Group or Private? 5 Tips for Planning Your Own Tibet Tour in 2026

Since you need to book a tour through a local travel agency to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit, joining a group tour or participating in a private trip is one of the key things to consider when planning your trip to Tibet.

The ideal way to explore Tibet largely depends on your schedule, budget, and the level of flexibility you prefer in your travel plans.

Here, you can find the detailed pros and cons of Tibet group tours and private tours to make the best choice for your Tibet journey.

#1. Consider Your Time: Group Tour is Fixed (But We Offer 2 - 4 Weekly Departures!)

The flexibility of your travel time is the first thing to consider. Group tours in Tibet always have fixed departures, while a private tour can start on any date you like.

As the largest Tibet local travel agency with over 30 years of experience, we at Tibet Vista offer various Tibet tour itineraries with the most frequent departures for you to choose from.

Most of our Tibet small group tours guarantee 2 departures a week. During peak season, especially in August, our most popular Lhasa to Everest Base Camp small group tour departs up to 4 times a week.

Even the 15-day Lhasa to Mount Kailash tour we offer departs once a week, offering the most frequent departures among Tibet's local travel agencies.

If none of our small group tour packages meets your fixed departure date, you can tailor your private journey to your preferred date.

Join our Lhasa to Everest Base Camp samll group tour.

We provide the most frequent trip departures to Everest Base Camp in Tibet!

#2. Consider Your Budget: Small Group Tour is More Affordable in Tibet

A private Tibet tour is usually more expensive than a group tour, as you need to pay for the transfer fee and the tour guide on your own.

While traveling within the vast Tibetan Plateau, especially a Tibet overland journey beyond Lhasa City, the transfer fee can be high, which accounts for almost 30% of the total Tibet tour cost.

Compared to a private tour, a Tibet small group tour offers a lower price per person, as you can share the tour vehicles, the tour guide, and the driver with the group members.

So, if you travel to Tibet alone or with less than two friends or family members, it is recommended to join a small group tour.

For the best balance between affordable price and comfortable experience, we keep our group tours small, limited to no more than 14 people. Joining our Tibet small group tour, you can enjoy a more budget-friendly tour price without the overcrowding of larger tours. It’s the best value for your money!

However, if you're traveling with a group of more than four friends or family members, you can build your own group at a better rate on your preferred travel date.

Just feel free to share your Tibet travel ideas with us to get the best quote for your Tibet tour.

Travel to Mount Kailash with our small group tour at the most affordable price.

#3. Consider Travel Flexibility: Best to Customize Your Private Tour

If you are looking for more flexibility in your travels and don’t have too much pressure on your budget, then your perfect choice is to tailor your private tour to Tibet.

A private tour is run exclusively for you, your own families, or friends with no other strangers. You can tell us the tourist sites and places you are interested in and we can customize an itinerary with your specific wishes.

It is the best way to travel at your own pace that flexibly fits your travel style, such as a luxury tour in Tibet. It is also ideal for tourists who need special assistance, such as elderly tourists or families with small children. A private tour guide can take care of your needs more carefully and bring more attention and thoughtful service than a group tour.

For any personal preferences of your journey in Tibet, we at Tibet Vista would be glad to fulfill your needs with the best local tour services. See why we are chosen by over 8,000 global tourists every year.

A private tour to Yamdrok Lake is an ideal choice for families looking to customize their travel experience.

#4. Consider Adventure Experience: Better to Build a Trekking / Cycling / Motorcycle Group

Tibet is also a top adventure destination for outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. The world-class Everest Base Camp trek in Tibet, the legendary overland journey from Lhasa to Kathmandu, and the spiritual trekking around Mount Kailash attract thousands of adventures to come.

For individual adventurers, it could be an expensive journey to explore Tibet alone with a private guide. The best way is to join a group to share the cost of your Tibet Adventure tour.

For example, cycling is often a budget-friendly way to travel in many places since you don’t need to pay for a vehicle. However, in Tibet, you need to travel with a tour guide arranged by a tour agency, and since their services are charged by the day, the cost can be quite high for a long-distance cycling tour in Tibet.

So, if you are looking for an adventure tour in Tibet, it is better to travel with a group of like-minded friends rather than traveling alone.

Create your own group and customize your cycling journey to Everest Base Camp in Tibet.

#5. First Time to Tibet? More Hassle-free by joining our Popular Tibet Small Group Tour

If it is your first time visiting Tibet and you have no idea about what and where to go in Tibet, you can browse our best Tibet Small Group Tour packages to get some inspiration.

We offer 24 small group tours available in 2026, covering all highlights in Tibet, with a maximum group size around 12 people. All guarantee fixed departure dates and provide frequent departures during the peak season of 2 to 4 departures weekly.

Whether you just have a few days to get a glimpse of the Holy City of Lhasa and its surroundings, want to take the popular Everest Base Camp tour in Tibet, or an epic overland journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa or vice versa, you can find one that suits your needs.

From the Tibet Travel Permit application to local transfer arrangements and tour guide services, our Tibet small group packages offer a hassle-free travel experience for first-time travelers to Tibet at the most affordable price. We promise no hidden costs or any forced shopping during your journey with us.

Join our hassle-free overland journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa, the most popular route to Tibet from Nepal.

More Insider Tips for Planning Your Own Tibet Tour

All overseas tourists need to apply for the Tibet Travel Permit, which can only be arranged through a local travel agency. It is usually included in a Tibet tour package, whether a private tour or a group tour. But no travel agency would provide a ‘Permit-Only’ service.

The best time to visit Tibet is from April to October, among which July, August, and late September to early October are the peak season for Tibet tourism with the highest tour costs. If you plan to visit Tibet during the peak season, it is suggested to book your tour as early as possible, in case hotels, flights/trains to Tibet are sold out.

Generally, you can spend 4 to 6 days exploring Lhasa and its surroundings, and 8 days for a round trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp. If you plan to visit Mount Kailash, you need to leave for 10 to 15 days.

Most of our Tibet small group tours start in Lhasa, giving you the flexibility to enter Tibet from the gateway you choose. Headquartered in Lhasa with offices in Chengdu and Kathmandu, we can also arrange Tibet tours from Nepal or other cities in the mainland of China.

Experience the epic overland journey across the Himalayas with our Lhasa to Kathmandu small group tour!

Conclusion

As individual travel is not available in Tibet, the only way to travel to Tibet is either by joining a group tour or tailoring a private trip with a local travel agency.

Generally, a group tour is more affordable but the departure dates and itinerary are fixed, while a private journey is more flexible at a higher cost.

Whether you prefer to travel with your private guide or join a like-minded group of tourists, we at Tibet Vista can arrange the most hassle-free and enjoyable travel experience in Tibet. Feel free to contact us to start planning your next journey to Tibet!