Every self-respecting traveler must visit Tibet at least once. This is a special area with unique people and their worldview. Tibetan philosophy is now increasingly changing and moving away from its origins. Despite this, a trip to Tibet is simply a must, but for this you need to know some of the features and subtleties of tourism in these remote lands.
What is Tibet?
Perhaps not everyone knows, but since 1950 such a country has ceased to exist on the world map. Starting from the middle of the last century, this area came under the control of China, and now it is called the Tibet Autonomous Region. However, not all of the territory of Tibet passed into the PRC, some lands are located in the territories of Nepal and India.
Most often, tours to Tibet involve visiting its historical part, namely Kailash and Lhasa. These places have become the most popular among tourists precisely because of the large number of myths. It is worth noting that they are well fueled by marketers who promote tourism in this area.
If you wantto see the real culture of Tibet, not spoiled by tourists and money, then in this case it is best to visit the Buddhist regions in Nepal. Tibet is located on a huge mountainous territory, the highest point of which is Mount Gungashan with a height of 7,590 meters.
What you need to know before traveling
It is immediately worth noting that it is not possible to get to the historical territory of Tibet on your own. To visit this area, you must hire a special guide who will accompany tourists. That is why it is necessary to book a tour to Tibet, as well as obtain a Chinese visa.
Of course, there are desperate travelers who made their way to these lands on their own. However, it is better not to tempt fate, because they are here illegally. Moreover, the Chinese government is constantly tightening the rules for foreign citizens in the Tibetan zone.
At the entrance to the TAR there are a large number of checkpoints with military and police officers. They carry out round-the-clock control to ensure that foreigners do not cross the border. Many are asking locals to help them get into Chinese Tibet, but this is also a violation of local law.
If an independent tourist is found on the territory of the TAR, then at best he will be deported and subsequently blacklisted, which entails the inability to obtain a visa to many advanced countries.
Issuing permits
The easiest and cheapest way to get to Tibet isapply for a visa to Nepal. Then you should get to the border zone, where the group will be expected by a smiling guide and strict customs soldiers. Another advantage of traveling through Kathmandu is the incredible beauty of the "Road of Friendship", believe me, such beautiful nature is very difficult to find in the whole world.
Since the Chinese government regularly tightens the rules for crossing the TAR border, now there are a number of requirements for tourists who plan to visit Tibet through Nepal. The following people are prohibited from entering China:
- to citizens of Kazakhstan;
- people who have visa stamps from Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, Israel, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries in their passport.
If you fall under this category of citizens, then in this case it will be possible to get to Tibet only through China with a preliminary visa to this country.
Get to the TAR through China: features, price of the tour
A citizen of another country must first apply for a visa to China. Then, depending on the tour, you should get to your destination, where you will be met by a guide or a bus with tourists will be waiting at the airport. After that, you should pass the border zone of the autonomous republic.
The cost of traveling to Tibet is relatively low, but the flight itself is very expensive. You can find a tour from $1,700 (107,000 rubles) per person. It should be borne in mind that plane tickets will cost the same amount, so the total trip isquite expensive.
What can you see?
Visiting Tibet with a tourist group accompanied by a guide involves a standard route. Here you will be shown only classic sights, while communication with local residents is practically reduced to zero. Tourists from other countries can see:
- Lhasa and surroundings;
- Shigatse;
- various mountains of Tibet;
- famous lakes Manasarovar and Rakshas;
- Guge Kingdom and Shamshung;
- Chinese Everest Base Camp.
By and large, this is all that tour operators offer to see in the TAR. At the same time, tourists may not be allowed into any of the above places, since foreigners very often hold various protests. A few years ago, right next to the Everest base camp, a group of foreign citizens tried to organize a rally and spread flags with the inscriptions "Free Tibet". That is, they called for the separation of the TAR from the PRC, but this action was very quickly suppressed by law enforcement officers in China. Such cases are not isolated, and that is why Tibet is quite closed to tourists.
Traveling through eastern Tibet without a group or guide
You can't legally enter the territory of the TAR without a guide and a group. At the checkpoint you will definitely be asked about it. In some cases, it is possible to visit Tibet individually, but only with a guide. When a foreign citizen enters this autonomous region, he may quietly disappear from the sight of the guide andstart an independent journey, but in this case you need to be extremely careful.
There are areas where no additional residence permits are needed, namely:
- Admo;
- Kham;
- large part of Qinghai.
Here the tourist is in relative safety, and he is rarely asked about the permit and the tourist group. Lhasa is also considered an area where no additional residence permit is required, but when visiting the main attractions, you will definitely be asked about the availability of a permit and a guide. Otherwise, the foreigner faces deportation and blacklisting.
It is also worth noting that on a large territory of the autonomous region there is a large number of disguised Chekists who do their job quite well. Therefore, an independent trip to Tibet may end much earlier than previously thought.
Pay attention! It will be possible to quietly escape from the guide only in the case of an individual tour. When a group of people travels, they are all obliged to pass checkpoints together, in the absence of one person, the search begins immediately.
Group visa in brief
Having received a group visa to China, tourists, in addition to Tibet, can move freely throughout China. However, the following stay factors should be considered:
- maximum visa validity is 30 days;
- all tour group members must check into the territory of the People's Republic of China together, as well as all together to cross the checkpoints of the TAR and inside the republic, all members of the group must leave the Tibet zone at the same time;
- further movement in China is possible in free mode.
Important to know! The group visa indicates the place of arrival, for example, the documents indicate that you are arriving in Chengdu, and you arrived in Lhasa. Even this is already considered a violation of the law, so it is likely that you will be sent back to your homeland.
Travel to Tibet: reviews
If you are not afraid of all this bureaucracy, there is a willingness to get a visa and follow all the established rules, then in this case you should pay attention to the reviews of tourists who have already visited this area. A fairly large number of travelers simply do not calculate their strength, and for them this trip becomes unbearably difficult, because all the main attractions are located in the mountains of Tibet at an altitude of about 4,000 meters. Already at this altitude, many people develop altitude sickness, so you should immediately go down.
People who love comfortable travel conditions also often leave negative reviews, because here the food is quite simple and the life is primitive. Many tourists also find it very difficult to cope with local temperature fluctuations. During the day, the sun is hot, and at night the air temperature drops well below zero.
Despite this, there are a large number of positive reviews. Here is incredible nature, special people, most ofwho still live according to ancient laws.
Conclusion
In general, traveling to Tibet is quite difficult and expensive, but if you are really seriously interested in history and local culture, then this place is a must-see. You should also be aware that it is strictly forbidden to bring various literature and symbols with images of the Dalai Lama into the territory of the TAR.
