Travelling to Tibet from Nepal: Permits, Routes, Lhasa and Everest North Side

Tibet, the "Roof of the World", has fascinated travellers for centuries. Its high plateau, averaging over 4,000 m, is a land of vast skies, turquoise lakes, snow peaks, ancient monasteries and a deeply spiritual Buddhist culture. Most visitors come for three things: the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the pilgrims circling the Jokhang Temple, and Everest's north face from Rongbuk.

Kathmandu is one of the main gateways to Tibet, with flights to Lhasa and an overland route via the Kerung border. But travel to Tibet is different from travel anywhere else: foreigners cannot travel independently, special permits and a group visa are required, and rules can change at short notice. Here's how Tibet travel from Nepal works: the routes, what to see and how to prepare.

Tibet at a glance

Visas and permits: how it works

Tibet is an autonomous region of China, and foreign travellers need several documents:

• Chinese group visa: travellers entering Tibet from Nepal receive a Chinese group visa, a separate paper document issued by the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu for the tour group. If you already have a Chinese visa in your passport, it is usually cancelled. The group visa requires your original passport in Kathmandu for several working days.
• Tibet Travel Permit: required for all foreigners, arranged by the Tibetan tour operator.
• Aliens' Travel Permit and border permits: required for areas outside Lhasa, such as Everest Base Camp, Kailash and western Tibet.

You cannot apply for these yourself; a licensed agency arranges them as part of your tour. Send your passport details early, often 30 days before travel, and keep your plans flexible, as Tibet can close to foreigners at short notice, particularly around sensitive anniversaries and in February–March.

Getting from Nepal to Tibet

By air: Kathmandu to Lhasa

Flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa Gonggar Airport take about an hour and fifteen minutes and cross the Himalaya, Everest included on a clear day (sit on the right side flying to Lhasa for the main range). Flying is the quickest option, but you arrive at 3,650 m directly from 1,400 m, so the first days in Lhasa must be restful.

Overland: Kerung (Rasuwagadhi)

The main overland crossing is at Rasuwagadhi–Kerung, north of Kathmandu via Syabrubesi. After the 2015 earthquake damaged the older Kodari–Zhangmu crossing, Kerung became the main route. The drive from Kathmandu to the border takes a day, and on the Tibetan side, you continue through Kerung to the plateau. The overland route allows more gradual acclimatisation and is often used for Kailash tours and for returning from Lhasa. Road conditions on the Nepali side can be affected by landslides in the monsoon.

Highlights of Tibet

Lhasa

Lhasa, the "Place of the Gods", is the spiritual and political heart of Tibet. The Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, rises thirteen storeys above the city, with more than a thousand rooms, chapels and tombs of past Dalai Lamas. Visits are timed and limited, and your guide will book your entry. The Jokhang Temple, Tibet's most sacred temple, houses the Jowo Shakyamuni statue, and pilgrims prostrate themselves outside its doors. Around it, the Barkhor pilgrim circuit is full of prayer wheels, incense and market stalls. The great monasteries of Sera, famous for its afternoon monk debates, and Drepung, once the largest monastery in the world, are on the edge of the city. The summer palace of Norbulingka and the Tibet Museum complete the picture.

Yamdrok Lake and Gyantse

West of Lhasa, the road climbs over the Kamba La (about 4,790 m) to a view of Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet's sacred lakes, its turquoise water snaking between mountains. Beyond the Karola glacier, the town of Gyantse has the Pelkor Chode Monastery and the famous Kumbum, a multi-storey stupa containing dozens of chapels filled with murals.

Shigatse

Tibet's second city, Shigatse, is home to Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama, with a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha and gold-roofed chapels.

Everest Base Camp (north side)

From Shigatse, the road crosses high passes with panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu to Rongbuk Monastery (about 4,980 m), said to be one of the highest monasteries in the world, and the Everest Base Camp area on the north side (about 5,200 m). Unlike the Nepal side, you can drive to the Tibetan base camp, and nothing blocks the view of Everest's north face rising above the Rongbuk Glacier. Accommodation is in basic guesthouses or a tent camp. Visitors are taken by eco-bus to the viewpoint area.

Mount Kailash

In far western Tibet, Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are among the most sacred places in Asia. We cover this in our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra guide.

Sample itineraries

Lhasa tour (5–6 days)

Fly Kathmandu–Lhasa, spend three to four days exploring Lhasa's monasteries and palaces, with a day trip to Yamdrok Lake or Namtso, and fly back. The full itinerary is on our Lhasa tour from Kathmandu page.

Lhasa to Everest Base Camp (8–10 days)

Our Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tour page has the day-by-day plan.

Altitude in Tibet

Altitude is the main health challenge in Tibet. Lhasa is at 3,650 m, and much of the route to Everest is above 4,000 m, with passes over 5,000 m. Almost everyone feels some effects, such as headaches, breathlessness and poor sleep, especially in the first days. Rest on your first day in Lhasa, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, walk slowly and tell your guide about symptoms. Consider altitude medication after consulting your doctor. People with heart or lung conditions should get medical advice before booking. Read our altitude sickness guide.

Best time to visit Tibet

• April–May: spring, clear skies, fewer tourists; Saga Dawa festival in May or June.
• June–August: the warmest months and peak season; some rain, but the plateau is mostly dry.
• September–October: clear, crisp and beautiful; excellent for Everest views.
• November–March: very cold; Tibet may close to foreigners for part of February and March.

A day in Lhasa

A typical day in Lhasa begins early at the Barkhor, where pilgrims from across Tibet walk clockwise around the Jokhang Temple, spinning prayer wheels, fingering prayer beads and murmuring mantras. Some prostrate their full length on the stones, rising and falling in a rhythm that has continued for centuries. Juniper smoke drifts from large incense burners, and the smell of butter lamps fills the air. Inside the Jokhang, the atmosphere is intense and devotional, with pilgrims queuing to touch their foreheads to the Jowo Shakyamuni statue, said to have been brought to Tibet in the 7th century.

After lunch, perhaps a bowl of thukpa or momos in a Tibetan teahouse, you visit the Potala Palace at your allotted time, climbing the long staircases to the White and Red Palaces, where the tombs of past Dalai Lamas are covered in gold and jewels. In the late afternoon, many visitors go to Sera Monastery to watch the monks' debate in a shaded courtyard, where they clap their hands and stamp their feet to emphasise their arguments about Buddhist philosophy. In the evening, the Potala is illuminated, and the square in front of it fills with families and pilgrims.

Life on the Tibetan Plateau

Beyond Lhasa, much of Tibet is a vast, sparsely populated plateau of grasslands, mountains and lakes. Nomadic herders (drokpa) live in black yak-hair tents for part of the year, moving their herds of yaks, sheep and goats between summer and winter pastures. In farming valleys, villages grow barley, the staple crop used to make tsampa, and houses are built of stone and mud with flat roofs stacked with yak-dung fuel. Prayer flags flutter from every pass and rooftop, and chortens and mani walls mark the roadsides. Driving across the plateau, you may see wild asses (kiang), Tibetan gazelles, marmots and black-necked cranes, as well as distant snow peaks on every horizon.

Food in Tibet

Tibetan food is hearty and designed for the cold and altitude. Staples include tsampa (roasted barley flour mixed with butter tea), thukpa (noodle soup), momos, shabhaley (fried meat pies), yak meat, dried cheese and butter tea (po cha), which is salty and rich. Sweet tea, a milky tea, is popular in Lhasa's teahouses. Lhasa also has many Chinese, Nepali and Indian restaurants, and hotels serve international breakfasts. On the road to Everest, food is simpler, often Chinese-style rice and stir-fries. Vegetarian options are available but less common than in Nepal; tell your guide your needs in advance.

Accommodation

In Lhasa, Shigatse and Gyantse, hotels range from comfortable three-star properties to international five-star hotels, many with oxygen supply in rooms. Further west, towns such as Tingri, Old Tingri and Saga have simpler hotels. At Everest Base Camp on the north side, visitors stay in the guesthouse at Rongbuk Monastery or in basic tented or hotel accommodation near the base camp area, depending on current regulations. Nights there are very cold, even in summer, so warm clothing and a good sleeping bag are useful.

Combining Tibet with Nepal

Tibet and Nepal combine naturally. Many travellers fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa, travel overland across Tibet to Everest's north side, and return to Nepal via the Kerung border, seeing Everest from both sides on one trip. Others add Tibet to a Nepal trek, a Bhutan tour or the Kailash pilgrimage. Because the Chinese group visa and permits require time and your original passport in Kathmandu, plan a few days in Kathmandu before your Tibet departure, perhaps visiting the Kathmandu Valley's heritage sites. See our Bhutan guide and Kailash guide.

Everest from Tibet vs Nepal

Costs of a Tibet tour

A Tibet tour from Nepal includes the group visa and permits, a licensed Tibetan guide, a private vehicle and driver, hotels, entrance fees and usually breakfast. Flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa are often quoted separately, as fares vary. Costs depend on group size, hotel standard and itinerary length: a Lhasa-only tour is the cheapest option, while tours to Everest Base Camp, Kailash or western Tibet cost more because of distances and permits. Small groups share vehicle and guide costs, so joining a group departure can reduce the price.

Packing for Tibet

• Warm layers, a down jacket, hat and gloves, even in summer.
• Sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen and lip balm for the intense sun.
• Moisturiser and saline nasal spray for the very dry air.
• Comfortable walking shoes.
• Personal medications, including altitude medication if prescribed.
• Snacks and a refillable water bottle.
• Photocopies of your passport and permits.

Namtso Lake and beyond

With an extra day or two, many visitors travel north from Lhasa to Namtso, one of the highest large saltwater lakes in the world at about 4,718 m. The drive crosses the Largen La pass, with views of the Nyenchen Tanglha range, before descending to the vast, sky-blue lake surrounded by grasslands where nomads graze their yaks. Pilgrims walk around the Tashi Dor peninsula, dotted with caves, prayer flags and mani stones. Because of its altitude, Namtso is best visited after a few days of acclimatisation in Lhasa, and most visitors return to Lhasa the same day or stay in basic guesthouses. Further afield, Samye, Tibet's first monastery, and Ganden, on a mountain ridge east of Lhasa, make good day trips.

Common questions about Tibet

Can I travel alone in Tibet? You can book a private tour as a single traveller, but you will always be with a licensed guide; independent travel is not permitted. Is there internet? Yes, in hotels and on mobile networks, but many international websites and apps are blocked, so set up alternatives before you go. Can I use cards? Mobile payment apps dominate in China, and foreign cards are accepted in some hotels, but carry cash in Chinese yuan for small purchases. Is it safe? Tibet is generally safe for visitors on organised tours; follow your guide's advice and local regulations. Can I visit monasteries freely? Most major monasteries are open to visitors, with entrance fees and some photography restrictions.

Responsible travel in Tibet

Travelling responsibly in Tibet means respecting the culture, the environment and the rules. Choose a tour operator that employs Tibetan guides and drivers, eat in Tibetan-run restaurants and buy crafts from Tibetan artisans. Be sensitive when photographing pilgrims and monks, and never pay for staged photos of children. Avoid discussing politics with local people, which could put them at risk. Keep to marked areas in fragile environments such as lakeshores and grasslands, and take your rubbish with you.

The overland journey from Lhasa to Kathmandu

Many travellers end their Tibet tour with the overland drive from Lhasa back to Kathmandu via Everest Base Camp and the Kerung border, one of the great road journeys of Asia. Over four to six days, the route crosses the heart of the Tibetan Plateau, with passes above 5,000 m, sweeping views of Shishapangma, Cho Oyu and Everest, and nights in Gyantse, Shigatse and near Rongbuk or Tingri. From Tingri, the road runs west to Kerung, descending dramatically from the arid plateau into forested valleys as it approaches the Nepal border. After crossing into Nepal at Rasuwagadhi, the road follows the Trishuli River back to Kathmandu. Driving down from the plateau also helps with altitude, as you descend gradually over several days.

Photography in Tibet

The light in Tibet is something else: thin, clear air, deep blue skies and landscapes that go on forever. Photograph sunrise and sunset on Everest's north face from Rongbuk, turquoise Yamdrok Lake from the Kamba La, prayer flags on the high passes and pilgrims at the Jokhang. Photography inside many monasteries and chapels is prohibited or requires a fee, and filming of police, military and checkpoints is forbidden. Always ask pilgrims and monks before photographing them, and respect their wishes. Carry spare batteries, as cold drains them quickly at altitude.

Tibetan Buddhism: a short introduction

Understanding a little of Tibetan Buddhism makes a visit to Tibet far richer. Buddhism arrived in Tibet in the 7th and 8th centuries, blending with the older Bon religion, and developed into several schools, including the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug traditions. The Gelug school, headed by the Dalai Lama, became dominant from the 17th century, when the Potala Palace was built. Tibetan Buddhism emphasises compassion, meditation and the guidance of teachers (lamas), and uses rich rituals, mantras such as om mani padme hum, prayer wheels, prayer flags and elaborate art to express its teachings. Pilgrimage, circumambulation and offerings are central to daily religious life, and you will see these practices everywhere, from the Barkhor in Lhasa to remote monasteries on the plateau. Your guide can explain the symbolism of the paintings, statues and rituals you see.

Booking your Tibet tour

Because of permit requirements, book your Tibet tour at least four to six weeks in advance, and longer for peak summer months or trips to Kailash. Your agency will ask for a scanned passport copy and visa details early, then your original passport in Kathmandu a few days before departure for the group visa. Allow at least three working days in Kathmandu before your departure date. Build flexibility into your plans in case of permit delays or sudden closures, and make sure your travel insurance covers Tibet and high altitude.

Money and connectivity in Tibet

The currency in Tibet is the Chinese yuan (renminbi). Exchange money in Kathmandu before departure or at banks in Lhasa, and carry cash for small purchases, as mobile payment apps are the norm and foreign cards are not always accepted. Mobile coverage is good in towns and along main roads, and hotels provide Wi-Fi, but many international websites and apps, including popular messaging and social media services, are blocked in China. Download what you need before you travel and inform family that you may be harder to reach. Tipping guides and drivers is customary and appreciated.

Is Tibet worth it?

For travellers fascinated by Buddhism, high landscapes and ancient culture, absolutely. The Potala Palace, the pilgrims of the Barkhor and Everest's north face are the three sights people remember. Accept the permit rules and altitude with patience, and Tibet will reward you richly.

Tipping and etiquette with your guide

Your Tibetan guide and driver are essential to your journey, handling permits, checkpoints and logistics. Tipping at the end of the tour is customary; ask your agency for current guidance on appropriate amounts.

Travel rules and etiquette in Tibet

• Stay with your licensed guide; independent travel is not allowed.
• Carry your passport and permits at all times; there are many checkpoints.
• Avoid discussing politics or displaying images of the Dalai Lama, which are prohibited.
• Photography is restricted in some monasteries and not allowed of police or military.
• Walk clockwise around temples, stupas and prayer wheels.
• Dress modestly and remove hats in temples.
• Respect pilgrims and their rituals.