Thorn Tree travel forum

1

Do you even have a Chinese visa to start with?!
Cheers!

2

If I am reading this correctly, you are going to enter Tibet from Kathmandu? If so, you need to do a little research. You have to be part of a group tour in order to enter the Tibet region from Nepal. Also, a Chinese visa will not do you any good. Once you sign up for a tour, the visa is cancelled in favor of the group visa. They do check and make sure you have the proper visa at the airport, so chances are, you will not be allowed on the flight. If, for some odd reason, you do manage to get on the flight, I am not sure what will happen when you get to Lhasa. You may be forced to leave, at your own expense, along with some sort of fine. I am not sure anyone has tried doing this by flying in.

I am not sure if a travel agent in Kathmandu will put you on a tour, and take care of the visa for you, without also having you buy an airline ticket from them. I guess it is worth a shot. There are tons of them around the Thamel district, so you can shop around. I'll bet you have to wind up paying for a full tour anyway.

Let us know what happens.

Yaks, Yaks, Yaks. Need I say more?

3

Thanks for your messages.

Ellyse - yes I have a Chinese visa
Laker31 - yes I am flying (fingers & toes crossed) from kathmandu to Lhasa

I know I'm in a bit of a mess really!! I understand the agencies in Kathmandu normally book the flight 9as I did have a tour booked, but it was cancelled due to shortage of numbers), however as i am time poor (the time between my UK-Kathmandu flights is only 17 days) and because the flights were all practically booked up (presumably because of the Chinese holiday) I decided to take a chance & book the flight from the UK because I could through an agent here & because i didn't seem to be able to book one through various email contacts with different agencies.

I think I am going to have to same up all my best smiles for the agencies in Kathmandu!

Do you think it is possible for them to just book me a permit to cover a few nights in Lhasa? I read it is possible to extend the permit when you are in Tibet, although, when I arrive in Lhasa the next day is 1st Oct & I gather the Government offices will be shut.... aaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh!!!!

Do you have any advice or any contacts who may be able to help? I have emailed every agent I can find an email address for, from various guide books & from lots of Google searches, but noone seems to have anything I can join.

Thanks so much. Jackie

4

No, you can't extend it in Lhasa AFAIK...
Cheers!

5

Maybe you can fly from Kathmandu to elsewhere in China (Beijing?), and then fly to Lhasa. Will be expensive, but might solve the permit / visa problem.

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6

Have you tried The Trekkers Society in Kathmandu. We didnt use them as we didnt go to Nepal in the finish but they were one of Losang's recommendations.

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