Situated on the Yungui Plateau, southeast of the lofty Tibetan Plateau, Kunming, the capital city of the Yunnan province, offers overseas travelers esp., those from Southeast Asian countries, a less crowded and closer gateway to Tibet, compared with Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

If you are planning to visit Tibet from Kunming, we’ve got you covered! In this travel tutorial, we will walk you through how to get to Lhasa from Kunming by flight, train, and road, with practical local tips to help you plan your Tibet adventure from Kunming.

Why Choose to Travel from Kunming to Tibet? Perfect Shortcut to Lhasa from Southeast Asia

Kunming, the “City of Eternal Spring”, is an amazing destination with breathtaking natural scenery and diverse cultures. Represented in the city is a rich tapestry of ethnic groups, such as Yi, Hui, Bai, Tibetan, Dai ethnic groups and more. Besides the ever-blooming flowers, natural attractions like the Stone Forest, Dian Lake, and Western Hills are all must-visit sites around Kunming.

Geographically, Its proximity to Lhasa makes Kunming a close gateway to Tibet. Lhasa is 1,360 km away by flight, only taking around 2hr 50 min to reach. Five daily non-stop flights are available to Lhasa from Kunming for convenient access.

Easily take non-stop flights from Kunming to Lhasa.

For travelers, esp. from Southeast Asia countries like Vietnam, Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, you can easily take non-stop flights to reach Kunming. To other tourists, it is usually no more than one or two connections away from anywhere in the world.

On top of that, since Kunming is located on the Yungui Plateau, with an elevation of 1,892m, it’s an ideal Tibet-entry city for travel that offers a gradual ascent to Lhasa (3,650m) and lowers the risk of altitude sickness.

13 Days Kunming Lhasa Everest Beijing Flight Tour

Tour Route: Kunming - By flight - Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - EBC - Shigatse - Lhasa - By flight - Beijing

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How to Travel from Kunming to Tibet by Flight? The Fastest Way to Reach Lhasa

Flying will get you from Kunming to Lhasa the fastest. There are five daily direct flights from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Lhasa Gonggar Airport. The route is flown by China Eastern Airlines, Tibet Airlines, and Lucky Air. Flights take around 2.5 hours, and tickets can be found for as low as 83 USD.

Flights from Kunming to Lhasa

Additionally, if you want to visit Shangri-La in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Northwest Yunnan on the way to Tibet, you can also take advantage of convenient flight routes there. Shangri-La is famous for its Tibetan architecture and monasteries, and the region is home to Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery and beautiful scenery like Tiger Leaping Gorge and Pudacuo National Park.

The prestigious Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery close to Shangri-La in Diqing.

Diqing is around 1hr 15 min from Kunming by flight. China Eastern offers two daily flights, and the early morning route only costs around 45 USD. There is one direct flight each day from Diqing to Lhasa. China Easter Flight MU5774 takes two hours, and tickets cost 159 USD. Learn all airlines and flights to Tibet.

25 Days Pilgrimage to the Sacred Mt. Meili and Tibet Tour

Tour Route: Kunming-Zhongdian(Shangarila)-Deqing-Lhasa-Tesdang Trekking Tour

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How to Travel from Kunming to Tibet by Train? Fly-Train Combo Needed

For rail fans who want to ride the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world’s highest train, to Lhasa from Kunming, you have to consider combining flight with train for the epic ride since there is no direct train from Kunming to Lhasa.

A great solution recommended is to fly from Kunming to Xining in Qinghai Province. Xining is the start of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Xining to Lhasa train (Z8991/Z8981) takes 21:30 hours across 1,956 km to reach Lhasa, covering the best scenery for the Tibet train ride, esp. from the Golumd to Lhasa section. The train is air-sealed with an oxygen supply system to ensure passengers’ safety when running the towering Tibetan Plateau.

12 Days Yunnan Xining and Lhasa EBC Tour

Tour Route: Kunming - Xining - Lhasa - Shigatse - EBC- Shigatse - Lhasa

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BTW, the flight from Kunming to Xining takes 2 hours and 45 minutes. There are two direct flights each day, with tickets costing around 127 USD.

How to Travel from Kunming to Tibet by Road? Trace Ancient Tea Horse Road to Lhasa

Traveling overland from Kunming to Tibet along the Yunnan to Tibet Highway (G214 HWY) offers one of the most thrilling experiences for road trip lovers. The Yunnan part of the journey starts from Kunming and ends in Markam Country of Tibet Autonomous Region and covers 698km in 4 days.

As you enter Markam, you are officially in Tibet and will follow the scenic G318 HWY to Lhasa, which normally takes another 4 days across Zogang, Baoi, Ranwu, and Nyingchi till reaching Lhasa. Overall, it takes about 2,293 km for the entire overland route.

Travel overland from Kunming to Lhasa by road.

Here is a breakdown of the overland adventure from Kunming to Lhasa.

Kunming (1,892m) to Dali (1,975m) 330 km
The ancient town of Dali is on a plateau between the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake. Dali is home to the Three Pagodas.

Dali (1,975m) to Lijiang (2,400m) 190 km
Lijiang’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with beautiful architecture. Nearby is the famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Shuhe Old Town.

Lijiang (2,400m) to Shangri-la (3,160m) 174 km
Shangri-la is home to Tiger Leaping Gorge and Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town along the old Tea Horse Road.

Shangri-la (3,160m) to Deqen (3,330) 175 km
The scenery begins to change to a background of mountains and glaciers, including Mingyong Glacier. Meri Snow Mountain has 13 peaks over 6,000m.

Deqen (3,330) to Yanjing (1,010m) 111 km
On the banks of the narrow Heng River, Yanjing is the ancient home of the Bo people.

Yanjing (1,010m) to Markam (3,847m) 107 km
Road conditions start to get a little rough, leading to a slow leg of the trip. Markam has the famous Quzika Hot Spring, which you can visit to relax.

Markam (3,847m) to Zogang (3,780m) 157 km
Zogang Country in Chamgdo Prefecture, in Tibet, has been an important traffic hub since ancient times.

Zogang (3,780m) Ranwu (3,850m) 290 km
Ranwu Lake and the Bangda Prairie are among the beautiful scenic sites in this area of Tibet.

Ranwu (3,850m) to Nyingchi (3,040m) 358 km
Nyingchi in eastern Tibet has the beautiful Midui Glacier and sites like Duodong Temple. Lulang Forest is an enchanting place to visit year-round.

Nyingchi (3,040m) to Lhasa (3,656m) 401 km
The final stretch to Lhasa passes by Draksum Lake and Tsodzong Monastery.
Arrive ready to explore the iconic sites of the capital of Tibet.

12 Days Yunnan to Tibet Overland Journey

Tour Route: Lijiang - Shangri-la - Deqin - Zuogong - Ranwu - Pomi - Nyingchi - Lhasa

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How to Plan Your Kunming Tibet Tour for Different Travelers

For most travelers who only have a brief stay in Kunming before flying to Lhasa, you can budget 2 days in Kunming to cover some of the top attractions, such as the giant karst towers that look like trees in Stone Forest and the 1,200-year-old Buddhist Yuantong Temple.

Then fly to Lhasa and spend around 4 days exploring Lhasa and Shigatse, two of the biggest cities in Tibet. In Lhasa, you can spend two days visiting Tibe’s top landmarks like Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Drepung Monastery. Take some time to soak up city culture on Barkhor Street and watch an intriguing Tibetan monk debate in Sera Monastery and more.

On day three in Tibet, you are fully acclimatized to the altitude in Tibet and can travel from Lhasa to Shigatse via turquoise Yamdrok Lake, Korola Glacier, and Gyantse Kumbum. In Shigatse, you can explore Tashilunpo Monastery, home to Panchen Lama, and head back to Lhasa the next day.

10 Days Kunming Lhasa Shigatse Shanghai Flight Tour

Tour Route: Kunming - By flight - Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Lhasa - By flight - Shanghai

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If you have more time and long for an in-depth tour, you can travel overland from Kunming to Shangri-la to explore more of the culture and scenery of Yunnan. The overland route includes visiting Tiger Leaping Gorge with its deep canyons and roaring rivers. Napa Lake Nature Reserve is a high-altitude wetland home to migratory birds like black-necked cranes. In Shangri-la, don’t miss out on the Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Yunnan.

Then, fly from Shangri-la to Tibet for a 7-day Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tour. In addition to the highlights of Lhasa and Shigatse, you will spend the night at EBC and explore the Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest monastery, and admire the world’s highest peaks, such as Makalu (8463m), Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Everest (8848.86m) and Cho Oyu (8201m) and Shishapangma (8012m) at Gawula Pass.

8 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Small Group Tour: Marvel at Mt.Everest Real Close from 4 Different Viewing Platforms

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Lhasa

Price from USD949 p.p

Other Insider Tips to Get to Tibet from Kunming

One crucial thing to bear in mind is that overseas travelers can only visit Tibet via a pre-booked guided Tibet tour with a local Tibet travel agency like us and we can help you apply for the Tibet Travel Permit to board the flight or train to Lhasa from Kunming. Processing usually takes 8-9 business days, but we recommend applying at least a month in advance.

A Sample of Tibet Entry Permit for entering Tibet.

Luckily, currently, citizens of 54 countries can enjoy visa-free entry to China for stays between 15 and 90 days, depending on the country of citizenship. Travelers needing a visa can apply at the nearest Chinese Embassy, Consulate, or Visa Service Center. The processing time is four working days. A standard tourist visa is valid for a single entry of 30 days.

Countries with Visa-Free Entry

With diverse budget-friendly Tibet small group tours and fully customizable private tours to select from, you can enjoy our one-stop travel service to get all the travel documents, book Tibet train tickets, domestic flights, border transfers, hotel bookings, and most importantly travel with our seasoned local experts and local drivers to enjoy a hassle-free adventure in Tibet.

Conclusion

Kunming can be easily reached from abroad and offers easy access to Tibet in multiple ways. If you are planning your Kunming Tibet tour and need expert travel advice, don’t hesitate to email us for free and expert solutions. Looking forward to traveling with you in Tibet. Tashi Delek!