A 96-year-old man from China continues to fulfil his desires of travelling the world despite his age. After being rejected by hundreds of travel firms for his age, Tan has decided to take a solo trip to Tibet with the help of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Tan’s trip began from his home at Jiangsu province in September 2026 and went to Lhasa which is the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region by train which is a distance of over 3000 kilometers. This journey took him about 43 hours after which Tan reached his destination on 12th October.
This journey is an important achievement for Tan, as he has now visited all the autonomous regions in China.
Tan thought at first about taking a group tour but the travel agencies refused his request. He was also discouraged from making this trip by his family and friends due to altitude sickness risk involved in traveling to Tibet.
His first interest in AI technology started one year before.
Before departing, Tan consulted an AI to determine if a 96-year-old could safely travel to Lhasa. While it was unable to give an answer, he continued getting ready for the trip and made his own travel plans.
During his visit, Tan inspected various tourist sites, went on an evening boat tour of the Lhasa River, wore traditional Tibetan clothes, and traveled around the city. According to him, he did not experience any negative effects of altitude.
Generosity from Co-Travelers and Local People
Tan received help from his companions during his travels. On the train ride, a young female passenger found out about his age and offered him her lower-berth ticket in exchange for the upper-berth ticket he had. He offered to give her money but she refused.
After he arrived at the station in Lhasa, the staff provided him with a wheelchair and made sure he reached the right place to get a taxi. Staff at the hotel continuously checked upon his travel plans.
His story went viral when another traveler met him in a restaurant in Lhasa and uploaded a video of their meeting on the internet. His courage and zeal were praised. Some people were also curious about how he stayed healthy at such an old age.
Risks for Elderly Tourists Visiting Tibet
Tan’s story is encouraging but it is risky to travel to Tibet because of serious health issues connected to high altitude. Because of the scarce air and very low oxygen level, travelers can suffer from altitude sickness if they do not have enough time to acclimatize.
Typically, it is recommended that travelers spend some time in Lhasa to adapt to a high altitude and then visit higher places. Those with serious health problems should have a doctor’s recommendation before going there.
Traveling arrangements should be planned as well. As noted by Tibet Discovery, foreign tourists should receive Tibet Travel Permit from authorized travel companies. There are additional permits required for specific places, for instance, Everest Base Camp.
There are certain trains going to Tibet that are installed with oxygen supply devices, and there are also instances of complimentary oxygen assistance provided to the travelers.
Tan’s expedition proves that one can achieve their dreams regardless of the age; however, what one needs to understand is that Tan’s experience cannot be considered as an example of safe high-altitude travel for all.
