It's possible to camp here in the summer, but you’ll need to be completely self-sufficient. You'll find drivers through your hotel or hanging around the main T-intersection in town. If you want to get to the very-hard-to-find true source of the Yellow River you’ll need a two-day round trip from Mǎduō (sleeping in the 4WD or camping) that includes some hiking and will cost around ¥3000 per vehicle, assuming you can find a driver willing to take you. You can also get here via an itinerary organised by one of the tour agencies in Xīníng or Yùshù.
There are several hotels in Mǎduō, but only the pricier ones accept foreigners.
Língguó Shāngwù BīnguǎnHOTEL$$$
(岭国商务宾馆 %0975 834 8888; opposite the Wenhua Guangchang; 文化广场对面 d ¥388; W)
Clean, centrally located hotel with Western toilets, 24-hour hot water and heating. Discounts bring prices down to ¥210.
When heading to Mǎduō, you'll likely be dropped off at the intersection leading into town. It's a 3km walk in or you can hitch or try to flag a taxi (¥10). There's a daily bus to Xīníng at 7.30am. You can also hit the main intersection to flag down passing buses to Xīníng or Yùshù.
Tibet
Tibet Highlights
Lhasa
Around Lhasa
Drepung Monastery
Ganden Monastery
Sera Monastery
U
Yarlung Tsangpo Valley
Southern Ngari
Saga
Tsang
Gyantse
Shigatse
Lhatse Lazi
Sakya
Everest Region
Tingri
Far West Ngari
Darchen & Mt Kailash
Lake Manasarovar
Tibet
Area 1.23 million sq km / Pop 3.2 million
Why Go?
For many people, the highlights of Tibet will be of a spiritual nature: magnificent monasteries, prayer halls of chanting monks, and remote cliffside retreats. Tibet’s pilgrims – from local grandmothers murmuring mantras in temples heavy with the aroma of juniper incense and yak butter to hard-core visitors walking or prostrating themselves around Mt Kailash – are an essential part of this appeal. Tibet has a level of devotion and faith that seems to belong to an earlier, almost medieval age. It's fascinating, inspiring and endlessly photogenic.
Tibet's other big draw is the elemental beauty of the highest plateau on earth. Geography here is on a humbling scale and every view is lit with spectacular mountain light. Your trip will take you past glittering turquoise lakes, across huge plains dotted with yaks and nomads’ tents, and over high passes draped with colourful prayer flags. Hike past the ruins of remote hermitages, stare open-mouthed at the north face of Everest or make an epic overland trip along some of the world’s wildest roads. The scope for adventure is limited only by your ability to get permits.
When to Go
AMay–Sep The warmest weather makes travel, trekking and transport easiest.
AApr & Oct–Nov The slightly colder weather means fewer travellers and a better range of vehicles.
ADec–Feb Very few people visit Tibet in winter, so you’ll have key attractions largely to yourself.
Best Places to Eat
A Sumptuous Tibetan Restaurant
A Lhasa Namaste Restaurant
A Third Eye Restaurant
Best Places to Sleep
A Kyichu Hotel
A Yeti Hotel
A Gang Gyan Orchard Hotel
Tibet Highlights
1 Lhasa Rubbing shoulders with Tibetan pilgrims in this holy city
2 Gyantse Kumbum Marvelling at the murals of angels and demons in the 108 chapels of this architectural wonder
3 Mt Kailash Erasing the sins of a lifetime on the three-day pilgrim circuit
4 Everest Base Camp Rousing yourself from a yak-wool tent or monastery guesthouse to catch sunrise
5 Qīnghǎi–Tibet Railway Riding the planet’s highest rails across the roof of the world
6 Samye Monastery Exploring the mandala-shaped chapels and stupas at Tibet’s first monastery
7 Friendship Highway Hiring a vehicle for the week-long trip along one of Asia’s great road trips
History
Recorded Tibetan history began in the 7th century AD, when the Tibetan armies began to assemble a great empire. Under King Songtsen Gampo, the Tibetans occupied Nepal and collected tribute from parts of Yúnnán. Shortly afterwards, the Tibetan armies moved north and took control of the Silk Road and the great trade centre of Kashgar, even sacking the imperial Chinese city of Cháng’ān (present-day Xī’ān).
Tibetan expansion came to an abrupt halt in 842 with the assassination of anti-Buddhist King Langdarma; the region subsequently broke into independent feuding principalities. The increasing influence of Buddhism ensured that the Tibetan armies would never again leave their high plateau.
By the 7th century, Buddhism had spread through Tibet, though it had taken on a unique form, as it adopted many of the rituals of Bön (the indigenous pre-Buddhist belief system of Tibet). The prayer flags, pilgrimage circuits and sacred landscapes you’ll see across modern Tibet all have their roots in the animist religion of Bön.
From the 13th century, power politics began to play an increasing role in religion. In 1641 the Gelugpa (‘Yellow Hat’ order) used the support of Mongol troops to crush the Sakyapa, their rivals. It was also during this time of partisan struggle that the Gelugpa leader adopted the title of Dalai Lama (Ocean of Wisdom), given to him by the Mongols. From here on out, religion and politics in Tibet became inextricably entwined and both were presided over by the Dalai Lama.
With the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911, Tibet entered a period of de facto independence that was to last until 1950. In this year a resurgent communist China invaded Tibet, claiming it was ‘liberating’ more than one million Tibetans from feudal serfdom and bringing it back into the fold of the motherland.
Increasing popular unrest in response to Chinese land reform resulted in a full-blown revolt in 1959, which was crushed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Amid popular rumours of a Chinese plot to kidnap him, the Dalai Lama fled to India. He was followed by an exodus of 80,000 of Tibet’s best and brightest, who now represent the Tibetan government-in-exile from Dharamsala, India.
The Dalai Lama, who has referred to China’s policies on migration as ‘cultural genocide’, is resigned to pushing for autonomy rather than independence, though even that concession has borne little fruit. The Chinese, for their part, seem to be waiting for him to die, positioning themselves to control the future politics of reincarnation. The Dalai Lama’s tireless insistence on a non-violent solution to the Tibet problem led to him winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, but despite global sympathy for the Tibetan cause, few nations are willing to raise the issue and place new business deals with China’s rising economic superpower at risk.
The Chinese are truly baffled by what they perceive as the continuing ingratitude of the Tibetans. They claim that Tibet pre-1950 was a place of abject poverty and feudal exploitation. China, they say, has brought roads, schools, hospitals, airports, factories and rising incomes.
Many Tibetans, however, cannot forgive the destruction in the 1950s and 1960s of hundreds of monasteries and shrines, the restrictions on religious expression, the continued heavy military presence, economic exploitation and their obvious second-class status within their own land. Riots and protests in the spring of 2008 brought this simmering dissatisfaction out into the open, as Lhasa erupted into full-scale riots and protests spread to other Tibetan areas in Gānsù, Sìchuān and Qīnghǎi provinces. The Chinese response was predictable: arrest, imprisonment and an increased police presence in many monasteries. The increasing desperation felt by many Tibetans has led to a spate of self-immolations by Tibetans across the region, including two in Lhasa’s Barkhor Circuit in 2012.
As immigration and breakneck modernisation continue, the government is gam
bling that economic advances will diffuse the Tibetans’ religious and political aspirations. It’s a policy that has so far been successful in the rest of China. Whether it will work in Tibet remains to be seen.
Climate
Most of Tibet is a high-altitude desert plateau at more than 4000m. Days in summer (June to September) are warm, sunny and generally dry, but temperatures drop quickly after dark. It’s always cool above 4000m and often freezing at night, though thanks to the Himalayan rain shadow there is surprisingly little snow in the Land of Snows. Sunlight is very strong at these altitudes, so bring plenty of high-factor sunscreen and lip balm.
Language
Most urban Tibetans speak Mandarin in addition to Tibetan. Even in the countryside you can get by with basic Mandarin in most restaurants and hotels, since they are normally run by Mandarin-speaking Han or Hui Chinese. That said, Tibetans are extremely pleased when foreign visitors at least greet them in Tibetan, so it’s well worth learning a few phrases.
8Getting There & Away
For most international travellers, getting to Tibet will involve at least two legs: first to a gateway city such as Kathmandu (Nepal) or Chéngdū (China) and then into Tibet.
The most popular options from the gateway towns into Tibet are as follows: flights from Kathmandu, Chéngdū, Kūnmíng, Xī’ān or Běijīng; the train link from Qīnghǎi to Lhasa; or the overland drive from Kathmandu to Lhasa along the Friendship Hwy.
At the time of writing, bureaucratic obstacles to entering Tibet from China were many and involved signing up for a preplanned and prepaid tour. The situation from Nepal is even trickier because of ever-changing group-visa requirements. Political events, both domestic and international, can mean that regulations for entry into Tibet change overnight. Nerves of steel are definitely useful when arranging flights and permits. Always check on the latest developments before booking flights.
Note that it can be very hard to get hold of air and train tickets to Lhasa around the Chinese New Year and the week-long holidays around 1 May and 1 October.
Flights, hotels and tours can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings.
Air
There are no direct long-haul flights to Tibet. You will probably have to stop over in Kathmandu, Chéngdū, Guǎngzhōu or Běijīng, even if you are making a beeline for Lhasa, especially considering you need to to pick up your permit in your chosen gateway city before heading to Lhasa.
Land
Many individual travellers make their way to Tibet as part of a grand overland trip through China, Nepal, India and onwards. In many ways, land travel to Tibet is the best way to go, not only for the scenery en route but also because it can help spread the altitude gain over a few days.
All overland trips inside the Tibet Autonomous Region have to be organised tours with vehicle rental and a guide.
Train
Trains to Lhasa leave from Běijīng, Chéngdū, Shànghǎi, Xīníng and Guǎngzhōu daily, and every other day from Chóngqìng (via Xī’ān) and Lánzhōu, to link with the Chéngdū and Xīníng trains, respectively. A twice-daily train service from Lhasa to Shigatse started in late 2014. Future extensions will include lines from Lhasa to Tsetang and the eastern region of Kongpo, to the Nepal border and from Golmud to Dūnhuáng in Gānsù province.
All current trains cross the Tibetan plateau during daylight, guaranteeing you great views. From Golmud, the train climbs through desert into the jagged caramel-coloured mountains of Nánshānkǒu (Southern Pass), passing what feels like a stone’s throw from the impressive glaciers beside Yùzhū Fēng (Jade Pearl Peak; 6178m). Other highlights include the tunnel through the 4776m Kunlun Pass, where you can see the prayer flags at the top of the pass, and Tsonak Lake (4608m), 9½ hours from Golmud near Amdo, claimed to be the highest freshwater lake in the world. Keep your eyes peeled throughout the journey for antelopes, foxes and wild asses, plus the occasional nomad. The train crosses into Tibet over the 5072m Tanggu-la (Tánggǔlā Shānkǒu) Pass, the line’s high point.
8Getting Around
Tibet’s transport infrastructure has developed rapidly in recent years. Most of the main highways are now paved. Airports are springing up on the plateau and the railway line is slowly extending beyond Lhasa. In 2011 Tibet’s Metok county was the very last of China’s 2100 counties to be connected by road.
ATrain Great for getting to and from Tibet but of limited use inside Tibet, unless you are just taking a short trip from Lhasa to Shigatse and back.
ACar The only way to travel around Tibet at the moment, since foreign travellers have to hire private transport as part of their obligatory tour.
ABus Lots of services, but foreigners are currently not allowed to take buses or shared taxis in Tibet.
TIBET TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
The bottom line is that travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is radically different from travel to the rest of China; a valid Chinese visa is not enough to visit Tibet. You’ll also need several permits, foremost of which is a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit, and to get these you have to book a tour. At a minimum you will need to hire a guide for your entire stay and transport for any travel outside Lhasa.
Travel regulations to Tibet are constantly in flux, dependent largely on political events in Lhasa and Běijīng. Don’t be surprised if the permit system is radically different from how we describe it. In fact, expect it. One of the best places for updated information is the dedicated Tibet page of Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree, at www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree.
Other good sources of permit information are the websites www.thelandofsnows.com and www.tibetpermit.org. The latter is run by an agency in Sìchuān but is generally reliable on permit matters.
Start your tour planning two months in advance. Agencies need two to four weeks to arrange permits.
All of the rules have exceptions and by the time you have finished reading the below list of tips and fine print, many of them will probably have changed:
AA valid Chinese visa is required. A Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit is also required to enter Tibet.
AYou need a TTB permit to board a train or plane to Lhasa. You will need to arrange an itinerary through a travel agent before arriving in Tibet.
AYou need travel permits to travel outside Lhasa prefecture and you can currently only get these by hiring transportation and a guide. Foreigners are not allowed to take public transport outside Lhasa.
AIf you plan to enter Tibet from Nepal, you will have to travel on a short-term group visa available in Kathmandu, which is hard to extend and can make it tricky to continue into the rest of China.
AIn Lhasa budget travellers can hire a guide without transport and just take taxis around town. You can also travel to Shigatse by train without the need for vehicle hire.
AChinese residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan do not require a TTB permit to enter Tibet, though foreigners residing in China do.
AJournalists and embassy staff will find it impossible to get a TTB permit as tourists. Visitors on business, student or resident visas will have to procure a letter of introduction from their school or employer.
ANorwegians were unable to get permits to enter Tibet at the time of research.
AA few travellers have managed to sneak into Lhasa without a TTB permit and stay there, but you still need to arrange a permit there in order to travel throughout the rest of Tibet. Most hotels ask to see your TTB permit before checking you in.
ATTB permits generally take three days to process and are not available during weekends. The actual permit is a sheet of paper listing the names and passport numbers of all group members.
AIf you are planning to arrive in Lhasa on a flight or dates that differ from those of your travel companions, your agency may have to issue a separate TTB permit for the time you are by yourself. When you meet your friends you’ll then join the main permit. There doesn’t seem to be a problem getting on a flight with one or two group members not present.
AYou will likely
have to wire or transfer a deposit to your travel agency’s Bank of China account in Lhasa, though some agencies accept PayPal. You will pay the balance in cash in Lhasa. Check with the agency.
TIBET TOURISM BUREAU PERMIT
Without a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit you will not be able to board a flight or train to Tibet or cross overland from Nepal and you will not be able to secure the other permits you need to continue travelling throughout Tibet.
How these rules are interpreted depends on the political climate in Tibet. These days you can only get a TTB permit through a tour agency in Tibet (agencies outside Tibet can arrange trips, but ultimately they book through a Tibetan-based agency). Everything must be arranged beforehand, including any trekking.
To get a permit you need to:
Awork out an itinerary detailing exactly where you want to go in Tibet
Apay for a guide for every day of your tour, including arrival and departure days, at a rate of around ¥250 per day
Ahire a vehicle for all transport outside Lhasa
Aagree a price and send a deposit, normally through PayPal or a bank transfer (check the transfer charges)
Asend a scan of your passport information pages and Chinese visa
Lonely Planet China Page 190