Overland Lhasa–Kathmandu via Gyirong, or fly-fly Lhasa–Kathmandu in 1.5 hours
A Tibet Nepal tour combines a Lhasa-based itinerary with Kathmandu and the Nepali side of the Himalayas, joined either by the 820 km Friendship Highway overland (G318 Lhasa–Gyirong, then Rasuwagadhi–Kathmandu via the Pasang Lhamu Highway) or by the direct Lhasa–Kathmandu flight (1.5 hours, 6 weekly on Sichuan Airlines). The pairing turns one trip into two cultural blocks — high-plateau Tibetan Buddhism and the Newar-Hindu valley — without backtracking through China.
Most travellers take the overland inbound for the EBC stop and altitude descent, then fly back from Kathmandu. Combined trips run 8 to 15 days. Pokhara and Chitwan extensions add a further 4–5 days.
Chengdu Tibet ToursCapturing the harmony of engineering and nature: Train 0055 navigating the high-altitude permafrost zones of the Tibet Plateau, framed by the majestic Himalayas
View ItineraryCover all highlights of Tibet, start in Lhasa and exit from Gyirong Border. Take our 13-day Tibet overland group tour to Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake, EBC, Mount Kailash, exit at Gyirong Border at cheap price. Small group, stable departure, 4-star hotels.
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Tibet Nepal Toursthis 14-day Tibet Nepal overland tour is an exceptional opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural and cultural treasures of the Himalayas
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Tibet Nepal Tours10-day 4WD overland route across Tibet & Nepal. Tibetan drivers and guides, all border permits including Alien Travel Permit.
View ItineraryTibet Nepal Toursthis 14-day Tibet Nepal overland tour is an exceptional opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural and cultural treasures of the Himalayas
View ItineraryA Tibet Nepal tour is an 8–15 day combined itinerary covering both the Tibet Autonomous Region (China) and Nepal, joined at the Gyirong–Rasuwagadhi land border or by the Lhasa–Kathmandu air corridor. The Tibet leg of 5 to 9 days runs from Lhasa through Yamdrok, Shigatse and EBC; the Nepal leg of 3 to 6 days bases in Kathmandu Valley with optional Pokhara (200 km west) or Chitwan National Park (160 km southwest).
The overland route descends 4,000 m of altitude across two countries — from Lhasa (3,656 m) to Gyatso La (5,220 m) to Gyirong (2,700 m) to Kathmandu (1,400 m). This descent is itself acclimatisation in reverse and one of the most photographed road journeys in Asia.
| Direction | Border | Lhasa–Kathmandu transit |
|---|---|---|
| Overland (recommended) | Gyirong / Rasuwagadhi | 3 days incl. EBC, 4 days with extra stops |
| Direct flight | Lhasa Gonggar (LXA) → Kathmandu (KTM) | 1.5 hours, 6 weekly on Sichuan Airlines |
| Connecting flight | Via Chengdu or Chongqing | 5–7 hours total |
The Tibet leg follows the late April–early June and September–early November windows. Nepal’s headline season is October–November (post-monsoon clarity, the strongest mountain views), with a secondary March–April window for warmer weather and rhododendron bloom. The two calendars align in October and (less perfectly) April. Avoid June–August for the Nepal side: monsoon rain frequently closes the Pasang Lhamu Highway between the border and Kathmandu.
Plan 10 days minimum for the standard Tibet + Nepal combo. Permit lead time is 15 working days; Nepali visa is on-arrival or e-visa. The China-side permit must show the Gyirong border exit on its endorsement; we file this from the start.
The Tibet leg uses our Lhasa-based Tibetan team and a 4WD Land Cruiser; the Nepal leg uses our Kathmandu partner agency and an air-conditioned vehicle (the descent from 4,800 m to 1,400 m makes the heat real). The handoff is at Rasuwagadhi border post: your Tibetan guide walks you through China-side exit, you walk 700 m across no-man’s-land, your Nepali driver meets you on the Nepali side with a name board.
What we don’t do: we don’t promise a specific Lhasa–Kathmandu flight slot for tour bookings made under 6 weeks (the seat block is small); we don’t run overland departures in late June–August without a wet-weather contingency clause; and we don’t bundle the Annapurna trek into a Nepal tail (we are happy to recommend a Nepal trekking specialist for that).
An 8-day Lhasa–Yamdrok–Shigatse–EBC–Kathmandu overland group tour from USD 1,200 per person. A 13-day Lhasa–EBC–Kailash–Gyirong–Kathmandu overland from USD 2,200 per person. A 15-day Tibet + Nepal + Pokhara private tour from USD 3,200 (2-pax). Includes Tibet Travel Permit, Tibet-side hotels and 4WD, Nepal-side hotels and vehicle, both guides. Excludes Nepali visa and international flights.
Yes. Nepal issues visa-on-arrival at the Rasuwagadhi border post (USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, USD 125 for 90 days, paid in cash USD or EUR). Pre-issued e-visa is available via the Nepal Department of Immigration website if you prefer to skip the border counter. Indian passport holders are visa-exempt.
Yes, year-round, except during occasional landslide or weather closures (most common late June to mid August). The Gyirong (Kyirong) border has been the operational China–Nepal land crossing for foreign tourists since the Zhangmu border was closed by the 2015 earthquake. Tibet Daily monitors closure announcements daily and reroutes to the Lhasa–Kathmandu flight if the border is closed at your travel date.
820 km on the Tibet side (Lhasa to Gyirong border) plus 175 km on the Nepal side (Rasuwagadhi to Kathmandu via the Pasang Lhamu Highway). Typical scheduling: 5–6 days on the Tibet side with EBC, 1 day for the border day, 1 day for the descent into Kathmandu — total 7–8 days for the joined transit. Most travellers add 2–4 days in Kathmandu Valley after.
Yes — this is one of our most popular long routes. The 13-day Lhasa–EBC–Kailash–Gyirong–Kathmandu overland adds the 3-day Kailash kora to the standard Friendship Highway route. Permit lead time grows to 25 working days for the additional Aliens’ Travel Permit and Military Permit covering Ngari Prefecture.
Pick a Tibet route and decide overland or flight to Kathmandu, plus the Nepal leg duration. Send passport and Chinese visa scans. We confirm the routing within 48 hours and start permit processing on deposit. Total booking-to-departure window: 6–10 weeks, 8–12 weeks if Mount Kailash is on the itinerary.