If you have always dreamed of visiting Tibet and all its unique beauties, and all this seemed unreachable, now it will change. Yes, you can travel to Tibet without spending a little fortune.
These few tips will make your dream come true.
Before you decide to travel to Tibet, you need to create a travel Budget. From there you can easily organize your own budget Tibet tour, but first, you need to take a few important steps and know this crucial information:
You cannot enter Tibet without permission. First, you need a visa that you can get from the Chinese Embassy, and a permit to enter Tibet. You must be very careful with the documents and permissions because a small trifle can mean a lot.
If you want to travel to Tibet with a modest budget, you first need to find a travel agency or tour operator who has tours in Tibet and knows which are cheaper ways to travel to Tibet and will typically advise you on how to save money.
But you must know that in Tibet tourists are not allowed to be alone. You must be accompanied by a local tour guide.
Also, tourists and foreign visitors are not allowed to take public transport.
These are the basic things that you must know if you are traveling to Tibet, now I will tell you how to travel to Tibet with a little budget.
How to get to Tibet on budget
If you want to save money, then take a train from Beijing to Lhasa. You will be amazed by the beautiful scenery through which the train passes, and incredible natural landscapes, and you will also experience a unique experience while traveling by train.
Traveling by train is about 40 hours long, unlike a flight from Beijing to Lhasa, which lasts about 4 hours, but the experience is different.
There are three different classes on the train:
– hard seats
– hard sleepers cabins
– soft sleepers cabins
Naturally, the price for the tickets is varied and ranges from around $ 100 for hard sleepers cabins and about 170 dollars for a soft sleeper cabin, these prices are for a one-way ticket. On the other hand, the flight cards from Beijing to Lhasa for one direction are about $ 600.
If you want to travel to Tibet on a budget then traveling by train is your best option.
Accommodation for travelers on a budget Tibet tour
Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, has different accommodation facilities, from 5 stars hotels to 2 stars economy hotels. But since we are interested in how to have an unforgettable tour on a budget, I will tell you where you can stay and pay less money.
If you are a solo traveler and want a budget Tibet tour, the best option for you is to stay at a hostel or guest house. Like everywhere in the world this type of accommodation is the cheapest.
I have done some research about prices, and the Hostels are around $10 per night, the same amount as the guesthouses. To make a difference, one night in a hotel will cost you approximately $100 and maybe more. Yes, it has a big difference, right?
What to visit in Lhasa when you are on budget
When you’re in Lhasa, it’s normal to visit some of the sights that this beautiful city offers in Tibet.
But what to do with a small budget?
Almost all the monasteries have a free entrance. Here are some of them:
– Drepung Monastery is located in Chengguan, Lhasa
– Garden Monastery is situated at Dagze, Lhasa
– Tsurphu Monastery- Located 70km away from Lhasa
Other places you can visit without paying any dollar are:
– Tibet Peaceful Liberation Monument
– Lhasa Great Mosque
– Lhasa River
– Yamdrok Lake
In all these landscapes and places, you can take beautiful photos, because of its incredible nature.
You can visit Barkhor Street which is always free, and if you want to enter at Tibet Museum, you need to spend about one dollar.
There are so many places and Temples that you can visit in Tibet, for example, Jokhang Temple or Xiamiyuan Temple.
After you choose what to visit in your visit to Tibet, calculate all prices to enter in each place, and with that, you will know how many dollars you will need for visiting.
Another important thing about visiting Tibet is that you are not allowed to walk alone around Lhasa or anywhere in Tibet. As I say before, you need a local tour guide, or you can join in some small tour group and share tour guide.
And because you are not allowed to get in public transport, you will need transportation from one place to another. When you arrange a tour guide, that tour guide will arrange transportation and driver.
Low Cost Food in Tibet
In Tibet, you will find a variety of foods. Of course, it is compulsory to try their traditional recipes, but there are Chinese foods that are cheaper.
Restaurants in Lhasa are somewhat more expensive unlike other places in Tibet. But one meal at a restaurant would cost you $ 5-20. If you are traveling with a group, that price is decreasing.
Cheap restaurants can be found at Barkhor Street which is pretty exclusive and has good food.
Visit Tibet on Low season for less expenses
It may seem impossible, but it does not.
Winters are cold and windy in Tibet, but there are plenty of sunny days that allow walks and visits to certain places.
If you want to travel on a budget Tibet tour, perhaps in the low season it would be best for you.
Why?
During the low season, you will find hotels for half price, unlike during the season, or in the summer. All hotel accommodation facilities in winter reduce costs in half.
If you go to Tibet in the season and want to be traveling it on a budget, you will have to sleep in a hostel, but if you go off season, you will spend the nights in a hotel room.
But not only the prices of accommodation are reduced during the winter. Airplane tickets are also reduced, which saves money.
What is beneficial if you travel to Tibet in winter is that there are no crowds and many tourists, so the city is freer to explore.
You will be thrilled with the bright sky in winter, and the beautiful nature that captivates with its beauty.
Final words
The cheapest way to travel to Tibet is to organize your own budget Tibet tour with a travel agency and leave them to do all the job.
Traveling in a group is always cheaper, and more secure. The travel agency will provide you with a tour that will perfectly match your imagined budget, provide you with a tour guide, and any additional payments for visiting tourist locations will be cheaper.
Also, the travel agency will help you with advice on how to travel to Tibet on budget.
Do not think “how” to travel to Tibet, think “when” to travel to Tibet.
These are great tips for spending an unforgettable journey without spending a lot of money, yet it will remain for a long time in your memory.
Every person is richer with another journey. With each trip you meet new people, meet new cultures and traditions.
And don’t forget that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.
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