Travel information in Tibet is very fluid and the situation can change quickly, but if you are wondering if you can travel freely in this area, the answer would be that probably you can. It is true that besides a Chinese visa, a permit is also required for you to enter the TAR and there are also many places where lone foreign visitors are prohibited from entering. Nonetheless, many individual travelers have found ways to travel relatively freely throughout Tibet and many of them have been enjoying this freedom for years.

Of all the Tibetan areas in China, the TAR is a special case. Along with a visa, foreign visitors are officially required to have a permit issued by the PSB to enter the province. Without it, you’ll be unable to buy air or bus tickets. However, you don’t have to worry about where and how to get these permits. If you take common routes, such as Chengdu – Lhasa (Air), Golmud – Lhasa (Bus) etc. foreign travelers must buy both the permit and the ticket together through a travel agency.