OK, now place rkkwan's numbers in the context of shore9's hoped-for budget (I'll let somebody else do the forex conversion RMB>CDN). Again, the metrics don't work for a CDN $3000 budget that must last for a month.

The primary driver of cost for any Tibet trip, even booking locally and directly when in China and cutting out the Western tour group nonsense and retail/middleman markups, is the vehicle + driver + guide (or driver/guide). And under current circumstances and regulations--which is all we can go on--this isn't going to change. I'm not sure things will go back to the good old days of a few years ago, when independent travel was possible.

My original estimate of $1500 for 10 days for 2 is based on a composite from a number of decent (not fancy) Tibetan, Lhasa-based providers. If they want to try to team up with another couple to get the price of their share down a bit more, Chengdu is the best place to do so. Other forums such as Lonely Planet's thorntree, NE Asia branch (moondog, don't hit me! ) always have travelers looking to hook up to save cash on Tibet arrangements.

I still say: for time- and cost-effectiveness, and to see more undiluted Tibetan culture in a less regulated setting, head for western Sichuan. Moondog also mentions some other options that contain large numbers of Tibetans (parts of Gansu, Qinghai, a little bit of Yunnan).