The most rewarding way to enter Tibet is to drive there. A nepal tibet overland tour from Kathmandu trades the gut punch of a Lhasa flight (which lifts you from 1,400 m to 3,650 m in 90 minutes) for a steady four to five day climb across the Friendship Highway, with monastery stops, glacier viewpoints, and a slow body adjustment that almost eliminates serious altitude problems. The route is also one of the great road trips on earth. Within 48 hours of leaving Kathmandu you have crossed the Trishuli, climbed past terraced Tamang villages in the Langtang foothills, walked across an international friendship bridge, and joined the G318 highway as it threads west across the southern plateau toward Lhasa.
This guide covers the current border situation, day-by-day itineraries in both directions, what driving the Friendship Highway actually feels like, where you sleep, and what happens when the border closes (which it does, regularly).
A short border history: Kodari is closed, Kerung is open
For decades the standard Nepal-Tibet land crossing was at Kodari and Zhangmu, on the steep gorge route northeast of Kathmandu. The April 2015 Gorkha earthquake destroyed long sections of road and damaged the Zhangmu immigration complex on the Tibet side. China never reopened Kodari to foreigners. The crossing remains closed in 2026, although limited cargo traffic moves through periodically.
The current crossing for tourists is at Rasuwagadhi on the Nepal side and Kerung (also written Gyirong or Jilong) on the Tibet side. This route reopened to third-country foreigners in 2017 after several years of cargo-only operation. Rasuwagadhi sits in Rasuwa District at the eastern edge of Langtang National Park, about 150 km north of Kathmandu by road. Kerung Town, at 2,800 m, is 24 km inside Tibet and is where overland travellers spend their first Tibet night.
Anyone weighing the route should also read up on the Langtang region since Syabrubesi, the last Nepali town before Rasuwagadhi, is the standard trailhead for Langtang Valley treks and shares the same access road.
The Friendship Highway from Lhasa to Kerung
What everyone calls the Friendship Highway is the southern leg of China National Highway G318. From Lhasa to Kerung the segment runs roughly 860 km. It is paved end to end on the Tibet side, with the surface in good shape and recent improvements through the high passes. Major points along the route, from Lhasa westward, look like this.
| KM from Lhasa | Place | Altitude | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Lhasa | 3,650 m | Start; Potala, Jokhang, three Gelug seats |
| 100 | Yamdrok Lake | 4,441 m | Turquoise sacred lake; long roadside stop |
| 165 | Karola Glacier | 5,010 m | Drive-up glacier viewpoint |
| 270 | Gyantse | 3,977 m | Pelkor Chode, Gyantse Kumbum stupa |
| 360 | Shigatse | 3,840 m | Tashilhunpo Monastery, Panchen Lama seat |
| 510 | Sakya | 4,280 m | Sakya Monastery, head of the Sakya school |
| 580 | Lhatse | 4,050 m | Last fuel and food before EBC turnoff |
| 670 | EBC turnoff | 4,500 m | Drive south to Rongbuk and Everest north |
| 750 | Tingri | 4,300 m | Old Tingri viewpoint, last big stop |
| 860 | Kerung | 2,800 m | Border town; long descent from the plateau |
Most of these places merit a stop. Yamdrok and Karola are short photo halts. Shigatse and Sakya deserve at least half a day each. The EBC detour, off the main highway, adds two days but is the climax of many trips.
A typical 8-day overland Lhasa to Kathmandu itinerary
Travellers who fly into Lhasa or arrive overland from mainland China and want to exit through Nepal usually take this route. It runs the Friendship Highway top to bottom over eight days.
- Day 1: Lhasa rest day. Jokhang and Barkhor kora.
- Day 2: Lhasa city. Potala Palace morning, Drepung or Sera afternoon.
- Day 3: Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake and Karola Glacier. 360 km, about 7 hours of driving with stops. Overnight in a mid-range Shigatse hotel.
- Day 4: Shigatse to Sakya to Shegar (New Tingri). Tashilhunpo morning, Sakya Monastery midday, drive to Shegar for the night. 240 km.
- Day 5: Shegar to Rongbuk and Everest north base camp. 100 km on a switchback road. Sleep at Rongbuk Monastery guesthouse or the EBC tent camp at 5,150 m.
- Day 6: Rongbuk to Tingri to Kerung. 320 km. Long drive but downhill overall, ending below 3,000 m for the first time in a week.
- Day 7: Kerung border crossing. Tibet immigration, friendship bridge, Nepal entry at Rasuwagadhi, drive to Syabrubesi or directly toward Kathmandu via Trishuli. 175 km on rough Nepal road, 8 to 10 hours total with the border.
- Day 8: Arrive Kathmandu, transfer to hotel.
This is the schedule our team builds around the Tibet group permits we arrange in Kathmandu. The full lineup of Nepal and Tibet packages shows pricing and what is included.
Reverse 8-day Kathmandu to Lhasa itinerary
Going the other way is more common for our clients because Kathmandu is the cheaper and easier flight hub for most travellers. The schedule looks like this.
- Day 1: Kathmandu to Syabrubesi by private jeep. 175 km, 7 to 9 hours depending on road conditions. Overnight Syabrubesi.
- Day 2: Syabrubesi to Rasuwagadhi (15 km), border formalities, cross into Kerung. Overnight Kerung Town at 2,800 m for acclimatisation. This buffer night is essential.
- Day 3: Kerung to Saga. 240 km, climbs to 4,640 m. Long stretches of empty plateau road.
- Day 4: Saga to Shigatse via Lhatse and Sakya. 450 km, the longest driving day. Sakya Monastery stop.
- Day 5: Shigatse city. Tashilhunpo Monastery and rest at altitude. Optional drive to Gyantse and back.
- Day 6: Shigatse to Lhasa via Karola and Yamdrok. 360 km, 7 hours.
- Day 7: Lhasa city tour. Potala Palace, Jokhang.
- Day 8: Lhasa monasteries day. Sera afternoon debate, Drepung morning.
Add three days for an EBC detour or two more days for Samye Monastery in the Yarlung Valley.
What the driving is actually like
The Tibet side is nearly all paved. The G318 surface from Lhasa to Lhatse rivals any motorway in Europe, with two-lane asphalt, painted markings, and crash barriers around the high passes. The stretch from Lhatse to Kerung has more traffic disruption from ongoing road work, and the EBC access road is loose gravel switchbacks for the last 90 km. Speed limits are strict and enforced by timed checkpoints. Your driver will sometimes pull over to "wait off" excess speed before the next checkpoint, which feels strange but is normal.
The Nepal side is rougher. The Pasang Lhamu Highway from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi via Trishuli, Dhunche, and Rasuwa was widened and partly resurfaced after 2015, but landslide damage during monsoon (June through early September) regularly closes sections for hours or days. June, July, and early August are the riskiest months. Plan a buffer day if you are travelling overland in monsoon. Outside monsoon, the drive is consistent: 6 to 8 hours from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, 1 hour onward to the border.
For travellers who want a softer pre-trip in Nepal before the long road days begin, our Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan luxury circuit covers the three Nepal hubs in 7 to 10 days and pairs naturally with a Tibet overland departure.
Where you sleep along the route
Hotel quality drops as you climb. Plan accordingly.
- Lhasa: Full range from boutique courtyard hotels in the old town to international five-star (St. Regis, Shangri-La). 4-star options are standard for our clients.
- Shigatse: Several reliable mid-range hotels including Tashi Choeta and Manasarovar Shigatse. Hot water, heating, decent breakfast.
- Saga: Function only. Saga has perhaps three hotels of acceptable standard, with shared bathrooms in the cheaper rooms and inconsistent hot water.
- Lhatse and Tingri: Basic guesthouses. Heating not guaranteed. Bring a sleeping bag liner.
- Rongbuk Monastery and EBC tent camp: Bare bones. Shared dorms, outhouse toilets, no showers. Yak dung stove for heat in the dining tent. Sleeping bag essential. Spectacular Everest views compensate.
- Kerung Town: Small Chinese-built hotels with private bathrooms and intermittent hot water. Functional, not charming.
- Syabrubesi: Trekker lodges. Wooden rooms, shared squat toilets, hot bucket showers for an extra fee.
The whole route has good Chinese mobile data coverage on the Tibet side (you will need to bring a roaming-enabled SIM since most foreign SIMs work without the Great Firewall blocks). On the Nepal side, NCell and NTC cover Syabrubesi well.
Border crossing day, hour by hour
The border day is the most logistically dense day of the trip. Here is what to expect from the Tibet to Nepal direction.
- Tibet exit checkpoint, 30 minutes before the border: Vehicle inspection, passport and permit check.
- Kerung port immigration: Photo capture, biometric scan, Tibet Travel Permit and Group Visa surrendered, exit stamp issued. Allow 60 to 90 minutes.
- Walk across the friendship bridge: Roughly 200 metres on foot over the Trishuli gorge. Porters can be hired for 200 to 500 NPR per bag if you have heavy luggage. Your Tibet vehicle stops on the Tibet side.
- Nepal arrival at Rasuwagadhi: Landside immigration counter. Most nationalities can issue a 15, 30, or 90 day Nepal visa on arrival here. USD cash for the visa fee is the safest bet (rupees and yuan accepted but rates are poor).
- Nepal vehicle pickup: Your Nepal-side jeep is waiting in the parking area above the immigration shed.
Total border time from leaving the Tibet hotel in Kerung to driving away from Rasuwagadhi runs three to four hours on a normal day, longer if a tour bus arrives at the same time. The whole complex closes at 5 PM Nepal time and does not run weekends for tourist traffic, so border days are always Monday through Friday.
Combining with EBC north and Mount Kailash
The Friendship Highway is the trunk line for two of the great Himalayan side routes.
The Everest north base camp detour leaves G318 just past Lhatse and runs south to Rongbuk. The base camp viewpoint at 5,200 m is closer to the actual Everest north face than any vehicle road in Nepal can take you. A two day detour folds neatly into the overland route between Shigatse and Kerung.
Mount Kailash sits about 1,000 km west of Lhasa. The southern plateau road from Saga continues west to Lake Mansarovar and Darchen, and Tibetan Buddhist, Hindu, and Bon pilgrims walk the 52 km kora around the mountain. Combining Kailash with the overland route is logistically easy since both share the road through Saga. Our Nepal spiritual tour page lists the full Kailash extension options. For background on the broader pilgrimage tradition that the Kailash kora belongs to, our archive piece on Buddhist pilgrimage routes from Nepal is the best starting point.
Border closing risks and our refund policy
The Kerung border closes to foreigners every year for at least two predictable windows.
- Tibetan New Year (Losar): Typically late February through mid March. The closure can extend if politically sensitive anniversaries fall in the same window.
- Lhasa anniversary period: Around 10 March. Brief but absolute.
- Other politically sensitive periods: Periodically and without warning.
China does not announce closures in advance. Operators learn from the Tibet Tourism Bureau usually 7 to 14 days before the closure begins. Our team monitors this constantly through our Tibetan ground partners and we contact every booked client immediately when we learn of a window that might catch them.
If a closure cancels your trip before departure, our standard policy is to refund all Tibet-side costs (permits, vehicle, hotel deposits) minus any non-refundable Chinese visa fees, and to offer a no-fee rebooking when the border reopens. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended for any Tibet overland booking, since unrecoverable flight costs sit outside our refund.
Vehicle types and group size
Tibet permit rules require all foreign tourists to travel in a licensed vehicle with a registered Tibetan guide. The vehicles we use are:
- Toyota Land Cruiser (4 to 5 passengers max): The default for groups of 1 to 4 with luggage. Comfortable, reliable, capable on the EBC gravel.
- Toyota Coaster mini-coach (15 to 19 seats): For groups of 5 or more. Slightly slower, but more comfortable on the long Saga to Shigatse driving day.
- Hino mid-coach (25 to 35 seats): For larger groups, generally only on the main paved highway. Not used for EBC.
Per-person pricing falls sharply with group size. A four-person Land Cruiser group typically pays 30 to 40 percent less per person than a solo traveller because the vehicle and guide costs are split.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive my own vehicle from Nepal into Tibet?
No. China does not permit foreign-registered private vehicles on the Tibet plateau without a separate self-drive permit, an escort vehicle, and a licensed guide, and that permit is rarely issued in 2026. All overland travellers ride in a Tibetan-licensed vehicle with a Tibetan-licensed driver and guide. The vehicle changes at the border: your Nepal jeep takes you to Rasuwagadhi, you walk across, and your Tibet vehicle is waiting in Kerung.
How long does the actual border process take?
Three to four hours on a routine day. The Tibet exit at Kerung port runs 60 to 90 minutes; the walk across the friendship bridge is 15 to 20 minutes including the porter hand-off; Nepal entry at Rasuwagadhi is another 30 to 45 minutes. Add an hour if a Chinese tour group is processing at the same time.
What happens if the border closes mid-trip?
If you are already inside Tibet when a closure is announced, the alternative exit is to fly Lhasa to Kathmandu (direct daily) or Lhasa to Chengdu and onward. Your operator handles the rerouting. Costs above the original trip are usually covered by trip cancellation insurance, not by the operator.
Can I do overland one way and fly the other?
Yes. Many of our clients fly into Lhasa from Kathmandu (90 minutes, 3 weekly flights), spend two acclimatisation days in Lhasa, and then drive overland out through Kerung. This pattern saves three driving days at the start and gives the body a forced rest in Lhasa before the long road segment. Reverse pattern (overland in, fly out) also works and is preferred for groups concerned about altitude.
Is overland travel safer than flying altitude-wise?
For most people, yes. Driving in via Kerung climbs from 2,800 m at the border to 3,650 m at Lhasa across three to four nights, with no single sleep elevation jump above 1,000 m. Flying directly from Kathmandu (1,400 m) to Lhasa (3,650 m) is a 2,250 m gain in 90 minutes, which provokes acute mountain sickness symptoms in roughly 30 percent of arrivals. The overland gradient is one of the strongest reasons to choose this route.
Plan your overland tour with Navigate Globe
A nepal tibet overland tour is the kind of trip we book all year, with departures clustered in late April through mid October when the border is open and the high passes are clear. We handle Tibet Travel Permit applications (which require a passport scan and a Chinese visa to begin), the Chinese group visa stamped in Kathmandu, the Tibetan licensed guide, the vehicle, the Friendship Highway permits, and every hotel booking on both sides of the border. Our staff have run this route in both directions through every season since the Kerung crossing reopened, and we keep direct daily contact with our Tibetan ground handler for border status updates.
If your dates are flexible, we can usually shave 10 to 15 percent off shoulder-season trips by routing departures around Chinese national holidays. Send our Tibet team a quick brief with your travel window, group size, and any side trips (EBC, Kailash, Samye), and we will return a draft schedule within two business days.
