Tibet Tours 2026, Customized Tibetan Travel
Renowned as the “Third Pole of the World,” Tibet boasts majestic Mount Everest, countless snow-capped peaks, and over 1,000 lakes, making it a once-in-a-lifetime destination. Beyond its natural wonders, the region’s vibrant Tibetan culture and the prosperous new lives of its people will offer you a compelling experience.
With China Highlights, your Tibetan travel can be enriched with unique and personalized experiences. Immerse yourself in local culture by sharing a cup of Tibetan tea with locals, participating in traditional incense making or farming, conversing with a monk at a high-altitude monastery, or embarking on a trek and camping near sacred mountains and lakes.
Whether you’re a passionate advocate for Tibetan culture or captivated by the breathtaking landscapes, we’re dedicated to making your dream Tibet tour a reality.
Top Tibet Tours Picked by Our Customers
These popular itineraries, carefully designed to cater to various interests and travel durations, are based on our two decades of experience. You can easily customize any of these itineraries or create a completely new trip tailored to your specific preferences.
Pilgrimage to the Roof of the World
8-Day Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Private Tour
Holy City and Holy Lake — Refresh Your Soul!
5-Day Tibet Tour including Lhasa and Lake Yamdrok
Fall in Love with the City of Sunlight
5-Day Tibet Winter Tour
Capture the Spirit of Lhasa
4-Day Lhasa Highlights Private Tour
Experience the Roof-of-the-World Railway
7-Day Tibet Tour by Train from Xining
Discover Tibet’s Cultural Origins
8-Day Tibet Tour including Tsedang, Shigatse, and Lhasa
Experience the Mysteries and Vitality of Tibet
7-Day Lhasa, Nyingchi, and Bome Tour
Pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash — “Center of the World”
14-Day Tibet Tour with Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar
Top China Tours including Tibet
Whether you’re planning your first China trip including Tibet or combining Tibet with another region for your return journey, the following tours can offer inspiration.
A Grand Exploration of China
21-Day China Tour with Holy Tibet
Incredible Beauty of Southwest China
18-Day Epic China Tour with Yunnan and Tibet
China Golden Triangle with Holy Tibet
2-Week Beijing–Xi’an–Lhasa-Shanghai
Tibet Journey by Rail
10-Day Beijing-Lhasa-Shanghai Tour
An Epic Landscape Journey to Tibet
12-Day Yunnan and Eastern Tibet Tour
Follow in the Footsteps of Merchants and Monks
17-Day Silk Road and Tibet Cultural Tour
Overland Tours including Tibet
It can be complex to combine Tibet with neighboring regions across China’s border. The following itineraries are carefully designed to optimize the sequence of destinations, connections, and costs.
A Great Road Trip across the Himalayas
11-Day Overland Trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu
An Epic Himalayan Journey
3-Week Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan Tour
Discover the Both Sides of the Himalayas
20-Day China, Nepal, and India Tour
No Suitable Tour? Need Advice?
Tibet Travel Tips
All foreign travelers need a Tibet Entry Permit for entering Tibet (Travel Permits and Military Permits may also be needed for areas outside Lhasa). Permits can only be obtained by qualified Chinese tour operators and the application process often changes without warning. Foreigners are not allowed to tour Tibet without a local guide.
- Book a tour with us.
- Submit a copy of your passport ID and China visa pages at least 20 days in advance.
- If you work/live in China, you also need to submit a working certificate issued by your company or a proof of residence.
- The Tibet Tourism Bureau will check the documents and send us a paper travel permit 7 days before you enter Tibet.
- We will get the travel permit to you before you board your flight/train to Lhasa.
Foreigners can hardly ever obtain travel permits for March, during Tibetan New Year, when Tibet is closed for political reasons.
Flights:
We suggest you take a flight that arrives in Lhasa in the morning. Morning flights are more likely to be on time. Flights take around 2 hours from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, or Kunming, or around 5 hours from Beijing or Shanghai.
Trains:
We suggest you take a train to Lhasa from Xining or Lanzhou. Then your journey will be a bit shorter and there’ll be a higher likelihood of successful booking since there are more trains per day from these two cities than from more distant places.
It takes about 20 hours from Xining or 23 hours from Lanzhou, and the best scenery begins about 10 hours before arriving in Lhasa.
There are also direct trains to Lhasa from Beijing or Shanghai, which we do not recommend: the journey takes over 40 hours.
If you decide to go to Lhasa by train, it’s better to have a back-up plan; for example, to fly instead and take the train back. It is much easier to book a train ticket from Lhasa. Taking a train to Tibet will not help with adapting to the high altitude. The train to Lhasa is air-tight and supplies sufficient oxygen, so you’ll still need to adapt to the thin air after leaving the train.
Connecting to Tibet via International Flights
Generally, we recommend you don’t travel to Tibet directly after an international flight. The combination of jet-lag and tiredness is likely to make you more vulnerable to altitude sickness. We suggest you spend at least 2 days elsewhere in China and then travel on to Tibet.
Flying in: Leave no less than 3 hours between flights, if you want to fly first to another city in China and then transfer onto a flight to Tibet. We’ll pass your Tibet Entry Permit on to you as you wait for the onward flight.
By train: If you transfer to a train for Tibet after an international flight, we will send you your scanned permits in advance. Scanned permit printouts are enough for train travel.
| City | Altitude | Attraction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lhasa | 3658 m/12001 ft | Lake Yamdrok | 4500 m/14764 ft |
| Nagqu | 4507 m/14787 ft | Tashilunpo Monastery | 4800 m/15748 ft |
| Nyingchi | 3000 m/9843 ft | Rongbuk Monastery | 5100 m/16732 ft |
| Tsedang | 3500 m/11483 ft | Mt. Everest Base Camp | 5200 m/17060 ft |
| Shigatse | 3836 m/12585 ft | Yumbulagang Palace | 3700 m/12139 ft |
| Gyangtse | 4040 m/13255 ft | Lake Namtso | 4700 m/15420 ft |
| Tingri | 4300 m/14108 ft | Samye Monastery | 3556 m/11667 ft |
A Global Network of Trust and Recognition
Our Promise
A 4-on-1 Team Dedicated to You.
YOUR
PERSONAL TRAVEL DESIGNER
“
We’re Travelers First, Planners Second.”
Deeply rooted in Asia for authentic advice. Passionate about crafting your unique story.
YOUR
LOCAL
STORYTELLER
“
We share the stories you won’t find in a guidebook”
Connecting you with the top 20% of local storytellers. Your personal photographer for cherished moments.
YOUR
PRIVATE DRIVER
& CAR
“
20% more space, 100% on your schedule.”
A seamless journey that moves at your own pace. Your private, comfortable space on the road.
YOUR
24/7
TRAVEL SUPPORT
“
Any Problem, Anytime, Anywhere.”
Your safety and peace of mind are our priority. Instant responses, so you’re never left waiting.