Travel in Tibetan areas (藏区)
Tibetan areas
The Tibetan cultural region includes the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and Tibetan autonomous areas outside of the TAR. Before the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Tibetan region consisted of three main areas: Ü-Tsang, Kham, and Amdo. These areas cover the Tibet Autonomous Region (purple on the map) and the Tibetan autonomous prefectures in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan (cyan and ochre on the map).
Tibetan autonomous region outside of Tibet Autonomous Region
If you do not enter the Tibet Autonomous Region, you can travel completely freely without any special permits. All you need is a valid Chinese visa (or visa-free entry if applicable). Tibetan people have lived in these areas for thousands of years, so the Tibetan culture here is very rich.
Below are the Tibetan autonomous areas outside the Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Qinghai province: Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
- Gansu province: Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
- Sichuan province: Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
- Yunnan province: Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Enter Tibet Autonomous Region
Non-Chinese citizens (including foreign tourists and tourists from Taiwan) must obtain a Tibet Travel Permit. Independent travel is not allowed; you must arrange your itinerary within the Tibet Autonomous Region in advance with a travel agency in Tibet. The travel agency will handle the permit application on your behalf.
You can search for "Tibet travel agency" on Google, choose an agency, and contact them. They will assist you in obtaining the Tibet Travel Permit.
Actual Travel Experience
You can move around freely without a guide, as long as you don't leave the city where your guide is. If you choose to drive your own vehicle into Tibet, you have even more freedom. You can almost do whatever you want, except you must pass through immigration police checkpoints, border checkpoints, etc., with your guide.
In summary, the restrictions represented by the Tibet Travel Permit and mandatory guide are very minor and can be considered negligible.
Traveling by Private Vehicle
You can drive your own vehicle into Tibet, including cars and motorcycles. However, you will still need a Tibet Travel Permit and must be accompanied by a guide while driving. There are many videos on YouTube explaining this process: