Transport · Cross-Border · Nepal
Lhasa to Kathmandu — Friendship Highway
The Friendship Highway connects Lhasa to Kathmandu via Gyirong (吉隆) port of entry, passing across the Tibetan Plateau at altitudes above 4,000 metres. Overland distance is approximately 900 km and the journey takes 3–5 days.
Route & practicalities
The Friendship Highway (中尼公路) is one of the world's high-altitude mountain highways, crossing from Lhasa to Kathmandu via the Tibetan Plateau and Gyirong Pass at the Nepal border. The route passes through Shigatse, where the Tashilhunpo Monastery is located, and continues across high-altitude grasslands and mountain passes before descending into Nepal's Himalayan valleys.
Since 2015, the primary border crossing point has been Gyirong (吉隆) rather than the former Zhangmu crossing, which was damaged in the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. Gyirong port is at approximately 1,750 metres — significantly lower than the Tibetan Plateau — after a dramatic descent through steep gorges.
From Kathmandu, the overland route in reverse follows the Prithvi Highway through Pokhara towards the border.
Tickets and transport: the route cannot be driven independently by foreign tourists. The Tibet segment requires a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP), an Alien Travel Permit, and a Military Permit for border areas, all of which must be organised through a registered Tibet travel agency. The agency will arrange a licensed guide and vehicle for the Tibet section.
Nepalese vehicles can cross at Gyirong; Chinese vehicles require special permits. Jeeps operated by Tibetan agencies are the standard transport. Private cars from Kathmandu can reach Gyirong on the Nepalese side.
Altitude: the Tibetan Plateau crossing involves sustained time above 4,500 metres. Acclimatisation time in Lhasa (spending at least 2–3 days at 3,650 metres) before the journey reduces altitude sickness risk significantly. Descending into Nepal is generally comfortable as altitude drops.
Customs: Chinese exit customs at Gyirong. Nepalese customs at Gyirong on the Nepal side — alcohol allowance 1 litre.
What to expect at the border
Border procedures at Gyirong take 2–4 hours. Chinese exit involves checking all Tibet permits in addition to standard customs. Nepal entry involves visa issuance, which adds time but is generally efficient. The descent from the Tibetan Plateau to Gyirong is through dramatic mountain terrain on winding roads. The final section into Nepal may require walking across a bridge if vehicle types differ on each side.