overland from Yunnan to Tibet to Nepal

Possible? Perhaps. Likely? no.

Read this thread which is the only positive report of someone doing this: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1957644

But also read this post which describes the more common happening: http://www.kekexili.typepad.com/

Ruth

if u use your passport, you cannot get the permits. Because overland from Chengdu/Yunnan is impossible this year.
However, if you look like a Chinese, and speak well, if u make a fake Chinese ID, then things seem ok.
However, it's a big risk. If you be catched, it would be serious.
Travelling in Tibet is not as easy as other places. I drove from Yunnan/Chengdu to lhasa this March, and drive back from Lhasa to Germu,Xining,Lanzhou,back Chengdu last month, things are still stick. So, better think twice before u done it.
Hope it helps.

Last june I met a older Russian man on his bike on the road to Shigatse. He had no permit. He had departed from Lanzhou on the bike and hadn't been controlled until the point I met him. He was planing to drive on to Nepal and at the border if asked for the permit he would just say he didn't have it. He was travelling at nearly no expenses and wasn't afraid of whatever. He had nearly no money, looked quite poor and was also not expecting being asked for a bribe to live the country.
Now I wouldn't advice anyone to do this. You are descendant of Chinese or was Chinese but since you hold a Singapore passport legally , or technically as you call it you are just a foreigner and not chinese.So don't try anything stupid or dangerous.

I haven't been to Tibet recently, but I was there in 2008 for a month and again in 2009. I am a Hong Kong Chinese and can travel in Tibet by myself. I have been to the West, a bit in the North and also to the South. Had to pass many check points where I had to show them my id. Also wouldn't recommend you for example to try to hide yourself in a truck, since it can have serious consequences for the driver if the police finds out.

looks like everyone is against it. i kinda know what to do now. but would be nice to hear some stories of people here who've done it w/o a permit.

but would be nice to hear some stories of people here who've done it w/o a permit.

You won't hear many stories these days because there aren't many who try this. I suspect that the failures don't write about it and the successes are few. The military and police checkpoints are numerous so the chances of getting through are slim.

Ruth

why is overlanding from shangrila to lhasa unavailable now? anyone knows?
but i will actually be leaving for tibet around late jan to early feb next yr 2011.

overlanding from shangrila to lhasa unavailable now

Overland to Tibet has not been possible without a prearranged tour with guide and driver for years. It is not simply now, this week or this month, and the situation is unlikely to change any time in the foreseeable future, not next month or next year.

Ruth

let's say i were to hire my own guide and driver and depart from deqen, is that possible? if so is there a recommended agency in shangrila i can contact?

in an effort to stay on budget, i plan to only visit lhasa where i can still take public transport and then leave for nepal border to kathmandu. is it cheaper to hire a guide and driver when i'm in tibet or to stick to the initial guide and driver?

thanks for the comments. it will go a long way in helping since the policy in tibet now is so strict.