Tibet

Tibet travel guide: planning a tour from Nepal

For centuries, Tibet was one of the most isolated places on Earth, a high plateau ringed by the Himalaya, the Kunlun and the Karakoram, reached only by long caravan journeys. Today it is easier to visit, but it has lost none of its sense of wonder. Monasteries cling to hillsides above wide valleys, pilgrims prostrate themselves around sacred temples, turquoise lakes shine under deep blue skies, and the north face of Mount Everest rises above the Rongbuk valley.

This Tibet travel guide covers what you need to visit from Nepal: permits and visas, getting there, what to see in Lhasa and beyond, the overland route, the Kailash pilgrimage, when to go, altitude and practical tips. It is written by the Himalayan Hiking team in Kathmandu, who arrange Tibet tours every season.

Tibet at a glance

Permits and visas for Tibet

Travel to Tibet is more regulated than travel to Nepal or most of China. Foreign visitors cannot travel independently; you must book an organised tour with a licensed agency, with a set itinerary, a licensed Tibetan guide and private transport arranged in advance. The main documents are:

• Chinese visa: travellers entering Tibet from Nepal usually need a Chinese group visa, issued by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu through a tour operator. It is a separate document listing all members of the group, and any existing individual Chinese visa in your passport may not be valid for this route. Processing takes several working days, so plan to arrive in Kathmandu early.
• Tibet Travel Permit: required for all foreign visitors and arranged by the tour operator before your trip. It is needed to board flights or trains to Lhasa and at the border.
• Additional permits: travel outside Lhasa, for example to Everest Base Camp or Mount Kailash, requires further permits, such as an Aliens' Travel Permit and, for some border areas, a military permit. These are also arranged by your tour operator.

Regulations can change at short notice, and Tibet occasionally closes to foreign visitors for periods, often around February and March. We confirm the latest rules when you enquire and handle all the paperwork.

How to get to Tibet from Nepal

By air: Kathmandu to Lhasa

The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa Gonggar Airport takes about an hour and a half and crosses the main Himalayan range. On a clear day, you fly directly over the main Himalayan range, with views of Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and other giants. Flying is the quickest option, but it takes you from about 1,400 m in Kathmandu to 3,650 m in Lhasa in a single step, so you must allow time to acclimatise on arrival.

Overland: Kathmandu to Kerung

The overland route crosses the border at Rasuwagadhi–Kerung (Gyirong), north of Kathmandu through the Langtang area. From Kerung, the journey continues across the plateau via Tingri, with a side trip to Everest Base Camp, then through Shigatse and Gyantse to Lhasa. The drive takes around a week and allows a more gradual adjustment to altitude, making it a good choice for travellers who want to see the great sights between the border and Lhasa.

By train

Travellers coming from mainland China can reach Lhasa on the Qinghai–Tibet Railway, one of the highest railways in the world. Most of our guests travel from Nepal by air or overland.

Highlights of Lhasa

Potala Palace

The Potala Palace rises thirteen storeys above Lhasa on Red Hill. You'll recognise it the moment you see it. Built in its present form in the 17th century, it was the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and the seat of the Tibetan government. Its white and red palaces contain hundreds of rooms, chapels, tombs of past Dalai Lamas and countless statues and murals. Visits are timed and limited, so your guide will book your entry in advance.

Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor

The Jokhang Temple is the holiest temple in Tibet and houses the revered Jowo Shakyamuni statue. Pilgrims from across Tibet come to prostrate in front of its doors, and the Barkhor, the circuit around the temple, is always busy with pilgrims spinning prayer wheels, market stalls and incense burners. Join the pilgrims walking the kora at dusk. It's the part of Lhasa most people remember.

Sera and Drepung monasteries

On the outskirts of Lhasa, Sera Monastery is famous for its afternoon debates, when monks in the courtyard challenge each other on Buddhist philosophy, finishing each point with a loud clap. Drepung Monastery, once one of the largest monasteries in the world, spreads across a hillside with views over the valley.

Norbulingka

The Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, is a peaceful park with palaces and gardens, especially pleasant in summer.

Beyond Lhasa: the classic overland route

Yamdrok Lake

South-west of Lhasa, the road crosses the Kamba La pass to a viewpoint above Yamdrok Tso, one of Tibet's sacred lakes, whose turquoise waters wind between brown hills beneath the glaciers of Nojin Kangsang.

Gyantse

The historic town of Gyantse is dominated by its hilltop fort and the Pelkor Chode Monastery, with the great Kumbum stupa, whose many chapels contain thousands of Buddhist images.

Shigatse

Shigatse, Tibet's second-largest city, is home to Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas, with a giant statue of the Future Buddha, Maitreya.

Everest Base Camp (north side)

From Shigatse, the road continues west across high passes to the Rongbuk valley and Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side, at around 5,000 m. Unlike the Nepal side, you can drive here, and nothing blocks the view of Everest's north face rising above the Rongbuk Glacier. Rongbuk Monastery, nearby, is one of the highest monasteries on Earth. Access arrangements at base camp are set by the authorities and may change.

Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar

In far western Tibet, Mount Kailash (6,638 m) is one of the most sacred mountains in the world, revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and followers of the Bon religion. It has never been climbed. Pilgrims walk the Kailash kora, a circuit of about 52 kilometres around the mountain, crossing the Drolma La pass at around 5,600 m, usually over three days. Nearby, Lake Mansarovar, at about 4,590 m, is a holy lake where pilgrims bathe and pray.

The journey to Kailash is long and demanding, whether overland from Lhasa or via the Kerung border from Nepal, or through far-western Nepal via Simikot and Hilsa. It requires special permits and good acclimatisation. For Hindu pilgrims, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is one of the most important pilgrimages of a lifetime.

Sample Tibet itineraries

Most tours from Nepal fly one way and travel overland the other, or fly both ways for a shorter trip. We tailor every itinerary to your interests and the latest permit rules.

Best time to visit Tibet

• April–May: the season opens, days warm up and skies are often clear; a good time for Everest views.
• June–August: the warmest months. Tibet lies in the rain shadow of the Himalaya and receives much less monsoon rain than Nepal, though some afternoon showers occur. Festivals such as the Saga Dawa (usually May–June) and the Shoton festival (usually August) bring colour.
• September–October: clear skies, stable weather and excellent visibility; one of the best times for Everest Base Camp and Kailash.
• November–March: cold, dry and clear, with few visitors. Lhasa is pleasant on sunny days, but high passes are very cold. Tibet may be closed to foreigners for some weeks, often in February and March.

Altitude and health

Altitude is the most important health consideration in Tibet. Lhasa is at about 3,650 m, Shigatse at around 3,850 m, and Everest Base Camp and the Kailash kora go well above 5,000 m. Everyone must acclimatise. Our tours include at least two easy days in Lhasa on arrival and a gradual ascent on overland routes. Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol and heavy exertion for the first days, and tell your guide about any symptoms such as headache, nausea or breathlessness.

If you have heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions, consult your doctor before booking. Travel insurance covering high altitude and medical evacuation is essential. The sun and dry air are intense, so bring sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm and moisturiser.

Accommodation and food

Lhasa and Shigatse have a good range of hotels, from comfortable Tibetan-style boutique hotels to international chains. In smaller towns such as Tingri and near Everest Base Camp, accommodation is simpler guesthouses, and on the Kailash kora you stay in basic guesthouses or tented camps.

Tibetan food is hearty and suited to the cold climate: tsampa (roasted barley flour), momos, thukpa noodle soup, yak meat dishes and the famous butter tea. In Lhasa, many restaurants also serve Chinese, Nepali and Western food, and vegetarian options are widely available.

Culture and etiquette

• Walk clockwise around temples, monasteries, stupas and sacred mountains.
• Remove hats inside temples and follow your guide's advice on photography, which is often restricted or requires a fee.
• Do not touch religious objects, statues or the heads of people.
• Dress modestly and ask before photographing people.
• Avoid political discussions and do not bring politically sensitive materials, including images of the Dalai Lama, which are prohibited.
• Follow your guide's instructions at checkpoints; your permits are checked regularly.

What to pack for Tibet

• Warm layers, including a down jacket, even in summer, as nights are cold at altitude.
• Comfortable walking shoes, and trekking boots for the Kailash kora.
• Sun protection: sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, high-factor sunscreen and lip balm.
• Moisturiser and a refillable water bottle for the dry air.
• Personal medication and a basic first-aid kit.
• Photocopies of your passport; your guide will hold the group visa and permits.

Combining Tibet with Nepal

Tibet combines naturally with Nepal. A popular route flies from Kathmandu to Lhasa, explores the city, then travels overland via Everest Base Camp back to the Nepal border, or the reverse. You can also add a trek in Nepal before or after your Tibet tour, or combine Tibet with a Kathmandu Valley tour and a flight to Bhutan for a three-country Himalayan journey.

Tibetan Buddhism and monastic life

Buddhism reached Tibet in the 7th and 8th centuries and developed into a distinctive tradition, often called Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism, with several major schools, including the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug. Monasteries were for centuries the centres of learning, art and community life, and many still house hundreds of monks. On a Tibet tour you will visit temples filled with butter lamps, statues and wall paintings, hear monks chanting, and see pilgrims performing prostrations, spinning prayer wheels and walking the kora, the clockwise circuit around sacred places. Your guide will explain the symbolism of the deities, mandalas and rituals you encounter.

Samye Monastery and Namtso Lake

Two of the best trips from Lhasa are off the main overland route. Samye Monastery, south-east of Lhasa in the Yarlung valley, is considered the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, founded in the 8th century with the help of the Indian teachers Shantarakshita and Guru Rinpoche. Its layout represents the Buddhist universe, with a central temple surrounded by chapels and stupas. North of Lhasa, Namtso is one of the highest large lakes in the world, at around 4,700 m, a vast turquoise expanse beneath the snow peaks of the Nyenchen Tanglha range, with nomads' tents and grazing yaks on its shores. Both can be added to a Lhasa tour for an extra day or two.

Festivals in Tibet

Tibet's festivals follow the Tibetan lunar calendar. Losar, the Tibetan New Year, usually falls in February or March and is celebrated with family gatherings and prayers, although Tibet may be closed to foreign visitors at this time. Saga Dawa, usually in May or June, commemorates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death; pilgrims crowd the koras in Lhasa and around Mount Kailash, where a great prayer pole is raised. The Shoton Festival, usually in August, begins with the unveiling of a giant thangka at Drepung Monastery at dawn, followed by Tibetan opera performances in the Norbulingka. In summer, horse-racing festivals take place in some nomadic areas. Festival dates change each year, so ask us for the dates during your travel window.

Photography in Tibet

Tibet's clear air and strong light make it a great place for photography, from the Potala Palace at dusk to the north face of Everest at sunrise. Inside many temples and monasteries, photography is not allowed or requires a fee, and it is forbidden in some areas and at checkpoints. Always ask before photographing people, particularly pilgrims and monks, and respect a refusal. Drones are not permitted without special authorisation. Your guide will explain the rules at each site.

What does a Tibet tour cost?

Tibet tours cost more than independent travel in Nepal because regulations require every visitor to travel with a licensed guide, private transport and permits for the entire itinerary. The price depends on the length of the tour, the route, group size, hotel standard, whether you fly or travel overland, and the season. Most packages include the Chinese group visa, Tibet Travel Permit and other permits, guide, vehicle and driver, hotels, entrance fees and some meals. Flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa are limited and should be booked early. Joining a group tour reduces costs for solo travellers.

Money and communication in Tibet

The currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY). ATMs are available in Lhasa and Shigatse, and mobile payment apps are widely used in China, although foreign cards may not always work with them. Carry some cash for small purchases, especially outside Lhasa. Mobile coverage is good in towns and along main roads. Many international websites and apps are blocked in China, so plan your communication and downloads in advance.

Tibet for older travellers and families

Tibet can be enjoyed by older travellers and families, with careful planning. The main consideration is altitude: choose an itinerary with plenty of time in Lhasa before travelling higher, avoid strenuous activity in the first days, and consult a doctor before booking if you have health conditions. Overland entry from Nepal, although longer, allows a more gradual ascent. Children adapt to altitude as well as adults but may not describe their symptoms clearly, so parents should watch them closely.

Life on the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau, sometimes called the "Third Pole", is the largest and highest plateau on Earth. Its thin air, strong sunlight and cold, dry climate have shaped a way of life adapted to extremes. In the river valleys, farmers grow highland barley, the staple of Tibetan food, while on the high grasslands nomadic herders move their yaks, sheep and goats between seasonal pastures, living in black yak-hair tents. Yaks provide milk, butter, cheese, wool, leather, fuel and transport, and are central to life on the plateau. Travelling overland, you pass whitewashed farmhouses decorated with prayer flags, herds of yaks on vast pastures and mani stones carved with prayers at the top of every pass.

Everest from Tibet or Nepal?

Many travellers wonder whether to see Everest from Tibet or from Nepal. On the Tibetan side, you can drive to the Everest Base Camp area, so non-trekkers can go too, and the north face rises straight out of the Rongbuk valley in front of you. On the Nepal side, reaching Everest Base Camp requires a trek of around two weeks or a helicopter tour, but you walk through Sherpa villages and monasteries with close views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Nuptse along the way. They're very different, and some travellers do both: trekking in Nepal and then travelling overland through Tibet.

Travelling responsibly in Tibet

Tibet's culture and environment are fragile. Respect the customs of pilgrims and monks, dress modestly at religious sites, ask before taking photographs and follow your guide's advice on local rules. Support Tibetan-owned businesses where possible, including guesthouses, restaurants and handicraft shops. Avoid single-use plastic, carry rubbish away from remote areas such as Everest Base Camp and the Kailash kora, and stay on established paths to protect the thin alpine vegetation.

Tibetan handicrafts and souvenirs

The Barkhor in Lhasa is the best place to shop for Tibetan handicrafts, including thangka paintings, prayer wheels, singing bowls, Tibetan carpets, turquoise and coral jewellery, yak-wool textiles and incense. Bargaining is normal. Always buy from reputable shops, and check with your guide about export restrictions on antiques and religious objects.

Book your Tibet tour with Himalayan Hiking

Himalayan Hiking is based in Kathmandu. We work with licensed partners in Tibet to arrange Lhasa tours, overland journeys to Everest Base Camp and Mount Kailash pilgrimages, handling the Chinese group visa, Tibet Travel Permit, additional permits, flights, transport, hotels and licensed Tibetan guides. Contact us with your preferred dates, and we will confirm the latest regulations and send a detailed itinerary and quote.