Eastern Tibet itinerary suggestion

I have the possibility to take 2 weeks in May and am considering flying to Chengdu and out from Kunming. In between would like to cover the must sees of eastern Tibet. I go there primarily for photography, scenery and hiking. My intention is to rent a car with driver and guide. Thanks for your advice.

You might try this. This is a very informative site on Tibet. Recently I wrote Losang asking if he ran a Tibet trek/tour agency. He wrote back that he used but now specializes in small one off tours based on photography and remote areas within Tibet. (If I stated what he wrote correctly.)

http://kekexili.typepad.com/life_on_the_tibetan_plate/2011/09/frequently-asked-questions-about-travel-in-tibet.html

You might click on the 'about me' at the right and ask him for suggestions. Also his sight on Facebook is quite informative. If you 'like' it you will get auto updates.

good luck, Roger

The overland tour from Chengdu to Shangrila will be adventurous, but for the time Eastern Tibet is beyond Kangding is closed for foreigners because of the political upheavals in region, so no body knows when it will reopen again.

You are likely to find this impossible as large parts of this region both inside and outside the Tibet Autonomous Region are closed to outsiders.

Losang answers emails and private messages and can probably outline all the areas you would need to avoid.

Ruth

I see a new said can go to Tibet now

It depends on how you define "eastern Tibet"! If you are referring to Chamdo prefecture in the eastern portion of the Tibet Autonomous Region, this area has been completely off limits to all foreigners since March 2010. It is highly unlikely that this region will reopen in 2012.

If you are referring to the eastern Tibet regions found in Sichuan, this is also a bit tricky. Though police say it is technically open, Ganzi prefecture in western Sichuan appears to still be closed. Bus stations in Chengdu still are not selling bus tickets to foreigners who want to go to this region and the bus station in Shangri La in northwest Yunnan also is not selling bus tickets to travel in this area. I recommend checking back with me a week or so before you plan to travel this route for an update.

When it is open, the overland route from Chengdu to Kunming is amazing and is a great place for photography.