JPY
English
Current park time · GMT+8 Wed, Oct 28, 2026, 14:24 Shown in the park’s local time (Beijing Time, GMT+8). Please confirm your visit date accordingly to avoid choosing the wrong date or time slot.
Announcements
The permit is usually declared together with your entry dates and route; submit once your plans are fixed and allow ample processing time.Foreign travellers need a Tibet Travel Permit to enter Tibet; the Everest, Ngari, Yadong and Zhangmu directions also require a border pass.During peak periods volumes are high and processing may take longer; for trips close to departure choose express and confirm acceptance in advance.

Home / Travel Guide / Lhasa to Kathmandu overland via Gyirong

Lhasa to Kathmandu overland via Gyirong

Guide details

GyirongKathmanduNepalBorder areas 45 views 2026-10-28 08:53:47

Route

The overland route from Lhasa to Kathmandu runs by road to Gyirong town on the Nepali border. Travellers with a valid passport and Nepali visa do not need a separate border pass for this crossing.

What to expect at the border

After crossing the suspension bridge you enter Nepal and must get a Nepali entry stamp; the immigration office is about 1.5 km from the bridge. Leaving Nepal requires an exit stamp in the same way.

Onward transport

From the border it is a short walk to immigration, then about 20 km to the small town where country buses leave the next morning; the ride to Kathmandu takes around seven hours.

Money and time

There is a time difference of about 2 hours 15 minutes between China and Nepal, so adjust your watch. Rules on how much cash may be carried across the border are enforced, so declare properly and stay within the limits.

Before you go

Get the Nepali visa in Lhasa first if you plan to travel overland, keep copies of your documents, and allow a spare day in case weather or road conditions delay the crossing.

Related Guides

Nepal to Tibet: by air or overland

Entering Tibet from Nepal by air or overland, including the option of connecting through a mainland city.
18 Save

Border passes and border-area travel

Where a border pass is required, how to arrange it with the permit, and the usual travel restrictions.
42 Save

Shigatse and the Everest region: a practical guide

The classic route from Lhasa to Shigatse, what you see along the way, and the border pass you need for the Everest direction.
39 Save
← Previous: Off-season Tibet: ticket prices, weather and what to expect Next: Beijing to Lhasa: flights, trains and timing →
Apply Now More Guides

Related Tickets

Tibet Travel Permit (Standard)
Tibet Permit

Tibet Travel Permit (Standard)

Standard Tibet Travel Permit processing for foreign travellers. Submit documents and pay online, a coordinator follows up on review and declaration, and the permit is delivered electronically.
50 Save
Tibet Travel Permit (Express)
Tibet Permit

Tibet Travel Permit (Express)

Express Tibet Travel Permit processing for trips confirmed close to departure, using priority acceptance and declaration to shorten the cycle; material requirements are unchanged.
35 Save
Tibet Travel Permit + Border Pass
Combined

Tibet Travel Permit + Border Pass

For itineraries entering border directions such as Everest, Ngari, Yadong or Zhangmu, the permit and border pass are declared and processed together.
27 Save
Tibet Travel Permit (Group)
Groups

Tibet Travel Permit (Group)

Group processing for ten or more travellers on the same dates and itinerary, with a complete name list submitted for a single declaration.
9 Save

FAQ

How do I get to Tibet from Nepal?
You can fly Kathmandu–Lhasa directly or enter overland through Gyirong. Another option is to fly first to Chengdu, Guangzhou or Xian, obtain the permit and then continue by air or rail. Either way the permit must be declared through the receiving service in advance, with the itinerary arranged.
How does the overland route from Lhasa to Kathmandu work?
Exit through the Gyirong port: drive from Lhasa to Gyirong town, cross the suspension bridge into Nepal and get an entry stamp at the immigration office about 1.5 km from the border, then take a country bus from the nearby town the next morning — about seven hours to Kathmandu. A valid passport and Nepali visa usually mean no separate border pass is needed.
What is the difference between the permit and a border pass?
The permit covers entering Tibet; the border pass covers entering border areas such as Everest, Ngari, Yadong and Zhangmu. They cover different scopes, and itineraries touching border areas usually need both.
Is a border pass the same as the Tibet Travel Permit?
No. The Tibet Travel Permit covers entry to Tibet itself, while the border pass covers border areas such as the Everest direction, Ngari, Yadong and Zhangmu. They are issued and checked separately, and itineraries that touch border areas normally need both.
Customer Service
Online · Instant reply
×
Leave a message