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pick up a guide in china

North Pole, Alaska
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35 posts
1 review
pick up a guide in china
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i was wondering if it would be cheaper to find a guide once you're in china (heard that you can find many) than one off the internet beforehand?

also, does anyone know why a private car and guide cost so much in tibet? i was trying to calculate the hotel cost and everything and still can't come close to what is quoted. what is it? is it the gas or they just charge a heavy service fee? please enlighten me :)

Tibet, China
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341 posts
3 reviews
1. Re: pick up a guide in china
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First of all, it is hard to find a guide after you are in China. You are better to find one in advance.

So far, the average salary of a guide and a driver in Tibet is cheaper than others in most of cities in China. But it is based on different seasons. If you come to Tibet in July and August, the fee of car & guide rental is very high. In the travel agency's quoted fee, there are much included, not only car, guide, hotel and service fee.

Beijing, China
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2. Re: pick up a guide in china
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You can find local guides and drivers in China for local areas, on short notice and at reasonable cost. You cannot find local guides in the rest of China for Tibet--they wouldn't be authorized to take you there. It is possible to get to China then use an agency to set up your tour, but due to the timing of the processing, you need to allow 2-3 weeks in China prior to Tibet, to allow it to work out. And if you go at a time when there are no other tourists to group you with and share costs, you'd have to pay more. This is why most foreigners visiting Tibet plan and make arrangements ahead of time, sometimes crafting the actual dates of the Tibet tour around something already set up or in process, if they need to share to make the economics viable.

The Chinese have figured out that Tibet is a cash cow for tourism and they are going to milk it for all it's worth. While prices are normally far higher than in eastern China since everything has to be flown, trained, or trucked long distances (food, fuel, supplies, etc.), the premium over and above that is breathtaking and makes Tibet one of Asia's most expensive destinations on a per-day basis. The restrictions on foreigner access and requirement to use authorized providers and non-public transport, makes it all the more so. (Though note that even for Chinese citizens who do not require a permit and who may take public transport, it is considered an expensive destination).

Edited: 7 years ago
Tibet, China
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341 posts
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3. Re: pick up a guide in china
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Thank you for kvchinaa's explanation. I calculated the entrance fee of tourist sites on the 8 Days Classic Tibet Trip from Lhasa to EBC, and it is more than 900 because the fee of entering into EBC is based on the size of tourist vehicle. If you come in the peak season when there is a number limitation, the fee of Potala Palace becomes double and plus 200-400 commission charge.

For mainland Chinese tourists, if they want to Shannan or Shigatse, they also need apply for the Frontier Permit which is similar to foreigners' Frontier Permit applied in Shigase but Chinese tourists can apply for it at local Police Station or in Lhasa.

4. Re: pick up a guide in china
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In Tibet, foreign travelers need a tour car especially when you are outside of Lhasa. A tour car price is controlled by local authority and the price is extremely high. The tour car company charges travel agencies by distance, ie kms. E.g, the 500 km Namtso lake day trip private car can be as expensive as 500 USD and it varies from different kinds of tour car or van or buses. So you d better not take any private tour car in Tibet if you do not have 4 travelers at a time. Tibet is too touristy and expensive, there are so many inner reasons. In Tibet you could try to have some free days in Lhasa before any tour activities and find suitable group tours departures, please google "Tibet travel departure" or "everest tour departure" or "everest group tours departure" or "Kailash Group Tour Departure" and you may have to join a tour to decrease the tour price a lot.

Espoo
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Inside the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) the vehicle prices for foreigners are government regulated and several times higher than the market or local price. If I remember correctly there was a big price hike just a year ago when the minimum prices were doubled and all older model vehicles banned from the tourism traffic. In the Eastern Tibet "western prices" are also high but it is easier to negotiate a deal with the agencies as you only fight a cartel of sorts, not a government degree. We did some extra driving last year in Kham but had to pay only the local per-km fee around $0.30/km, not the "foreigner fee" at a dollar per km. There really is not much (or nothing in TAR) one can do about this. Except to travel in Amdo and Kham instead of TAR, using public transportation, which is cheap even for foreigners.

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Thanks arkienkeli-Espoo for sharing the information which should be helpful.

North Pole, Alaska
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thank you guys. it looks like as long as people are still going with the higher prices then they will still charge that rate. unless...people are looking at other destinations. i was looking at bhutan and heard that it is expensive too over there.

Umeå
Destination Expert
for Leh
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Bhutan is 200+ dollars per day , all inclusive prices.

Tibet, China
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341 posts
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That is true. The tour fee to Bhutan is more expensive than that in Tibet. Said as arkienkeli, travellers with limited budget can choose travel to Tibetan areas of Shangri-La in Yunnan, western Sichuan, Qinghai, etc.

10. Re: pick up a guide in china

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