Tibet, composed for you alone.

Because a published itinerary is written for whoever books it, and ours are written for one party at a time. The same ten days can be a gentle cultural journey or a high-altitude expedition depending on who is travelling, when, and what they have done before. There is a practical reason too: the Tibet Travel Permit is issued against your exact route and dates, so the route has to be yours from the start.

Private journeys begin from USD 4,980 per person. What moves the figure is length, season, how far from Lhasa you travel — the far west costs more in days, permits and vehicles — and the rooms you choose. Your proposal states one complete price in writing before you commit to anything. Flights to and from Tibet and travel insurance are the usual exclusions.

Two to three months is comfortable for most journeys; Kailash and the far west, festival dates such as Saga Dawa (18 June in 2027) and October deserve longer. The binding constraint is the permit, which is issued against your exact route and dates — so the earlier the route is settled, the more choice you keep over rooms, guides and vehicles.

Yes — every permit your route needs. Foreign travellers cannot apply for a Tibet Travel Permit themselves; it is issued only through a licensed agency, for a guided itinerary, and it is what allows you to board a flight or train to Lhasa. The rules are the same for every traveller — no budget buys an exception — so we plan around them rather than promise around them. You send scans of your passport and China visa or entry documents about three weeks before you travel; a standard permit takes about 7 to 10 working days, and routes into restricted areas such as Everest, Kailash or the border regions need additional permits and longer.

Most travellers need a Chinese tourist visa. Citizens of about 48 countries — including most of Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, but not the United States — can currently enter China visa-free for up to 30 days, a scheme that runs to 31 December 2026; days in Tibet count within those 30. Either way you still need the Tibet Travel Permit, which we arrange, and China's 240-hour visa-free transit does not cover Tibet. Tell us your nationality and travel dates at the first conversation and we will confirm exactly what you need.

By pacing, primarily. Every journey begins with unhurried days in Lhasa at 3,650 metres, climbs gradually, and is planned so that the highest nights are few. Medical-grade oxygen travels in every vehicle and your blood oxygen and heart rate are checked morning and evening. Oxygen supports acclimatisation; it does not replace it — if symptoms worsen, the right response is to descend, and we will make that call rather than push on.

For most journeys, less than people assume: Tibet is travelled by road, and the walking is monastery courtyards, stairs and short paths. Tolerance of thin air matters more than fitness, and the two correlate only loosely. The exception is the Kailash kora, a three-day walk that crosses a pass of about 5,600 metres; if it is on your list, we will talk honestly about preparation.

For the great majority of travellers, yes. Crime against visitors is rare, and the genuine risks are environmental: altitude first, then intense high-plateau sun, long mountain drives and remote stretches where medical care is limited. Lhasa and Shigatse have hospitals experienced in altitude illness; away from the towns, the realistic response to a serious problem is descent, and our planning starts from that.

Usually, yes. Mobile coverage along Tibet's main roads is good, including at Everest base camp, and every vehicle carries a portable 5G router. Many international services — Google, WhatsApp and others — are blocked on Chinese networks; a roaming eSIM from your home provider generally keeps them working, and we will advise on one before you fly. On the most remote stretches there is no signal at all, and you will know in advance.

Yes. Your party travels on its own however many you are: we add vehicles rather than squeezing people in, keeping to two guests per vehicle, with one guide leading the whole party. Children are welcome; we will talk frankly about altitude for the very young before you decide.

In the best rooms each place has — and we will say plainly where that is simple. Lhasa has true luxury: the St. Regis, the Shangri-La and Songtsam's Linka retreat among them. The south-east has Songtsam's lodges and a Hilton resort at Mainling, and Shigatse has a Hilton. Near Everest the choice is the seasonal tent camp at the tourist base camp or a simple guesthouse, and the far west is simpler still; no one can buy their way past that. Your proposal names every property before you book.

Tibet sometimes closes to foreign travellers for a few weeks around March, announced at short notice — it did in 2024 and 2025, and not in 2026 — and individual areas, Everest among them, can close for a few days after heavy snow. Permits are also occasionally delayed or refused. If your permit is refused or not issued before departure, you receive a full refund. We advise against non-refundable international flights until your permit is confirmed, and your proposal sets out every other cancellation term in writing before you pay anything.

The Tibet Reserve is the private-journey house of a small group devoted to Tibet; our sister brand, Tibet Trails, runs small-group tours on set itineraries for travellers who prefer them. The business is The Tibet Reserve LLC, registered in California. Every enquiry is answered by a person, within 24 hours.