Lhasa to Kathmandu Tour via the China-Nepal Friendship Highway is one of the most epic overland tours on earth recommended by many travelers’ books. It’s busy and popular not only because the highway is the only international road in Tibet that connecting it to other counties, but also because of the vast arrays of views the highway provides. Starting from Lhasa, the 943 km well paved Friendship Highway travels all the way along the Himalayas and ends at Kathmandu; in between, it passes Gyantse, Shigatse, Lhatse, Tingri, Gyirong Port and Rasuwa.
Connecting the most two holy cities (Lhasa and Kathmandu) in the Himalayas, the Friendship Highway from Lhasa to Kathmanduhas become a vital natural and cultural bridge that brings travelers up close to the Himalayas and its unique cultures. You will meet the most devoted pilgrims in the world while visiting the most influential temples and monasteries; you will see the most diverse landscapes while passing turquoise holy lakes, shining glaciers and beautiful farming valleys; you will marvel at the grandeur of Mother Nature while standing in front of the highest mountains in the world.
The Lhasa to Kathmandu overland tour is your best lifetime adventure if you still have no idea what’s your next move. It’s a tour of wonder and discovery!
It’s around 175 km away from Gyirong border to Kathmandu, but the ride takes about 8-9 hours on the zigzag and not well paved road. There are mini 4WD vehicles and buses from the border to Kathmandu, but we only advise you to take 4WD as that is much safer and faster.
The Gyirong border opens at 10 AM each day and closes at about 5:30 PM each day; in the morning on the last date of our tour, our guide will bring you to the Customs, waiting for the opening of the border; all the immigration works can be done within about 1 hour depends on also how many travelers there. Our guide will just see you off at Chinese border side.
After crossing the China-Nepal border, you literally arrive in the Kingdom of Nepal. Nepal uses arrival visa system, that is to say, you can get your Nepal visa at the immigration office of Nepal near Rasuwa that is around 2-3 KM from (Nepal-China border); it only takes USD 40-50 per person, it’s very easy and all the paper works only take about 0.5 hour depends on also how many travelers there. Remember to bring some passport size photo.
It will be about 7 PM (Kathmandu time) when you arrive at KTM. Kathmandu time is 2 hours later than the Chinese time, so even after all the time on immigration and driving, you can arrive no later than 8 PM in Kathmandu. So as long as you book your flight after 10 PM, it’s quite secure you won’t miss your flight. But since the Gyirong to Kathmandu road is quite newly open and often affected by heavy rain and mudslide in summer, so we do not advise you to book your flight on the same day in case of any delay on road.