Tibet, a sacred but controversial place, is the home of Tibetan Buddhism temples, Tibetan antelopes and the largest plateau on the world. This fascinating land presents the snows and flowers at the same time. Unlike other china travel, Tibet used to be a “forbidden” and mysterious
city until a new train line was built from the inland in 2007. It appears to be more convenient for back-packers. However, you may need to do plenty of “homework” before traveling to Tibet on your own, as this quite unique and sobering land requires your respects and appropriate behaviors. Moreover, the travel permits are needed for international travelers before Travel to Tibet. If you are only heading for Lhasa, the TTB or entry permit are required to show either before boarding the airplane or following a land cruiser. Besides Lhasa, travelling to other “restricted” places within Tibet, an Alien Travel permit or PSB Permit must be shown. According to a note from Lonely Planet, the PSB permits are not able to be issued to individuals and travelers will be directed to a local travel agency.
Considering these facts and difficulties above, choosing a local travel agency to arrange your trip is a smart decision. So, what is the first step for your Tibet trip? To search and contact several local LEGITIMATE travel agencies! It is very important to recognize a legitimate agency, as some agencies may claim that they can offer “Permit-Only” service without booking a travel package. Do not trust these advertisements or spam. A trustworthy travel agency only helps you to apply the permit after booking the tour. And you need to provide some information, such as full name, gender, date of birth, passport number and nationality. But they are not allowed to apply the PSB permits for diplomats, journalists, and government officials. Besides these specific permits, remember to get your Chinese visa issued by a Chinese embassy as Tibet is a part of China.
The second step is to book a tour package that is suitable for you. Usually the local travel agencies provide two kinds of tour: private tours and join-in group 
tours. For a private tour, you and your family members will be companied by a licensed English-speaking guide, a driver and a descent vehicle. Typically they have at least 7-day tour package focusing on different themes, such as cultural and natural scenes, Tibet Odyssey, and Tibetan lives. The benefit of a private tour is that you can ask for a tailored tour package. It is as simple as you plan your trip on priceline.com or expedia.com. You can only tell them the days of trip, a list of interested places, the number of travelers, the class of hotels, and the airplane ticket if you need their assistance. The disadvantage may be the expensive cost for such a “luxury” trip. But personally I think a memorable Tibet trip is worth of money.
Another way is to join group tours. Although the schedule is less flexible than private ones, you can save descent amount of money and make new friends all over the world. The standard class of hotel is 3-star, 
and travelling vehicle is usually a tourist bus. The length of travel time is usually no more than a week. Take the 7-day tour package for example, the trip starts from Lhasa, passing Shigatse, Tashilumpu Monastery, finally arrives at Mt. Everest. During the trip, you will visit the famous Potala Palace which is listed in UNESCO world heritage. You can experience the sacred process of Tibetan Buddhism, shuffling and murmuring pilgrims in Jokhang. Also, you will be amazed by the extraordinary Tibetan landscape around Barkhor. At the destination, you would have the opportunity to stand on the last unexplored territory in the world and enjoy the sunset and sunrise views there.
Once you have made your decision on the travel agencies and tour packages, it is the time for you to read some books before leaving. Because the risk of high altitude illness, I should say that the most important thing is to increase your work-out time for this unforgettable but tough Tibet Tours.
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