We need to know about Tibet and Tibetan areas before discussing travel to Tibet is so expensive. The term “Tibet” refers to the entire Tibetan Plateau. The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) refers to only 40% of the land mass of the Tibetan Plateau. Parts of Tibet are spread across 5 provinces and regions of southwestern China. Don’t let the lines of a Chinese map confuse you. Tibet is a much, much larger area than just the TAR. Roughly 60% of the Tibetan people live outside of the TAR in other regions of Tibet called Amdo and Kham. The terms “Tibet” and “Tibet Autonomous Region” mean two very different things. Tibet travel covid only allowed few expats occasionally in this year. People are always thinking why travel to Tibet is so expensive and here we have the answer for you. Check Tibet travel guide before you visit Tibet for better experience.
Reason why travel to Tibet (TAR) is so expensive
When we Travel to the TAR is not “cheap” because all foreigners must have a Tibet travel permit, a tour guide, and a private vehicle with a driver. The cost of maintenancing vehicles in China, especially imported vehicles such as the Toyota Land Cruisers that are usually used in Tibet, is much higher than it is in North America and Europe. Even used Land Cruisers sell for much higher (as much as double) than they do elsewhere. So the higher vehicle costs add to the tour price. Another factor is fuel prices. Fuel prices on the Tibetan Plateau are probably a little less than most of Europe, but is still considerably higher than in North America. The fuel and vehicle charges often make up a majority of the total tour price. Guides are usually paid between 240 RMB and 300 RMB per day, which also adds up on a 10 or 14 day tour. Though the roads in the TAR are improving, you still must travel great distances between sites, especially if you are traveling to Mt. Kailash in far western Tibet.
Solutions for affordable budget travel to Tibet
Tour prices are normally based on the distance traveled so if you are doing a lot of overland driving to places like Everest, the Nepal border or Mt. Kailash, the price is going to be higher than if you are just staying in the Lhasa-Nam Tso-Shigatse area. Read Tibet travel Faqs before planing a to trip Tibet.
Vehicle and guide prices can be split by groups of people to make the cost of traveling in the TAR more affordable. Using a Tibetan travel agency can help you find a small group to join in order to lessen the cost per person. We would much appreciate to involve in forum to discuss and share your recent Tibet experience. Thanks for reading why Tibet is so expensive. Hopefully you already got some idea.
At the conclude, you must be thinking of do we have tours for the Tibetan areas outside of the TAR. Please read things to do in Amdo. There are great adventures for Tibet nomads for most Amdo tours and Kham tours. You can contact our professional tour operator to custom a better trip to Himalayas. Our Office Map.
