How To Get a Tibet Travel Permit for Your Upcoming 2024 Trip

Covering over 474,000 square miles and often known as “The Roof of the World” because much of its territory lies over 13,000 feet above sea level, Tibet is a special place. Its beauty, people, and temples are world-renowned. However, getting there isn’t simple.

On top of needing permission to enter China’s borders in general (for which citizens of most countries need a visa), you’ll need a special Tibet Travel Permit to travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region. This creates a second set of paperwork for visiting — something that may turn visitors away if they find it too complex.

The good news is that the process can be simple. Let’s take a look at how you can secure a Tibet Travel Permit for your upcoming trip.

What Is a Tibet Travel Permit?

Sometimes referred to as a Tibet visa, the Tibet Travel Permit is exactly what it sounds like: a travel permit to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region. Not available to diplomats, government officials, or journalists, the travel permit is required for all foreigners who want to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region, which includes places like Lhasa, Xigatse, and Everest Base Camp.

Moreover, while independent travel to Tibet was previously possible, it’s nearly impossible these days unless you’re visiting parts of Tibet that technically fall outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, such as those in Qinghai, Gansu, and Sichuan provinces. That means you’ll need a tourist agency to invite you to Tibet before you can get the Tibet Travel Permit. Beyond this, you may need a military permit or restricted area permit if you’re visiting remote parts of Tibet.

For those visiting common tourist sites, those extra steps aren’t necessary. Moreover, some level of independent exploration in Lhasa remains possible, though you’ll need to carry the permit (and copies to make things smoother) with you at all times, as police checks are regular. Options can include visiting markets, the summer palace, and smaller temples, along with walking around the streets of central Lhasa. Beyond these, you’ll need a guide.

Obtaining a Tibet Travel Permit

Only a guide or agency registered with the Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) can obtain a travel permit on your behalf. Moreover, if you’re from a country that requires a visa to visit China (most countries), you’ll need to submit proof you hold a Chinese visa before applying for the Tibet Travel Permit.

Once you have a visa to China or are able to travel without one, you’re ready to apply for a travel permit for Tibet. Processing typically takes around 8 to 10 business days, so plan accordingly. That means last-minute visits are unlikely.

Contact a Tour Agency

The first step in obtaining your travel permit is contacting a licensed agency. English tours are the most common for foreigners, though it is possible to find guides who speak other languages, such as German, Italian, and Spanish.

When contacting an agency, make sure to include travel dates, whether those are firm or flexible, and how many people you’re traveling with. Also, state any wants and needs for your trip, such as wanting to visit a specific spot, anyone with physical limitations, or other things the agency will need to know to plan your trip.

Finally, include how you’ll enter and exit Tibet, even if these plans aren’t confirmed. This will help the tourist agency plan logistics for your trip and let them know whether you’ll need a private trip or might be able to join a group trip at a lower price.

If you’re looking for reputable tour agencies to start with, here are a few recommendations:

• ExploreTibet.com
• GoToTibet.com
• TibetanGuide.com
• TibetTravel.org

I used TibetTravel.org on my first visit to Tibet (in 2016) and used GoToTibet.com on my most recent trip (in 2024). I have friends who’ve used the other 2 sites on this list and had positive experiences as well.

Agree on an Itinerary and Price

Each agency you contact will likely respond with something different. We contacted 5 agencies before our June 2024 trip to Tibet, and all 5 replied with vastly different prices, itinerary ideas, attempts at upselling, and more.

The more time you have for exchanging emails to refine the tour, the better. If time is of the essence, you’ll need to choose an option and start moving forward. However, if you have time, discuss what you like and don’t like about the proposed itineraries — and the costs — to mold them into something you’re willing to book.

It’s important to agree on the itinerary up front because you’re bound to it. The Tibet Travel Permit will state your itinerary, day by day, so you may be turned around at a highway checkpoint if you’re not following the approved itinerary and accompanied by the guide listed on the permit.

Therefore, you should stress to the tour company how independent you want to be, as well. For example, we insisted that we would book our own hotels and pay for our own meals (while choosing inexpensive, non-touristy establishments), reducing costs by not including these in the tour agency’s price.

Send Your Documents and Deposit

Now, the fun part: The Tibet Travel Permit is free! Kind of — unfortunately, you won’t get it for free. Because only a tour agency can obtain it on your behalf — and because the agency is responsible for your behavior and whereabouts in Tibet — you’ll need to pay at least something for them to help you get the paperwork you need.

The lowest anyone I know has paid a tourist agency to get the permit was $200, and that came from committing to not leaving Lhasa, walking independently in the old city, and attempting to make all of his own arrangements to visit temples (only half of which were successful).

For reference, we spent $350 per person ($700 total) for a 2-day private tour of Lhasa. This included a guide, car transfers, airport pickup and drop-off, and entrance fees to all the sites we visited. We could have spent less if we’d had flexible dates and joined a group tour.

Once you’ve agreed on a price and itinerary, the tour agency will ask you to pay a deposit before they start any paperwork.

Receive Your Tibet Travel Permit

The simplest way to get your permit is to receive it wherever you’ll be before going to Tibet. Whether you’re spending a few days at a hotel in Beijing or crashing for a night in Nepal before going into Tibet by land, that place is your preferred option for receiving the permit.

You must have the original permit, not a copy, to travel into Tibet. You will not be allowed to board your train or plane without showing this. Thus, you should coordinate with your sponsoring agency to receive the paperwork at the hotel in your last city prior to traveling to Tibet.

If you aren’t spending any time in mainland China or Nepal — the most common places from which people travel into Tibet — but are merely transiting en route to Tibet, that changes the logistics. You may need to pay a fee for international shipping of your documents, raising the cost and lead time for obtaining your paperwork. Additionally, most agencies don’t like this option because of the risk of delays or lost documents.

Unfortunately, sending the paperwork to the airport or train station of your departure isn’t an option. The odds are low that someone will find a piece of paper at a busy airport when you’re checking in, so your tour agency will likely refuse this option and insist on sending the documents to a reliable location. If all else fails, some agencies will meet you at the airport or train station to hand deliver the paperwork. Inquire to verify any fee related to this service if you need it.

Traveling to Tibet

As mentioned, you’ll need the original travel permit in hand to board a plane or train into Tibet. If you’re traveling by land, your guide will be with you (taking a bus into Tibet as a foreigner without a guide is illegal) and will handle the paperwork.

Whether you choose to travel by land, plane, or train will depend on your desires. Arguments can be made for every option. Just know that you won’t be able to do any of them without first having the Tibet Travel Permit and holding it in your hand as you begin the journey. Moreover, having copies can be useful if you need to leave one at any checkpoint.

If you’ve booked a tour and aren’t traveling by road, your guide should be waiting for you at the airport or train station when you arrive.

Final Thoughts

The list of agencies offering tours to Tibet seems to grow every year. However, the process for obtaining a Tibet Travel Permit is the same, regardless of which tour company you use or how many days you’re spending in the Tibet Autonomous Region. All foreigners require a permit to visit the region, and you’ll need to work with a tour agency to get it.

While the requirement to obtain extra paperwork for a vacation can be a turn-off, the actual work involved in getting a Tibet Travel Permit is low, and the experience of visiting The Roof of the World makes the effort well worth it.