Tibet Nepal Map: Borders, Routes and Key Places

A Tibet Nepal map should show three things clearly: where the two sides meet along the Himalaya, which border crossings and routes connect them, and what the current status means for a trip. This page maps all of it — six designated border points, the main overland corridor, and the Everest and Kailash landmarks — checked September 2026.

Tibet and Nepal on the Map

Tibet lies directly north of Nepal, and the Himalayas run between them like a wall. The boundary follows the southern edge of the Tibet Autonomous Region, mainly along Ngari Prefecture and Shigatse City, with Mount Everest standing on the line itself. Lhasa sits on the plateau to the northeast; Kathmandu sits in the hills to the south, at about 1,400 m against Lhasa’s 3,650 m.

Zhangmu and Gyirong may look close on a regional map, but the mountain roads make the actual journey much longer; Kailash lies much farther west, near Nepal’s western border. Holding those spatial relationships is what a good Tibet Nepal map is for.

Tibet–Nepal Border Map

The Tibet–Nepal border follows the Himalayan range for about 1,400 km — often cited as 1,414 km — with some of the world’s highest peaks on or near the line. Deep river gorges cut through the Himalayan crest. For organized foreign overland travel, the Gyirong corridor in Shigatse has traditionally been the main route between the two sides, although it is currently suspended.

But designated is not the same as open. Six border points are written into the two governments’ agreements, and their status moves independently, so this page keeps map facts and current status apart.

Main Tibet–Nepal Border Crossings

The Main Tibet–Nepal Travel Routes

Three routes are particularly important on a Tibet Nepal map. For foreign travelers on organized overland trips, the main one has traditionally been the Gyirong corridor between Kathmandu, Gyirong, Shigatse and Lhasa. The historic Zhangmu corridor and the Kailash-side Purang–Yari route serve different purposes. Permits follow your destination rather than the crossing: through Gyirong or Zhangmu to Everest and Lhasa, the Tibet Travel Permit is the core document; add Purang and Kailash to the plan, and the Aliens’ Travel Permit and Military Area Entry Permit come on top.

Kathmandu → Gyirong → Shigatse → Lhasa

This is the overland link the whole page orbits. The road leaves Kathmandu, climbs to the Rasuwagadhi post, crosses at Resuo Bridge, and runs up the Gyirong Gorge onto the plateau toward Shigatse and Lhasa. In the reverse direction it is the classic exit from Tibet into Nepal. For travelers combining Everest, the classic shape runs the other way — Lhasa, Shigatse, Everest, Gyirong, Kathmandu — and the legs below are listed in that direction; northbound is the same road in reverse.

Leg distances are approximate and will not add up exactly; end to end the corridor is usually quoted at roughly 1,300 km. The altitude pattern is straightforward: after Everest the road descends steadily through the Gyirong Gorge, dropping nearly 2,400 m over about 94 km, and every night after Everest is lower. Driving days are long; foreign travelers do the Tibet side with an operator’s guide and vehicle, and our Lhasa to Kathmandu overland tour follows this general route. The two direction-specific maps cover the execution: Kathmandu to Lhasa map northbound, and our Lhasa to Kathmandu map southbound.

Kathmandu → Zhangmu → Nyalam → Tibet

Zhangmu–Kodari is the historic China–Nepal trade corridor toward Kodari and Tatopani, closer to Kathmandu than Gyirong and the historic alternative whenever Gyirong is suspended. However, being designated does not mean open: after the 2015 earthquake Zhangmu shut and reopened more than once, and it should not be assumed open now — confirm the current arrangement with your operator before relying on it as an alternative.

Kathmandu → Hilsa → Purang → Mount Kailash

The western crossing pairs Purang county with Yari (Hilsa) in Nepal’s Humla district. Some pilgrimage groups reach it by flying Kathmandu–Nepalgunj–Simikot and finishing with a helicopter hop to the border; many overland Kailash itineraries use the Gyirong corridor instead. This is a specialist route: any Ngari itinerary needs the Tibet Travel Permit plus the Aliens’ Travel Permit and the Military Area Entry Permit — the Tibet travel route map shows how it fits with the western roads.

Tibet Nepal Map: Everest Region

Everest is the landmark most people use to orient themselves on a Tibet Nepal map, so three short answers:

Where is Everest? On the China–Nepal border itself — the summit sits on the line.

Which side is Tibet? The north. You reach the north side by road from Tingri, past Rongbuk Monastery at 4,980 m, to Base Camp at roughly 5,000–5,200 m.

Which side is Nepal? The south, reached by trekking from Lukla through the Khumbu valleys. There is no road connecting the two base-camp areas; reaching the Nepal side requires a trek through the Khumbu region, though the two sides are neighbors on the map. The August 26, 2026 disaster was on the Nepal side of the border, and no blanket suspension of Everest Base Camp tourism has been announced — but confirm current road access and permit checks with your operator before booking.

Our Lhasa to Everest Base Camp map breaks the Tibet-side road into passes, checkpoints and overnight stops.

Tibet Nepal Map: Kailash and Western Tibet

Mount Kailash sits in far-western Ngari, much farther west than Everest: roughly two more full driving days via Saga from the Everest region — its own trip, not an extra stop on the Lhasa–Kathmandu corridor. On a map, Everest, Kailash and Nepal can look like a compact combination, but the actual road distances make this a much longer journey.

From Nepal there is more than one way in. Some pilgrimage groups fly Kathmandu–Nepalgunj–Simikot and finish with a helicopter hop to Hilsa, crossing at Purang–Yari; others drive from Kathmandu through the Gyirong corridor and on to Kailash, the shape of our Kathmandu Kailash Mansarovar tour. Permits follow the destination, as set out above.

Tibet vs Nepal: What Changes When You Cross the Himalayas?

Tibet–Nepal Border: What Travelers Should Check

Important: Border status changes without much notice. Gyirong remains suspended following the August 26, 2026 mudslide disaster on the Nepalese side — no reopening date announced (our September 26, 2026 check) — while the Lhasa–Kathmandu flight continues to operate. Never build a non-refundable itinerary around a border crossing — see our Gyirong update for the latest we know.

• China side: the Chinese entry document required for your nationality — for most visitors a Chinese Tourist Visa (L visa) — plus the Tibet Travel Permit, arranged before you travel; your operator coordinates the paperwork. The Gyirong route has not normally required a separate Aliens’ Travel Permit since June 2025 — though Ngari routes, including Kailash, still do.
• Nepal side: most nationalities get a Nepal visa on arrival at Rasuwagadhi, or at the airport if you fly; a few must apply in advance — check for your own passport.
• Border-area pass: the electronic border pass for the Shigatse border counties, introduced in April 2026, had its issuance suspended from August 28, 2026 — a paperwork measure separate from the crossing’s operating status; foreign travelers currently handle border-area registration on site with their operator.
• From Kathmandu into Tibet: entry procedures depend on your passport, visa status and the current border arrangement — at our last check some L-visa holders could enter Tibet directly. Confirm with your operator at booking.

Crossings and passenger access can change because of weather, road conditions, disasters or administrative arrangements. Our Tibet permit map keeps the route-by-route permit breakdown current.