- 03/31/2022
- Tags: Getting to Tibet from Nepal
- Himalayan Wander Walkers
How to Travel from Nepal to Tibet ?
Tibet is one of the best destinations for travelers. It is hard to find travel seeker who hasn’t included Tibet in their bucket list. The landmarks, the stunning views from the immense plateau, and the unique culture have lured many tourists toward it. Traveling to Tibet is not that much easy as you think compared with other countries.
How to travel from Nepal to Tibet blog is written with the purpose to help all travelers who are planning their Tours in Tibet. Please go through the whole blog. We hope this will be helpful to clear all your questions about Tibet. Still, if you are unclear about How to Get to Tibet from Nepal? then contact us for lest updates. Contact US
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There are some key things to remember.
- First of all, You need a China Group Visa and Tibet Permit from a tour operator like us to visit Tibet from Nepal. For detailed documentation please click here. Tibet Permits
- The total distance from Lhasa (3,658m) to Kathmandu (1,400m) is 609km, making Nepal the closest gateway to Tibet.
- From Nepal, only two ways of traveling are possible i.e overland and international flight from Kathmandu to Tibet.
- The most popular Kathmandu to Lhasa overland tour (9 days), covering around 1,300km via Kerung Border.
- The train from Kathmandu to Lhasa is under construction from the Tibet side but not yet available.
There are three ways to Get to Tibet from Kathmandu, Nepal
Because of the closeness to Kathmandu, Nepal, Tibet Treks and Tours from Nepal has become a world-class tour route across the splendid Himalayas in Asia. Nepal is the only gateway that is the closest overland for Nepali citizens and other international tourists to get to Tibet. Himalayan Wander Walkers team had years of experience in organizing the Tibet Tour from Nepal. Our Tibet Tour advisor Tsewang Thinley is an expert in Tibet as his background from the Tibetan community and even knows the Tibetan language well. There are three possible ways to get Tibet from Nepal which are briefly mentioned below.
1. Nepal to Tibet by Road
Overland tour from Nepal to Tibet is the cheapest and the easiest way to visit Tibet. The four-wheeler jeeps will drop you at the Gyirong/Kerung border and the comfortable vehicles according to the number of people will drive till Lhasa via the Sino-Nepal border.
Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland Route (9 days):
| From | Distance | To |
| Kathmandu(1400m) | 137km | Syabrubesi(1800m) |
| Syabrubesi(1800m) | 40km | Kyirong(2700m) |
| Kyirong(2700m) | 342km | EBC(5200m) |
| EBC(5200m) | 138km | Tingri(4348m) |
| Tingri(4348m) | 280km | Shigatse(4000m) |
| Shigatse(4000m) | 95km | Gyantse(3977m) |
| Gyantse(3977m) | 280km | Lhasa (3658m) |
Kathmandu to Lhasa Road Map via Gyirong Port
Kathmandu to Kailash Overland and Kora (10 Days):
| From | Distance | To |
| Kathmandu(1400m) | 137km | Syabrubesi(1800m) |
| Syabrubesi(1800m) | 40km | Kyirong(2700m) |
| Kyirong(2700m) | 300km | Drongpa (4400m) |
| Drongpa (4400m) | 450km | Darchen (4600m) |
| Darchen (4600m) Kora by walk | (52km) | Darchen (4600m) |
Kathmandu to Kailash Road Map via Gyirong Port
This road trip is an epic tour to Tibet in which you will drive over the highland plateau to experience the culture and life of Tibetan people by visiting monasteries, traditional villages, and admiring the vista of 8 thousand peaks like Everest, Cho Oyo, Makalu, and Lhotse. Whether you are traveling to central Tibet or the Western part of The Guge Kingdom and Kailash Manasarover, it's worth to visit them whatsoever.
2. Nepal to Tibet by Air
For those who have a very limited vacation or don’t prefer to drive on the whole trip than taking a flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu is a good choice for them. Flying from Kathmandu is the only international gateway flight to Tibet. There are 2 airlines which operate direct flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa and they are Air China and Sichuan Air. Sichuan air departs on every odd date from Kathmandu whereas Air China departs on an even date. The total number of flights per week is 8.
Sichuan Airline: Kathmandu and Lhasa Flight Schedule
| From | To | Flight | Departure | Arrival | Schedule |
| Kathmandu | Lhasa | 3U8720 | 11:30 | 15:05 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Lhasa | Kathmandu | 3U8719 | 10:55 | 10:30 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun |
Air China: Kathmandu and Lhasa and Flight Schedule
| From | To | Flight | Departure | Arrival | Schedule |
| Kathmandu | Lhasa | CA408 | 12:10 | 16:00 | Tue, Thu, Sat |
| Lhasa | Kathmandu | CA407 | 11:55 | 11:10 | Tue, Thu, Sat |
The local time of Lhasa is 2 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Kathmandu, Nepali Time. The best experience of flying from Kathmandu to Lhasa is that you will have magnificent views of Himalayan ranges including Everest. If you are traveling from Western nations, Himalayan Wander Walkers advises you to stay 1 to 2 nights in Kathmandu to avoid altitude sickness because of the big difference in elevation of Kathmandu (1300m) and Lhasa (3658m).
3. Nepal to Lhasa by Train
Actually, there is no railway connection between Tibet and Nepal till now. But both the Nepalese and Chinese government is being worked on the Qinghai railway from Lhasa to Kathmandu. At present, the extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Shigatse to Kyirong port is under construction. Technologies have brought a great change in this 21st Century and it is possible to take a train from Kathmandu to Lhasa and even further like Beijing and other cities of Mainland China in near future.