Tibet Overland: Chengdu to Kathmandu via Everest

Arrival in Chengdu

Arrive at any time in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan. This is the staging point for the overland journey into Tibet. The first day is for settling in; drop your bags and find a local spot for dinner to get a first taste of the city's famous cuisine.

Flight to the Tibetan Plateau

A morning flight from Chengdu brings you to Lhasa, the heart of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The immediate challenge is the altitude—Lhasa sits at 3,656 meters. After transferring from the airport, the best approach is a slow orientation walk through the city to begin acclimatizing to the thin air.

DIY Reality Check: Simply booking a flight to Lhasa is not an option for foreign travelers. Independent travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is prohibited; all non-Chinese citizens must travel on a pre-booked, organized tour. Entry requires a special Tibet Travel Permit issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, which individuals cannot apply for on their own. This permit can only be secured by a licensed travel agency as part of a tour package that includes a guide, a private vehicle, and an official itinerary. Without the original permit in hand, you will be denied boarding on any flight or train to Lhasa. This multi-layered process of vetting an authorized agency and coordinating the permit application, which must be submitted well in advance, is handled entirely by a structured tour.

Pilgrim Circuits in Old Lhasa

The day begins at Jokhang Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the spiritual core of Tibetan Buddhism. From there, follow the ancient pilgrimage path of Barkhor Street, which circles the temple and serves as a bustling market. The afternoon is free to explore the Tibetan Quarter, perhaps stopping at a local teahouse for lunch. In the evening, a hands-on cooking class offers a chance to learn how to make traditional Tibetan food like *momos*.