Kunming to Lhasa Tours???

A friend and I are looking to do an organzied trek in the Yunan region that starts and ends in Kunming. After the trek we would like to go to Tibet for approximately one week. We have no problem with paying for a tour or whatever is required by China to do this. Is it possible to arrange a tour from Kunming to Tibet? Could we just show up in Kunming and organize such a thing? I am also willing to do it over the internet, if anyone has any recomendations of tour agencies who could arrange this? Thanks

i know the hump hostel in kunming organizes tours to lhasa. i remember them being very pricey, but they can be arranged on the spot if you have some extra time. you could also try and contact them in advance. you will almost certainly pay more when booking online then if you shop around and book in person.

why go back to Kunming? why not continue through to Shangri-la ( also known as Gyalthang and Zhongdian) and fly to Lhasa from there, you can organise your trip from Zhongdian there are a number of companies , and you can do it through email before you get to the area...the only restriction will be that at sometime maybe in november (?) then flights might stop between lhasa and Shangri-la for winter period, but if they stop between there and lhasa then they will have stopped from Kunming ( the flight from kunming to lhasa stops at zhongdian) ..and then you would have to go via Chengdu

If it is the train you want to travel by then it would be better to got to at least chengdu if not xining anyway

I recommend contacting Khampa Caravan. They are based in Shangri La, but can also arrange flights and permits to go to Lhasa from Kunming. Khampa Caravan are one of the only Tibetan owned travel agencies based in Yunnan and they arrange excellent tours with great service.

I'd also recommend Khampa Caravan - I have used their services for a number of trips and Lobsang Drolma - their office manager has been outstanding in sorting out complicated travel plans for me.
She has excellent English and can easily work with you by email to sort out plans.

her email is: dolma@khampacaravan.com