Travel to Tibet, from 2014 to 2019

babsrose

Am hoping to go Tibet next year. Does anyone know how difficult this will be ? I've looked at a few websites doing tours that look good. Any advice or information very welcome. Thanks

babsrose

I've narrowed it down to exodus travel. Anyone use them for a tour and were they good ? Thanks

hfallada

I was in china last week and all in all the train stations there is signs warning you that you must get a Tibet confirmation letter before you go( the only sign in English in any train station I was in). I'm pretty sure you can get a train from any of the major cities to Tibet( some Chinese trains are decent. Look up seat61.com for a detailed guide). Don't forgot you need to get a tourist visa to enter china and you have to hand in your passport in person in the embassy in Dublin to get it.

We didn't use guides or tours when we did anything in china. My uncle ( worked in china for 7 years) says you get on a bus to get from say Beijing to great wall( you think your saving time not using a train). But instead they bring you to a tea farm( they never told you were going as they will try to sell you stuff) and also to another 2 places to sell you more tacky stuff. Guides tend to not be the most loyal in china either. If you are in china try to go to beijing ( you can honestly do it in 3 days). Shanghai is very missable( struggled to get 3 days of sightseeing in it as it was basically built in the last 20/30 years).

Bank of Ireland can order you rmb the Chinese currency for you. ( no where takes visa card and getting money over in china other than a bank is extremely risky as there is a ton of fake notes). You can use your visa card in ATM but the commission is supposed to be a rip off.

As a westerner they will try to rip you off left, right and centre. But even as a business man making a deal they are the same. They have no problem haggling for about 20 mins over about 50 cents.

China is nothing like what you expect. Go to Beijing for a few days if you can and take the subway. It's hard to believe there is 1,3 billion people in the country until there is about a thousand people walking behind you to change trains. Some sights are very expensive 150 rmb about €18 for the terracotta warriors and there isnt even much info on it when you get there. Buy guide books as you won't find any info anywhere at an attraction as they want you to buy an audio guide. Try to get an up to date guide book as a lot of prices in my lonely planet had doubled in 5 years. There is no public transport anywhere after 11 pm( Beijing, shanghai and Tianjin). Meaning no shuttle buses to and from the airport either. Avoid emirates as their flight times are seriously **** ( my flight arrived at 1 am and departed at 7 am meaning we couldn't use public transport). We never used taxis. We felt the subways were safer as taxi drivers never knew where they were going. Also only get a taxi from a legitimate rank. We get out the wrong side of the train station one night and got into what we thought was a taxi and the guy said I want 50 rmbs( it costed 17 max and once only 11 rmb) so we got out. There is a lot of people shouting taxis where you go. But they useless they are from a taxi rank they aren't legitimate and will rip you off.

The police will not let any thing dodgy happen in front of a westerners. When walking down the street expect street sellers being moved on and illegal taxi men walking away. If you go it alone tripadvisor is a must. It's saves you from going to horrific sights. But ignore the a lot of the ****ty reviews of people with great expectations.

If you are looking for an unusual holiday china is certainly the place to go. Just remember Tibet isn't liked to much in mainland china. A quick google search will tell you why. If in doubt follow the Chinese. If they aren't doing something don't do it.

Fred Swanson

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babsrose

Thanks for all the info not really interested in china just nepal and tibet. The tour I'm looking at goes from Kathmandu to Lhasa and back. Just wondering if anyone has done this tour with exodus and how was it ?

killbillvol2

babsrose wrote: »

Thanks for all the info not really interested in china just nepal and tibet. The tour I'm looking at goes from Kathmandu to Lhasa and back. Just wondering if anyone has done this tour with exodus and how was it ?

As far as I know you need 5 people from the same country to be travelling together to get a permit. That's current information, I'm in China now. That could change next week or tomorrow. They basically don't want foreigners to visit Tibet. Two years ago I had a trip set up from Chengdu and they just closed the border. So no tour company can guarantee you that they'll get you to Tibet, full stop. If you're set on booking it find out what happens if you can't go.

The Thorn Tree travel forums are the best place to keep up to date with the vagaries of entering Tibet, by the way.

killbillvol2

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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The handiest way is to organise it independently. Any decent hostel/guesthouse will be able to put a small group together and get you a driver. I went there a couple of years ago with a driver, there were 4 of us. He took us to a pretty dilapidated part of the wall but we had it to ourselves. There were no other stops.

Tbh I've been on a few tours where they stop at a gem factory/tea shop/textile factory. It's no big deal - it's a chance to stretch your legs and you're under no pressure to buy anything. It probably takes 25% off the cost of the trip because of the commission they're getting. If you're with a bus load of Chinese all the better because they'll be buying loads of crap so no pressure on you.

killbillvol2

hfallada wrote: »

If you are in china try to go to beijing ( you can honestly do it in 3 days).

You cannot do Beijing in three days. :rolleyes: Two weeks might give you a feel for it.

hfallada wrote: »

As a westerner they will try to rip you off left, right and centre. But even as a business man making a deal they are the same. They have no problem haggling for about 20 mins over about 50 cents.

I'm on my fourth trip to China and I can honestly say that it's one of the least "rip-off" places I've ever been.

hfallada wrote: »

We never used taxis. We felt the subways were safer as taxi drivers never knew where they were going. Also only get a taxi from a legitimate rank. We get out the wrong side of the train station one night and got into what we thought was a taxi and the guy said I want 50 rmbs( it costed 17 max and once only 11 rmb) so we got out. There is a lot of people shouting taxis where you go. But they useless they are from a taxi rank they aren't legitimate and will rip you off.

How can you get into what you thought was a taxi? Taxis almost everywhere in China are very cheap and usually will turn on the meter immediately. I've had more hassles with taxis in Dublin than anywhere in China. They're particularly good value in Beijing if you don't want to be wedged into the subway.

hfallada wrote: »

If in doubt follow the Chinese. If they aren't doing something don't do it.

:rolleyes:

hfallada

killbillvol2 wrote: »

You cannot do Beijing in three days. :rolleyes: Two weeks might give you a feel for it.




I'm on my fourth trip to China and I can honestly say that it's one of the least "rip-off" places I've ever been.



How can you get into what you thought was a taxi? Taxis almost everywhere in China are very cheap and usually will turn on the meter immediately. I've had more hassles with taxis in Dublin than anywhere in China. They're particularly good value in Beijing if you don't want to be wedged into the subway.



:rolleyes:

Its just my opinion. If you want to do the major sights in Beijing you can do them in a couple of days, doing 2/3 sights a day. Its not the most pleasant city to be in with all the smog. I found china wasnt that cheap at all. I even went into the chinese version of Nike and said something was too expensive and they dropped the prices by 25% instantly. You have to constantly asked for discounts.

Most taxi drivers speak no English and you have to have something written in chinese to tell them where to go. Taking a subway is the easiest as nearly all attractions are on a subway station eg lama temple, forbidden city etc. Taxi drivers are lethal and being in one is pretty nerve wrecking and a subway ticket is only 2 RMB( 25 cents) and you will generally find a helpful english speaker somewhere.

Banana peel

Hello All,

does anyone have update info about traveling to china / Tibet Please?
I am planning going to China first and i know i need apply for Chinese visa, that it self is not very easy as the embassy in Dublin is permanently closed and nobody is answering phones. Can i apply online?
Also any recommendations what travel company to use in Tibet as i have been told thats the only way how to get there, have to have a tour guide and they will apply for my permit in Tibet?
I would appreciate any info you might have

Thank you
A.

whomitconcerns

Banana peel wrote: »

Hello All,

does anyone have update info about traveling to china / Tibet Please?
I am planning going to China first and i know i need apply for Chinese visa, that it self is not very easy as the embassy in Dublin is permanently closed and nobody is answering phones. Can i apply online?
Also any recommendations what travel company to use in Tibet as i have been told thats the only way how to get there, have to have a tour guide and they will apply for my permit in Tibet?
I would appreciate any info you might have

Thank you
A.

you should start a new thread..but maybe look at the Chinese embassy's website? Its a pretty straightforward process and they have regular opening hours
http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/qzs/visa/