Tibet Border Crossings for Kailash Yatra: Kerung, Hilsa and Lhasa Entry

Kailash yatras from Nepal enter Tibet through three doors. The first is the Rasuwagadhi Kerung road crossing north of Kathmandu. The second is the Hilsa bridge crossing in Humla, reached by a short helicopter flight from Simikot. The third is the flight route into Lhasa, from Kathmandu or from mainland China.

The Kerung border has been closed since 26 August 2026. A flash flood on the Bhote Koshi river destroyed the border bridge, the customs area at Timure and long sections of the road. No reopening date has been confirmed. Repair work is running on both sides, and the realistic earliest window for reopening is spring 2027. The Hilsa crossing and the Lhasa flight route are open and working, and yatras run through them.

The Short Answer

• Kerung road border: Closed since 26 August 2026. Under repair. No reopening date yet.
• Hilsa crossing: Open and working normally. Used by the helicopter and Simikot Hilsa routes.
• Lhasa by air: Flights from Kathmandu and mainland China are running.
• Our stand: We verify border status before every departure and speak with you early if anything changes.

Is the Kerung Border Open?

No. The Rasuwagadhi Kerung crossing, also written as Gyirong or Kyirong, has been closed since the morning of 26 August 2026.

That morning a flash flood came down the Bhote Koshi river from the Tibetan side. It took out the Miteri Friendship Bridge that joins Nepal and China at the frontier. It destroyed most of the customs village at Timure, where hundreds of trucks were parked. It cut the road between Syabrubesi and the border in more than ten places and damaged the 42 kilometre stretch from Betrawati to Rasuwagadhi at multiple points.

The border post itself was swept away. Four immigration staff were reported missing. Around 384 pilgrims who were at the border that day, preparing to cross into Tibet for the yatra, were out of contact for a time. The road, the bridge and the customs area all have to be rebuilt before this crossing can carry travellers again.

There is no confirmed reopening date. Chinese rescue and repair teams have been working on the Tibetan side, and Nepali crews on the Nepal side. Based on how long the 2025 repairs took, the earliest realistic window for a partial reopening is spring 2027, and a full rebuild will take longer. We treat every reopening rumour as unconfirmed until authorities announce it.

We plan our 2027 overland departures in good faith that the corridor reopens for the next season. Before every departure we verify the border status, the road condition and the permit situation, and if anything looks uncertain we speak with our guests early and honestly.

Why Does This Border Keep Closing?

Because the corridor is fragile and the climate around it is changing. Two floods have hit this same border in fourteen months. Scientists at ICIMOD, the mountain research centre for the Himalaya, have warned that sudden flood events of this kind are increasing across the region.

The border has a history, and it explains why one river can decide the fate of a pilgrimage season.

One lesson sits inside that table. After the 2025 flood, Chinese authorities allowed special pilgrim groups to cross at Kodari Tatopani while Rasuwagadhi was being repaired. After the 2026 flood, diverted passenger and rescue traffic again moved through Tatopani. It is not a standard pilgrim crossing today, but history shows the two governments can open alternatives when the yatra season needs them.

How the Kerung Crossing Works When It Is Open

For anyone planning a 2027 overland yatra, here is what the Kerung day looks like in a normal season.

The drive from Kathmandu runs north through Galchhi and Bidur toward Syabrubesi, about 150 km, or 93 miles, in total. In normal conditions it takes seven to nine hours, and the last stretch climbs through the roadhead country below the Langtang valley.

At Rasuwagadhi the group completes Nepal exit immigration. Then everyone crosses the Miteri Friendship Bridge on foot, carrying their day bags, into China. Chinese entry formalities happen on the Kerung side, and the Tibetan vehicles take over from there. Kerung town sits at 2,700 m, about 8,860 ft, and the first night there is a planned acclimatisation stop before the road climbs toward Saga and the plateau.

It is a full day, and our itineraries treat it as one. Nothing else is scheduled on a border day.

A note on the road itself. The August 2026 flood damaged the approach road on the Nepal side at more than ten points between Syabrubesi and the border, and the wider corridor from Betrawati took heavy damage too. Trekking agencies paused their Langtang departures after the flood. The road repair runs alongside the border repair, and we check the road status before every departure in the same way we check the border.

Which Nepal China Borders Are Open Right Now?

Here is the status of every crossing that matters for a Kailash yatra, as of September 2026.

If you are booked on an overland route through Kerung, or thinking about one, the honest picture is this. Nobody can promise a reopening date. What we can do, and do, is check the status before every departure and talk with you about alternatives long before your travel date. The Hilsa and Lhasa routes keep the yatra possible in every season.

The Hilsa Border Crossing, Step by Step

Hilsa is the border of the helicopter routes, and it works today.

The journey starts with a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj in the western plains. From Nepalgunj a small aircraft climbs to Simikot, the headquarters of Humla district, at 2,910 m or about 9,545 ft. After a night in Simikot, a chartered helicopter flies the group to Hilsa in roughly 25 minutes.

At Hilsa, at about 3,647 m or 11,965 ft, the border crossing happens on foot. Here is the sequence.

1. The helicopter lands on the Nepal side and the group walks down to the river.
2. Everyone crosses the swinging suspension bridge over the Karnali river. Wind, prayer flags, and the sound of the river below. This is the moment Nepal ends and Tibet begins.
3. On the far side, the group completes Nepal immigration and exit formalities.
4. A Chinese bus takes everyone about five minutes to the Chinese immigration office at Sera.
5. After entry formalities, the drive continues 22 to 25 km to Taklakot, also called Purang, at roughly 4,025 m or 13,200 ft.
6. Before Taklakot town there is a second customs check at the Burang customs office.

Two rules matter at Hilsa. First, the group crosses together, always, because everyone travels on one group permit and visa. Second, patience. On busy mornings in peak season the formalities take time, and the helicopter schedule answers to the weather, not the clock.

Entering Tibet Through Lhasa by Air

The third door has no road, no bridge and no flood risk. It is the flight into Lhasa.

From Kathmandu the flight to Lhasa Gonggar Airport takes about an hour and a half and crosses the Himalaya, with views of Everest on clear days on the left side of the aircraft. From mainland China there are flights from Beijing, Chengdu, Xian and other cities. Our Lhasa to Kailash tour, our Everest Base Camp journey and our Lhasa overland journey all enter this way.

On arrival, your permits are checked at the airport and your Tibetan guide meets the group at Gonggar. The drive into Lhasa takes about an hour, and the city sits at 3,650 m or about 11,975 ft, which makes the first days of the trip a gentle place to start acclimatising before the route climbs toward Kailash.

For travellers who want the least border risk of all, this is the entry we recommend.

What a Border Day Actually Feels Like

We want to be honest about this part, because no brochure mentions it.

A border day is the slowest day of the yatra. You carry a small day bag. The trip leader holds the passports in a document pouch through immigration. There are roll calls, waiting rooms, queues and forms. Officers work through the group at their own pace. The timetable is a hope, not a promise.

Our guides run border mornings the same way every time. The group stays together. Nobody wanders off at the frontier. Paperwork is the guide’s worry, patience is the pilgrim’s job. Once you accept that, border days become a quiet part of the rhythm rather than a frustration. Some pilgrims later tell us the waiting hours were when the yatra first felt real.

What Happens if a Border Closes Before My Departure?

It is a fair question after 2026, and here is our honest answer.

We watch the status of all three crossings through the season. If a crossing you are booked on looks uncertain for your departure window, we contact you early. We explain the situation, the realistic options, and the costs of each, and we decide together. The alternatives are real. The same yatra can be run through Hilsa or through Lhasa flights, and the sacred destinations do not change.

Our booking terms help here too. Cancellations made 60 or more days before departure carry no cancellation fee. We also ask every guest to carry travel insurance that covers delays, route changes and evacuation, because those costs sit outside any tour package in this region.

What we will never do is promise you a border opening to keep a booking. If a crossing is uncertain, you will hear it from us first, in plain words.

Which Crossing Does Each Journey Use?

Two of our journeys use no border at all. The Kailash Yatra via Simikot stays inside Nepal and receives darshan from the Lapcha Syar viewpoint in Humla. The Luxury Kailash Door Darshan by flight circles Kailash and Lake Mansarovar by chartered aircraft from Nepalgunj without landing in Tibet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Kerung border open right now?

No. The Rasuwagadhi Kerung border has been closed since the flash flood of 26 August 2026, which destroyed the border bridge, the Timure customs area and sections of the road. Repair work is under way and no reopening date has been announced.

When will the Rasuwagadhi Kerung border reopen?

There is no confirmed date. Based on the 2025 repair, which took about six months, the earliest realistic window for a partial reopening is spring 2027. A full rebuild of the bridge, customs area and road will take longer. We verify the status before every departure.

Can I still do the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Nepal?

Yes. The Hilsa crossing and the flight route into Lhasa are open and working. Helicopter routes and Simikot Hilsa routes cross at Hilsa, and Lhasa routes fly in from Kathmandu or mainland China. There is also a Nepal side darshan route and an aerial darshan flight that need no border at all.

Is the Hilsa border crossing open?

Yes. Hilsa is working normally and was not affected by the Kerung flood. Groups reach it by helicopter from Simikot and cross the Karnali river bridge on foot.

Do you have to walk across the border at Hilsa?

Yes. After the helicopter lands on the Nepal side, everyone walks across the suspension bridge over the Karnali river, completes Nepal exit formalities, and then takes a short drive to the Chinese immigration office. It is a short walk, at about 3,647 m altitude.

How long does a border crossing take on the Kailash yatra?

Between one and three hours in normal conditions, depending on group size, queue length and the day. In peak season it can run longer. Our itineraries plan border days with nothing else scheduled, so delays do not break the journey.

Can pilgrims cross the Nepal China border individually?

No. Kailash travel runs on a group visa and group permits, so the group crosses together with the guide. Individual crossings are not part of the system.

What happens if the border closes before my departure?

We contact you early, explain the situation and the options, and re-plan together. The same yatra can usually be run through Hilsa or Lhasa flights. Cancellations made 60 or more days before departure carry no fee, and good travel insurance covers delay and change costs.

Is the road from Kathmandu to Rasuwagadhi open?

The road was cut at more than ten points between Syabrubesi and the border, and the stretch from Betrawati was damaged at multiple points as well. Langtang region treks are paused for now. Repair work is running alongside the border rebuild, and we check the road status before every departure.

What are the Kerung border timings in a normal season?

In a normal season the crossing operates through daylight hours, and the authorities confirm the exact timing each season. Groups plan to arrive mid-morning so the formalities finish before the afternoon. We confirm the current timing with every departure.

Not sure which entry suits your route, your passport or your parents? Tell us your route and travel month. We will tell you which crossing it uses and what the status looks like for your dates, before you commit to anything.