EN
EnglishFrançaisDeutschEspañolItaliano
Home / Tours / 19-Day Tibet Expedition

Licensed Tibet agency · Kathmandu to Lhasa

The 19-day expedition

The longest trip on this site: the listing describes Kailash plus the 920 km Friendship Highway between Kathmandu and Lhasa, with a flight back from Lhasa. The catch is the border, because the overland crossings from Nepal are closed and the route as written cannot run right now.

Tibet Expedition with Mount Kailash, 19 Days

About this experience

The listing calls this "the most demanding popular tour to Tibet": an overland journey on the 920 km Friendship Highway from Kathmandu to Lhasa, with Mount Kailash added, then a flight back from Lhasa. Nineteen days is long enough to do the far west properly and still see Lhasa at the end. Pickup is available, per the listing.

The listing was written before the borders closed. The Friendship Highway crossing at Tatopani-Zhangmu is shut, and the Kyirong crossing, the usual overland alternative, was destroyed by a flash flood on 26 August 2026; YoWangdu lists it as closed indefinitely. Until one of them reopens, a Kathmandu-to-Lhasa drive is not possible. If the operator offers a changed route, such as flying into Lhasa and reversing the trip, get the new itinerary in writing before you pay.

The season is the other limit. Snow closed the Kailash kora on 26 September 2026, and most departures restart in April or May 2027. If you mainly want Lhasa and a big Himalayan view in less time, the 9-day Everest Base Camp tour runs from Lhasa and does not depend on a land border.

  • Kailash and Lhasa on one trip, per the listing
  • The Friendship Highway across the plateau, as the route was designed
  • Fly back from Lhasa at the end, per the listing
  • 19 days: time for the far west without rushing
  • Pickup available, per the listing

How the day runs

  1. StartKathmandu

    Pickup is available, per the listing. This is where the visa and permits are checked before you leave Nepal.

  2. Per the listingOver the border into Tibet

    The listing's route crosses overland from Nepal. Both road crossings are closed, so ask what replaces this leg.

  3. Days in the westKailash and Manasarovar

    The lake at about 4,590 m and Kailash above Darchen at 4,670 m. Ask whether the full three-day kora is included.

  4. ThenEast to Lhasa

    The highway runs east via Lhatse and Shigatse towards Lhasa at 3,650 m.

  5. EndFly out of Lhasa

    The listing ends with a flight back from Lhasa.

A Tibetan monastery with gilded roofs under a blue skyThe Potala Palace in Lhasa under dark cloudsA Tibetan town in a wide valley below bare brown mountains

What's included

Included

  • Pickup, per the listing
  • Tibet permits, arranged by the agency
  • Licensed guide in Tibet, required for foreign visitors
  • Overland transport in Tibet (confirm in the itinerary)
  • Free cancellation, per the listing

Not included

  • The flight out of Lhasa, unless the operator confirms it
  • Yaks, horses or porters on the kora, usually paid locally
  • Travel insurance with evacuation cover
  • Tips for the guide and driver

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You want Kailash and Lhasa on one long trip
  • You have close to three weeks
  • You can wait for a border to reopen or accept a changed route
  • You hold a non-Indian passport

Skip it if

  • You need firm dates before spring 2027
  • You want the overland drive from Nepal and cannot move your plans
  • You have two weeks or less: see the 15-day loop from Lhasa
  • You hold an Indian passport and the operator cannot confirm the pilgrim channel

Tips before you book

  • Ask the operator straight out: which border does this trip cross in 2027, and what happens if it stays closed?
  • Get any revised route in writing, with the new day plan and altitudes.
  • The listing offers free cancellation. Read the cut-off before you book a long-haul flight.
  • Follow our Kyirong closure updates before you commit.

Read next:

Frequently asked questions

Can the 19-day Tibet expedition run overland from Kathmandu in 2027?

Not while the borders stay shut. The Kyirong crossing was destroyed on 26 August 2026 and Tatopani-Zhangmu is closed, so the drive from Kathmandu written into the listing cannot run until one reopens.

Does it include the Kailash kora?

Per the itinerary. The listing names a Kailash pilgrimage; ask whether that means the full three-day circuit over the Dolma La.

How does the trip end?

Per the listing, with a flight back from Lhasa. Ask whether that flight is in the package.

Is there a shorter Tibet trip?

Yes. Lhasa, Everest Base Camp and Namtso takes nine days from Lhasa, without Kailash.

Ready to book

Book 19-Day Tibet Expedition

Nineteen days across Tibet: Kailash and Lake Manasarovar plus Lhasa on one long overland trip.

Book thisCompare all tours

Compare with

15-Day Kailash & Manasarovar Small GroupThe classic two-week loop from Lhasa: time to acclimatise, the drive west, a night at the lake and the Kailash kora.15 days · Starts in LhasaKailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lhasa, 11 DaysAn 11-day yatra listed from Kathmandu that runs from Lhasa, not the closed Kyirong road. Pickup available, per the listing.11 days · Starts in KathmanduLhasa, Everest Base Camp & Namtso, 9 DaysNine days from Lhasa: the Potala, a night at Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake. No Kailash, no kora.9 days · Starts in Lhasa

Plan your date before you go

Nineteen days across Tibet: Kailash and Lake Manasarovar plus Lhasa on one long overland trip.

Book this