18-Day China & Everest Tour by Qinghai-Tibet Train

Meals: No meal
Recommended Hotel: In Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, China's capital, and meet your guide at Beijing Capital International Airport. Transfer to the hotel, with the remainder of the day free.

Tiananmen Square

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Beijing

Leave the hotel in the morning for Tiananmen Square (40min), described here as the world's largest urban square, followed by the Forbidden City (2.5 – 3 hours), the world's largest and most complete surviving imperial palace complex. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven (1 hour), then return to the hotel for free time.

Forbidden City

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Beijing

Travel in the morning to Mutianyu Great Wall (including round cable car and scenic shuttle bus), the Great Wall section most popular with international visitors. Return to central Beijing for exterior views of the Bird Nest and Water Cube (about 1 hour), built for the Beijing Olympic Games. Afterwards, return to the hotel for free time.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Xian

After breakfast, take a relaxed Hutong Tour by rickshaw (Short route) for an introduction to local Beijing life. Continue to the Summer Palace, the imperial summer residence, then transfer to the railway station for the high-speed train to Xian.

Summer Palace

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Xian

Allow 2.5 – 3 hours at the Terracotta Warriors , one of the world's most important archaeological discoveries, where troops, horses and chariots stand in battle formation. After lunch near the site, return to central Xi'an for an outside view of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, associated with the former Han- and Tang-dynasty capital Chang'an. Continue to the Xian City Wall (1 hour), one of China's oldest and best-preserved city walls. Afterwards, you may explore Muslim street independently before returning to the hotel.

Qin Terracotta Warriors

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Xining

Complete the Xi'an visit at the Shaanxi History Museum (2 hours), one of China's first large state museums equipped with modern facilities. After lunch, transfer to the airport for the 1.5-hour flight to Xining (2261m), a major gateway to the Tibetan Plateau. Meet your Xining guide at the airport, transfer to the hotel and rest for the remainder of the day.

Shaanxi History Museum

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Xining

After breakfast, travel to Qinghai Lake, including the scenic shuttle bus and lake cruise, at an average elevation of 3,200m /10,500ft. The 2.5-hour drive leads to China's largest inland salt lake. En route, stop briefly at Sun & Moon Mountain (ticket excluded), a natural boundary between the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Return to Xining in the late afternoon.

Qinghai Lake

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: On the train

Drive 0.5 hour to Ta'er Monastery for a 2-hour visit. The monastery is regarded as one of the six principal monasteries of the Tibetan Dge Lugs school. After lunch, enjoy free time until the transfer to Xining railway station for the overnight train to Lhasa.

Tips:
1) Duration of Xining – Lhasa overnight train: around 24 hrs both K train and T train
2) Click Train to Tibet for further information about that

Ta'er Monastery

Meals: No meal
Recommended Hotel: In Lhasa

More than half of the day is spent aboard the train. On arrival in Lhasa (altitude: 3600m) during the afternoon or evening, meet your Lhasa guide at the station and transfer to the hotel to rest.

Tips: How to prepare for the high altitude sickness can be found in High Altitude Sickness Tips

Train to Lhasa

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Lhasa

Begin the Lhasa tour at the Potala Palace (1 hour), described here as the world's largest monastery of its type and the official home of the Dalai Lama. After lunch, continue to Jokhang Monastery (1 hour), where monks receive formal training and education, then explore nearby Barkhor Street (1 hour) for an introduction to Tibetan culture and local handicrafts. Return to the hotel afterwards.

Potala Palace

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Lhasa

After breakfast, visit the Tibet Museum (1 hour), Tibet's first modern museum. Return to central Lhasa for lunch, then continue to Norbulingka Park (1 hour), the traditional summer palace and residence beginning with the 7th Dalai Lama. Finish at Sera Monastery (1.5 hours) to observe monks debating in the shaded courtyard behind the main temple, then return to the hotel.

Sera Monastery Monks Debating

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Shigatse

Drive toward Shigatse in the morning. Stop at Yamdrok Lake (30 min), one of Tibet's three largest sacred lakes, then continue to Pelkor Chode Monastery (4000m) at the foot of Dzong Hill. Proceed to Shigatse and check in on arrival in the city center (3836m), with the rest of the day free.

Yamdrok Lake

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Tingri

Begin at Tashilumpu Monastery, one of Tibet's six major monasteries and the seat of the Panchen Lama. Continue to Sakya Monastery, the principal monastery of the Sakyapa school of Tibetan Buddhism, then drive to Tingri (4300m). Arrive around the evening and stay overnight; the hotel is simple, while the local hosts are friendly.

Tips: The accommodation in Tingri is simple and crude equipment, may be in a guesthouse standard. No enough warm water to supply when accommodation.

Tashilumpu Monastery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Shigatse

Rise early, generally between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m., for a possible sunrise photograph of Mt. Everest. After about 3.5 hours on a rough road, reach Base Camp of Mt. Everest (5200m) in the morning and spend time viewing the mountain. Afterwards, drive back to Shigatse. The return makes this a long road day of about 8.5 hours, followed by an overnight stay in Shigatse.

Tips:
1) Tingri – Mt. Everest Base Camp: 115km, 3.5 hours driving
2) Mt. Everest Base Camp – Shigatse downtown: 340km, 8.5 hours driving

Base Camp of Mt. Everest

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Lhasa

After a night's rest, return to Lhasa in the morning by an alternate route following the Yurlong Tsangpu River. View different scenery from the vehicle, with lunch served along the way.

Tips: Shigatse downtown – Lhasa downtown: 265km, 5 hours driving

Shigatse City View

Meals: Breakfast
Recommended Hotel: In Shanghai

Enjoy free time until the airport transfer for the 3-hour flight to Shanghai. Meet your Shanghai guide on arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Shanghai City View

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Recommended Hotel: In Shanghai

Begin the full-day Shanghai tour at the Jade Buddha Temple (1 hour), known for a seated, jewel-encrusted Buddha said to weigh 1,000 kg. Continue to Yuyuan Garden (1 hour), a classical Chinese garden in the city center, and nearby Chenghuangmiao Old Street  (1 hour). After lunch, ascend the Shanghai World Financial Center (1 hour, 94th – 100th floors) for an elevated city view. Finish with a walk along the Bund (30 min), known for its collection of architecture from around the world, then return to the hotel.

Chenghuangmiao (Old Street)

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy free time until the transfer to the airport.

Service Ends