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The border is marked by the so-called Friendship Bridge , which spans the Bhote Koshi at the top end of town, guarded at either end by lackadaisical Nepali and Chinese soldiers. Up at the head of the valley, 600m higher than Kodari, the Chinese buildings of Khasa (or Zhangmu ) cling to the side of a mountain - that's the extent of the view of Tibet from here. A steady stream of Nepalis and a few Chinese cross the bridge during daylight hours; you won't see any Tibetans crossing, of course, because those wanting to leave must do so secretly over remote mountain passes, and few are entering Tibet these days. Nepalis can travel as far as Khasa without travel papers, and are allowed to bring back small amounts of stipulated goods such as electronics, garments, wool and shoes duty-free. (Flour and ghee go in the opposite direction.) Should you be crossing the border , the 9km between the Kodari and Khasa immigration posts is a no-man's-land which, when the road isn't washed out, will be traversed by some sort of shuttle vehicle. If the road is closed, you'll have to walk; you can hire a porter to carry your pack. Remember that Tibet is two hours and fifteen minutes ahead of Nepal, so you have to set off early to catch the bank in Khasa before it closes. Even if you've just come up to the border for a look, you stand a good chance of being allowed to cross and go up to Khasa if you leave your passport with the Chinese guards and promise to return in a couple of hours.
You can't officially enter Tibet (China) from Nepal without a visa and Tibet entry endorsement, which must be obtained in Kathmandu.
If you're entering Nepal from Tibet, set off from Khasa as early as possible, as it's a very full day's journey to Kathmandu. If you miss the direct Kodari-Kathmandu bus you'll probably have to take a taxi to Tatopani and then a bus to Barhabise, where there are more frequent connections. Better yet, don't go straight to Kathmandu: spend a night or two in Dhulikhel or Bhaktapur, which are much pleasanter places to wind down after China.
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