Road to Tibet
- by Apple
- Last Updated: 2023-02-14
There are several roads to Tibet which is of particular interest to adventurous travelers. However an expedition as such is demanding in physical health, complicated in local regulations, and often very costly, so unless you are determined and travel with a large gang to share the expenses, there is no need to consider it.
Why Tibet Overland Routes So Costly?
Based on the regulation of the Tibet Tourism Bureau, foreigners must be accompanied by a local licensed guide and vehicle, which means we have to send a guide and vehicle days in advance from Lhasa to pick you up at the Tibet border. The original vehicle which takes you to the Tibet border has to return to its original city. This means you are paying not only the ride you are actually taking, but you are also paying it to double for the vehicles’ return and getting there.
Tibet Overland Routes Availability
Of the several Tibet Overland Routes, not all of them are available to foreign travelers due to the local authority’s restrictions, which means your application based on these routes will be rejected by Tibet Tourism Bureau and TIBET TOURISM BUREAU PERMIT (TTB) will not be issued to you. Without TTB, you will not be able to enter Tibet. Some said on the internet that you may give it a try without TTB, which is rather irresponsible. There are many checkpoints along these roads which you will not be able to pass without TTB, and a local guide & vehicle.
These restrictions may change from time to time. If you are interested, please send us an inquiry to get accurate up-to-date information.
Tibet Overland Routes | Availability |
Xinjiang, Kashgar - Lhasa Overland Route | ✔ |
Yunnan, Kunming - Lhasa Overland Route | ✘ |
Qinghai, Golmud - Lhasa Overland Route | ✔ |
Sichuan, Chengdu - Lhasa Overland Route | ✘ |
Nepal, Kathmandu - Lhasa Overland Route | ✔ |
Xinjiang, Kashgar - Lhasa Overland Route ✔
Located in the westernmost corner of China, Kashgar has been the epicenter of regional trade and cultural exchange for more than two millennia. Kashgar has a rich history of over 2000 years and served as a trading town on the Silk Route between China and the Middle East. It has been always a strategically important city in history and today.
Xinjiang, Kashgar - Lhasa Overland Route is the most challenging road among all Tibet Overland Routes. With at least to pass over 5400m, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway is the highest road in the world. It can be bitterly cold and closes down for the winter months from December to February. The whole trip takes at least 4 days of travel, depending on if your sightseeing plans along the route; Coming from Kashgar, you have to be particularly careful about altitude sickness as the initial rate of altitude gain is dramatic; Xinjiang, Kashgar - Lhasa Overland Route covers the most inhabited regions in China, you may not encounter any other person for couple hundred kilometers. There are many confusing intersections leading to different directions, so have an experienced local Xinjiang guide & driver is essential.
Yunnan, Kunming - Lhasa Overland Route ✘
Yunnan-Tibet Highway is a wonderful way to approach Tibet, though once again the road is officially limited to organized groups. Yunnan-Tibet Highway was put into use in 1973, and it is connected with Sichuan-Tibet southern Highway(G318) at Mangkang. Part of the Yunnan-Tibet highway was Tea Horse Road in ancient times. You can choose to start the journey from several places in Yunnan: Kunming, Lijiang, or Shangri-la.
The best time of the year to travel this route is from August to October. From Lijiang, a road heads up to the Tibetan towns and monasteries of Zhongdian, Benzalin, and Deqin, then across the Tibetan border 112km to Yanjiang. From here it’s 111km to Markham, where the National Highway 214 joints the southern route of Sichuan - Tibet Highway. The natural landscapes are various and charming along the Yunnan-Tibet highway, such as gorges, glaciers, rivers, etc. The road condition is rather bad in the section from Zhongdian and Yanjing, where debris flow and landslides often happen.
Qinghai, Golmud - Lhasa Overland Route ✔
The road from Golmud to Lhasa is about 1115km long and averagely 4000m above sea level. Qinghai-Tibet Highway starting from Xining to Lhasa (1,937 km), was built from 1950 to 1954. Xining to Lhasa road is a main state secondary road with a 10-meter-wide roadbed. Qinghai-Tibet Line crosses many mountains and rivers, such as Kunlun Mountain (4700m), Tangula Mountain (5515m), Tongtian River, and Tuotuo River. Besides, you can view grasslands, salt lakes and deserts and so on.
The road is available all year long, but the best time to travel is from May to September for tourists. The journey starts from Golmud which is a new industrial city as well as the second-largest city in Qinghai and the third-largest in the Tibetan Plateau. There are two must-see places in and around Golmud, that is, Qarhan Salt Lake and Hu Poplar Woods. Golmud to Lhasa is also available by train.
Sichuan, Chengdu - Lhasa Overland Route ✘
The road between Chengdu and Lhasa is an epic 2400km or 2100km, depending on whether you take the northern or southern route. The Sichuan section of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway was open to foreigners as far as the Tibetan border at the time of writing. Later, this road was closed to foreign travelers.
Chengdu - Lhasa Overland Southern Route: Chengdu – Ya’an – Luoding – Kangding – Xinduoqiao – Litang-Batang – Markham – Bangda – Basuo-Rawok Lake – Lugu Glacier – Midui Glacier – Bomi-Nyingtri – Gongbo Gyangda – Mendrok Gongka – Lhasa
Chengdu - Lhasa Overland Northern Route: Chengdu – Danba – Daofu – Luohu – Gantse – Manigangol – Yilhun Lhatso Lake – Dege – Jiangda – Chamdo – Dingqing – Baqing – Nakchu – Damxun – Namtso Lake – Lhasa
Nepal, Kathmandu - Lhasa Overland Route ✔
The earthquake in Nepal back in Apr 2015 had damaged the border port called Zhangmu. In response to the closure of Zhangmu, many rumors flew that another porter called Gyirong Port was to be opened for its sake, but never really happened for two years. At the moment both ports are open only to locals, nearby Nepalis, and Indian pilgrims but not foreign tourists. After August 2017, Gyirong Port officially opened.
Sino-Nepal Highway, aka. Friendship Highway, about 943km in length, among which 829km in Tibet, used to be a very popular travel route between Tibet & Nepal, which Great Tibet Tour has a Lhasa-Kathmandu budget group tour available, at a cost of about USD 1100/person. If you are interested in the overland tour between Kathmandu and Lhasa, you may also check the reverse route Kathmandu-Lhasa group tour. For more details, please contact us.
Related Articles
-
How to Travel to Lhasa from Beijing?
Many travelers who are visiting Lhasa always take Beijing as the first stop, as it's convenient to fly to Beijing, then get to Lhasa. -
How to Travel to Tibet from Beijing?
Traveling to Tibet from Beijing is a good choice as Beijing is an important international arrival hub and you can get to Lhasa by flight or by train here. -
Tibet Scenery
Monasteries are an important part of Tibet's scenery as the natural scenery here has already merged with temples, believers, prayer flags, and Tibetans. -
How to Get to Tibet?
You can travel to Tibet by flight, train, or road from China OR by flight or road from Nepal. The best way depends on your place of departure and travel plans. -
Most Famous Tibetan Monasteries and Temples
Tibetan Monasteries and Temples can be seen everywhere in Tibet. It's no exaggeration to say that Tibetan Buddhism is the foundation of Tibetan culture. -
Travel to Tibet from United States
For US citizens, you can travel to Tibet via mainland China or Nepal. You need to apply for China Visa or China Group Visa and obtain your Tibet visa prior. -
Travel to Tibet from Singapore
Singapore citizens are recommended to fly to Chengdu and then take a flight or train to Lhasa. Tibet Travel Permit is still an indispensable document for you. -
How to Travel to Tibet from Germany?
German travelers can travel to Tibet from Frankfurt to Beijing, Chengdu, etc., and then get to Tibet by flight or train. Or travel to Tibet via Kathmandu. -
How to Get to Tibet from Chengdu?
Chengdu to Tibet is a popular tourist route as there are multiple international flights to Chengdu and it's very convenient to travel to Lhasa from Chengdu. -
How to Get to Tibet from Philippines?
For tourists from the Philippines to Tibet, you can fly to mainland China or Nepal first and then get to Tibet. The best option is via mainland China. -
How to Travel to Tibet from US
Americans can travel to Tibet via Chinese cities such as Beijing by flight or train. You also can travel to Tibet via Kathmandu by land or plane.
Email response within 0.5~24 hours.
Typically Asked Questions from Our Clients
Asked by Ho***
2020-09-04
Is it allowed to drive own vehicle from Kathmandu to Lhasa then towards kashgar? What's your charges? We are Muslim so we do own catering too. How about hire a local to drive in our vehicle with a towed caravan? Thanks lot your advice.
In your inquiry, you mentioned you would like to drive your own car to do an overland tour in Tibet from Kathmandu. Tibet requests a well-organized group for any foreigners, which means every group, even a one-participant one, must be escorted by a travel-licensed guide & vehicle touring along with the prearranged time & route. Thus, I'm afraid it's not allowed to use your own car in Tibet. Instead, the below itinerary meets your route requirements, we can arrange it for you.
8 Days Kathmandu Gyirong Lhasa Overland Group Tour