As the culture, people, and religion make Tibet an unique place to visit in China, there are lots of things to take into consideration when you plan a Tibet tour. Belows are the most important things to know for your reference:

1) Traveling to Tibet can be done as a solo traveler, but only on an organized and pre-arranged tour with a registered Tibetan tour operator. You can have your own customized private tour or join a group tour.
2) You should plan well your Tibet travel in advance and book it ahead. The local tour company will help you to obtain the Tibetan Travel Permit.
3) Understand about Altitudes and Acclimatization due to the Tibetan plateau lies at an average altitude of around 4,800 meters above sea level.
4) Follow your guide when you travlling around Tibet, there are lots of places not allowed to visit without your Tibetan guide.

Yes, there are several daily overnight trains from Xining to Lhasa, it takes around 22 hours. The trains are available in the afternoon and evening, you can take the train when you finish your Xining tour. The train ticket fare: CNY224 for hard seat; CNY495 for hard sleeper; CNY781 for soft sleeper. We highly sugget you book the train ticket in advance, especially during peak season.

You must travel with a Tiebt local company since Tibet has a policy determined to maintain and protect the culture, traditions, its fragile environment and the centuries-old cultural artefacts. Also, The foreign nationals are not allowed to travel in Tibet without a certified guide. What's more, tourists are allowed to travel within Tibet with only arranged travel services.

Yes, high altitude sickness is the first thing that should be ware of when plan a trip to Lhasa, especially those who go directly by plane. But the most effective way to avoid high altitude sickness is just to be optimistic. When you arrive at Lhasa, have a good rest immediately. Don't do any strenuous activity and eat too much on the first day. Besides, keep away from cigarettes and alcohol.

Yes, we can help you to apply for the Tibet Travel Permit if you book our Tibet tour. You need to get your Chinese Entry Visa before you book tour with us, the Chinese Visa is needed for us to help you get the Tibet Travel Permit as well as other permits. Once you get your visa, then you will need to send a scanned color copy of the passport’s main photo page and the visa page to us. Then, we will use these copies to make the application for the Tibet Travel Permit.

Yes, you can get Tibet Travel Permits. If you are working in China, you need to provide a work certificate from your company. If you stay in China because you have a family member working there, such as your parents or spouse, then you need to ask your family member to provide a work certificate. Make sure you mention that you've come to China to live with him or her.

All areas of the autonomous region of Tibet require all foreign travelers to be part of an organized tour that includes travel permits, a tour guide and a private vehicle with a driver. The Tibetan prefectures found in Qinghai, northern Sichuan, western Sichuan, southwest Gansu and northwest Yunnan are open and do not require travel permits or a tour guide, you can travel those region by yourself.

Yes, May is a good time to travel to Everest Base Camp in Tibet. Spring (Late Mar.-May) & Autumn (Sept.-Nov.) are the best times to go to the base camps on both sides of the mountain. These period have similar climates and weather conditions, which make it better for both trekking the trails to the Southern Base Camp and clearer skies for viewing the summit of the mountain from the Northern Base Camp.

Most ordinary tourists can take the overland trip to the Everest Base Camp in Tibet. But you need to pay attention to the high altitude sickness in Tibet plateau, since the northern base camp of Mount Everest is as 5200 meters above the sea level. For trekking and cycling trips to Everest Base Camp, you need to be a good standard of physical fitness, no matter you get to the EBC in Tibet.

Yes, it is possible to visit the highlights of Lhasa city in one day. You can see its highlights and do some souvenir shopping, such as visit at Potala Palace for the whole morning, visit the Jokhang and Shop for handicrafts in the afternoon. If the day’s activities haven’t left you feeling the effects of the altitude, enjoy an evening performance, such as an opera or music-and-dance show.

Tibetan cuisine is mainly made of beef and lamb, and traditional Tibetan foods have these three classics: butter tea, dried beef jerky, and tsampa. As the development of tourism, the food is diverse in Tibet, such typical Chinese food, western food. If you travel with us, we will arrange the meals based on your special requirements.

The Qomolangma and Namtso Lake will open when the weather is nice, but you can't stay overnight there due the hostels and restaurants in these areas will be closed down for the season.

Join in a tour with a local tour guide is the best way to visit Potala Palace for foreigners. The entrance ticket for Potala Palace is different between peak season (May-October) & low season (November to April), 200RMB per person during the peak season and 100RMB per person during the low season. You'd better book the Potala Palace ticket in advance if you travel to Tibet during the peak travel season.

If you want to take a Yunnan Photography Tour for 6 days, you can spend your time in Kunming, Jianshui and Yuanyang. Starts and ends your trip in Yunnan. During this 6 days, you have chance to trek along Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces and have a bird view the overwhelming landscape, step into ethnic villages to experience Hani Culture and their authentic life, lose yourself into the enthralling sunrise view of Duoyishu Rice Terraces and sunset view of Laohuzui, and explore Jianshui Ancient Town and experience the confucius culture in Jianshui Confucius Temple.

Yes, 72-hour & 144-hour "Visa free Transit" policy are avaialbel in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan. Singapore passport holders are eligible for 144-hour visa-free stays in Kunming. You must have the travel plans and allowed to visit sites and stay in hotels only within the jurisdiction of Kunming City. Please understand, those visiting Kunming using the 144-hour visa-free transit system are currently not allowed to visit any other prefectures in Yunnan province.

Yunnna locals are nice. Especially, they are simple and honest, just like most Chinese people, they are very welcome to see foreign tourist. smile with them even you don't know Chinese or Yunnan local dialect sometimes. And they are so happy to help you when you ask something even in a local town or village in Yunnan.

High speed train & flight are available between Chengdu and Yunnan. The most convenient and cost saving way from Chengdu to Yunnan is taking flight, there are several direct flights to Kunming Changshui International Airport and Lijiang Sanyi Airport, it takes around 2 hours. The high speed train only available between Chengdu and Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan, it takes around 6 hours.

All of our Yunnan package tours cover the professional tour guide, comfortable vehicle transfer, entrance tickets, meals and accommodations, airport pick up service throughout the tour. The domestic flights and train tickets can be included as well.

The cost of Yunnan tour is depending on your needs, such as hotel level, meals requirement, transportation, travel time and other. If you are have a limited travel budget, you can choose to stay homestay and use more public transportation during the tour. Please kindly note the cost will be higher during Chinese holidays, such as Spring Festivals, Labor's Day, National Holiday.

Yes, you should plan a trip to visit the Southwest Part of China to experience the different Chinese culture. South West China which is the exotic area, it is the home to many minority ethnic groups. The most popular tourist destinations in southwest china are Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guizhou Province, Tibet Autonomous Region, Yunnan Province. All of those places featured with the beautiful natural scenery as well as the distinctive minority culture.

Tibet travel permit is one of the main concerns for international travelers to visit Tibet, you are not allow to get into Tibet without a special travel visa. As for how to get the the Tibet travel permit, you can find a reliable Tibet Travel Agency and book the Tibet tour with it since the independent travel in Tibet is not permitted for international tourists. Working with Tibet local travel agency is the best way to get the permit.

In general, the best time to visit Yunnan Province is from April to October, when the vegetation is a lush green and flowers are in bloom. Yunnan’s climate is diverse as its terrain, for many places such as Dali there is an ideal temperature – an eternal spring – that attracts tourists all year-round. The northwestern region around Shangri-la is situated on the Tibetan plateau and can be very cold during winter.

Guizhou Province is an increasingly popular tourist destination, not least because of its agreeable climate, its unique karst landscape, its rich cultural heritage as home to a string of Chinese ethnic minorities. There are lots of beautiful & interesting tourist spots in Guizhou Province, such as Basha Miao Village, Zhaoxing Dong Village, Xiaohuang Dong Village, Longli Ancient Town, the World-renowned Huangguoshu Waterfall, Dragon Palace Cave Scenic Area, Chishui Danxia Landform, Zhijin Cave, Qianling Park, Qingyan Ancient Town and more.

Guizhou Province is an increasingly popular tourist destination, not least because of its agreeable climate, its unique karst landscape, its rich cultural heritage as home to a string of Chinese ethnic minorities. There are lots of beautiful & interesting tourist spots in Guizhou Province, such as Basha Miao Village, Zhaoxing Dong Village, Xiaohuang Dong Village, Longli Ancient Town, the World-renowned Huangguoshu Waterfall, Dragon Palace Cave Scenic Area, Chishui Danxia Landform, Zhijin Cave, Qianling Park, Qingyan Ancient Town and more.

Yes, there are over 40 "G" & "D" trains available from Guilin Station, Guilin West Train Station, Guilin North Train Station to Guiyang East Train Station, Guiyang is the capital city of Guizhou Province and it is convenient to travel around Guizhou from Guiyang city. It takes 2 - 3.5 hours from Guilin to Guiyang and the train ticket fee for the 2nd class seat from CNY 112.5 and CNY 166.5 based on the different operation stations.

Early November will be a good time to visit Guizhou Province since it has a pleasant climate and can be visited throughout the year. The best time to travel in Guizhou is spring and autumn, especially from the March to May and September to October.  Spring & Autumn with the most comfortable temperature but more rainy days than Summer and Winter. The summer here is hot and humid, winter is long but not too cold. Spring will be the best time to visit Guizhou if you are interested in ethnic customs and culture and want to take part into the local festivals.

Early November will be a good time to visit Guizhou Province since it has a pleasant climate and can be visited throughout the year. The best time to travel in Guizhou is spring and autumn, especially from the March to May and September to October.  Spring & Autumn with the most comfortable temperature but more rainy days than Summer and Winter. The summer here is hot and humid, winter is long but not too cold. Spring will be the best time to visit Guizhou if you are interested in ethnic customs and culture and want to take part into the local festivals.

There are two main ways to get to Lhasa, flight & train. If you plan to fly into Tibet, you can take flight that depart from Beijing, Shanhai, Xian, Chengdu, Chongqing and others in China. Instead of taking flight, taking train may be a long journey, the journey takes 22-48 hours from different part of China, but it is a great way to travel to the plateau, and an amazing experience for first-time travelers. Travel by train will allow you to slowly adapt to the plateau climate.

Yunnan boasts the most splendid natural landscapes and colorful ethnical cultures. When you first time travel to Yunnan, you should not miss the Stone Forest in Kunming city; Ancient Town, Erhai Lake and Three Pagodas in Dali; Lijiang Ancient Town, local markets, Jade Dragon Snow Mountains and Tiger Leaping Gorge in Lijiang; What's more, you should go for Yuanyang Rice Terrace if you are a photography.

We suggest you book a full guided southwest China tour package with a local tour agency or hire tour guide to show you around if you can't speak Chinese since this part of China is culturally very rich, with many ethnic minorities like the Zhuang, Miao, Naxi, Bai and Tibetans who speak their own languages. Nevertheless, as Mandarin is the medium of instruction in all Chinese schools, nearly all younger locals are bilingual in their ethnic language and Mandarin.

The transportation in Yunnan Province is already quite developed, you can travel around Yunnan by bus, train even flight. There are many bullet trains run in Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, it takes about 2 hours from Kunming to Dali and plenty of ordinary trains run between Dali and Lijiang within two hours on the way; The buses is Yunnan Provicne is suitable for those budget travelers and is most popular transportation by the backpackers that can take you to the almost every tourist destinations of Yunnan, including Dali, Kunming, Lijiang, Shangri-la, Yuanyang, Jianshui and Puzhehei; Private vehicle will be the most recommended travel method for foreign travelers who have the language barrier and want to save the travel time. To go from Lijiang to Shangri-La or from Shangri-La to Lijiang, it needs about 3.5 hours by car with a driving way of about 180 kilometers long.

It is one of the important things that should be ware of when plan a trip to Lhasa, you should have a good rest once you arrive in Lhasa. And a thorough physical examination is recommended because tourists suffering from anemia, hypertension, heart troubles or illness of lungs, liver or kidney are not fit for the trip to Lhasa. In addition, you should bring enough water, fruits and snacks with high caloric content during the tour.

Yes, we can arrange a southwest China tour with Guilin city and some minority village in Guizhou. We sugget you plan at least 5 to 6 days for this travel route, spend the first 2 or 3 days in Guilin to explore the Guilin and Yangshuo highlights, such as Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill as well Li River Cruise, West Street in one day; Take high speed train from Guilin to Guiyang or Congjiang to spend 2 days there to explore the minority villages.

The food in Yunnan has its own unique style because of its geographic location, diverse local plant and animal species, and numerous ethnic minority groups. When you stay in Kunming, you should try the regional specialty known as "Crossing the Bridge Noodles," a delicious noodle soup that is brought to you boiling in a covered stone bowl, with a tray of fresh ingredients such as finely sliced pork, quail eggs, and sliced herbs and vegetables for you to add to the broth according to your tastes; Steamed-pot Chicken, it is one of the typical dish can be found in Yunnan and it is unique for its steaming pot, which was invented by Yunnan residents; Xuanwei Ham, it is one of China's three most famous ham dishes. It is known for fragrance, appearance, and fantastic taste.

Tibet is one of the most remarkable destinations in the world, and for many travelers, a China tour to visit Tibet Tours is once in a lifetime travel experience. When you in Tibet region, you can visit the changing of the natural landscape, climb up to the Qomolangma which is one of the ultimate travel destination, Mt. Qomolangma Base Camp sits at an altitude of 5,200 meters, and gives you the best view; And Tibet also has some of the best high-altitude treks in the world, and for those that love trekking; Tibet is also famous for the buddhist culture since it is the holy land of buddhism, you will immerse yourself into the Tibetan Buddhism.

Tibet has a four-season monsoon climate, and despite being subject to the Indian Southwest Monsoon in the summer months from June to Septembe. The temperature can be warm during the winter in some part of Tibet, such as Lhasa with a average temperature around 12 degress, other areas can have daytime temperatures as low as -10 degrees in winter. In the summer, it is not uncommon to find warm temperatures up to 24 degrees in the warmer areas, despite the harsh conditions, and even at Mt. Qomolangma Base Camp, the summer sees temperatures of up to 14-16 degrees. All in all, summer is the most popular season for people come to visit Tibet.

Yes, we can arrange 5 days Yunnan tour from Shanghai that includes Kunming & Lijiang. The approximate itinerary for 5 days Kunming and Lijiang Tour as as follows

D1 Shanghai--Kunming: Fly to Kunming from Shanghai, visit the Green Lake Park
D2 Kunming: visit local market at Zhuanxin Farmers' Market in the morning, sightseeing at famous Stone Forest in the afternoon
D3 Kunming--Lijiang: take 2-hour bullet train from Kunming to Lijiang, visit Black Dragon Pond & Lijiang Ancient Town
D4 Lijiang: explore the Tiger Leaping Gorge & visit the First Bend of the Yangtze River along the way
D5 Lijiang--Shanghai: visit the Baisha Village, take flight back to Shanghai after the tour

Compared to the tour in Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Chengdu, traveling to southwest part with Tibet will be more expensive. But the cost of tour can be different from season to season, with summer being the most expensive and winter being the cheapest. You can book very cheap hotel & flight ticket during the low season. Another reason for the higher cost is the transportation since it's not such convenient as the easten part of China, mostly go around by driving. 

If you book our all inclusive southwest China tour package, the tour covers the tour guide service, all the transfer, entrance tickets for the sites listed in the itinerary, meals & accommodation in each city.