Discover Tibet: Self-Launched Adventure from Beijing to Kathmandu

Fly into Beijing Capital or Daxing International Airport and make your own way to a centrally located budget hotel or hostel near Qianmen or Dongcheng. Beijing has excellent metro connections from both airports (~£3–4). Grab dinner at a local hutong restaurant — Peking duck or hand-pulled noodles for under £6. Tonight is your chance to rest, plan ahead, and get excited for the journey.

🚌Airport Express metro to city centre: ~£3–4

🛏Leo Hostel or Beijing Downtown Backpackers (or similar) — from ~£18/night in a private room or £10 in a dorm

• →Arrive and check in independently
• →Explore Qianmen pedestrian street or a local hutong neighbourhood
• →Self-guided dinner at a local Beijing restaurant

Head to Beijing West station and board a high-speed G-train to Lanzhou (~6hr 45min). Book tickets in advance via Trip.com or the China Rail website (~£35–45 second class). From Lanzhou, take a shared minibus or long-distance bus to Xiahe (~3hrs, ~£6). Xiahe sits at 3,000m — take it easy this afternoon to begin acclimatising. Stroll the Tibetan quarter and enjoy a simple dinner at a local teahouse.

🚌Beijing–Lanzhou high-speed train ~£40; Lanzhou–Xiahe bus ~£6

🛏Tara Guesthouse or Nirvana Hostel Xiahe (or similar) — from ~£12–16/night

• →High-speed train Beijing to Lanzhou (book via Trip.com or 12306.cn)
• →Shared minibus or bus Lanzhou to Xiahe
• →Explore Xiahe's Tibetan quarter on foot
• →Acclimatisation walk along the monastery kora

Spend a full day exploring Labrang Monastery, one of the six great Yellow Hat monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism. Entry tickets are ~£8 and guided tours of the monastery complex run roughly every hour. In the afternoon, wander Xiahe's open-air market — look for yak wool goods, religious trinkets and Tibetan clothing sold by local vendors. This is an immersive cultural day that requires no booking — just show up and explore.

🚌On foot all day

🛏Tara Guesthouse or Nirvana Hostel Xiahe (or similar) — from ~£12–16/night

• →Visit Labrang Monastery — self-ticketed entry (~£8), join a monastery-led tour
• →Walk the kora (circumambulation path) around the monastery with pilgrims
• →Browse Xiahe market for traditional Tibetan goods
• →Try tsampa (roasted barley), yak butter tea, and thukpa noodle soup at a local restaurant

Hire a private car or join a shared tour from Xiahe to Tongren county (~3hrs) to visit Wutun Monastery, famous for its thangka-painting artist monks. This leg is best arranged through your guesthouse or a local agency in Xiahe (~£15–20 shared). After the monastery visit, continue the ~3hr drive through the Longwu River valley to Xining. Xining is a modern city with great food — try hand-pulled noodles and lamb dishes in the Muslim Quarter.

🚌Shared car hire Xiahe–Wutun–Xining ~£18

🛏Xining Xindadi International Youth Hostel or similar budget hotel — from ~£15/night

• →Hire shared car or join a local day tour Xiahe–Wutun–Xining (~£15–20/person)
• →Visit Wutun Monastery and watch monks create thangka paintings
• →Drive through scenic Ganjia grasslands and Longwu River valley
• →Evening stroll in Xining's Muslim Quarter (Dongguan area)

Start the morning at Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Temple, ~£10 entry), one of the most important Gelug monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism. Then walk to the 600-year-old Dongguan Grand Mosque (free entry) and explore vibrant Mo Street for street food lunch. Tonight you board the Qinghai–Tibet Railway — the Sky Train — from Xining to Lhasa (~21hrs). Book soft sleeper berths (~£60–70) well in advance via Trip.com. The train climbs to over 5,000m at Tanggula Pass — oxygen is available onboard.

🚌Sky Train Xining–Lhasa soft sleeper ~£65

🛏Soft sleeper berth on the Sky Train (~£60–70, book via Trip.com)

• →Morning visit to Kumbum Monastery (entry ~£10)
• →Visit Dongguan Grand Mosque (free)
• →Lunch and street food on Mo Street
• →Board the Qinghai–Tibet Railway Sky Train (soft sleeper, ~21hrs to Lhasa)

Spend the morning gazing out at vast Tibetan plateau landscapes — desert, grassland, snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes. The train arrives in Lhasa at ~5:40pm. IMPORTANT: All travellers must have a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) arranged before arrival — this must be organised through a licensed Tibetan travel agency (legally required for all foreign visitors to the TAR). Reputable agencies include Tibet Ctrip Travel Service or Tibetan Journey. Budget ~£80–100 for the TTP + mandatory guide service fee. Transfer to your guesthouse in the old Tibetan quarter (~30 mins by taxi, ~£5).

🚌Taxi from Lhasa station to hotel ~£5

🛏Banak Shol Hotel or Yak Hotel (or similar guesthouse in Lhasa old quarter) — from ~£20–28/night

• →Enjoy panoramic views of the Tibetan Plateau from the train
• →Chat with fellow travellers or try mahjong onboard
• →Arrive Lhasa, taxi to guesthouse (~£5)
• →Rest and begin acclimatising to 3,650m altitude — no strenuous activity tonight

Your mandatory local Tibetan guide will accompany you today (legally required). Start at Jokhang Temple (~£12 entry), the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk the Barkhor Street kora clockwise with pilgrims — a deeply moving experience. In the late afternoon, visit Sera Monastery (~£8 entry) to witness the famous monk philosophical debates (held daily except Sundays, ~3–5pm). Book this through your local licensed agency.

🚌On foot / licensed guide vehicle included in agency package

🛏Banak Shol Hotel or Yak Hotel (or similar) — from ~£20–28/night

• →Visit Jokhang Temple with licensed local guide (entry ~£12)
• →Walk the Barkhor Street kora with pilgrims
• →Browse Barkhor bazaar stalls for Tibetan artefacts
• →Attend the monk philosophical debates at Sera Monastery (entry ~£8)

Morning visit to Lhasa's largest local market — ideal for souvenirs, fresh produce, momo dumplings and yak butter cheese. Then visit the iconic Potala Palace (~£25 entry — book your timed entry permit well ahead through your local agency, as daily visitor numbers are strictly capped). In the afternoon, join a Tibetan cooking class bookable via GetYourGuide or directly with local operators like Lhasa Kitchen (~£25–35/person). You'll shop for seasonal ingredients and cook yak cheese, vegetarian momos, and yak butter tea.

🚌On foot / licensed guide vehicle

🛏Banak Shol Hotel or Yak Hotel (or similar) — from ~£20–28/night

• →Morning at Lhasa local market — browse stalls and try street food
• →Visit Pawang Monastery (small entry fee ~£3)
• →Timed-entry visit to Potala Palace (entry ~£25, pre-book via your local agency)
• →Afternoon Tibetan cooking class (~£25–35, bookable via GetYourGuide or local operators)

Your licensed agency vehicle departs Lhasa this morning, driving the stunning route via Khamba La Pass, where you'll stop for breathtaking views over turquoise Yamdrok Lake with the Himalaya beyond (~3.5hrs total driving). Arrive in Gyantse and visit Pelkhor Choede Monastery and the extraordinary Kumbum Pagoda (~£8 entry) — an eight-level mandala tower containing 100,000 images. This drive is covered within your mandatory licensed agency package.

🚌Covered by licensed Tibetan agency vehicle (included in agency package)

🛏Gyantse Hotel or local guesthouse (or similar) — from ~£18–22/night

• →Scenic drive Lhasa–Gyantse via Khamba La Pass (~3.5hrs in agency vehicle)
• →Stop at Yamdrok Lake viewpoint for photography
• →Cross Karo La Pass (5,045m) with potential glacier views
• →Visit Pelkhor Choede Monastery and Kumbum Pagoda, Gyantse (entry ~£8)

A one-hour drive brings you to Shigatse, Tibet's second city. Visit Tashilumpo Monastery (~£10 entry), the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas — explore its golden-roofed halls, enormous Maitreya Buddha statue, and ornate chapels. In the afternoon, optionally walk the monastery kora or browse Shigatse's local market. All transport is via your licensed agency vehicle.

🚌Covered by licensed Tibetan agency vehicle

🛏Shigatse Manasarovar Hotel or local guesthouse (or similar) — from ~£18–22/night

• →Drive Gyantse–Shigatse (~1hr in agency vehicle)
• →Visit Tashilumpo Monastery (entry ~£10)
• →Optional: walk the monastery kora with local pilgrims
• →Explore Shigatse local market — yak products, prayer flags, handicrafts

Three-hour drive through remote Tibetan landscape to the town of Sakya. Visit the imposing Sakya Monastery (~£8 entry), one of Tibet's most significant religious complexes — home to vast halls of Yuan Dynasty murals, ancient Buddhist scriptures, and intricate thangka paintings. The monastery's grey-and-white-striped walls are visually striking. Overnight in a simple guesthouse in Sakya at high altitude (4,440m) — stay well-hydrated.

🚌Covered by licensed Tibetan agency vehicle

🛏Sakya Manasarovar Hotel or local guesthouse (or similar) — from ~£15–20/night

• →Drive Shigatse–Sakya (~3hrs in agency vehicle)
• →Visit Sakya Monastery — murals, scriptures, thangkas (entry ~£8)
• →Explore Sakya village and monastery surroundings on foot
• →Rest and hydrate at 4,440m altitude

An awe-inspiring day. Your agency vehicle drives ~5hrs into Everest National Park — the national park entry fee (~£30) plus a bus to Rongphu is required. Stop at Pang La (5,050m) for panoramic views of four 8,000m peaks: Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Cho-Oyu. Continue to Rongphu Monastery, the highest monastery in the world (~5,100m), for a clear-day view of Everest's north face. Drive 1.5hrs to Ganggar for the night.

🚌Covered by licensed Tibetan agency vehicle; park shuttle bus included in park fee

🛏Ganggar Snow Leopard Hotel or local guesthouse (or similar) — from ~£15–20/night

• →Drive to Pang La viewpoint (5,050m) — views of Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Cho-Oyu
• →Visit Rongphu Monastery — highest monastery in the world (entry included in park fee)
• →Everest National Park entry fee (~£30)
• →Gaze at Everest's north face — one of the world's great views

A long but spectacular seven-hour drive along the Friendship Highway. Pass Shishapangma — the tallest mountain entirely in Tibet — and stop at the turquoise waters of Lake Pelkutso for views and wildlife spotting: Tibetan antelope, wild donkeys, and yaks are often seen here. Descend dramatically into Kyirong Valley, dropping over 1,000m in altitude — the lush greenery is a striking contrast to the barren plateau. Overnight in Kyirong ahead of the border crossing.

🚌Covered by licensed Tibetan agency vehicle

🛏Shell Hotel Gyirong or local guesthouse (or similar) — from ~£15–18/night

• →Drive along the Friendship Highway (~7hrs in agency vehicle)
• →Stop at Lake Pelkutso — Shishapangma views and wildlife spotting
• →Descend into the green Kyirong Valley
• →Explore Kyirong town on foot in the evening

Drive 45 minutes to the Kyirong/Rasuwagadhi border. Your Tibetan guide's jurisdiction ends at the border — cross immigration and customs independently (allow 2–3hrs for formalities). On the Nepalese side, arrange a shared jeep or tourist minibus to Kathmandu (~8–9hrs, ~£15–20). The road winds through stunning Himalayan scenery, the Trishuli Gorge and Langtang foothills. Arrive Kathmandu in the evening — check into the lively Thamel backpacker district.

🚌Border–Kathmandu shared jeep or tourist bus ~£18

🛏Hotel Encounter Nepal, Zostel Kathmandu, or similar Thamel guesthouse — from ~£12–20/night

• →Drive to Kyirong/Rasuwagadhi border (45 mins in agency vehicle)
• →Cross Tibet-Nepal border independently through immigration
• →Shared jeep or tourist bus to Kathmandu (~8–9hrs, ~£15–20)
• →Arrive in Thamel, Kathmandu — explore the lively backpacker district

Your self-launched Tibetan adventure ends in Kathmandu. Spend the morning exploring Thamel's cafés, souvenir shops, or the nearby Boudhanath Stupa (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, entry ~£2.50) or Pashupatinath Temple (entry ~£12 for non-Hindus). Kathmandu's international airport offers connections across Asia and beyond. If extending, Nepal has incredible options: Everest Base Camp trek, Annapurna Circuit, Pokhara, or Chitwan National Park.

🚌Taxi to airport ~£5

🛏Hotel Encounter Nepal or Zostel Kathmandu (or similar) — from ~£12–20/night

• →Morning visit to Boudhanath Stupa (~£2.50 entry) or Pashupatinath Temple (~£12)
• →Browse Thamel for trekking gear, handicrafts and souvenirs
• →Farewell breakfast at a Kathmandu rooftop café
• →Depart from Tribhuvan International Airport or extend your adventure in Nepal