Groups leave Kathmandu before dawn or overnight in Syabrubesi to reach Rasuwagadhi soon after the border opens. On the Nepal side, Nepali immigration stamps you out. Porters or a small vehicle move baggage to the bridge, and pilgrims walk across in visa-list order with their passports and copies of the group visa. Chinese officers check names and faces carefully against the list.
Every bag passes through a scanner, and officers may open luggage to look for prohibited items, including religious images of the Dalai Lama, some books and maps, and drones. Keep medicines in their original packaging with prescriptions. Health checks, sometimes including temperature screening, have been part of the process in recent years, and biometric collection has been introduced. The whole sequence usually takes 2–4 hours.
Once through, the Tibetan guide and vehicles meet the group for the 25 km drive to Kyirong town, adjusting watches by 2 hours 15 minutes to Beijing time. The rest of the day is for lunch, rest and a slow walk. Floods in July 2025 and August 2026 destroyed the bridge and post; check current status before you travel.
Good for
- Pilgrims
- Groups
- First-timers
Questions travellers ask
Is the Rasuwagadhi–Kerung border open for Kailash yatra?
The crossing reopened on 1 January 2026 after a July 2025 flood, but a larger flood on 26 August 2026 destroyed the border post, bridge and customs area again. As of autumn 2026 no reopening date had been announced. Check current status before you travel; we reroute groups via Simikot–Hilsa or Lhasa when needed.
What items are not allowed at the Kerung border?
Avoid carrying images or books about the Dalai Lama, maps showing borders China disputes, political literature, drones and large quantities of medicines without prescriptions. Officers scan every bag and may confiscate items. Religious items for Hindu puja, such as idols, rudraksha and puja samagri, are normally fine in personal quantities.
How long does it take to cross the border at Rasuwagadhi?
When the crossing is operating normally, allow 2–4 hours for Nepal exit, the bridge walk, Chinese immigration, baggage scanning and health or biometric checks. On busy days in the yatra season it can take longer. Groups must cross together in the order of the visa list.
