Major city · China
Nyalam聂拉木
Use Nyalam as a transit stop between Tibet and Nepal: one night is enough to break the drive, but there's no reason to stay longer unless you're trekking in the Lapchi area.
Nyalam is a small border town on the Friendship Highway, 30 km from the Nepal border at Dram (Zhangmu). It has a monastery linked to the yogi Milarepa, a few basic hotels and restaurants, and no ATM. Most travellers stop for one night on the drive between Shigatse and Kathmandu, or use it as a base for high-altitude treks in the Lapchi region.
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- CNY
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Dec–Feb (snow on the pass), Jul–Aug (landslides on the highway)
- Airport
- RKZ
- Nights
- 1
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 7
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
- China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
- China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
- China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
- China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Nyalam110 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Nyalam, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 (≈ US$30) carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones…China-wide
- SIM or eSIMA roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.China-wide
- Tap waterNot for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5 (≈ under US$1), and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms.China-wide
- TippingRestaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.China-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/C/I. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): fits. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.China-wide
- SafetyNyalam is safe but remote.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsPublic toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls.China-wide
- Emergency numbers110 police · 119 fire · 120 ambulance (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany museums and palaces close on Mondays; the Forbidden City too (outside holidays).China-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckRKZ Shigatse Peace Airport (About 4–5 h by road; check road conditions before planning a connection.).
- Getting aroundNyalam is small enough to walk.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealNoodle soup at a highway restaurant¥15–25 (≈ US$3–4)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Shared taxi to Shigatsecheck¥100–150 (≈ US$14–25) per person
- Budget bedDorm bed in a guesthouse, a night, per personCN¥50 (≈ US$7)
- Mid-range bedBasic double room (Nyalam Binguan or Snowlands Hotel), a night, per roomCN¥200 (≈ US$30)
- High-end bedBasic double room (Nyalam Binguan or Snowlands Hotel), a night, per roomCN¥350 (≈ US$50)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget CN¥150 (≈ US$25) · Mid CN¥300 (≈ US$45) · High CN¥500 (≈ US$70)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- RKZ Shigatse Peace Airport (About 4–5 h by road; check road conditions before planning a connection.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
Feb
Avoid
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
Mar
not flagged
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Apr
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
May
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Jun
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Jul
Avoid
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Aug
Avoid
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Sep
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Oct
Best
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Nov
not flagged
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Dec
Avoid
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
Best: May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jun (19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)), coolest Jan (−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C) low), wettest Jul (18 rain days), driest Dec (1). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Nyalam: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C)
2 rd
Feb
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
3 rd
Mar
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
5 rd
Apr
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
7 rd
May
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
10 rd
Jun
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
14 rd
Jul
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
18 rd
Aug
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
17 rd
Sep
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
12 rd
Oct
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
5 rd
Nov
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
2 rd
Dec
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
1 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Nyalam is small enough to walk. For the monastery (10 km north) or the border, you need a hired car or a ride from the highway bus.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Dram (Zhangmu) border
goDoor to door: About 1 h round trip (border formalities extra)
Hired car or shared taxi, about 30 min down the Friendship Highway
The border crossing to Nepal; check if it's open (it has been closed at times).
Nyalam Pelgyeling Monastery
goDoor to door: About 30 min by car, 2.5 h on foot
Hired car or walk (10 km (6.2 mi) north, about 2 h on foot)Hired car or walk (6.2 mi (10 km) north, about 2 h on foot)
Milarepa's meditation cave; rebuilt in 1983.
Lapchi mountain area
cautionDoor to door: Full day or multi-day
Hired car and trekking guide
Sacred sites and caves; requires a guide and good fitness.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Along the highway
All hotels are on or near the main road; Nyalam Binguan and Snowlands Hotel face each other.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ¥150–250 (≈ US$25–35) excl. bed
- Mid
- ¥250–400 (≈ US$35–60) excl. bed
- High
- ¥400 (≈ US$60)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Basic double room (Nyalam Binguan or Snowlands Hotel)1 × 1 night × CN¥200 | CN¥200 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × CN¥300 | CN¥600 |
| Hired car to the monastery (round trip)1 × CN¥200 · check | CN¥200 |
| Shared taxi to the border2 × CN¥50 · check | CN¥100 |
| Buffer 15%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | CN¥165 |
| Trip total≈ CN¥633 per person per day, bed included | CN¥1,265≈ US$180 |
2026 estimate in yuan; flights and permits excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Noodle soup at a highway restaurant | ¥15–25 (≈ US$3–4) |
| Bottled water (1 L) | ¥3–5 (≈ under US$1) |
| Shared taxi to Shigatsecheck | ¥100–150 (≈ US$14–25) per person |
| Hired car to the monasterycheck | ¥150–250 (≈ US$25–35) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No ATM or currency exchange in town: bring enough cash (CNY) from Shigatse or Kathmandu.
- The Friendship Highway can close due to landslides or snow: check the road status before you travel.
- Altitude: Nyalam is about 3,750 m; take it easy on arrival.
- Foreigners need a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) and a group tour to enter Tibet; the permit is checked at checkpoints.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Fire
- 119
- Ambulance
- 120
Pocket card
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Nyalam聂拉木
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
请到这个地址To this address, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Fire119
- Ambulance120
Embassy
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Nyalam → Shigatse by shared taxi: about ¥100–150 (≈ US$14–25) per person, 4–5 h (check)
- Nyalam → Dram border by shared taxi: about ¥50 (≈ US$7) per person, 30 min (check)
Say or show
- 你好 — Hello (nǐ hǎo)
- 谢谢 — Thank you (xiè xie)
- 多少钱？ — How much? (duō shao qián?)
- 厕所在哪里？ — Where is the toilet? (cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ?)
- 我不明白 — I don't understand (wǒ bù míng bái)
Mandarin is the lingua franca; Tibetan is spoken locally. English is rare.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Nyalam. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Dec–Feb (snow on the pass), Jul–Aug (landslides on the highway) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 1 area to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Place pages with verified opening status (monastery, border crossing) and road condition links.
- Trekking page for Lapchi with guide contacts and gear checklist.
- Border crossing page for Dram (Zhangmu) with current open/closed status.
Sources
Ask about Nyalam
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