Ali Pulan Airport
Burang Town, China

Ali Pulan Airport
Remote Tibetan Plateau gateway serving Burang in western Tibet.
- ›Located in Ngari Prefecture, one of the most sparsely populated regions in China.
- ›Situated on the Tibetan Plateau at high elevation, posing operational challenges.
- ›Burang is close to the borders of Nepal and India.
- ›The airport serves a strategic border region with limited surface transport alternatives.
- ›Passenger traffic is very low due to the small local population and remote location.
Ali Pulan Airport serves Burang Town in the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet, China, positioned at high altitude near the tri-border region of China, Nepal, and India. It is one of the most remote airports in the world, primarily facilitating access to the sacred Mount Kailash pilgrimage circuit and Lake Manasarovar. The airport plays a vital logistical role for pilgrims, trekkers, and regional travelers venturing into one of the most isolated corners of the Tibetan plateau.
- Main Terminal — A small single terminal handling limited domestic flights with basic passenger facilities suited to its remote high-altitude setting.
- Taxi and private car hire from terminal to Burang Town
- Pre-arranged vehicle transfers for pilgrimage and trekking groups
- Local minibus services to nearby settlements
- Burang County Guesthouse
- Kailash Pilgrimage Lodge
- Local Tibetan family guesthouses in Burang Town
Dining options inside the airport are minimal given its small scale, offering basic refreshments at most. Burang Town itself has a handful of small local restaurants and guesthouses serving Tibetan staples such as tsampa, butter tea, and noodle soups. Travelers are advised to carry sufficient snacks and supplies given the extremely limited food infrastructure in the region.
- A valid Tibet Travel Permit and Alien's Travel Permit are mandatory for all foreign visitors entering this region.
- Altitude sickness is a serious concern as the area sits above 3,800 metres — acclimatize gradually and carry appropriate medication.
- Book ground transport and accommodation well in advance, as options are extremely limited and high-demand during pilgrimage season.
- Carry sufficient local Chinese currency (CNY) as banking and ATM facilities are scarce in Burang Town.
AI-assisted overview, verified against public sources.
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Ali Pulan Airport is a dual-use military-civilian airport in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region.
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