Can Indians Visit Tibet?

Tibet is an absorbing place for tourists from all over the world, including the Indians. But many Indian tourists often doubt whether they can travel to Tibet or not, whether there are some restrictions to visiting Tibet, how can they visit Tibet, and all that. In this article, we will make clear these questions for you. 

Indians can Travel to Tibet, but There are Requirements

Like other international tourists, Indians are allowed to visit Tibet. But according to the regulation, all foreigners including Indians need to get the required travel documents and also join a tour to visit Tibet. 

You should join a tour like other foreign tourists

First, individual travel in Tibet is not permitted for foreign tourists. As an Indian tourist, you need to join an organized tour group when traveling to Tibet. You should be accompanied by a local tour guide, which is arranged by your tour operator. 

You need to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit

The Tibet Travel Permit is required for all international tourists and should be obtained before you enter Tibet. Individual application for the Tibet Travel Permit is not allowed, so you need to contact a trustworthy local Tibetan travel agency to handle the permit on your behalf. 

In addition, more travel documents like Aliens’ Travel Permit and Military Permit will also be required if you want to travel beyond Lhasa, such as the EBC.

You should go through special ways when visiting Ngari

Indian travelers can go to Ngari Prefectures, where Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are located but need to go through special ways. Only two organizations (the Foreign Affairs Office of TAR and Pilgrim Center) can handle the tour for Indian travelers to visit Ngari in Tibet. 

So you need to contact one of them, instead of a regular travel agency, if you plan to visit Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar during your Tibet trip. 

How Should Indians Travel to Tibet? 

For those who plan to visit Tibet excluding Ngari

If you plan to visit Tibet without heading to the Ngari region, you can enjoy your trip just like other usual foreign travelers do. 

First, you need to contact a reliable local travel agency like us, and book your Tibet tour with us. You can choose to join a small group tour or a private tour, according to your travel preference and budget. At the same time you will need to determine the travel time, the places to visit, etc. 

Then, you need to email us copies of your passport and Chinese Visa, which are used to apply for the Tibet Travel Permit. The passport should be valid for at least 6 months. Normally it takes 8 to 9 working days to process the application for the Tibet Permit. 

After we get the issued permit, we will immediately deliver it to your address in mainland China. With the permit, you can then go to board the flight or train to Tibet. In some emergent cases, we will hand the permit to you in person at the railway station or airport.

One thing to note is that it is recommended to start the application of the Tibet permit at least 20 days before you leave for Tibet. 

For those who plan to visit Ngari (Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar) 

If you are going to visit Ngari for a Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar pilgrimage tour, you cannot take your trip in the ordinary way as mentioned above. 

You can only contact the Foreign Affairs Office of TAR or the Tibet-India pilgrim Reception Center (Pilgrim Center for short) to handle your Tibet tour. The Foreign Affairs Office of TAR is a governmental organization, while the latter is non-governmental. Any other travel agencies are not allowed to receive Indians visiting Ngari.

Besides, you can book your Mount Kailash tour through a Nepal travel agency or an Indian travel agency which are authorized partners with the Foreign Affairs Office and Pilgrim Center. 

How to Get to Tibet from India?

India to Tibet via Nepal

Bordering both India and China, Nepal is always the first choice for many Indian tourists on the way to Tibet. It is convenient to travel from India to Tibet via Nepal.

First, you can take a flight from India to Nepal. The most time-saving and cost-effective flight is the one from Delhi to Kathmandu, which departs several times every day and only takes about 2 hours. If you leave from other cities in India, like Kolkata, Varanasi, Bangalore, and Mumbai, you can also take a flight to Kathmandu.

Then from Kathmandu to Lhasa, you have two options. One is to travel overland from Kathmandu to Lhasa via Gyirong. It is popular among tourists who want to enjoy the world-class overland journey across the Himalayan mountains.

The other option is to fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa. The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is the only international flight flying directly to Tibet. It only takes around 1.5 hours. In this way, you can reserve more time to explore the plateau. 

India to Tibet via Mainland China

If you prefer to enter Tibet from mainland China, then you can first take a flight to the major cities in China from India. 

It is recommended to fly to Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, as these cities receive more direct and convenient flights from Delhi of India. And the flight time from Delhi to Beijing and Shanghai is around 6 hours, while the flight time to Guangzhou is around 5 hours. 

Then you can choose to board the Tibet train or take a flight to Lhasa from these cities in mainland China. From Beijing to Lhasa, the flight takes about 8 hours and will stop for a while in Chengdu, while the train takes about 40 hours and 34 minutes. 

From Shanghai to Lhasa, the flight also takes about 8 hours, and the train takes normally 46 hours and 44 minutes. From Guangzhou to Lhasa, the flight takes less time, about 6 hours, while the train will run for more than 54 hours to reach Tibet.

Conclusion

Normally, Indians are allowed to travel to Tibet. Only certain conditions need to be fulfilled, such as obtaining the Tibet Travel Permit and joining a tour group. For those who want to visit Mt Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, you will need to contact the specified organizations for your tour arrangement. In either case, we are glad to help you to enjoy a wonderful trip in Tibet. If you still have any questions about the Tibet tour, please contact us for inquiries.