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Voykit pocket guide · China
Dram
樟木
Skip Dram as a base: the 2015 earthquake gutted the town and the main border crossing moved to Gyirong. Only pass through if you need to cross into Nepal on foot.
Dram (Zhangmu) is a small border town at 2,350 m on the Friendship Highway between Nepal and Tibet. The 2015 earthquake destroyed the bridge and most of the town; a new bridge opened in 2019 but trade and travellers now use Gyirong. Dram has basic hotels and Chinese restaurants near the Bank of China branch, but prices are 2–3 times higher than Lhasa. The no-man's land to the Nepalese border at Kodari is 10 km: you walk or hitchhike, or hire a porter for about 40 NPR. Entering Tibet here requires the full set of permits and a guide.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 樟木
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (monsoon), Dec–Feb (snow and landslides)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥200–400 · Mid ¥400–700 · High ¥700+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Simple meal (noodles, rice) | ¥30–60 |
| Bottled water (1 L) | ¥5–10 |
| Local bus to Shigatse | ¥150–250 |
| Porter across no-man's land | about 40 NPR |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KTM · Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu)
- About 4–5 h by road to Dram; the nearest major airport. Permits and guide required for entry to Tibet.
Typical fares
- Dram to Shigatse by bus
- about ¥150–250, 5–6 h (check)
- Porter across no-man's land
- about 40 NPR (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is a single zigzag road. Walk or hire a local taxi for short hops. To cross the border, walk or hitchhike the 10 km (6.2 mi) no-man's land, or hire a porter (about 40 NPR).The town is a single zigzag road. Walk or hire a local taxi for short hops. To cross the border, walk or hitchhike the 6.2 mi (10 km) no-man's land, or hire a porter (about 40 NPR).
See and do
Known for
- Border crossing to Nepal
- Friendship Highway
- Earthquake ruins
- High-altitude mountain setting
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kodari (Nepal) | Walk or hitchhike the 10 km (6.2 mi) no-man's land, or hire a porter (about 40 NPR). Nepalese immigration at the Friendship Bridge.Walk or hitchhike the 6.2 mi (10 km) no-man's land, or hire a porter (about 40 NPR). Nepalese immigration at the Friendship Bridge. | About 2–3 h |
| Gyirong | Drive north on the Friendship Highway, about 3–4 h (check road conditions). | About 3–4 h |
| Shigatse | Drive north on the Friendship Highway, about 5–6 h. | About 5–6 h |
Sleep
- Near Bank of China branch
- Zhangmu Binguan, Zhangmu Luguan, Himalaya Hotel, Waishigongbianshi Binguan. The Riguang Lushe is further uphill. Basic, expensive for what you get.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢xiè xiè |
| How much? | 多少钱？duō shǎo qián? |
| I need a porter | 我需要搬运工wǒ xū yào bān yùn gōng |
| Where is the border? | 边境在哪里？biān jìng zài nǎ lǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Prices in Dram are 2–3 times higher than Lhasa.
- The 2015 earthquake destroyed much of the town; some buildings remain damaged.
- Entering Tibet from Nepal requires a Tibet Travel Permit and a guide; arrange before you arrive.
- Bank of China does not exchange money; merchants on both sides accept NPR and CNY and may offer exchange.
- The Gyirong crossing is now the main route; check road conditions before heading to Dram.
Dram is safe for transit but the road can be affected by landslides and snow. The no-man's land is patrolled but travel in daylight. Carry your own water and snacks; prices in Dram are high.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dram yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Border crossing to Nepal
- Friendship Highway
- Earthquake ruins
- High-altitude mountain setting
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Dram, revision 5338281 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338281
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Dram樟木
请到这个地址
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The nearest Chinese embassy is in Kathmandu, Nepal. For consular help while in Dram, contact the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu or the Public Security Bureau in Shigatse.
Permits and a guide are required to enter Tibet from Nepal; arrange before you arrive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dram). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.