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DESTINATION

Tibet

Roof of the World

An average elevation of 4,500 m, higher than any other inhabited region on Earth. Tibet holds the Potala Palace, the Kailash pilgrimage and Everest's northern side. Every foreign visitor needs a permit and a guide.

4,500 mAverage elevation
3,656 mLhasa altitude
~3.6 millionPopulation
~1,300 yrsTibetan Buddhism
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Tibet
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Lhasa
7 trips
Lhasa
Tibet Autonomous Region, 3,656 m
About Tibet

The Highest Plateau on Earth

Tibet covers 1.2 million km² at an average elevation of 4,500 m, which makes it the largest and highest plateau on the planet and the highest inhabited region anywhere. It has been the Tibet Autonomous Region of China since 1965. The Yangtze, Mekong, Brahmaputra and Indus all rise here, which is why the plateau is sometimes called Asia's water tower, and it is the cradle of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Lhasa, the capital, sits at 3,656 m and was founded in the 7th century. The Potala Palace was the seat of the Dalai Lamas from the 17th century until 1959, and the Jokhang remains the holiest building in Tibetan Buddhism, with pilgrims walking its Barkor circuit daily. From Lhasa the classic routes run south to Everest Base Camp on the north side, which is the original 1920s British approach, or west to Mount Kailash, sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon alike.

Tibet's permit rules are the thing to understand before you plan anything else. Every foreign visitor needs a Tibet Travel Permit on top of a Chinese visa, must travel on a guided itinerary, and cannot travel independently. Permits are issued to registered agencies, never to individuals, and they are checked repeatedly on the road. Entering from Kathmandu changes the paperwork again: you need a Chinese Group Visa obtained in Nepal rather than a standard tourist visa. We run Tibet as a multi-country trip with Nepal; Lhasa covers the city itself.

  • 01
    Potala Palace

    The former seat of the Dalai Lamas. Thirteen storeys, around 1,000 rooms, UNESCO-listed. Entry is by timed ticket only.

  • 02
    Jokhang Temple

    Founded around 642 AD and the holiest building in Tibetan Buddhism, with the Barkor pilgrimage circuit around it.

  • 03
    Mount Kailash

    Sacred to four religions and never climbed. The 52 km kora crosses the Dolma La at 5,650 m and runs May to September only.

  • 04
    Everest, North Side

    You can drive to Base Camp at 5,200 m. This was the route of every British attempt from 1921 to 1953.

  • 05
    Friendship Highway

    816 km from Lhasa to the Nepal border over the Gyatso La at 5,200 m. One of the great land crossings.

  • 06
    Permit, Not Optional

    A Tibet Travel Permit plus a Chinese visa, a licensed guide and a fixed itinerary. Independent travel is not allowed.

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Good to know

Tibet questions, answered

Can I travel to Tibet independently?
No. Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit as well as a Chinese visa, must be on a guided itinerary with a registered agency, and cannot travel alone. The permit is issued to the agency, not to you, and it is inspected repeatedly on the road. There is no workaround; this is enforced.
How do I get a Tibet Travel Permit?
Through a registered agency, and the order matters. The permit application needs your Chinese visa to already exist, and issuing takes time, so leave several weeks. If you enter from Kathmandu the rules change: you need a Chinese Group Visa obtained in Nepal instead of a standard tourist visa, and any existing Chinese visa is effectively void for that entry. We handle the sequence.
How high is Tibet, and will I feel it?
Probably, yes. The plateau averages 4,500 m and Lhasa sits at 3,656 m, so flying in takes you from near sea level to above Everest Base Camp's sleeping altitude in a couple of hours with no acclimatisation. Headache and broken sleep on the first night are normal. Take day one slowly. Coming overland from Kathmandu is considerably gentler because you gain the altitude across days.
Can you visit Everest Base Camp from Tibet?
Yes, and it is a genuinely different experience from the Nepal side. The north Base Camp at around 5,200 m is reachable by road, so there is no two-week trek, and you get the classic north face view that every British expedition from 1921 to 1953 aimed at. The trade-off is that you drive there rather than earn it, and access is subject to permits that are sometimes suspended.
When is the best time to visit Tibet?
April to June and September to October. Autumn gives the clearest skies of the year. Avoid February and March: foreign travel is routinely restricted around Tibetan New Year and permits stop being issued at short notice, sometimes with no warning and no appeal. The Kailash kora runs May to September only.
Is Mount Kailash worth the effort?
If you are going for the pilgrimage, nothing substitutes for it. Be clear on the cost, though: it is a three-week commitment from Kathmandu, crossing the plateau by road, and the 52 km kora crosses the Dolma La at 5,650 m, higher than Everest Base Camp. It is remote, expensive and physically serious. It is not a sightseeing add-on.
Can I combine Tibet with Nepal?
Yes, and it is the most common way we run it. Kathmandu to Lhasa is a 90-minute flight or 816 km on the Friendship Highway, and the overland option is both more spectacular and easier on altitude. It also folds naturally into a Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet circuit of 18 to 21 days.