Yamdrok Lake
Shigatse
Yamdrok Lake
Shigatse
Nepal and Tibet Overland Tour
Kathmandu's heritage sites, then a full overland crossing into Tibet and Lhasa.
Duration
13 Days / 12 Nights
Max altitude
5,220 m
Difficulty
moderate
Category
Tibet Tours
Best season
April-June and September-November
The Nepal and Tibet Overland Tour is the fullest way to experience the land route between the two countries, rather than skipping it by flying. Starting in Kathmandu, the tour spends its first days exploring the Kathmandu Valley's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and Patan Durbar Square, plus Bhaktapur's medieval old town and sunrise views from Nagarkot, before crossing overland into Tibet at the Kerung border.
From there, the drive climbs onto the Tibetan plateau itself, with views of Cho Oyu and Mount Everest from the road near Tingri, before continuing through Shigatse and Gyantse, with visits to Tashilhunpo Monastery and the Kumbum stupa, and on past the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake to Lhasa, where two full days are spent at the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, and the Drepung and Sera monasteries.
Unlike the fly-in tours, this overland route lets the landscape change gradually beneath you, Kathmandu's subtropical valley, the Himalayan foothills, the border crossing itself, and the sudden openness of the Tibetan plateau, rather than jumping straight from one to the other by air.
Kathmandu Valley's UNESCO sites: Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Patan Durbar Square
Overland border crossing into Tibet at Kerung
Cho Oyu and Mount Everest views from the road near Tingri
Tashilhunpo Monastery and the Kumbum stupa at Shigatse and Gyantse
Two full days in Lhasa: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung and Sera monasteries
Kathmandu Hotel
Nights 1-2
Nagarkot Hotel
Night 3
Kathmandu Hotel
Nights 4
Kerung Hotel
Night 5
Tingri Guesthouse
Night 6
Shigatse Hotel
Night 7
Gyantse Hotel
Night 8
Lhasa Hotel
Nights 9-11
Kathmandu Hotel
Nights 12
Nepal and Tibet Overland Tour
SGD 2,020
per person · 13 Days / 12 Nights
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SGD 2,020
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SGD 2,020
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Your itinerary
Airport pickup and hotel check-in, followed by an evening orientation and welcome dinner with a short cultural program, a first taste of Kathmandu before the sightseeing and, later, Tibet's very different landscape begin.
Airport welcome transfer
Welcome dinner with cultural program
A full day covers four of the valley's UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Pashupatinath Temple, one of Hinduism's holiest sites; Boudhanath Stupa, among the largest Buddhist stupas anywhere; Swayambhunath ('the Monkey Temple'), overlooking the city from its hilltop; and Patan Durbar Square, the best-preserved of the valley's three royal squares.
Pashupatinath Temple
Boudhanath Stupa
Swayambhunath
Patan Durbar Square
A drive out to Bhaktapur, the best-preserved of the valley's medieval royal cities, with its own Durbar Square, pottery square and Nyatapola Temple. From there, continue up to Nagarkot, a ridge-top village known for wide Himalayan views, where you'll stay overnight for the following morning's sunrise.
Bhaktapur's Durbar Square
Nagarkot Himalayan viewpoint
An early start for sunrise over the Himalayan range from Nagarkot's viewpoint, weather permitting, before returning to Kathmandu. The afternoon is set aside for equipment checks and final preparation ahead of tomorrow's departure for the Tibet border.
Sunrise over the Himalayas from Nagarkot
A full day's drive through Nepal's middle hills to the Kerung border, where Nepalese and Chinese immigration formalities are completed. This is the tour's hinge point, from here, the landscape, altitude and pace of the trip all change at once as Tibet begins.
Nepal-Tibet border crossing at Kerung
The drive climbs uphill onto the Tibetan plateau proper, with increasingly dramatic views of Cho Oyu and, on a clear day, Mount Everest itself from the roadside. It's a long driving day, but one of the itinerary's most visually striking, as the landscape opens into the high, arid plateau Tibet is known for.
Cho Oyu and Everest views from the road
Continuing east, the road crosses a scenic high mountain pass en route to Shigatse, Tibet's second-largest city. The drive itself is one of the highlights of the day, with the pass offering some of the trip's widest plateau views before the descent into the city.
High mountain pass crossing
A morning visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery, seat of the Panchen Lama, before the short drive to Gyantse to see the Kumbum stupa and Palcho (Pelkor Chode) Monastery, a rare site where Gelug, Sakya and Kadam Buddhist traditions coexist under one monastic wall.
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Kumbum stupa and Palcho Monastery
The final approach to Lhasa passes the striking turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake and follows the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Tibetan stretch of the Brahmaputra river, before arriving in Tibet's capital in the late afternoon, with two full sightseeing days ahead.
Yamdrok Lake
The Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) valley
The first of two full days in Lhasa centres on the Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and the single most recognisable building in Tibet. Its chapels, tombs and reception halls hold over a thousand years of Tibetan political and religious history.
Potala Palace
The second day covers Lhasa's other essential sites: Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Street pilgrim circuit, followed by Drepung and Sera monasteries, two of the largest monastic institutions in Tibet, with Sera's afternoon monk debating courtyard a particular highlight.
Jokhang Temple
Barkhor Street
Drepung and Sera monasteries
Transfer to Gonggar Airport (or the railway station, depending on your booking) for the return journey to Kathmandu, closing the overland loop you drove open on Day 5. The evening is free in Kathmandu for a final dinner or last-minute exploring.
Return flight to Kathmandu
Airport transfer for your onward flight home. Should you wish to extend your stay, HSJ can arrange additional nights in Kathmandu or onward travel elsewhere in Nepal.
Airport departure transfer
What's included
What's not included
What's included
Accommodation for every night of the trip
Licensed English-speaking guide throughout
All permits and entrance fees on the itinerary
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
What's not included
International flights to and from Nepal
Travel insurance, which is required
Itinerary, activities, and accommodation are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, or local availability.
Featured Hotels
We work with these or similar hotels to guarantee a comfortable stay. Accommodation may vary based on availability.
Kathmandu Hotel
Nights 1-2
Nagarkot Hotel
Night 3
Kathmandu Hotel
Nights 4
Kerung Hotel
Night 5
Tingri Guesthouse
Night 6
Shigatse Hotel
Night 7
Gyantse Hotel
Night 8
Lhasa Hotel
Nights 9-11
Kathmandu Hotel
Nights 12
Available dates
Departure
Duration
Seats
Adults
10 Oct 2026 – 22 Oct 2026
13 days
Open
Adults
1
Everything you need to know.
It's a 13-day tour combining Kathmandu Valley's UNESCO World Heritage Sites with a full overland crossing into Tibet by road, through Tingri, Shigatse and Gyantse to Lhasa, rather than flying directly between the two countries. It suits travellers who want to see the landscape change gradually and experience the physical border crossing itself, not just the two endpoints.
Flying is faster, but the overland route through Kerung and Tingri passes some of Tibet's most dramatic scenery by road, including roadside views of Cho Oyu and Mount Everest that a direct flight to Lhasa skips entirely. It also allows more gradual altitude acclimatisation than flying straight into Lhasa at 3,650m.
It involves several long driving days and altitude up to around 4,340m at Tingri, but no trekking, sightseeing at each stop is on foot but not strenuous. The main consideration is altitude tolerance during the long days on the road, rather than physical fitness for walking.
Singapore passport holders can enter mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days, so a separate Chinese visa isn't required for this itinerary. A Tibet Travel Permit is still mandatory and is arranged by HSJ once your tour and passport details are confirmed, expect at least 15 days' lead time for processing.
April-June and September-November offer the clearest mountain views and the most stable road conditions for the long overland driving days. Summer months bring monsoon rain to the Nepal side of the route, which can occasionally affect road conditions between Kathmandu and the Kerung border.
Singapore Airlines and Scoot both fly Singapore-Kathmandu directly in around 5 hours. Given the early start and long drive on Day 5, we'd suggest arriving in Kathmandu at least a day before Day 1 so jet lag doesn't affect the Kathmandu Valley sightseeing.
Keep Exploring
SGD 2,020
13 Days / 12 Nights