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 need to first obtain a China visa first then a Tibet travel permit to visit Tibet. When you apply for your China Visa, not to mention Tibet in your travel plan, otherwise your request will probably get declined. For your Tibet travel permit, you can trust your Tibet travel agency to obtain it after you book with them.
From Mainland Cities of China
Canadians can pick the best-suited route based on budgetary needs.
You can travel from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and then to Lhasa Gonggar Airport(LXA) via Chengdu Tianfu International (TFU). If you are time-bound, transiting via Chengdu to Lhasa from Hong Kong is considered an ideal route to travel. This journey takes about 24 hours and costs about CAD 3,203 to CAD 6,467.
And you can fly from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) then to Chengdu Tianfu International (TFU) and finally get to Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA) . This journey takes about 23 hours and 25 minutes and costs CAD 4,560.
Alternatively, you can fly from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and from Shanghai to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG) via Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG) . This journey takes about 33 hours and 10 minutes and costs CAD 2,572.
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.
From Kathmandu
Another flight option is from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) via Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) , which takes 21 hours and 35 minutes and costs CAD 1,406. Although there's only 1 hour and 30 minutes flight duration from Kathmandu to Lhasa, we would not recommend this route as you will be required a China Group Visa if you enter Tibet from Nepal and it takes 3 working days. In addition, the China Consulate in Kathmandu only issues one China Group visa per 4 participants. That means, if there are fewer than 4 people from you, the group visa cannot get issued.
Currently, there are only 3 flights per week from Kathmandu to Lhasa on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting from 17 April 2024. If there's no direct flight, you need to transit to Lhasa via Chengdu, in that case, you need a China visa. It looks a little bit complicated. Please contact your Tibet travel agency to plan everything for you, as well as the necessary documents.