Hello, wondering if anyone can give me up to date advice on the situation for independent travellers heading north into Tibet from Nepal? I want to get from Kathmandu to Golmud to begin a trip... I don't want to overland to Lhasa as I have already done that, so would like to fly into Lhasa, lie low for a day or 2 to acclimatise and have a look around again, and then get the train/bus to Golmud. As I am not really 'travelling' in Tibet, just passing through enroute to Golmud, is there anyway I can get the tickets and be allowed in alone rather than with a group? I know in KTM it's possible to join an overland group for visa purposes and then do your own thing once you get to Lhasa but I just need to fly into Lhasa and then head north.
Any advice very much appreciated!
Cheers,
Lisa
(I've posted this on the Nepal branch, too)
NO CAN DO. Lhasa to Golmud overland requires passing through the T.A.R. territory as does your Lhasa plan of "lie low for a day or two ...and have a look around again.". What part about "cannot travel independently" in the T.A.R. is unclear to you? Even foreigners just staying in Lhasa still have to have the Tibet Travel Permit and arrangements for a guide whether s/he sticks to you like glue or not. These days the Chinese aren't into cutting slack and making exceptions, regardless of how special and unique you think your situation might be. They've heard it all before....
Your most logical route is to skip Tibet/Lhasa plans entirely, fly Kathmandu to Chengdu directly then to Xining and then overland to Golmud. Golmud is a hard place to fly into since there's very little in/out of there, difficult to time the connections, and usually expensive.
"Golmud is a hard place to fly into since there's very little in/out of there, difficult to time the connections, and usually expensive." ... which is exactly why I'm trying to avoid flying there! I figured it would not be possible to 'pass through' Lhasa, but thought it was worth querying... I had friends who did what I had hoped to do without needing the extra paperwork but that was a very long time ago - still I know things change often. It just seems crazy to go the expensive way round by plane when there's such an obvious route sitting there, but like the rest of us, I'm at the mercy of the Chinese authorities! Your suggestion for a KTM-Chengdu flight was my next best option, so I guess I'll have to just go with that.
Cheers,
Lisa
Avoiding flying into Golmud is easy - there is not flights there - never has been......
and re: "I know in KTM it's possible to join an overland group for visa purposes and then do your own thing once you get to Lhasa"
This has not been possible since before 2008 and is most definitely not possible in 2012. If you join an overland group in KTM you are with that group until you leave Tibet unless you have negotiated a separate group visa for your self with a different itinerary to the rest of the group. The govt. now holds the travel agencies responsible for the actions of their clients - so trying to skip a group visa/permit in Lhasa and travel independently will more than likely get your travel agency in serious trouble with authorities.
Golmud has an airport with commercial flights, just not very many. maybe a couple a day on China Eastern. From Xining or Xi'an. Which doesn't really help this poster.
Thanks jiejie - I stand corrected! I never heard of flights there but it makes sense there would be the occasional flight from Xining......
A quick ctrip search shows a daily morning flight (MU 2279) from Xining to Golmud; 1hr 15mins flight, 920RMB. So flying is actually not that much more expensive than taking the train......
Edited by: mrcjonesy
Anyone know if its possible to sign up for a tour from Kathmandu to Lhasa and then somehow leave the tour or switch tours, so as to be able to take the train from Lhasa to Golmud/Xining? Maybe there are tour companies that can arrange this complete journey in Kathmandu? Anyone know?
#6 yes - your route is quite easy to arrange. Just find a trip that finishes in Lhasa and ask the agent to book a train ticket from Lhasa to Xining for you. If you want to leave the rest of the group and travel on your own in China then make sure you ask them to issue you a separate "group" visa for 1 person. The guide does not need to accompany you out of Tibet! The only issue is that the group visas issued from Chinese consulate in Kathmandu is usually only up to abut 28 days in length and this can't be easily extended in China (often impossible). If you want to travel for an extended period in mainland China then you'll have to do a visa run to Kong Kong.
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