Short answer: Travelers who already have a Tibet Travel Permit can currently follow their approved itinerary, subject to separate border and road restrictions. For travelers who have not yet received their permit, a recent travel-industry notice says that new approvals currently exclude Shigatse and Ngari (Ali). Applications can still be submitted, but affected trips may need to be changed, postponed or cancelled.
China’s National Immigration Administration has separately suspended the issuance of electronic border administration area permits for Shigatse following the mudslide at Gyirong Port on August 26. The suspension took effect at 00:00 on August 28, 2026, and no reopening date has been announced.
For travelers, these are two related but different issues: the Tibet Travel Permit approval process for upcoming tours, and the separate border administration permit for the affected Shigatse border area.
What Has Changed for Tibet Travel Permits?
A recent notice circulated to travel groups says that the approval scope for newly issued Tibet Travel Permits has been adjusted following the Gyirong disaster.
According to the notice:
- Travelers who have already obtained their Tibet Travel Permit can continue according to their original itinerary.
- Travelers who have not yet obtained their permit can still submit an application.
- The current approval scope for new applications does not include Shigatse or Ngari (Ali).
- Travelers whose planned itinerary includes either area should discuss whether to change, postpone or cancel the trip.
Because this information comes from a travel-industry notice rather than the National Immigration Administration’s public announcement, travelers should confirm the current approval status of their own application before making a final decision.
Why Did This Happen?
The change follows a major mudslide near Gyirong Port in Shigatse on August 26.
China’s National Immigration Administration said that at approximately 10:30 a.m. on August 26, a large-scale mudslide occurred on the Nepal side, causing heavy casualties and people to go missing in the Gyirong border area.
Road and communication links were disrupted, and the authorities said that secondary disasters remained possible. Emergency rescue and disaster-relief operations were underway.
Local authorities have also imposed traffic controls on the road from Gyirong Town toward the border port. The latest notice says that the road remains closed to ordinary vehicles and people, except for emergency rescue and support vehicles, with the reopening time to be announced separately.
This is why travelers should currently treat a Gyirong itinerary differently from an ordinary Tibet journey.
Can I Still Get a Tibet Travel Permit?
Yes, applications can still be submitted according to the latest travel-industry notice, but the destinations covered by new approvals have been adjusted.
The key question is therefore not simply whether Tibet Travel Permit applications are open.
It is:
Where does your itinerary go?
If your planned trip includes Shigatse or Ngari, you should check the current approval situation before assuming that the original itinerary can be issued a permit.
If your itinerary focuses on destinations currently within the permitted approval scope, you may still be able to travel as planned.
This is also why travelers should avoid making non-refundable arrangements based only on an old itinerary before the permit situation is confirmed.
What If I Already Have My Tibet Travel Permit?
This is the clearest part of the latest notice.
Groups that have already obtained their Tibet Travel Permit can currently travel according to their original itinerary.
However, an approved Tibet Travel Permit does not override a separate road closure or border restriction.
For example, the National Immigration Administration has asked travelers holding electronic border administration area permits listing Shigatse as their destination to temporarily avoid the affected area.
So if your itinerary includes Gyirong or the Nepal–Tibet border, you should still check the latest route conditions before travelling.
In other words:
A Tibet Travel Permit allows the approved Tibet itinerary, but it does not automatically reopen a restricted road or border area.
What If I Have Not Received My Permit Yet?
This is where the latest notice matters most.
If your permit application is still pending and your itinerary includes Shigatse or Ngari, you should contact your travel provider and ask about the current approval scope before making further arrangements.
There are three practical options.
1. Change the Itinerary
You may be able to redesign the trip around destinations currently within the permitted approval scope.
The latest notice specifically mentions destinations such as:
- Lhasa
- Nagqu
- Nyingchi
- Shannan
The exact approval situation should be checked when the application is submitted.
2. Postpone the Trip
If Shigatse or Ngari is the main reason for your journey, postponing may make more sense than replacing the destination.
This is particularly relevant for travelers planning:
- Everest Base Camp
- Gyirong
- Mount Kailash
- Lake Manasarovar
- Western Tibet road trips
3. Cancel the Trip
The latest travel-industry notice says that affected travelers can cancel their itinerary, with hotel and flight bookings cancelled without penalty where applicable.
Travelers should confirm the cancellation terms for their individual bookings before cancelling.
What About Everest Base Camp?
This is one of the questions travelers are most likely to have.
A Tibet Everest Base Camp trip normally passes through Shigatse, so the current adjustment is directly relevant to travelers who have not yet received their Tibet Travel Permit.
However, it is important not to describe the situation simply as “Everest Base Camp is closed.”
The official government announcement concerns the suspension of electronic border administration area permits for Shigatse and the emergency restrictions around Gyirong. It does not announce a blanket closure of all Tibet Everest Base Camp tourism.
For travelers with a pending Tibet Travel Permit, however, the latest industry notice means that a new application covering Shigatse should be checked carefully before the original Everest itinerary is confirmed.
What About Mount Kailash and Ngari?
The situation is particularly important for Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar travelers.
Ngari, also called Ali, is in western Tibet and is the main region for the Mount Kailash pilgrimage route.
According to the latest travel-industry notice, Ngari is currently outside the approval scope for new Tibet Travel Permits.
That does not mean that all existing Kailash trips have been cancelled.
The distinction is:
Already have the required Tibet Travel Permit: follow the latest instructions for your approved itinerary and check any separate route restrictions.
Permit still pending: do not assume that a new permit will currently be approved for an Ngari itinerary.
For a Kailash trip, this distinction is especially important because the journey involves multiple permits and a long overland route through western Tibet.
Does This Mean Tibet Is Closed?
No.
The current situation does not mean that Tibet has closed to foreign travelers.
Instead, several different restrictions are currently affecting specific routes and destinations.
- Shigatse electronic border administration area permits have been temporarily suspended.
- The Gyirong border road remains under traffic control.
- A recent travel-industry notice says new Tibet Travel Permit approvals currently exclude Shigatse and Ngari.
- Existing Tibet Travel Permit holders are currently treated differently from travelers whose applications are still pending.
That is why saying simply “Tibet is closed” would give travelers the wrong picture.
What Should Travelers Do Now?
If you are planning to travel to Tibet soon, check these four things before changing your trip.
Check 1: Do You Already Have Your Tibet Travel Permit?
If yes, check your approved itinerary and any separate road or border restrictions.
If not, ask for the latest approval status before committing to a route that includes Shigatse or Ngari.
Check 2: Does Your Itinerary Include Shigatse or Ngari?
If yes, the current permit approval adjustment is directly relevant.
This includes many:
- Everest Base Camp tours
- Kathmandu–Tibet trips
- Gyirong border journeys
- Mount Kailash tours
- Kailash–Manasarovar pilgrimages
Check 3: Are You Flexible With Your Route?
If your main priority is simply to visit Tibet, changing the itinerary may still be possible.
If Everest or Kailash is the main purpose of your trip, postponing may make more sense.
Check 4: Are You Travelling Through Gyirong?
If yes, check the border situation separately.
The road toward the Gyirong border remains under traffic control, and the reopening time has not been announced in the latest traffic notice.
A Practical Note from CHIBET Travel
This is a situation where the status of your permit matters as much as the destination on your itinerary.
Two travelers can have the same planned Tibet route but face different options if one already has an approved permit and the other is still waiting for approval.
For that reason, CHIBET Travel’s role is to help travelers understand the current rules, compare itinerary options and check what a policy change means for their particular trip.
The licensed Tibet operating partner handles the formal permit application, travel contract, payment and on-the-ground travel arrangements.
That distinction matters, especially when travel conditions are changing quickly.
The Current Takeaway
If you are planning Tibet travel after the Gyirong mudslide, keep these points in mind:
Already have your Tibet Travel Permit?
You can currently follow your approved itinerary, subject to separate road and border restrictions.
Your permit application is still pending?
A recent travel-industry notice says new approvals currently exclude Shigatse and Ngari.
Your trip includes Shigatse?
Check the latest permit approval situation before confirming the original itinerary.
Your trip includes Ngari or Mount Kailash?
Check the latest permit approval situation before making final arrangements.
Your trip uses Gyirong?
The border-area road remains under traffic control, and there is currently no announced reopening time.
The situation is still developing. For now, the safest approach is not to cancel every Tibet trip, but to check the exact route, permit status and travel date before deciding what to do next.
Official Sources
The National Immigration Administration announced the temporary suspension of electronic border administration area permits for Shigatse on August 27, 2026.
Read the National Immigration Administration announcement
The Shigatse authorities have also issued traffic-control notices for the road from Gyirong Town toward the border port following the mudslide.
Read the latest Gyirong traffic-control notice
The Tibet regional government has reported that rescue, evacuation and disaster-response work has continued in the Gyirong area.
