if we had a permit. We said that we did not, and they said that we would have to buy the ticket from a travel agent in town. At a hotel in Xian, the people at the business office were happy to arrange to buy tickets for us at the posted price, but they didn't know anything about the need for a permit, nor how to obtain one. So, we were afraid to pursue that option. Travel agents we spoke to in Xian would not sell a ticket for less than almost double the posted price, in order to include the "permit", plus dorm lodgings that we did not want. Eventually we bought tickets through a travel agent in Chengdu for 500RMB per ticket over the regular price in order to be safe about the "permit". For this overcharge, the "tour" consisted of being driven to the airport in Chengdu and handed plane tickets to Lhasa that looked every bit the same as all other plane tickets that we had purchased ourselves between other destinations in China. We never saw any permit, nor were we ever asked for any permit at any time by anyone (except for the person at the Air China desk, when we wanted to buy the ticket at the airport). We had also inquired about buying tickets to Lhasa at a "bucket shop" in Chengdu, and they were willing to sell them to us at the posted prices, except that they said the flight we wanted was sold out, and only First Class was available. We were uncomfortable about this response, but in the end it turned out that they were telling the truth, and we probably could have saved a lot of money by just buying the tickets from them, instead of from the travel agent. Our situation was complicated by the fact that none of us speaks a single word of Chinese, which made communication difficult, and also by our suspicion of everything, borne of several other experiences in China where unscrupulous folks (mostly taxi drivers) tried, sometimes successfully, to swindle us. Lhasa was great, though - we had no problems getting around - and buying the return ticket was also straightforward, except that they would not give us any discount. Tickets were 1280RMB before June 15th and 1500RMB after June 15th one way; 1/2 price for kids under 12. |
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2004-07-01 20:05:46 |
The Tibet Travel Permits are needed if foreigners want to visit Tibet, and also foreigners are not allowed to walk around in Tibet without guide's accompany, these are the regulations of Chinese Tourism Bureau, no one can be more clear about this than me as I'm a tour operator in China. I don't know how can someone sell the tickets to Lhasa without a permit. It's surely illegal. The permit is a sheet of paper given to the visitors, and only can be applied by travel agents. Even the travel agent can not get any discount of the air tickets to Lhasa, it is an exception in Chna. |
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Author: FRIDAY| Post | |
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2004-07-25 21:09:23 |
If you go to Chengdu, find "Paul's Oasis." It's a cafe near the Traffic Hotel. You will be able to make connections there to find the best agents to arrange the trip.
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2004-07-27 21:37:13 |
If you book a Tibet tour, I think everything would be easier and more joyful. Travel agent would apply a "permit" for you according to your tour arrangement, and then they can book a flight, and but the ticket to Lhasa via the "permit". All in all, it would not be permitted that somebody travel Tibet alone.
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2004-08-17 10:44:39 |
So it's really not permitted to travel Tibet alone? Or is it not recommended?
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2004-08-18 22:45:33 |
It is the only way for you to get the permit via travel agent if you want to visit Tibet, and if you are a foreigner.
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2004-09-05 19:48:26 |
So, if I contact a travel agent in Hong Kong (as I live in Guang Dong province in China) can I get a HK to Tibet ticket with a permit? Or do I need to sign up with a tour group? Can anyone recomend a travel agent in Hong Kong, Shenzhen or Guangzhou? After one that will get us tickets that will work for a reasonable price. If that is not an option, what are the boarder controls like between Shichuan (spelling might be wrong) and Tibet. Three of us are planning two weeks cycling in that area. We currently have limited Mandarin, but have a few months to get better before we go. There has to be a way, as Tibet is a very comon place for back packers to go. -GD |
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2004-09-05 22:45:28 |
if you have got the permit, of course you can buy the ticket from Hong Kong to Tibet easily. But generally speaking, most visitor should visit Tibet accompanied with a travel agency.
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2004-09-14 16:05:15 |
If you get a visa and the tibet travel permit from a travel agency in china and go on a tour with them, are you allowed to stay in Tibet past the time that the tour is over, or will the visa expire accordingly?
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2004-09-22 22:32:43 |
I am afraid that you are not permitted to stay in Tibet alone even your tour is ended unless that you assure that there is a guide will accompany you. Because the travel agent who offer the you the Tibet tour should be responsible for all your life there and what you did there. After all Tibet is a hypersensitive place, you know. And also if the valid period is long enough, the situation can be adopted:D |
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Author: ANNA| Post | |
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2004-10-19 05:16:07 |
To be clear: - You need a Tibet travel permit to go and stay in Tibet, EXCEPT IN LHASA and some other places (near mount Everest for instance). So when you're in Lhasa and stay there there is no problem, even if your permit is not valid anymore. In Lhasa you have no problem to buy your way back to Chengdu (by bus or by plane), nobody there will ask you for your permit. - In other places, you need a permit. So if yours is not valid anymore, you can go and meet the police and pay a tax (I have been told this summer that the amount was about around 400 dollars, maybe less if you have an old permit with you...), or you have to hide (dangerous solution, for you and for the Tibetan people that help you!!). Conclusion: try to be in Lhasa when your permit ends. |
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2004-10-19 05:24:01 |
Just to add that Lhasa is an open town for foreigners. So when YOU ARE there you don't need a permit, and no policeman will ever ask you for a permit in Lhasa. But TO GO there, you need a permit. Because you have to go trough Tibet (and 'forbidden' areas) to reach Lhasa... Anyway when you're in Lhasa you don't have any risk anymore. William |
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2004-10-21 01:25:27 |
Hi, William! Your tip is really helpful:D |
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2004-11-03 07:43:02 |
Thanks! ;o)
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Author: WILLIAM| Post | |
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2005-02-05 08:06:40 |
In a couple of months, I'm going to be travelling into Tibet from the west - down from Kashgar. How much does a permit cost if I'm there for a couple of weeks? And is it REALLY essential to have a guide?
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2005-02-18 12:09:20 |
is it possible to obtain a permit without a tour?>
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2005-03-08 08:12:11 |
yes, it is possible to obtain a valid tibet permit without a tour but you need to request travel agent to arrange for you. |
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2005-03-08 08:16:03 |
Not necessary but better to have a guide to ensure your safety in tibet. You can request them to handle tibet permit for you. |
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2005-03-16 18:32:26 |
Which travel agent would you recommend to be contacted to get a travel permit into western tibet (Mt. Kailash Pilgrimige) not being part of a group but able to perchase a bus ticket into the western part???
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2005-04-02 07:23:25 |
you can go to tibet by the armyplane of China goverment,only400RMB!any other question? xklandlm@yahoo.com
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Author: ADY| Post | |
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2005-04-16 06:28:39 |
Is it really true that you can fly with the Chinese army plane to Tibet for 400RMB? I tried to write to the email address you provided but it was returned to me. We hope to travel by land from Chengdu to Derge, Derge to Lhasa, Lhasa to Kailash, & then probably fly from Lhasa to Chengdu. Everyone is offering different prices for the tickets & permits, does anyone know how much is the flight & permit? Also, can we enter Chamdo (Changdu) without permit? And how do we apply for it if we need one? Thanks so much! |
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2005-05-04 09:22:08 |
ADY: Are you sure? It costs more than 700 Yuans to take a seat on a cargo plane from Lhasa to Chengdu. It is about 900 to 1000 Yuans for a seat in an ordinary passenger flight on the military plane. (BTW, these options are off-limit to foreigners.) Yan: I think it may be difficult to reach Chamdo unless you look Chinese and are able to speak Chinese. BTW, if you can reach there, you can easily apply for a travel permit there (in the only hotel that is allowed to accommodate foreign tourists). Then, off the way you go to lhasa. I personally did finish the route that you described (in 1992, so cannot provide you with resent info) Hope this helps |
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Author: SNAKE HEAD| Post | |
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2005-05-08 02:26:58 |
sorry ... i am a bit confused at the beginning of this thread, most replies said you have to have a "guide" for tibet (might be except Lhasa); but toward the bottom, seems most people just planning their own routes. how does it work exactly (in Lhsas or not) ?? -- you just pay lots of money to hire someone to do your custom routine ? thx in advance |
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2005-07-15 02:48:49 |
I'm confused too! I'm with a group of three friends in China at the moment, teaching, and we are planning to travel to tibet and the North West of China in late july/mid August..... does the rainy season mean it is better to fly in, or is it ok to go overland - we want a bit of adventure! and do we actually need a tour guide to travel ouside of Lhasa, or is this a scam you can get around easily? Cheers!! Helenx |
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2006-04-16 09:14:20 |
I want to join your group I am from India and will be in Lhasa in July email me at tips4ceos@gmail.com if idea interests you Click on: http://www.tips4ceos.com/kochi.htm to know my credentials murli |
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