02 How To Get To Tibet From Singapore - Modified

How to get to Tibet from Singapore
Traveling to Tibet is the journey of a lifetime for many travelers. The chance to
escape an overcrowded metropolis, and get away into the freedom of open spaces
and experience the culture of a new place.
Tibet is a land of ancient culture, historical religion and wide open spaces. As a
mainly Buddhist region of China, Tibet abounds with places of religious significance,
such as monasteries, temples and holy sites. Jokhang Temple, in the capital, Lhasa, is
renowned for its pilgrims who travel there to prostrate themselves and Mt. Kailash
is one of the most holy sites in the region, with thousands of Buddhist pilgrims
making the trek to the mountain to walk around the kora.
Getting to Tibet from Singapore is not as hard as many people think. And a huge
number of tourists make the trip every year to learn about the culture and take in
the spectacular scenery. And there are a lot of benefits to Singaporean travelers
that other countries cannot avail of, such as the visa-free entry to China for short
periods. This makes it even easier to take that once-in-a-lifetime trip to the land at
the roof of the world.
Documentary requirements for Singaporean Citizens
Getting to Tibet can require different documents from different countries, and from
Singapore, there are different requirements again. For one thing, unlike many places
in the world, Singaporean citizens are entitled to enter China without a visa for a
maximum period of 15 days. For visits longer than 15 days, they are required to
obtain a visa from the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, in order to obtain their Tibet
Travel Permit through Tibet Vista’s travel consultant. Despite this allowance of visa-
free travel, Singaporeans are still required to use a registered tour operator to travel
to Tibet, and the same restrictions apply once there as for other international
visitors. There is no exception to the rule of needing a guide and driven vehicle when
traveling around Tibet.
Kathmandu to Tibet
Singaporean citizens also have different rules for documentation when traveling to
Tibet through Nepal. If the visitor has all of the right documents on them, Nepal’s
government allows them to apply for their visa on arrival. Once inside Kathmandu,
visitors from Singapore can rely on our staff based in Kathmandu to apply for the
Group Tourist Visa at the Chinese Embassy, and the same timescale of 2-4 days
applies for processing the visa. It should be noted that the Group Tourist Visa is not
just for groups, and individuals can obtain them as well.
What to take with you

Due to the colder climate even in summer, warm clothes are essential for your trip.
The higher the elevation, the colder it can get, and the temperature can drop
dramatically at night. The best things to pack are:
Thick woolen sweaters
Thick, warm pants
Warm boots with thick woolen socks (Hiking boots are a good choice)
Windproof jackets or windcheaters
Warm, fleece or down jacket
Waterproof Jacket
Warm hat or hooded jackets
T-shirts
Thermal undergarments
Gloves
The best times to go
When to travel to Tibet depends on what you are looking for in your tour. While
tours run from April to February - visitors are not allowed to travel there during
mid-February and March, which is traditionally a break time of Tibet tour for
international tourists.
Different seasons of Tibet tour

There are different festivals and religious practices at different times of the year.
When the ice and snows melt in spring (April - May) the blocked roads are reopened
and travel around the region is easier. In fact, the high season of Tibet tourism kicks
off from early April to Oct.
If you are looking to trek to Mt. Everest or holy Mt. Kailash then the best time is in
from May to October, as the weather is not too cold to trek comfortably in the
higher climate. Trekking can be good in summer as well, although it is the monsoon
season. There is little rain in western Tibet, even in the rainy season, and the
summer months mean that there is a higher oxygen content in the air, making it
easier to overcome altitude sickness.
There are a lot of visitors in Tibet in the summer months, so if you want to avoid the
crowds and have limited budget the best time is in winter (Nov to early Feb next
year) . And for photographers, the increase in color in the region in July and August -
due to the rains bringing the lush grass and unique flowers to life again - is a great
time to spend photographing the stunning landscape. It is also the time of most of
the Tibetan festivals, which are very colorful with many prayer flags and locals
dressed in traditional costumes.
While the region is closed to visitors in February and March, the other winter
months are perfect for those who want to visit Lhasa in the snows. Some roads to
the outlying areas are closed once the snow falls, but there are many places to visit
around Lhasa, it is more peaceful, and there can sometimes be discounts on
accommodation in the off-season. Whatever your reason for coming, Tibet has a full
schedule of things to see and do all year round.
Multiple ways to travel from Singapore to Tibet
There are several ways to get to Tibet from Singapore, and the choice is up to you.
While flying is the quickest way - it can take between four and a half and six hours,
depending on the connections and destination - it is not as good for getting used to
the increased altitude, and visitors can be more susceptible to altitude sickness. The
Tibet trains are a very popular way to travel from China to Tibet (TAR), as they
afford you amazing views of the landscape from the train as it passes along the
world’s highest railroad, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. You will also pass through the
world’s highest tunnel through permafrost, and across the world’s highest rail pass
and railway station. It is not known as “The Roof of the World” for nothing.
Singapore to Lhasa via Chengdu
Flights from Singapore’s famous Changi Airport to Chengdu in China run several
times a day, and cost around US$850 for a direct flight. Connections can be made
through Hong Kong, which can reduce the cost of the flight to under US$500. The
trains from Chengdu cost ¥668 for a hard sleeper berth and ¥1,062 for a soft sleeper
berth.
The main difference between the two is that the hard sleeper has no door and sleeps
six people, while the soft sleeper only sleeps four, and it has a door that can be
locked to make it more secure. However, even though the crime rate on the train is
very low - there are police officers on all trains to Tibet - it is advisable to keep
valuable items on your person, rather than in your bag in the cabin. The trip from
Chengdu takes around 44 hours, and the train covers over 3,360 kilometers
Singapore to Lhasa via Kathmandu
For visitors flying to Nepal and then connecting to Lhasa, Flights leave Changi Airport
regularly and it is around a 5 hour flight. It is a little more expensive than Chengdu, at
around US$1,100 per person. The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa takes a little over
an hour, and can cost around US$280 per person. However, one benefit of flying to
Tibet from Nepal is the great aerial views of Mt. Everest as you pass over it, and it is
advisable to choose your seats on the left side of the plane to enjoy the summit of
Mt. Everest .
Singapore to Lhasa via Beijing/Shanghai
Flying from Singapore to either Shanghai or Beijing takes around six hours, and costs
approximately US$1,500. Both are major cities for getting the trains to Lhasa, which
also follow the Qinghai-Tibet Railway for the last part of the journey after Xining, in
Qinghai Province. Beijing-Lhasa trains take around 41 hours, and cost ¥720 for hard
sleeper berths and ¥1,144 for soft sleepers. Shanghai-Lhasa trains cost ¥794 for hard
sleeper and ¥1,263 for soft sleepers, and the trip is much longer at almost 48 hours.
For visitors coming from this side of China, the scenery going through the country is
something to see, although there is still nothing to match the amazingly spectacular
landscape of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway route. Whatever your preference for
traveling to China, the train journey to Lhasa, and the experience of traveling on the
world’s highest railroad, is definitely worth the extra time.

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02 How To Get To Tibet From Singapore - Modified

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How to get to Tibet from Singapore

Documentary requirements for Singaporean Citizens

What to take with you

The best times to go

Different seasons of Tibet tour

Multiple ways to travel from Singapore to Tibet

Singapore to Lhasa via Chengdu

Singapore to Lhasa via Kathmandu

Singapore to Lhasa via Beijing/Shanghai

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