1. Which overland tour is better, Sichuan-Tibet Highway or Qinghai-Tibet Highway?

The overland tour from Sichuan to Tibet is the most beautiful among all routes heading to Lhasa, yet it is the most dangerous since the road is almost gravel-based and winds across the challenging Hengduan Mountains.

In rainy reasons, mud-rock flows are frequent while in winter, mountain passes along the road are usually covered with heavy snow. Tourists will experience distinct climate changes at different altitudes.

Accommodations and meals are farily poor on the way, so it is suitable for the adventurers and travel enthusiasts, not an ideal one for first-time visitors.

Traveling from Qinghai to Tibet is the safest. The road receives repairs every year and most of the road is asphalted. Accommodations and meals are the best among all the overland roads.

However, compared with the Sichuan-Tibet and Yunnan-Tibet highways, the sceneries along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway is rather dull. On the road, tourists may easily come down with altitude sickness since it passes the Kunlun Mountain Pass and Tanggula Mountain Pass (both higher than 5,000 meters). It is suitable for tourists who travel, not by air, to Tibet for the first time.

2. What about accommodations and meals along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway?

The accommodation could be guaranteed. It is easy to find a place to put up for the night as there are vacancies at any time.

In Xidatan, Wudaoliang, Tuotuohe River, tourists could stay in the guesthouses or the army service stations. In Amdo areas after Tanggula Mountain Pass, there are hotels with bathroom and hot water services. But there is still no hot water in guesthouse.

It is no problem to find places to eat along the road. Chinese food is usual. Instant noodles and biscuits could also be bought along the road. 

3. How is the accommodation in Tibet?

The accommodation in Tibet has been greatly improved thanks to the great development of tourism. However, hotels of the same class are still inferior in terms of facilities to inland hotels. For example, three-star hotels in Tibet are of about two-star standards compared with hotels in other cities.

In Lhasa and Shigatse, accommodation ranges from regular guesthouses to four-star class hotels.

In Gyantse, Tsedang and Nyinghci, there are regular guesthouses and three-star class hotels.

In Tingri of Shigatse, Zham and Nagqu, the accommodation ranges from regular guesthouses to two-star class hotels.