Kathmandu to Lhasa

The hotels and home-run hostels in Tibet are of sub-standard quality as compared to that of cities like Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai. Lhasa has some of the best hotels like the, St. Regis, Intercontinental and Shangri-La, but in Gyangtse, and Tsedang the settlements are of average standard. Facilities in remote territories like Tingri, Zhangmu, and Nagchu are fairly general as well. It'll be a smart move to carry your sleeping bags though. You can also check our hotel page.

There are not many airlines that travel to Tibet from Kathmandu. As of now, only two airlines are accessible to tourists. Sichuan Airlines and Air China. They make seven flights each week overall, and a one-way plane usually takes 1h 30m.

Air Ticket Fare: Approx. 370USD (one-way), and these prices are prone to rising substantially during the peak tourism season in Tibet (from April to October).

For the people who are not satisfied with just visiting Tibet and Kathmandu can extend their tour further. You can take either a flight or a train from Lhasa then travel to other gateway cities in mainland China, like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Guangzhou, Chengdu, etc. to explore China more deeply.

Presently, there are no trains available. But the most recent news from the meeting between the Chinese and Nepalese Premiers hinted that a railroad would be extended. Once that is finished, tourists will be able to travel from Kathmandu to Tibet via train.

Before the deadly earthquake in Nepal in May 2015, roadways were the dominant form of transport for traveling to Tibet from Kathmandu. And, the tragic event has left the Zhangmu Border inoperative, but it's known that the reopening of Zhangmu Border was put on the agenda for the tourists currently.

Fortunately, the Gyirong Port can be used as a substitute. So you may have the overland tour via Gyirong now. The route from Kathmandu to Lhasa is about a week, at least. You will have to pass by the Himalayas as well as many places on the Sino-Nepal Highway.

For entering Tibet from Kathmandu, you need China Group Visa instead of China Visa. Even if you have already obtained a valid China Visa, it would be turned to invalid.  According to the regulations, foreign travelers who go to Tibet from Nepal have to get the China Group Visa from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. It requires your original passport and an invitation email from the Tibet Tourism Bureau. The applying process usually takes three working days. It's a single-entry visa with validity at most 60 days, which means you could travel to other parts of China after your Tibet trip. We have long-term partners in Kathmandu who can help you get it. You just need to send us your passport copy by email. Then, we will handle the rest things for you.

The distance between Kathmandu (1,400m) in Nepal to Lhasa (3,658m) in Tibet is 609 km.

• a. When you land in Lhasa, take a decent time to rest and don't hurry to visit attractions.
• b. Avoid all vigorous activities and having a light diet on the first day itself.
• c. Avoid smoking and liquor.
• d. To avoid catching a cold, don't take a bath or showers too often.
• e. It's normal to experience some fluid loss and energy drain after acclimatization, so drink enough water and eat substances with high caloric substances, like chocolate.