UPDATED JUNE 2024 Tibet Travel Regulations: Updated post on the current travel regulations across Tibet
2024 Tibet Travel Update
UPDATED JUNE 2024
For more Tibet Travel Information, email us at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com
The Land of Snows is the travel blog of Himalaya Journey, a leading travel company that combines the expertise of North American and Tibetan staff. We have decades of experience traveling, climbing and trekking the Himalayas. Use us for info on when to go to Tibet, what travel routes to take, and more! Contact us at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com
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I want to apologize for the long absence from this site. After nearly 14 years of keeping this site updated and answering many tens of thousands of emails from travelers (haha, all happily for free), it was time to take a break for some time. Now from 2024, I am answering all emails that come in and updating the content on The Land of Snows and to put some new content up as well. There are still so many places that I want to write about and share pictures from! For now, here are the latest Travel Regulations in Tibet for 2024.
Prayer flags on the Gyatso La Pass
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR): OPEN for All travelers
As of March 2024, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is completely open for all the foreign travelers. Tourism in Tibet is now return back to per pandemic level. Month of April and May Tibet tourism Bureau has report huge amount of International travelers visiting. Our friendly Tibetan Travel agencies in Tibet has also seen huge amount on foreign visitor coming in tibet this year.
Additionally, Tibet tourism Bureau has also made it easier for local travel agencies to make permit. Now the duration of permit application process has reduce almost half of what is use to take previously. Please Contact Us for the latest Tibet travel information and Tibet travel agency recommendation.
Flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa resume
15th April 2024: Himalayan Airlines has resume direct flight between Lhasa and Kathmandu. Currently there are three flights per week on Mon/Wed/Fri. Yet availability these flights could be subjected to availability of amount travelers in the flight. Other there is a daily flight from Kathmandu to Chengdu.
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR): CLOSED
As of June 8, 2021, the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is closed to ALL foreign travelers, EXCEPT those with a resident visa for Mainland China. Only those with a resident visa in Mainland China are able to travel to Tibet. Even then, you will require a Green Code, certificate or evidence of residence or isolation for 28 days after entering China, a letter from your company/school, negative COVID test among other possible documents. Though not overtly easy for foreign expats in China to get to Tibet, it is possible.
For ALL other foreigners, all areas of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) are closed to travelers due the current COVID-19 pandemic. Though there are almost no cases of COVID-19 in Tibet, the government wants to keep it that way. Or, so they say…Covid-19 could just be an excuse to keep foreign travelers out of politically-sensitive Tibet. The closed areas include the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa, Mt Everest, the overland route from Lhasa to Kathmandu, Mt Kailash, Nam Tso Lake, the train route from Mainland China to Tibet and ALL other areas of the TAR.
When will the TAR Reopen to Normal Tourism?
Tibet is open. Since year beginning of year 2023 Tibet Autonomous Region has been open for all foreign Travelers. This year all the major travel agencies in Tibet are reporting in increasing number of visitor to pre pandemic level.
The Amdo and Kham Regions
What?!? You’ve never heard of the Amdo and Kham regions? Well, they just happen to have some of the best preserved Tibetan culture and have many of the most authentic monasteries, nomadic regions and villages on the Tibet Plateau. The Amdo and Kham regions are outside of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), therefore the travel regulations to these areas are far less strict. The Amdo and Kham regions are found in Qinghai province, southwest Gansu, northern and western Sichuan and far northwest Yunnan. Most of these areas (aside from some areas in Qinghai such much of Haixi and Haibei prefectures and some of Golok prefecture), are open to foreign travelers.
One problem right now is getting a China visa. It seems that nearly all China embassies and consulates across the globe have suspended issuing China tourist visas due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you currently reside in Mainland China or currently have a valid China visa, you can currently travel to the Amdo and Kham regions. Another problem right now across China is that some areas may require you to quarantine for 7 to 14 days. The list of regions that require the quarantine changes multiple times per day, so I am not even going to try to keep that list updated.
I’ll be sure to update the 2021 Tibet Travel Regulations. If you have a question that isn’t answered in this post or on other posts on this site, send us an email at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com