How To Travel Tibet By Overland

Both Tibet And Nepal lure millions of tourists every year

Tibet and Lhasa Tour

Being Himalayan countries, both Tibet and Nepal lure millions of tourists every year. Among several tour packages linking Nepal to Tibet, the Tibet overland tour is one of the most popular tour packages among tourists from the globe. This tour package takes us to marvelous tourist attractions in Tibet like Mt. Kailash, Yamdruk Lake, Everest Base Camp, Potala Palace, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Street. We explore Tibetan cultural and natural heritage at our level best.

There are several ways of getting Tibet from Nepal. But, if we choose to travel overland, we need to drive from Kathmandu to the border of Tibet, Kerung. This is a private jeep drive for 8-9 hours along the China-Nepal Friendship Highway. It is a 156 km long drive. It long drive, however, this drive is scenic and pleasant. The country setting and landscapes are
spectacular. The road we drive is completely concrete and smooth.

No Solo traveler can make a Tibet tour alone. They either require making a private tour or joining a group.

We get to the Tibet border at Kerung and visit the immigration office on the Tibetan side. We get our visa and documents checked and begin another drive on the Tibetan side.

The Tibet Overland Tour begins with a private drive from Kathmandu and ends with a flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu.

From the Tibetan border, we begin a completely different tour witnessing high Tibetan plateaus, turquoise lakes, a stunning mountain panorama, holy monasteries, and age-old Tibetan civilization. Our drive in the Tibetan Plateaus offers us magnificent views of Mt. Cho Oyu ( 8201m), Mt. Xishapagma (8012m), and Mt Everest ( 8848m). We also pass Gyatchu La ( 5220m), the highest pass to get to Lhasa.

We pass through colorful Tibetan villages and valleys at Gyantse. We also visit Panchen Lama’s Tashlhumpu Monastery on the way to Lhasa. The holy stupas, monasteries, chapels, and Tibetan Buddhist murals will astonish us.

While driving from Gyantse to Lhasa, we cross two high passes The Karo La ( 5010m) and Kamba La ( 4794m). We can view an amazing serene lake
Lake Yamdrok and Brahmaputra River. On the way, we can capture a distant view of Potala Palace.

At Lhasa, we visit Sera Monastery, Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. This visit offers us significant insight into the sole Tibetan culture and civilization dominated by Buddhism.

Further, we visit Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street which are beautiful with traditional markets. The paintings, tapestries, and Thangkas will lure us to spend more time here.

Best Time to Visit Tibet

Autumn ( Sept, Oct, and Nov) is the best season to visit Tibet. Autumn has perfect weather with a comfortable temperature. Trekkers feel good to hike and visit the cities. We have clear visibility during Autumn. The sky is clear and the mountains are breathtaking. But the end of November or the beginning of Dec is cold. So, we need to prepare warm clothes to protect us from the cold. Otherwise, we will have a marvelous time during Autumn while visiting Tibet.

Can we visit Tibet independently?

There are some questions before answering this question. Do you speak the Chinese language well? Do you think you can travel this long route from Nepal to Tibet independently? Won’t it be boring for you? Do you Like Tibetan culture and tradition? Do you have an idea about Tibetan accommodation and food? If you are confirmed regarding all these things, why don't we visit Tibet independently?

How much does it Visa cost to go to Tibet?

There are different visa fees for people from different countries.

USA Nationals- USD 90

Other Nationals- USD 85

If you plan to do the Tibet Overland Tour. You must schedule to visit in Nepal at least 3 weeks before to get a Tibet Enter Permit.

Nepal Visa Information

15 days multiple entry visa – USD 25

30 days multiple entry visa – USD 40

90 days multiple entry visa – USD 100

Another cost depends on your meal, accommodation, the trip itinerary, and the service you choose in Tibet.

Tibet Accommodation

New star accommodation is emerging in Tibet these days. Like, we can get 5 5-star Grand Brahmaputra Hotel in Lhasa. Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shigatse are the major cities of Tibet that offer us star accommodation. However, most of the accommodation in Tibet is very basic.

Is Tibet a good place to visit?

No doubt, Tibet is one of the best Himalayan tourist destinations in the world. The landscapes, the hills, the lakes, the mountains, the monasteries, the people, and their culture are astonishing to experience in Tibet.

Is it safe to visit Tibet?

Yes. The people who have visited Tibet once, twice, thrice and several times say, “Tibet is safe to Travel”. We know the Dalai Lama is demanding independent Tibet. He is doing a long struggle to free Tibet from China. Sometimes, there is a conflict between China and Tibet. But, it peaceful
and safe to travel.