When planning a trip between Nepal and Tibet, there are two options to consider: from Nepal to Tibet or from Tibet to Nepal. So which is the better option? Our advice is to choose the Tibet to Nepal route as the best way to travel.
Travelling to Tibet from Nepal saves time.
When planning an overland trip to the Tibetan Plateau, time is crucial. Travelling from Nepal to Tibet takes longer than the reverse journey. Starting in Nepal and crossing Tibet requires an additional 3-5 days due to the minimum 3-day wait for a Tibet entry visa. Obtaining a Chinese group visa in Kathmandu takes around 3 working days. Only your travel agency can apply for the visa. Therefore, upon arrival in Nepal, wait at least 3 working days before beginning your Tibet tour. Be aware of altitude changes and the risk of lung disease.
Tibet Autonomous Region is the highest area on Earth, averaging 4,500 m. Unlike Nepal, it has a much lower elevation. The journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa involves a steep climb, increasing the risk of altitude sickness when ascending quickly to the Tibetan Plateau from Nepal.
Entering Tibet From Kyirong Port
Tourists enter Tibet from Nepal through Gyirong Port and continue their journey through Gyirong County. Kathmandu is 1,400 meters above sea level, while Gyirong port is 1,850 meters above sea level.
The town of Gyirong, which is about 25 kilometres from the port, is located at an altitude of 2,700 meters. Usually, the trip from Kathmandu to Tibet includes a night stop here before going to EBC or Kailash, which is about 70 kilometres from the city and at an altitude of 4,200 meters.
Experience high-altitude climbing from Gyirong village (2,700m) to Everest Base Camp (5,200m). Gain 2,700 meters in elevation in just 70 kilometres. Cross Gawula Pass (5,211m) to Tingri (4,348m) and spend the night.
In the upcoming days, you will journey through various mountain passes and towns, including Gyatsola Pass, Tsola Pass, Shigatse, Simila Pass, Gampala, Gyantse, and Lhasa. If you’re visiting Kailash from Nepal, you will also pass through Zhongba County before reaching Manasarovar Lake in Darchen.
Mount Kailash, a vital pilgrimage site in Asia.
When going from Tibet to Nepal, it’s recommended to adjust to the altitude at EBC or Mt. Kailash. After arriving in Lhasa, spend a few days in the highlands before crossing the plains. This is crucial because the journey involves climbing above 5,000 meters in several places. Departing from Lhasa, stop at Gyantse (3,977m) and Shigatse (3,900m) to acclimatize. Then, reach Tingri at 4,390 meters before reaching EBC. From there, the journey to Kathmandu involves descending, making it easier in terms of altitude.
No overnight stay at EBC when travelling from Nepal to Tibet.
When you travel from Lhasa to Kathmandu, because you are familiar with the altitude before you leave Lhasa, you will be more interested as you travel on land, gradually increasing to EBC. This means that, since you must be familiar with the place immediately, you can spend the night at EBC, the base camp at the foot of the highest mountain in the world. This allows you to take great sunset and sunrise photos of the orange lights on the hillside. You will also be able to see many of the visible stars at this altitude, including our own galaxy, the Milky Way. But you can have the experience of staying in a traditional mobile tent in a famous guest house. It is not recommended for travellers from Nepal to Tibet to spend the night in EBC.
When you travel from Kathmandu to Lhasa, you won’t have extra days to make it to the top, which means you won’t be able to spend the night at the base camp. Instead, you will depart from Gyirong and go to the base camp, then leave in the afternoon to stop for the night at Tigri on the way to Shigatse. This means that you will miss out on some popular parts of the trip to EBC. Small group tours to Mount Kailash are not available in Nepal
Another option for a short tour from Lhasa to Kathmandu is the option of taking a longer tour around Mount Kailash, before crossing the border into Nepal. However, the short tour from Kathmandu to Lhasa does not make the long journey to Mount Kailash for a tour around the holy mountain, which means you will need to book a tour if you want to do this tour. Excursion to Mount Kailash and then to EBC and Lhasa from Kathmandu is an expensive option, not an economical one.
Flexible travel routes
For all cycling enthusiasts, cross-country skiing is one of the most remarkable cycling routes on the planet. Cycling from Lhasa to Kathmandu is one of the most popular cycling routes in Tibet and takes you to many beautiful places on the way to Nepal. A journey of more than 1,270 kilometres, the route starts in Lhasa and passes through Gyantse, Shigatse and EBC, before going to the town of Gyirong on the border with Nepal.
There are other smaller tours from Lhasa to Kathmandu that extend to EBC as if you were doing a normal Kathmandu tour. Then you will turn north for the continuation of the holy mountain, to do the most difficult trek of Tibet, before returning south to Gyirong port and crossing the border into Nepal. These amazing tours make travelling to the holy mountains easier and cheaper than sightseeing in Kathmandu. It is very popular to go to Nepal by bicycle from Lhasa.
Travelling through Himalayan and Tibet by bike
If travelling to Tibet by bike from Lhasa to Kathmandu is “possible”, it is not really possible to travel in the opposite direction. Basically, you can’t cycle from Kathmandu to Gyirong Port at the border because of the bad road conditions on the border road.
Also, for anyone who thinks they can cycle through the plains in order from Gyirong to Lhasa, you must spend at least two days in Gyirong County before continuing on. Plain soup to EBC for giving yourself a great boost. up. Failure to exercise exposes you to more serious upper extremity disease, which can be life-threatening in the long run.
So if you are planning to go from Nepal to Tibet or from Tibet to Nepal, clearly the easiest, fastest and most convenient way is to go from Lhasa to Kathmandu, instead of travelling again. Since it is the cheapest option for almost all Tibet tours that cross the border, booking a tour from Tibet to Nepal is an obvious choice for anyone who wants to cross the Himalayas.
