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How to Plan a Nepal Bhutan Tibet Tour: 11 Things to Know Before You Go

September 12, 2024 BY Master Catherine Jigme 0 COMMENTS

A tour in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan gives you the stunning sights, travel experiences, and rich culture of these best destinations of the Himalayas in one single tour. From the glorious city of Kathmandu to the holy city of Lhasa, from the last Shangri-la, Bhutan, to the roof of the world, Tibet...There destinations on both sides of Mount Everest offer much to explore.

How do you start a multi-destination trip to Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet? Where should you begin your journey? When is the best time to visit all three together?

Let’s check out the 11 essential Things to know before planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet.

1. Get Necessary Travel Documents in Advance

The first step is to get all the necessary travel documents for traveling through these destinations.

Of the three, Nepal is the easiest place to get into and has no restrictions on independent travel around the country. Nepal visas can be obtained on arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, from the embassy, or online. Just remember to apply for a multi-entry Nepalese visa, as you will be traveling through Kathmandu more than once on the tour.

Travel in Tibet is restricted, and all foreign visitors must have a registered tour, a tour guide, and an arranged vehicle. If you book your tour with us, we will arrange the Tibet Travel Permit as part of your Tibet tour package. Remember to get a Chinese Visa in advance, and simply provide the scanned copies of your passport and Chinese Visa, and we will do the rest for you.

Tibet travel permitA sample of Tibet Travel Permit.

Similar to visiting Tibet, all visitors to Bhutan also need to be on a registered tour so that they can get the Bhutan Visa.

But don’t worry, we will handle all the necessary travel documents for you once you book your Nepal Tibet Bhutan trip with us. You only need to arrange your own entry visa for Nepal or China, depending on where you are entering the region.

2. Book your trips in Bhutan and Tibet with a local travel agency

Planning any trip to Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan can be challenging, especially when two of the places you plan to visit do not permit independent travel. Similar to Tibet, Bhutan also insists that foreign tourists have guides at all times when they are inside the Kingdom.

For planning a Nepal Bhutan Tibet tour, a tour operator such as us (Tibet Vista) is the best option to take. While you can get separate local tour operators for Bhutan and Tibet, and travel to Nepal on your own, it involves a lot of delicate planning to coordinate between travel agencies in three places.

With local offices in both Kathmandu and Lhasa, we can ensure a smooth and successful travel experience among the three destinations.

Explore the best of the Himalayas with Tibet VistaExplore the best of the Himalayas with Tibet Vista.

3. Nepal serves as the central transfer hub between Tibet and Bhutan

Nepal is the only connection between Tibet and Bhutan. Although sharing borders, Bhutan and Tibet are connected neither by air nor land border crossing. This means you can only travel between Tibet and Bhutan via Nepal.

Bhutan and Nepal are connected only by air, while Nepal and Tibet have both air and land connections

If you are looking for a multi-destination tour with no turning back, you can choose to start your trip from Tibet to Bhutan via Nepal, or vice versa, from Bhutan to Tibet via Nepal.

Tibet Bhutan flight via NepalCurrently, taking flight is the only way to travel between Tibet and Bhutan.

4. How to start your tour from Tibet to Nepal and Bhutan?

To start your tour from Tibet, you can take a flight to Lhasa from several major cities in the mainland of China. There are daily direct flights to Lhasa from Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing, Xi’an, and Kunming. And from other cities, there are many connecting flights to choose from.

Another popular option is the world-famous Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Tibet trains depart from seven gateway cities across China and pass through Xining in Qinghai. The Tibet train journey takes over 23 hours to nearly 55 hours, depending on the departure city. It's a journey of scenic wonders, including snow-capped mountains, alpine lakes, and vast grasslands.

Scenic wonders of Qinghai-Tibet RailwayScenic wonders of Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Once you arrive in Lhasa, it is recommended to take the most popular Lhasa to Kathmandu overland tour across Mount Everest from the northern side to the southern side. This one-week overland journey is a scenic travel route via the Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway. You can explore the landmarks of Tibet in Lhasa, visit the second-largest city, Shigatse, and stay one night at the Everest Base Camp in Tibet to get a close view of the world’s highest peak.

After crossing the Gyirong border, you can continue your journey in Nepal before heading to Bhutan. After visiting Bhutan, you can fly directly to Thailand, India, or Nepal for flights back home.

5. How to start your tour from Bhutan to Nepal and Tibet?

The airport in Paro is the only international airport in Bhutan, which can only be reached by flights from a few locations. It is best to first fly to Thailand because Bangkok is the most accessible connection to Bhutan with direct flights five times a week on a short 2h 15m flight.

There are also direct flights to Paro from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Singapore. Please check the flight schedule while planning your trip.

After visiting Bhutan, you can fly to Kathmandu to continue your tour of this Himalayan kingdom. Then, you can take an 8-day overland trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa via the Gyirong border.

You can also visit Mount Kailash from Kathmandu directly. Extending your trip from Tibet to the mainland of China before returning home is also a good choice, especially if you’ve never been to this charming oriental country before.

6. The Best Time for a Nepal Tibet Bhutan Tour is April, May, September, and October

Combining all three places and getting the weather right can be a bit hard, considering they have different climates and weather patterns. Bhutan and Nepal have subtropical climates with distinctive monsoon seasons, while Tibet is on the high trans-Himalayan plateau, with arid weather and a long winter. Try to avoid visiting Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan during the summer as the rainfall makes it humid and hot, and some dust roads in mountain regions may be damaged by landslides.

Winter is an ideal season for a budget trip in Tibet and one of the best seasons to visit Nepal. However, in the high-altitude areas in Bhutan and Tibet, the road may be blocked due to heavy snow and the temperature will be quite low during winter months.

So, the best time to visit Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan in one grand trip is in autumn (September to October) and spring (April to May) when the weather is mild, the skies are clear, and the scenery is beautiful.

Visit Tibet Gawula Pass in winterWinter is one of the idea seasons for a clear view of the Everest.

7. How many days are needed for visiting Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet together?

Generally, a Nepal Tibet Bhutan tour takes around 12 days with 3 to 5 days in each destination. An in-depth overland trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu with an excursion to Bhutan can take around two weeks.

If you are looking for some more adventure experiences, like hiking or trekking in the Everest region, you may need more days, even 20 days in total.

Just feel free to share your travel ideas with us. Our local travel expert will help you arrange the best travel route according to your interests.

8. What to See in Nepal and Popular Travel Routes

Nepal is a Himalayan country of jungles, snowy peaked mountains, Buddhist monks, and colorful towns. Kathmandu, the capital and the largest city in Nepal, is home to seven UNESCO world heritage sites.

Pokhara, located 200 kilometers away from Kathmandu, has fantastic scenery of lakes and the Himalayan Mountains. The best spot to check out is Phewa Lake, which is surrounded by Phewa Tal and monkey-filled forests.

 Phewa Lake The smooth surface of Phewa Lake reflects the Himalayan mountain ranges.

In west Nepal is Chitwan National Park, one of the World Heritage Listed National Parks. The park features incredible undisturbed regions or 'Terai,' a plethora of amazing flora and fauna, and is one of the last places where the Bengal tiger roams free. If you like jungle safari, don’t miss a visit to Chitwan National Park.

For Buddhist pilgrims, a journey to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is a lifetime experience to visit one of the holiest places in the world.

Nepal is also the destination for Mount Everest trekking and climbing. You can experience the world-class Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal, or the famous Annapurna Circuit trek to explore the Himalaya region. Many mountaineers also have attempted to climb up to the peak of Everest from Nepal.

9. What to See in Tibet and Popular Travel Routes

Tibet is widely known for its unique Buddhist culture, ancient monasteries, sacred mountains, holy lakes, and Everest. Starting from Lhasa, the holy city on the Roof of the World, you will not only visit the landmarks, like the Potala Palace, and the Jokhang Temple, but also experience the daily life of the locals by visiting the Tibetan teahouses.

impressive potala palaceWelcome to Tibet! The Potala Palace in Lhasa always tops the must-see lists in Tibet.

Visiting the Everest Base Camp in Tibet is the most popular travel route in Tibet. While you arrive at the base camp at 5,200 meters above sea level, you will appreciate the breathtaking view of the peak of Mt.Everest just in front of you.

Trekking around Mount KailashThe Mount Kailash Trek is popular not only among pilgrims but also among tourists.

Mount Kailash, known in Tibet as Kang Rinpoche or "Precious Jewel of Snow," is the most sacred peak in Tibet. It is located in far western Tibet's Ngari prefecture, more than 1,200 kilometers from the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa. It is not particularly high, as it only rises to 6,714 meters, but there is no other peak in Tibet that is as holy as Kailash. Each year, thousands of Buddhists and Hindus do the 3-day Kailash Kora around the sacred mountain.

There are also many lakes and monasteries to visit near Lhasa. If you are short in time while visiting Tibet, you can take a short trip to explore Lhasa and its surroundings in 4 to 6 days, such as a trip to Yamdrok Lake, Namtso Lake, etc.

10. What to See in Bhutan and Popular Travel Routes

Bhutan is a hidden gem in the Himalayas with spectacular landscapes, spirituality, and ancient culture. The 'Tiger's Nest' is a prominent Buddhist sacred site and temple complex situated in a dramatic location on the cliff side of the upper Paro valley.

 Taktsang Palphug Monastery Taktsang Palphug Monastery is undoubtedly the landmark of Bhutan.

Explore the capital city of Thimphu, where modernity harmonizes with tradition in its markets, museums, and festivals. Witness the vibrant local life during traditional events like Tshechus.

While traveling from Paro to Thimphu, you can also visit the Dochula Pass to enjoy a panoramic view of the Himalayas from the mountain pass which is adorned with 108 memorial chortens.

Punakha is another popular tourist destination in Bhutan, where you can explore the magnificent Punakha Dzong. The fortress monastery is a prime example of Bhutanese architecture and is steeped in history.

11. More Travel Tips for Visiting Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan Together

There is a lot to consider when visiting Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan together. Here are some travel tips to help you plan.

1). What’s the time difference between Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan?
There are time differences between the three regions. Nepal is 2 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Tibet and 15 minutes ahead of Bhutan.

Nepal: UTC+5:45
Tibet, China: UTC+8
Bhutan: UTC+6

2). What’s the altitude of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan?
Tibet is the highest of the three regions overall, with an average altitude of 4,500m. Both Nepal and Bhutan span a wide range of elevations. The Terai region of Nepal is 70m above sea level, and the elevation increases as you head toward Mount Everest to a peak of 8,848m. Bhutan averages 3,280 meters and includes the southern plains (100m) to the northern mountainous region (7,500m).

While planning your trip, especially the overland journey from Nepal to Tibet, pay attention to the sudden rise of the altitude.

3). What local currencies are used in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan?
Each region has its own currency. Some larger establishments in Bhutan and Nepal might accept USD, but you'll need local currency in each location.

Nepal's currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). The official currency of Bhutan is the Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN).

Tibet uses the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY). Online payment methods are widely used in the Tibet Autonomous Region, like Alipay and WeChat Pay.

4). Do the locals understand English?
English is not widely spoken in these regions. It's common to find English-speaking staff in larger hotels, shops, and some major tourist sites, but overall local languages are prevalent.

But don’t worry! Our English-speaking local guides will always be on hand to facilitate communication between you and local people.

Conclusion

There is nothing like a tour of the vast Himalayan region of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. The natural and cultural wonders of their diverse geography and histories give a unique perspective on this exotic region of the world.

With expertise and local staff, we offer hassle-free travel and unforgettable experiences in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. Contact us for more information, and start planning your tour today.

Master Catherine Jigme

About the Author - Master Catherine Jigme

With exceptional passion and outstanding leadership, Mrs. Catherine has dedicated herself to Tibet inbound tourism and China tour for 15 years. As one of the handful females who see great potential of Chinese inbound tourism, Catherine has made great contribution to promoting Tibet tourism and enhancing the employment of Tibetans and prosperity of local Tibetan community.

Over the years, she travelled overseas with Tibet Tourism Bureau many times to promote Tibet tourism. Currently, Catherine works as the marketing director of Tibet Vista, an opinion leader behind the whole team of Tibet Vista.

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