How to Travel to Tibet from Germany?

The number of German travelers visiting Tibet annually is continuously increasing. The reason for this is that a lot of German tourists are discovering the unique beauty of Tibet. Upon entering Tibet, tourists would readily feel that they are entering a different world—a world that showcases a tradition and culture that is straightforwardly different from what they commonly experience.

Of course, the journey from Germany to Tibet is an 11,000-km long journey. Yet, you don't have to worry about this long journey because there are direct flights from the major cities of Germany like Frankfurt and Munich to five specific international airports in China. From these five cities, you can take a connecting flight to Lhasa, Tibet. Moreover, from Munich and Frankfurt, there are also direct flights to Kathmandu, Nepal from where you can either travel overland or by plane to Lhasa, Tibet.

From Germany to Tibet: Your Two Options

So basically, you have two options if you are traveling from Germany to Tibet. On the one hand, you can take a flight to mainland China and from there board a flight to Lhasa, Tibet. On the other hand, you can board a flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and from there, you can either travel by land to Tibet or by plane over the Himalayas to Lhasa.

As mentioned above, there are direct flights from the busiest airports of Germany to five major cities of mainland China. These five cities include Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou. From these cities, you can either board a flight to Lhasa, Tibet or travel by land via train or by car.

From Munich or Frankfurt to Beijing

From Munich or Frankfurt, for example, you can board a flight to Beijing. Upon arrival in Beijing, you can take a flight to Lhasa. This flight usually costs around 486 USD. You can also opt for train travel. The cost of this ticket is around 200 USD.

From Frankfurt to Chengdu

From Frankfurt, you can board a direct plane going to Chengdu. From Chengdu, you can either board a plane or train to Lhasa, Tibet. The plane ticket usually costs around 247 USD. On the other hand, a train ticket usually costs around 200 USD. 

From Frankfurt or Munich to Shanghai

From Frankfurt or Munich, you can board a plane to Shanghai. In Shanghai, you can board a plane to Lhasa. This flight may cost you around 498 USD. Via train, you will have to shell out around 200 USD.

From the major airports of Germany like Frankfurt and Munich, you can travel by plane to Kathmandu, Nepal. Upon arriving at Kathmandu, Nepal, you can make overland travel to Tibet by bus or car. You can also board a plane at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) to Lhasa, Tibet.

Necessary Travel Permits and Documents

There are certain travel permits and documents that you should secure prior to traveling from Germany to Tibet. One such permit is the Tibet Travel Permit. Other necessary permits include Tibet Entry Permit, Tibet Visa, and Chinese Visa. To secure these permits, you need to contact a travel agency in Tibet to pre-arrange your itinerary. Moreover, you can’t travel alone to Tibet. You need to be in a travel group.

Necessary Permits if You Travel via Mainland China

Upon arriving in China, you would need to have your Tibet Travel Permit before you can board a plane or a train to Tibet. Your travel agency would hand this document to you at your hotel. If Beijing, for example, is your point of entry to mainland China, your travel agency will send you this travel permit at your hotel.

You need to present this travel permit before you board your flight to Tibet. If you are going to travel by train, however, you can present scanned printed copies of this permit before boarding a train to Tibet.

You also need to secure a Chinese Visa aside from having the Tibet Travel Permit and your passport.

Necessary Permits If You Travel via Kathmandu, Nepal

If you chose to travel to Tibet via Kathmandu, Nepal, there are two necessary documents that you need to secure before you can move overland to Tibet from Nepal. Upon arriving at Kathmandu, you will be provided by your travel agent with the necessary Tibet Travel Permit along with your China Group Visa.

You can obtain this visa via the joint effort of your travel agency in Lhasa and Kathmandu. China visa fee will usually cost a German tourist around 119 US dollars. You need to present the Tibet Travel Permit and China Group Visa before you board your flight to Lhasa, Tibet.

On the other hand, if you are traveling by land to Tibet from Nepal, your travel agent will provide you with your Tibet Travel Permit upon arriving at Kathmandu. Your travel agency should have already prearranged your China Tibet Group Visa prior to your arrival.

Nota Bene:

The processing of the Tibet Travel Permit usually takes around 10 to 20 days. Hence, you should ensure that you contact your travel agency several weeks prior to your appointed dates of travel. The Tibet Travel Permit, as mentioned above, is usually forwarded to you at your hotel when you arrive in China. Thus, it is essential that you choose a legitimate travel agency that legally operates within Nepal and Tibet.