Friendship Highway — Lhasa to Kathmandu
The roof of the world, all 900 kilometres of it.
The Friendship Highway — officially G318 in China — is one of the highest sustained overland routes on earth, threading the Tibetan Plateau from Lhasa west through Shigatse, Lhatse, and up to the Gyatso La pass at 5,248 m before dropping into the Tingri plains with Cho Oyu and Shishapangma on the horizon. The side road to Everest Base Camp branches off near Shelkar, adding a brutal 70-kilometre corrugated detour to the Rongbuk Monastery at 5,150 m — the highest monastery in the world, with the north face of Everest filling the entire sky above it. Back on the main route, the final descent through Gyirong Valley to the Nepal border is a genuine high-clearance challenge: crumbling road edges, landslide debris, and river crossings that shift with every monsoon season.
Foreigners cannot drive privately in Tibet — you must be part of an organized group with a licensed Tibetan guide, a permitted vehicle and driver, and a Tibet Travel Permit plus Alien’s Travel Permit and Restricted Area Permit for areas near the Nepal border. Arrange all permits through a licensed Tibet Tourism Bureau agency well in advance; the process takes weeks. Best season is May–June or September–October — monsoon brings landslides and winter closes high passes. Altitude sickness is a real threat; acclimatize in Lhasa for at least two days before heading west. The reward is a landscape so vast and vertical it reframes every road trip you’ve done before it.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | High Altitude, Historic, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 559 mi / 900 km |
| Duration | 7-12 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 17228 ft |
| Best season | May-June, September-October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD (must be licensed Tibetan operator vehicle) |
| Nearest town | Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region |
| Land manager | Tibet Tourism Bureau / Chinese National Highway Administration |
| Permit required | Yes |
| Cell service | Spotty |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | Tibet Tourism Bureau permit info |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
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Frequently asked questions
Can I drive this route in my own 4WD, or does it have to be a local vehicle?
You cannot drive your own vehicle. Chinese law requires all foreign travelers in Tibet to use a licensed Tibetan operator vehicle with an assigned driver and guide — no exceptions. Your personal rig stays home regardless of build or capability.
When is the Friendship Highway actually passable, and what closes it?
May–June and September–October are the reliable windows. Monsoon season (July–August) brings landslides and washouts that can close sections for days or weeks, and winter sees heavy snow on the high passes, several of which top 5,000 metres. Spring and fall still carry risk — check pass conditions before committing to a date.
What permits do I need and how far in advance do I have to sort them?
You need a Chinese visa, a Tibet Travel Permit (TTB), an Alien's Travel Permit, and a Military Area Permit for border zones near Gyirong — four separate documents. Get started at least 4–6 weeks out; the TTB alone requires a licensed tour operator to sponsor your application, and you cannot enter Tibet independently.
What's the hardest section of the route and what should I be prepared for?
The stretch crossing Gyatso La pass (5,248 m / 17,218 ft) near Shigatse is consistently the most brutal — thin air, unpaved switchbacks, and frequent rockfall on the descent toward the Nepal border. Altitude sickness is a real threat across the entire route; acclimatize properly in Lhasa for 2–3 days before moving and carry diamox if your body doesn't adjust easily.
Is there reliable fuel and accommodation along the route, or do I need to plan around long gaps?
Fuel and guesthouses exist in the main towns — Shigatse, Lhatse, Tingri, and Gyirong — but gaps between them can run 150–250 km on remote stretches. Your operator handles logistics, but confirm fuel stop planning with them before departure; don't assume anything is open off-season or after a weather event.
Trail track
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