Hailed as the Buddhist holy land, Tibet is nestled way up in the Tibetan Plateau. Though technically Tibet is part of China, but it feels worlds apart compared with the other places in China. It is one of the most sought after destinations for those backpackers and adventurers alike in Asia; meanwhile it is also one of the trickiest to get to. Here are some helpful tips for entering Tibet and planning ahead, which may go a long way if you want to enjoy a smooth and pleasant trip up there.

Permits Needed for Foreigners
Tibet Permit

For decades the access to Tibet has been sort of restricted because central government has a tense relation with Tibet, and therefore the permits are needed for tourists from abroad. It is highly unlikely to enter Tibet on your own without a permit in hand, so it is highly recommended that you apply a permit before you go. Moreover, you must apply the Tibet Tourism Bureau permit as part of a tour group which must include at least five people of the same nationality, otherwise you stand no or little chance of getting one. Furthermore, you should stick together with the tour group all the time. Occasionally, Tibet will be off-limits to foreigners completely, often with little or no warning, so if you are making your travel plans to Tibet, it is highly recommended that you should come up with a backup plan in case you run into the similar situation. A backup travel plan to the Tibetan villages in Yunnan Province will be a good idea.

How to get to Tibet
The easiest way to get to Tibet is jump aboard a flight to Lhasa from either Chengdu in China or Kathmandu in Nepal. Moreover, many other cities in China also offer flights to Lhasa, but Chengdu is highly recommended because you will stand high chances to find other travelers of your same nationality in order to get your group number up to five. If the altitude sickness bugs you, then the Qinghai-Tibet railway is a popular alternative, a 44-hour journey from Chengdu. If you want to spend less time on the journey, you can fly to Xining and jump on a train from there. It takes about 24 hours to get to Lhasa by train from Xining. Lastly, you can hire a Land Cruiser and get to Tibet by road via Kathmandu or Qinghai Province.

Keeping the above-mentioned tips in mind, you will make the most of your trip to Tibet!