Zhangmu Port

Zhangmu Port, this small town has become a major trading post between Tibet and Nepal. The subtropical climate endows the small town with warm, humid weather and beautiful scenery throughout the year.

The town is built along a winding road that is lined with private homes, shops, restaurants and government buildings.
The booming border trade attracts merchants from inland China, Tibet and Nepal. Nepalese merchants export rice, flour, pepper, vegetables and perfumes while Chinese merchants sell wool, tea, salt and Tibetan medicine. There are also restaurants run by the Nepalese serving traditional dishes, instant noodles and beer produced in Nepal. A free trade market formed spontaneously near the Friendship Bridge about 8 years ago, still developing today.

According to an agreement between the Chinese and Nepalese governments, people living within 30 kilometers (18 miles) of the border may cross the border freely. Every day, hundreds of Chinese and Nepalese merchants conduct business under this agreement. Local Sherpa leases their houses to the merchants thus sharing in the profit of the border trade.

Zhangmu is going to undergo major construction to meet the demands of the booming tourism and border trade. Zhangmu Hotel, the town's only hotel, will be rebuilt and expanded. Within the next 5 years, the local government plans to build a 2,220-metre (7,280 feet) roadway to improve traffic flow.

The road from Nyalam Town (elevations 4,000 meters) to Zhangmu via Qupo about 30 kilometers is occupied by high mountains and deep valleys, cliffy narrow coulees, thickly wooded with tall trees and huge stones. On the mountain around the road, there are often lots of waterfalls. On some cliffs, there are even more, than 11 pieces of waterfalls falling from the thousand meters high peak in the clouds, across the stones and pines. Waterfalls, forests and high mountains are the typical scenery along the road. The lush pine trees along the cliff hindering the mountain climb. This amazing view is quite different from it in the Himalayan. The Sino-Nepal tunnel is the best position for Mountain View. The roof at the round corner from Industrious and Merchandise Office to Electric station is the best place to bird view of the Zhangmu Town. Car wash is free in Zhangmu.

More Tips

• Location: Zhangmu (elevations 2,300 meters), also known as Kasa, lies on a mountainside 10km (6 miles) inland from the Friendship Bridge that spans the Bhotekoshi (the Sun Koshi) River.
• Lhamu is the last stop to the Sino-Nepal board line with elevations 3,800 meters. There are 30 kilometers between Nyalam and Zhangmu. The board checkpoint is not far from Nyalam. There are three board checkpoints before Zhangmu Port. So you’d better take the ID card, travel permit, or passport with you.
• To choose the accommodation you’d better consider the scenery and safety. Most of the hotels are not well equipped and the people there are very complicated. When you go outside, you’d better take the valuable things and the Id card or passport with you for check.
• It has frequent showers in Zhangmu; it won’t hurt if you take an umbrella with you.
• There are lots of stone steps in Zhangmu, narrow, dark, slimy with few elbow. So you’d better be careful when climbing up. It’s a good idea to wear anti-slip shoes. When you go out at night, do remember to take the electric torch. There are lots of dogs in the dark place in Zhangmu barking at you. At this time you should calm down without worry. The dogs here seldom bite human beings. If you need to exchange Nepal Ruppi, you can go to the Bank of China in Zhangmu. You should make clear the exchange rate and buy small things as souvenirs in stores along the street.
• You need a passport and visa to pass the checkpoint. No matter the domestic or abroad travelers need to issue a travel permit to pass the checkpoint.
• Zhangmu Hotel is the only hotel. But it is a little bit expensive. For standard room RMB 100 Yuan per day. You’d better go to Lhamu for accommodation, where it is much cheaper and most of the drivers stay there. Then it will be easier for you to charter a car.
• Besides the restaurant in Zhangmu Hotel, there are no other restaurants in the town, so it’s a good idea to take some food with you.