Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
At the time of research, foreign visitors needed three permits to travel in eastern Tibet:
an alien's travel permit, a military permit and a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit. These
permits needed to be registered at the Public Security Bureau (PSB), Foreign Affairs Of-
fice and Military Office. Your travel agency will organise all these permits for you (and
the registration process), but give them at least three weeks.
Itineraries
The main route through Kham at the time of writing was a loop from Lhasa to Rawok and
back. This stretch includes some of the best sights and most stunning scenery in the whole
region, taking you from Lhasa prefecture, through Nyingchi prefecture (more or less the
traditional Kongpo region), to the edge of Chamdo prefecture. At the time of writing it
was possible to return to Lhasa via the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley by heading south from Ru-
tok on a dirt road. This side route allows you to visit Samye, Tibet's first monastery, and
other sights that would normally be covered on a separate tour.
An itinerary might include the following:
Day 1
Lhasa to Bāyī. A full day's drive so best just to include some of the minor stops
along the route.
Day 2
Bāyī to Bakha Gompa with a stop in Lamaling and Buchu monasteries.
Day 3
Bakha Gompa to Rawok. Another full day's drive.
Day 4
Visit glaciers around Rawok and head back. Overnight in Tashigang.
Day 5
Full day in Tashigang.
Day 6
Tashigang to Draksum-tso. Overnight at lake.
Day 7
Draksum-tso to Samye. A long day's drive; may need to break in two.
Day 8
Explore Yarlung Tsangpo Valley on way back to Lhasa.
A separate tour of Kham goes from Lhasa to Golmud in Qīnghǎi following the same
route as the Tibet-Qīnghǎi railway. Few cover this route by 4WD though some do it by
cycling. See (
Click here
)
If the Chamdo prefecture ever reopens to foreign travel then the spectacular overland
routes through it from Sìchuān and Yúnnán provinces should be high on your wishlist. We
cover these below in the section Overland Routes from Sìchuān and Yúnnán.
