How to Cross the Tibet Nepal Border at Gyirong Port

As one of the main external passageways in Tibet’s history, Gyirong Port is located on the southwest border of Tibet, at the downstream river valley of Gyirong Tsangpo of southern Himalayas. It is also the terminal point of 216 National Road (the second line of Xinjiang-Tibet Highway), adjacent to the Zhangmu Port. Previously used as the crossing point only for Nepalese and Chinese, Gyirong Port now is opened as an international port for tourists travel between Nepal and Tibet.

The port is closer to the central developed area of Nepal, 175 kilometers away from Kathmandu, the capital of this country. To take an overland journey between Tibet and Nepal, tourists often cross the border at Gyirong Port from the Tibetan side, and then head to Kathmandu for the following Nepal tour. Here in this guidance we will introduce the details about how to cross the border at Gyirong Port to ensure you a successful Tibet and Nepal overland tour.

Required Travel Documents for Tibet and Nepal Border Crossing

Documents Required When Travel from Tibet to Nepal

For tourists ready to enjoy a Tibet and Nepal tour, one need to obtain the Nepal Visa when entering Nepal from the Tibetan side. The first option is to obtain your Nepal Visa at the Nepal Consulate in Lhasa before you cross the Gyirong Border. The working time for this Consulate is from 10:00 to 12:30 of every Monday to Friday. Usually, once can pick up the issued Nepal Visa at around 4:00pm on the second day after the application. The time will be postponed to next Monday when application is submitted on Friday. Also, you can request for a premium processing service.

Tourists need to get Nepal visa when crossing the border between for Tibet and Nepal.

As a better option, you can also get your Nepal visa on your arrival at the border checkpoint of Gyirong Port, and the process is simple and normally takes less than one hour. You need to prepare your original passport with validity period of more than 6 months, two passport size photos, and completed visa application form. The visa for Nepal can be issued for duration of stay of 15, 30 and 90 days, and it costs US$ 25, US$ 40 and US$ 100 respectively.

Documents Required When Travel from Nepal to Tibet

If you have just finished your Nepal tour and plan to enter Tibet from Nepal, you are required to obtain the Group Tourist Visa and Tibet Travel Permit. The Tibet Travel Permit, also known as Tibet Visa, is the most basic document for any foreigner to enter Tibet and enjoy a Tibet tour. The Group Tourist Visa, on the other hand, is a kind of single entry visa and can only be applied through the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. It is worth noting that, whether you have already obtained a China visa or not, you need to get the group visa in Kathmandu before entering Tibet. And once you get your Group Tourist Visa, your previous Chinese visa will automatically be invalid.

According to the regulation, both the Group Visa and Tibet Permit should be applied through an organized tour agency, since neither of them can be obtained by individual. And the group size for the group visa application can be any number of travelers, even just one single traveler. Therefore, before departing from Nepal to Tibet, you need to contact a local tour agency for their professional service. Besides, if your trip covers some remote or border areas in Tibet, like Everest Base Camp, you will also need the Aliens’ Travel Permit as well.

As the leading Tibet tour operator with years of experience, we can help you to handle all the documents your need for your Nepal and Tibet tour. Just feel free to contact us for more details.

How to Cross the Border of Gyirong Port

The Gyirong Port is located at Resuo Village, 25 km away from Gyirong Town. When you arrive at Gyirong Town from Lhasa, or other places in Tibet, you will first need to register for filing at the Gyirong Police Office with your passport. Since there is no hotel or accommodation at the border crossing point, you will have to stay in Gyirong Town the day before. And it will take about 40 minutes to drive from Gyirong Town to the border point.

Gyirong Port at the border of Tibet and Nepal

The Gyirong Port opens at 10:00 and closes at 17:30, based on GTM +8. Tourists should note that the Nepalese time is 2 hours and 15 minutes behind the Chinese time. After a series of check by the Chinese Customs in Tibetan side, you will be allowed to cross the Resuo Bridge to Nepal.

How to Get to Kathmandu from Gyirong Port

The distance from the Gyirong Port to Kathmandu is only about 175 kilometers, but it requires a 9 hours’ drive, since half of the road is narrow and rough with only one lane. Considering it’s a long drive along the narrow mountain road, it is suggested to cross the border in the morning to avoid the night drive.

After crossing the Resuo Bridge of Gyirong Port and going through the check by Nepalese border guards, you can see buses and 4WD vehicles available for the transfer at the parking lot. The 4WD vehicles in Nepal have a capacity of seven passengers, with all the luggage on the roof-rack. It normally costs 150 RMB (US $ 25) per person for the ride. Since the road condition is not so good, you’d better avoid the use of the bus, which is not so safe and comfortable as the 4WD.

The Nepal visa upon arrival is available at the Immigration Office of Nepal, which is 2 to 3 km from the Gyirong Border. The 4WD vehicle you use can drive you there. You need to bring a passport photo and fill the visa application form. It will take around one hour to go through the application process depending on the number of tourists there.

How to Arrange a Tibet Tour after Entering Tibet from Gyirong Port

Many tourists planning a Tibet tour would like to enter Tibet from the Nepal side, mainly because the border of Gyirong Port enjoys geographical advantages for their land journey. The Gyirong Port is about 820 km away from Lhasa, the provincial capital of Tibet, and about 360 km from Mount Everest in Tibetan side. If you arrive at Gyirong Port, you can directly drive to Mount Everest in a day. As the road from Gyirong border to Lhasa is a part of the well-paved Friendship Highway, it is a popular choice among tourists to take a Kathmandu Lhasa overland tour to take in kinds of amazing views along the way.

Since individual travel and use of public transportation are not allowed for foreign tourists in Tibet, you will have to join in a group tour organized by your tour operator. In this case, we provide our classic route of Kathmandu to Lhasa overland tour with EBC sightseeing, which covers the most highlighted attractions in Tibet. Once you have arrived at Gyirong Port, our guide and driver will meet you at the site and drive you to Gyirong Town for the first night of your tour in Tibet. On the road trip to Lhasa, you will visit the Everest Base Camp to witness the grand and spectacular summit of Mount Everest. The countryside landscape will accompany you to Shigatse and Gyantse, and you will visit the famous Tashilhunpo Monastery and Palcho Monastery, view the turquoise Yamdrok Lake and snow-capped Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, before reach Lhasa.

By joining in our group tour, you can enjoy a worry-free overland trip with our careful arrangement and professional guide. You will also have a good chance to make new friends from all over the world. What’ more, the price on your Nepal and Tibet group tour will also be cost-efficient compared to a private one. Therefore, it will be a worthwhile and meaningful journey for you to fully immerse yourself in the best of Nepal and Tibet.