Planning a Budget Tour to Tibet

Budget 3 Star Hotel in Tibet – Yak Hotel

Taking up the idea of traveling to Tibet can be already expensive enough, Tibet travel regulations only allow foreigners to travel to Tibet on an organized tour with a hired guide, a private vehicle, and a driver.

The fact that Tibet is still a remote place and still operates on rough roads and under a bad climate, pushes up the tour prices a bit too hard beyond any other places in other parts of China, it forces most of the budget travelers to have to skip Tibet tour. So, doing a bit of planning and budgeting becomes important, so as to fill up the little holes in your expenditures.

Planning for cheaper Tibet tours

1. First, upon entering Tibet, try taking the train to Tibet, flights are convenient and fast but besides the price, you seriously don’t what you are missing from scenes to tastes of Tibet experience.
2. Take a group tour rather than a private tour if you don’t have a problem sharing a tour with other fellow travelers, private tour means paying the tour guide fee (¥200 – ¥250 per day, i.e. approx. $30 – $35), vehicles are all charged on a per-kilometer basis, which means the longer the tour, the more expensive it gets. So, if you share the tour with other travelers, the tour cost falls to as much as half the price of a private tour, or even less.
3. Choose cheaper guest houses and hotels at $15-$25 per night, there are even cheaper dorm-style rooms at $8-$10 per night within walking distances in of old town.
4. Your food expenses can be included in your tour prices if you chose to, but if you have chosen otherwise, the food isn’t really expensive, especially in the small local restaurants scattered all across the city. In the remoter places, the prices are higher and quality a little worse, so it would be very much recommended for you to stay in a group or stick with your local Tibetan guide.

We understand that Tibet tour is expensive and costly for budget travelers. So, please read and book your Tibet tour carefully.