How to Plan Kathmandu to Tibet Tour Cost

Nowadays, it is quite convenient to travel from Kathmandu to Lhasa by air and by land. There is one non-stop flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa every day, and you can take an overland journey from the capital of Nepal to Tibet via the world famous Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway.

Once you plan to take this amazing journey to the Himalayas, how much it costs will be an important thing to know before you go. Here we will introduce you the key points that influence the cost of your Nepal Tibet tour, such as the price of the travel documents, the vehicle cost and accommodation cost and help you find the best way to cut down the price of your lifetime Nepal Tibet tour.

Tour Cost for Travel Documents from Kathmandu to Tibet

When you decide to travel to Tibet from Nepal, you should notice that a Group Tourist Visa is required to be applied through the Chinese Embassy at Kathmandu before you go to Tibet. This is a special Chinese Visa that can be only applied when you arrive in Kathmandu. And the cost of this single-entry Visa is different for tourists of different nationalities. You can check the visa price as below:

Nationality Ordinary Urgent Extreme Urgent
US Citizens 160 176 197
Brazilian Citizens 151 167 188
Canadian Citizens 105 120 141
Romanian Citizens 105 120 142
Other Citizens 71 88 110
Israeli Citizens 62 80 100
Nepali Citizens 47 57 62
Serbian Citizens 35 60 72
Albanian Citizens & Micronesian Citizens 35 55 75

Please notice that for ordinary application, it takes 4 working days, while the urgent application takes 3 working days. So it is suggested to leave enough time (at least 3 days) in Kathmandu for applying your Group Tourist Visa. Individuals can not apply for China Group Visa by yourself, you need to get it via a local travel agency in Kathmandu. And we offer easy group visa booking service for our clients who plan to visit Tibet from Nepal.

Besides the Group Visa, you also need to apply for Tibet Travel Permit and Aliens’ Travel Permit and Military Permit to get to EBC. For all of our customers who join in our Nepal Tibet tour from Kathmandu to Lhasa, we offer Tibet permit service for free. While the other travel documents like Alien’s Travel Permit and Military Permit will together set you back 100 CNY.

Travel from Kathmandu to Tibet by International Flight or Overland Tour

Cost for Flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa

The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is the only non-stop international flight connecting Tibet with the rest of the world. The flight journey from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, covering 619 kilometers, takes about 2.5 hours. The ticket price of the non-stop flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is around 360 USD, while the connecting flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa costs more than 450 USD.

Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport

Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport

There are two major airlines operating the non-stop flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa, namely Air China and Sichuan Airlines. The ticket prices of the two airlines are almost the same. But there is the price difference between peak season and low season. It is suggested to book the flight ticket as early as possible so that you may get a cheaper price.

Cost for Kathmandu to Lhasa Tour via Gyirong Port

The overland journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa starts from the capital of Nepal and crosses the Gyirong Port to enter Tibet. It takes around 7-8 hours to reach Gyirong border. Due to the treacherous mountain road, it’s advisable to spend one night at Syabrubesi Village and pass Gyirong border the next morning. The accommodation and breakfast here are around 5-12 USD.

After entering Tibet, you will drive along the famous Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway to Lhasa via Lhatse and Shigatse. Some tourists will take a one-day tour to the Everest Base Camp before they arrive in Shigatse. And for tourists, during the journey from Shigatse to Lhasa, it is a good choice to leave the friendship highway and pay a visit to the Yamdrok Lake via Gyantze, and then move on to the final destination, Lhasa city.

Yamdrok Lake

Taking an overland tour from Kathmandu will pass by the Yamdrok Lake

The overland journey covers about 1000 kilometers, and the vehicle cost will be counted by the distance. Also, the type of vehicle you choose will also influence the total price you will pay. You can rent a local car with a driver from Kathmandu to the border, but when you enter Tibet, you need to take an organized tour that offered by a local travel agency. Generally, to take a private Tibet overland tour with a private vehicle is much expensive than join in our 8 Days Driving Across Himalaya Overland Adventure from Kathmandu to Lhasa, for you can share the cost of transportation with your group members.

Besides the transportation, the accommodation is another important thing you need to think about to cut down the price of your Nepal Tibet overland tour. From the border to Everest Base Camp, there aren’t many choices of accommodation.

Most of the places only have guesthouses for tourists to stay. At the Everest Base Camp, you can choose to live in the Everest tent hotel, which is 30 RMB for one person, or live in the Rongbuk Hotel, a relatively better guesthouse offering rooms, but the price is higher than the tent hotel. (Please note: the tent hotel are always closed in winter. If you visit EBC during that time, you can only live in Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse, for the tent hotels are not open during the cold winter months.)

When you get to Shigatse, there are more kinds of hotels for you to choose. There are kinds of hotels in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet, from the budget guesthouses to the comfortable 4-star hotels. In Lhasa, there are even top luxury 5-star hotels. So what standard of the accommodation you choose will influence the total cost of your tour. – Have a quick glance of Tibet Hotels and Accommodation. And you can also contact our professional Tibet travel consultant, who will recommend the best hotels according to your needs.

Compared with the transportation and the accommodation, the cost of food and tickets for sightseeing places are quite a little money to spend. And there is a fluctuation of attraction’s entrance ticket between high season (April to Oct.) and off season (Nov. to mid-Feb.) of Tibet travel.

Best Travel Season for Budget Travelers from Kathmandu to Tibet

Winter is the best season to visit Tibet for the lower prices of transportation and accommodation. It is not as cold as you think in Tibet during the late November to January. To join in our 7 Days Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland Trip with EBC Small Group Tour, you can get a cheaper price in most of the year, and many discount and sales promotion as to hotel, transportation to enter or leave Tibet, etc.; Whereas visiting Tibet during major Chinese festivals like May 1st Labor Day or Oct, 1st National Day or during summer time will see higher tour cost.

Other Tips to Cut the Tour Cost for Traveling from Kathmandu to Tibet

1. It is highly suggested to make an early plan so that you can have more time to compare the price or get an early bird discount for flight tickets.

2. Since you cannot travel independently in Tibet area, find a reliable local travel agency like us is quite important. Sometimes, a cheaper price cannot be equated with a better price. So when you make a choice, you need focus on both the price and the service.

Whatever your interest is, means of travel you prefer, and tour date available to you, our travel consultants are willing to help you individualize your Nepal Tibet tour for you. Just email your inquiry to us, we will handle the rest with tourist-friendly service.

So if you’re ready to an Adventure Tour to Tibet

1.) enjoy the mind-blowing Himalayas

2.) trek to the foot of Mt. Everest, the world’s summit

3.) explore mysterious Tibetan Buddhism

4.) appreciate the beauty of holy Tibetan lakes

5.) experience divine kora around holy Mt. Kailash

6.) witness exotic Tibetan culture

7.) taste Tibetan, Nepali, Indian cuisine

8.) look for a paradise of photography

9.) have safari on the roof of the world

Then Let’s Get Started with Our Local Tour Experts

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