Nepal to Tibet Transportation
In ancient times, Buddhist masters and scholars crossed over the Himalayan Mountains for the purpose of spreading the knowledge of Buddhism. Nowadays, it has become a famous route for most travelers at home and abroad to travel to Tibet from Nepal. Following the ancestors’ footprint, you will uncover the mysterious veil of both Tibet and Nepal. During this trip, you will be stunned by the marvelous views of the grand mountains, tranquil lakes, and traditional architecture. Transportation plays an important role in a trip. Knowing the information about transportation is a prerequisite before your Nepal-Tibet tour.
Nepal to Tibet Overland
If you want to have a Nepal to Tibet overland tour, you need to take advantage of the Friendship Highway. The Friendship Highway closely connects China with Nepal, which begins in the capital city of Nepal - Kathmandu and passes by the second largest city of Tibet and the home to Panchen Lama - Shigatse. Then, it arrives in Lhasa.
The other name of the Friendship Highway is Sino-Nepal Highway. This highway will pass through the tranquil lake located in a peaceful village - Yamdrok Lake. A great number of travelers are attracted to the beautiful scenery. Tourists can walk along the lake and take some fresh air in the countryside. There are three holy lakes in Tibet, Pelkor Chode Monastery, Sakya Monastery and Yamdrok Lake. Yamdrok Lake plays an important role in Tibetan people.
Driving along the Friendship Highway, you will have more time to visit the Everest Base Camp if you drive a 100km detour. You can also visit the famous Rongbuk Monastery. This monastery is the highest one in the world because of its high altitude of 5,000m. If you stay in Rongbuk Monastery during the trip, you will have a visual feast of sunrise in the cloud. What’s more, it is the best place for tourists to enjoy the charming and splendid sunrise and sunset in the background of the grand Mt. Everest.
Nepal to Tibet by Airplane
According to the multiple means of transportation, taking a plane is the most convenient and way. Every week, there are several direct flights flying from Kathmandu to Lhasa. For international tourists, you can take the Kathmandu-Lhasa flight to travel from Nepal to Tibet, and this flight is the only international flight. It takes no more than one and a half hours to finish the flight. The frequency of the flights varies from different months. In the peak season for the Nepal - Tibet tour in the summer months, and you can go to Tibet from Nepal by plane every day. While in the low season for the Nepal - Tibet tour in winter months, and the planes only fly from Nepal to Tibet 2 or 3 times a week. With the help of your tour agency, you can take a plane from Nepal to Tibet on condition that you have handled your permit documents and itinerary to the operator. And this is the fastest way among those various means of transportation.
If you travel to Tibet from Nepal by land, you may miss a lot of scenic spots on this route. However, it is also a fantastic journey for tourists to enjoy the view of high mountains, blue sky, and white snow from a bird’s eye.
With the help of your tour operator, you will be picked up and sent to the hotel in Lhasa by a private vehicle as soon as you arrive at the airport. There are some flights are available for Kathmandu-Lhasa flights, including Sichuan Airlines, Air China, and China Eastern Airlines.
Other ways to Get to Tibet from Nepal
Taking a Train
In fact, the direct train from Kathmandu to Lhasa is not been built well until now. However, there is a piece of good news that the Qinghai-Tibet railway will be extended in the coming years. It is said that the project will be finished in the coming years. Tourists can still take the direct buses from Kathmandu to Lhasa, but the whole driving time is about 12 hours because of the hard road. Following this route, you can enjoy the view of the land, even stay at the famous Everest Base Camp.
Riding a Bike
It is a physical and mental challenge for bikers to take a cycling tour from Nepal to Tibet. It will take about 13-15 days to cycle from Nepal to Tibet because of the long and hard distance.
Tourists can also get to Tibet by passing a small Nepalese town - Simikot. You can arrive at this town by air, overland, and trekking. A lot of tourists get to Kailash from this town by cycling, but getting to Lhasa is a bit difficult.