Last Minute Tibet Tours — Permit Guaranteed
Yes, you can still go to Tibet in two to six weeks. We need your passport details 15 days before you arrive. We apply for your Tibet Travel Permit, show it to you, and only then ask for any payment. Last-minute travellers pay the same price as everyone else — no surcharge, and no discount either.
How late can you book a Tibet tour?
15 days before you arrive in Tibet.
That is the time the Tibet Tourism Bureau needs to issue your Tibet Travel Permit once our Lhasa office has your passport details. Most of our recent bookings were made three to five weeks before departure — a late decision is normal, not a problem.
Less than 15 days away? Write to us before you book anything. We will tell you honestly whether it can still be done, and please do not buy a flight to Lhasa until we have answered.
Is the Tibet permit guaranteed?
Yes — and you see it before you pay.
The permit is applied for in Lhasa by our own office, as it has been since 1999. We do not accept a booking we cannot get a permit for.
- Send your passport scan and dates. Nothing to pay.
- We apply for your permit straight away. Still nothing to pay.
- We show you the issued permit. Only now the USD $100 permit fee is due.
- We confirm guide, vehicle and hotels. Then half of the balance.
- The final half, 2 days before departure. Or pay all in one go. Terms & Conditions
Private tour — any itinerary, any start date
Nearly all last-minute bookings are private tours: your own guide and vehicle, starting on the day you choose, for one person or a family. Same price whether you book six months or three weeks ahead. Pick the length that fits your holiday:
4 days — LhasaPotala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street and the monks’ debate at Sera.
5 days — Lhasa and a great lakeLhasa plus Yamdrok Lake, Namtso Lake or the Yarlung Valley.
6 days — the western loopLhasa, Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse and Shigatse.
7 days — Everest Base CampLhasa to the north face of Everest and back.
8 days — Everest, relaxed paceMore time at altitude, or the north Tibet wildlife loop.
Longer, or differentTrekking, Mount Kailash, Nyingchi, train tours, Tibet plus Nepal.
Small group departures in the next few weeks
Prefer company? Join a group of 3–8.
These are the next fixed departures you can still book. The group meets in Lhasa and every departure is guaranteed to run. Dates that have passed, or are too close for a permit, are removed automatically.
Saturday 26 December 2026 — Christmas & New Year in Lhasa
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
Saturday 2 January 2027 — New Year Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
Saturday 27 March 2027 — Easter Weekend Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
Thursday 1 April 2027 — Easter Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
Thursday 29 April 2027 — Spring Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
Wednesday 16 June 2027 — Saga Dawa in Lhasa
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
Sunday 27 June 2027 — Early Summer Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
Friday 30 July 2027 — Gyantse Horse Racing Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
Saturday 28 August 2027 — Shoton Festival Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
Saturday 4 September 2027 — Golden Autumn Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
Saturday 9 October 2027 — October Departure
- 4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing — from US$460
- 5 Days Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake — from US$560
No group departure falls in the next six weeks. A private tour can start on any date — tell us yours.
What to send us
Three things, and we start your permit.
- Your passport. A clear scan or photo of the photo page, for each traveller.
- Your dates and entry point. When you arrive in Tibet and from where — Chengdu, Xining, Beijing, Kathmandu.
- Your tour, or just your days. We send an itinerary and a price the same day.
Use the form below or write to info@tibettravel.com. We reply within 12 hours, Monday to Saturday.
Send your dates →Frequently asked questions
How late can you book a Tibet tour?
15 days before you arrive in Tibet. That is the time needed to issue the Tibet Travel Permit once our Lhasa office has your passport details. If your arrival is less than 15 days away, ask us first and we will tell you honestly whether it can still be done.
Can I get a Tibet permit in two weeks?
With 15 days or more, yes. Below 15 days it depends on your nationality, your route and the season, so ask us first for a straight answer for your dates.
Do last-minute Tibet tours cost more?
No. Our prices are the same at any time of booking. We also do not sell last-minute discounts: that would be unfair to the travellers who booked earlier, and a group that depends on cheap late seats is not a group you can rely on.
What if I pay nothing and then cancel?
Then nothing is owed. Until you have seen your issued permit you have paid nothing. After the permit is issued, only the USD 100 permit fee is kept; everything else you may have paid is refunded except costs already paid to hotels or for issued tickets.
What if the group does not fill?
Our small group departures are guaranteed to run from 3 travellers. If a date you want is not on the list, the same itinerary runs as a private tour on any date you choose.
Should I book my flight to Lhasa first?
Not yet. Send us your passport details first; once we confirm your dates and start the permit, book your flight or train. Tibet train tickets go on sale only 15 days before the train leaves and we buy them for you on the first day of sale.
Can I enter Tibet from Nepal at short notice?
By air from Kathmandu, yes, with the same 15-day permit rule. The road borders with Nepal open and close at short notice, so ask us before you plan an overland entry and check our latest border news.
We answer within 12 hours, Monday to Saturday.