Can You Still Travel to Tibet?
Yes — and more destinations than before. Everest Base Camp and Kailash tours have just reopened. The Gyirong overland border with Nepal is closed, with no date for rebuilding. The Zhangmu border is officially open but not supported for tourists, so we plan Tibet–Nepal trips by air between Lhasa and Kathmandu. All other Tibet itineraries are fully operational.
Current route & destination status
Gyirong Port — Nepal to Tibet (overland)
Closed since 28 August 2026 · no date for rebuilding · not expected to reopen within the next two to three years
Gyirong Port — Tibet to Nepal (overland)
Closed since 28 August 2026 · no date for rebuilding · we plan the trip from Tibet to Nepal by air instead (Lhasa–Kathmandu)
Zhangmu Port — Nepal to Tibet (overland)
Officially open, but not supported for tourists · can close at short notice · we do not plan trips that depend on it
Everest Base Camp tours
Road restriction lifted · tourist permits are being issued again as of September 2026
Mount Kailash tours
Restriction lifted · permit applications for Kailash accepted again as of September 2026
Lhasa — fly-in tours, all central Tibet itineraries
All permits, vehicles, guides, and hotel bookings operating as normal
Everest Base Camp & Kailash — now reopened
Tours to Everest Base Camp and Mount Kailash are now accepting permit applications again. The road that was previously reserved exclusively for disaster relief vehicles has been reopened to tourist traffic, and the Tibet Tourism Bureau has lifted the temporary suspension on tourist permits for both destinations.
If you had a booking that was affected by the suspension, or if you are planning a trip to EBC or Kailash, please contact us — we will confirm your arrangements and check permit availability for your preferred dates.
This update is also published by our sister company, Access Tibet Tour & Service Inc. , operating under the same parent company in Lhasa and monitoring the same ground conditions.
What happened — the Gyirong glacier collapse
On 26 August 2026, a glacier collapse on the Nepalese side of a Himalayan peak exceeding 5,000 metres triggered a catastrophic mudflow that devastated communities on both sides of the China–Nepal border. The Gyirong Port border crossing — Tibet’s primary land gateway to Nepal — was completely buried under mud and debris.
Effective 28 August 2026, the Tibet Tourism Bureau suspended the issuance of border area permits for the Gyirong Port area. This permit, separate from the standard Tibet Travel Permit, is required for all travellers entering the restricted Shigatse border zone. Without it, no tour group — private or join-in — can legally proceed to or from the Gyirong crossing.
There is no date for rebuilding the Gyirong port, and from what we see on the ground nothing will change within the next two to three years. We will update this page if there is an official timeline.
Why Everest Base Camp and Kailash were also temporarily affected
Following the glacier collapse, the Tibet Tourism Bureau issued a subsequent notice temporarily suspending tours to Everest Base Camp and Mount Kailash. The road used by EBC and Kailash tour groups runs toward the Gyirong border area, and was reserved exclusively for disaster relief vehicles during the emergency response period.
That restriction has now been lifted. The road has been reopened to tourist traffic and both destinations are accepting visitors again.
Zhangmu: officially open, but not reliable
Zhangmu Port — the older Nepal–Tibet crossing on the Friendship Highway, via Nyalam — is officially open, but it is not supported for tourists, and it can close at short notice, sometimes after travellers have already arrived in Tibet. A traveller who planned to leave Tibet that way would then be stuck. So we do not plan any trip that depends on it.
What we do instead: after Everest Base Camp, drive on towards Nepal as far as Peigutso Lake to see the whole Shishapangma range, return to Shigatse for the night by a different road — through the Dingjie County area and past Sakya Monastery, not back over the Gyatso La pass — then go back to Lhasa and fly to Kathmandu. You still see the great Himalayan views on the road towards Nepal — Everest, and the Shishapangma range above Peigutso Lake — and you reach Kathmandu safely by air. Travellers coming from Nepal fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa.
In short: travel between Tibet and Nepal by air (Lhasa–Kathmandu), and see the Himalaya on the road as far as Peigutso Lake.
What is fully open and available
The only active restriction is the Gyirong and Zhangmu overland border crossings. All other Tibet destinations and routes are fully operational:
- ✓ Everest Base Camp (Rongbuk) — now open again, permits being issued
- ✓ Mount Kailash & Manasarovar — now open again, kora permits accepted
- ✓ All fly-in tours arriving at Lhasa Gonggar Airport — fully operational, permits issued normally
- ✓ Lhasa city tours — Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, and Sera Monastery
- ✓ Shigatse — Tashilhunpo Monastery and the surrounding valley
- ✓ Gyantse — the Kumbum Stupa and Dzong fortress
- ✓ Yamdrok Lake and the Kamba La pass viewpoint
- ✓ Shannan Prefecture — Yumbulakhang, Samye Monastery, and the Royal Tombs
- ✓ Nyingchi — the canyon, forests, and Basum Lake
- ✓ Namtso Lake and the Nyainqentanglha range
- ✓ Tibet train tours from Xining, Chengdu, Chongqing, or Beijing
If you have an existing booking
Overland Nepal–Tibet groups: If your itinerary includes entering or exiting Tibet overland via Gyirong or Zhangmu, please contact us directly. Options include rerouting to a fly-in itinerary, adjusting departure dates, or holding your booking until the border reopens. We will find the right solution for your group with no penalty.
Everest Base Camp and Kailash bookings: If your tour was postponed due to the recent road suspension, it can now proceed. Please contact us to confirm your revised dates and permit arrangements — we will move quickly to get everything back on track.
Ready to plan your Tibet trip?
Lhasa, Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash, and all central Tibet are available. Tell us your dates and we will build the right itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still travel to Tibet?
Yes. Everest Base Camp and Kailash tours have reopened and all standard Tibet itineraries are operating. Only the overland borders with Nepal are affected.
Is the Gyirong border open?
No. The Gyirong crossing was buried in the August 2026 mudflow, there is no date for rebuilding, and nothing is expected to change within the next two to three years.
Can I cross at Zhangmu instead?
Zhangmu is officially open but not supported for tourists, and it can close at short notice — even after you have arrived in Tibet. We do not plan trips that depend on it.
How do I travel between Tibet and Nepal now?
By air between Lhasa and Kathmandu. On our tours, after Everest Base Camp, drive on towards Nepal as far as Peigutso Lake to see the whole Shishapangma range, return to Shigatse for the night by a different road — through the Dingjie County area and past Sakya Monastery, not back over the Gyatso La pass — then go back to Lhasa and fly to Kathmandu. Travellers coming from Nepal fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa.
How current is this information?
It was last updated in October 2026. Because conditions change, we confirm the live status with you before you book.
We answer within 12 hours, Monday to Saturday.