Travel to the five county towns around Yushu -- Chengduo, Nangqian, Qumalai, Zaduo, and Zhiduo -- no longer requires a permit. Thriving monasteries, remote nature reserves, and bumpy roads await the intrepid. You should be able to negotiate a minivan to take you around for ¥300 ($39/£20) per day, but more extensive tours are best arranged through Tibetan Connections or the Qinghai Mountaineering Association in Xining. The Mountaineering Association is willing to arrange tours to Lhasa via Yushu, following the traditional trade route along riverbeds for much of the way. Give them at least 2 weeks' notice.
