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Tibet with Children
Children can travel in Tibet, and they usually surprise their parents. The question is not whether a family can visit, but which parts of Tibet a family should visit — and how to build the journey so that altitude and long drives do not turn a holiday into an endurance test.
Can children travel in Tibet?
Yes, and it is arranged the same way as any group travel, with each family member named on the permit. One point of principle, though: we advise against bringing children under the age of three into Tibet. Altitude affects small children differently, they cannot describe what they feel, and the medical facilities on the plateau are limited. We have arranged family journeys for very young children — the youngest guest on record with us was eight months old — but we will always set out the risks before you decide, and we will never pretend they do not exist.
For older children and teenagers, altitude is less of an issue than boredom. Which brings us to the real planning problem.
What works, and what does not
What works: shorter journeys, lower altitudes, more stops, and things that a child can touch. The train into Tibet is genuinely thrilling for anyone under fifteen — the altitude gauge on the wall, the ever-changing window, the vastness of the plateau. Yaks, prayer flags, butter lamps and the turquoise of Yamdrok Lake all land well. So does a day at a monastery where the monks are happy to see children, and so does the Nyingchi region, which is green, lower and much gentler on the body.
What does not work: the Kailash kora, long trekking days, and any itinerary that chains six-hour drives together. The Everest road is possible for older children and can be wonderful, but it needs a slower crossing than an adult-only trip.
The practicalities
Family journeys are private, so the pace is yours: an extra night when someone needs it, a shorter day when the altitude bites, an afternoon swimming-pool-and-rest that no fixed departure would allow. We choose hotels with family rooms and reliable heating, keep a supply of oxygen in the vehicle, and tell you where the hospitals are at each stop.
On the paperwork side, every family member needs the correct permit, and children need their own documents. We will ask for passport details for each traveller and handle the permit applications as a set. For families travelling with a nanny, a grandparent or two households, we simply add names to the same application.
Family journeys
What parents usually ask us
Journeys that work with children
All are private and can be run at a family pace. Tell us the ages and we will tell you honestly which of these suits them.
The gentle introduction
4 Days Lhasa Sightseeing Small Group Tour
Four unhurried days in Lhasa — short days, familiar food nearby, and the great sights without a punishing schedule.
Arriving by train
9 Days Train Tour from Chengdu to Lhasa
Pandas in Chengdu, then the railway up onto the plateau — the most memorable way for children to arrive, and a gradual climb to altitude.
Lower, greener, easier
Nyingchi · Basum Tso · Lhasa
Nyingchi and Basum Tso at around 3,000 m, among forest and rivers — much softer on young bodies than the high plateau.
Family trips we build
Tell us the ages of the children, how much driving they will tolerate, and whether anyone in the family has been at altitude before.
A first week in Tibet with the family
The capital at a family pace, one easy excursion to the lake, and enough free time that nobody is exhausted by day four.
Lhasa · Yamdrok Lake · Lhasa
By train onto the plateau, as a family
The railway, the capital and a short run south, with the gradual ascent the train gives you and plenty of stops for legs to stretch.
Chengdu · Xining · Lhasa · Shigatse · Lhasa
Three generations in Tibet
Built for grandparents and grandchildren travelling together: short stages, comfortable hotels, oxygen on board and no high passes on consecutive days.
Lhasa · Gyantse · Shigatse · Lhasa
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum age for travelling in Tibet?
There is no hard rule, and permits are issued for children. Our own advice is not to bring children under three into Tibet: they cannot tell you how the altitude is affecting them, and medical help on the plateau is limited. Every family is different, so we set out the risks honestly and let you decide — we have arranged journeys for children as young as eight months, and they were fine.
What about altitude sickness in children?
Children acclimatise much as adults do, and most have no more trouble than their parents. The precautions are the same and matter more: arrive gradually, keep the first two days quiet, keep everyone drinking, and put a lower ceiling on how high you go and how fast. We also carry oxygen in the vehicle and choose hotels with reliable heating and medical help within reach.
Will children enjoy a Tibet trip, or will they be bored?
It depends almost entirely on the itinerary. Long drives and monastery interiors do not land well with younger children; trains, yaks, prayer flags, lake colour and mountains that fill the sky do. We have run enough family journeys to know which parts to keep and which to cut, and we build them so that the children’s day is shorter than the adults’ one.
What documents do children need?
Each child needs their own passport and permit, and every name in the family goes on the same application. We will ask for passport details for each traveller when we start the paperwork and handle the applications together, so nothing is left to a border check.
Before you send your inquiry
- No deposit — ever. Your dates are held with a free inquiry, and nothing is due until we confirm. On fixed group departures, book early to secure your seats.
- Cancel free before your Tibet Travel Permit is issued — full refund, every dollar.
- After the permit is issued: the USD $100 permit fee is non-refundable, everything else is refunded. Refunds within 7 business days.
- Bring a group of 7 and your spot is free (7+1).
- Single room supplement — free of charge for any group booking 5 rooms or travelling with 10 or more.
- Tell us your dates and route on the form below — you will have a written itinerary and an item-by-item quote within 12 hours, with no obligation to book.
- Prices depend on group size, hotel standard, season and how you travel into Tibet, so we quote each trip individually rather than from a price list.
- Hotel details — the exact hotels we use — come with your quote. Ask below for the standard you would like and we will match it.
- A Lhasa-based Tibet tour operator since 1999 — our own guides, vehicles and office in Lhasa, 7,200+ travellers from 40+ countries, 4.9★ on TripAdvisor.
We answer within 12 hours, Monday to Saturday.