Flights to Tibet from Canada

Canada and Tibet go a long way with their intertwined cultures and history. Canada also has a Tibetan community which is small in number but it's already the second or third generation of Tibetan Canadians. This shows that they share a lot in common in the form of their ethnic and cultural identity. A tour to Tibet, by Canadian citizens, is highly recommended especially to learn more about Tibetan culture and history.

All Canadian citizens who have a Canadian passport need to require a visa to visit either Tibet and China. It is important to note that the Chinese Embassy cannot issue Tibet Travel Permit for individuals who wish to visit Tibet. You must contact the local Tibet travel agencies to obtain the document. The Permit only allows you to travel to certain parts of Tibet instead of all. If you want to travel apart from Lhasa, you also need to obtain other permits such as the Aliens' Travel Permit, and Military Permit, according to your destination. By the way, when you apply for your China Visa, not to mention Tibet in your travel plan, or your request will probably get declined.

From Mainland Cities of China

Tourists can pick the best-suited route based on budgetary needs. You can travel from regions such as Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec to Hong Kong via direct flights or connecting flights. The disadvantage of this route is that there's no direct flight from Hong Kong to Lhasa, then you need to transit in Chengdu, Chongqin or Kunming. The most expensive and fastest way is to fly to Tibet from Hong Kong via Chengdu. If you are time-bound, this is considered an ideal route to travel. The only disadvantage is that most tourists may suffer from mild altitude sickness due to the sudden and rapid shift in altitudes. Care must be taken to relieve this, so you need to have a good rest in Lhasa for your first two days in Tibet to ensure a comfortable and pleasant journey.

Flying from Canada to Beijing and from Beijing to Lhasa is also a convenient way. The total time of this journey is about 17 hours and you can choose the seats beside the windows to enjoy the views along the way or the seats next to the aisle to take a good rest because of the large space. You don’t have to worry about booking the tickets. It’s cheap and easy to book tickets online. Besides, other flights in the mainland cities of China like Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc., are convenient, too.

It's convenient to take direct flights from Vancouver to mainland China.

From Kathmandu

Another flight option is from Toronto to Kathmandu if you don’t want to fly to mainland China and take connecting flights. Then you don't have to apply for a China Visa but a China Group visa. The ticket price will be expensive because there are no direct flights between these two cities. And you need to transfer to Delhi, India or to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and any other city. There are about ten flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa every week. The airlines include Sichuan Airlines and Air China which will all offer you a great experience. The first flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu takes off at about 11:10 A.M. by Sichuan Airlines while the last flight takes off at nearly 12:10 P.M. The average time taken to cover the journey is almost one hour and thirty-five minutes. It is said that the best days to book a plane ticket from Kathmandu are Tuesdays, Saturdays and Thursdays because of the lower fare.

Although most of the flight tickets can be booked anytime, you have to consider the time factor if you are planning a budget Tibet tour. Different seasons, different prices. The time period from April to October is the best time to visit Tibet. You may also visit Tibet in low seasons from November to early February as many experienced travelers did cos you can enjoy many discounts for hotels and transportation as well as attraction tickets, etc.