10-Day G318 Sichuan–Tibet Small Group Overland Tour

Meals: No Meals
Accommodation: standard room in 4 star hotel in Chengdu (complimentary gift)

Welcome to Chengdu, the starting point of this G318 journey. Make your own way to the designated hotel, then use the rest of the day to settle in or explore independently.

Free Time Ideas: On this gathering day, arrange your own schedule and travel independently to Chengdu.

If you arrive in the morning, consider central Chunxi Road, the historic Daci Temple, Taikoo Li and the IFS panda installation.

For an afternoon arrival, you may explore Jinli Old Street and Kuanzhai Alley, or visit Xiaojiuguan , the tavern associated with Zhao Lei's song “Chengdu.”

Important Notes:

• The gathering day is for independent activities and is not part of the formal group itinerary. Look after your personal safety and belongings; insurance is not included for this day.
• At the designated hotel, provide your name to receive the prepaid room. The deposit is your responsibility. Check-in is generally after 2:00pm; if the room is not ready, leave your luggage at reception and explore the city center independently.
• The tour leader or driver will confirm the next day's departure time before 21:00. If no message has arrived by 21:00, contact your travel advisor for confirmation.
• After arriving in Chengdu, purchase any snacks, side dishes, medicines or other personal supplies you may need during the overland journey.

Chengdu Life

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room in Yajiang County

Altitude: 500m-4,298m-2,600m | Distance: 400km, about 7 hours' drive

After breakfast, leave Chengdu for western Sichuan, passing through Ya'an and crossing the Erlang Mountain Tunnel on the Yakang Expressway before reaching Kangding.

Continue across Zheduo Mountain Pass at 4,298 meters, the first pass above 4,000 meters on this section of the Sichuan–Tibet Highway. On a clear day, Gongga Mountain may be visible before the route descends toward the Kham region.

Drive onward to Xinduqiao at approximately 3,460 meters. The open grasslands, streams, Tibetan villages and shifting light have made this area a well-known photography corridor.

After the stop in Xinduqiao, continue to Yajiang County and check in for the night.

Important Notes:

• Depending on road conditions and the time available, the group will travel either via S434 Airport Road and Honghai Lake or along G318 across Zheduo Mountain.
• Avoid bathing for the first three days before or after entering the plateau if doing so could cause a cold, as illness may make altitude adjustment more difficult.
• Water and electricity can be unreliable in Tibetan areas. Carry wet wipes and a flashlight, expect possible outages or unstable shower temperatures, and keep bathing brief until you have adjusted to the altitude.

Xinduqiao

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room at Cuopu Valley

Altitude: 2,600m – 4,014m – 3,300m | Distance: 250km, about 6 hours' drive

After breakfast, leave Yajiang and climb the Eighteen Bends, pass through Scissors Bend Tunnel and cross Kazi La Mountain at 4,718 meters before reaching Litang, the hometown associated with Dingzhen and Tsangyang Gyatso.

Visit “Letong Ancient Town and Qianhu Tibetan Village”, a large community of traditional Tibetan homes. With your guide, explore the listed local museums and Rengang Ancient House for an introduction to Kham culture.

Continue to  Changqingchun Ke'er Temple, the oldest and largest Gelug monastery in the Kham region, and learn about its religious history from your guide.

Changqingchun Ke'er Temple

Travel beside the Wuliang River, cross Rabbit Ear Mountain at 4,696 meters and pass the Haizi Mountain Nature Reserve at roughly 4,500 meters. From June through August, seasonal wildflowers may be visible across Maoya Grassland.

Pause at the Sister Lakes, two high-altitude lakes lying close together on Haizi Mountain.

Continue through the roadside landscapes toward Batang near the Sichuan border.

Special Reminders:

• Altitude Acclimatization: Today's route moves farther into high-altitude terrain. Portable oxygen is carried on the vehicle for emergency use while participants continue acclimatizing.
• Accommodation: Depending on season, road conditions and availability, the overnight stay will be arranged near the entrance to Cuopu Valley or inside the scenic area. If those rooms are full during peak season, accommodation will be arranged in Batang County.

Sister Lakes

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room in MangKang County

Altitude: 3,300m – 4,100m – 3,800m | Distance: 155km, about 4.5 hours' drive

After breakfast, set out for Cuopu Valley on the G318 Highway, a highland valley combining lakes, grasslands, forests, mountains and Tibetan religious sites.

Cuopu Valley

At the visitor center, change to the scenic-area shuttle and begin at Yaso Monastery, a Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist monastery whose red buildings stand against the surrounding greenery.

Continue to the Cuopu  Hot Spring Group, where more than 150 hot springs and geysers occur within a compact geothermal area. Hot-spring-boiled eggs are available as part of the visit.

Travel onward to Zhangde Grassland, with views toward Zajin Jiapo Sacred Mountain across the high-altitude pasture.

Reach Cuopu Lake, a sacred lake of the Kham region whose shoreline is edged by seasonal wildflowers in summer.

Finish the scenic-area visits at Cuopu Monastery, Kangzhula Tso Lake and Zhima Yong Tso Lake, the pair of sister lakes included in the Cuopu Valley program.

Marmots may sometimes be seen during the scenic-area visit, but encounters depend on local conditions and wildlife activity.

Leave the scenic area, pass Zhubalong and cross the Jinsha River Bridge into Tibet before arriving in Mangkang for the night.

Cuopu Valley Grassland

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room in Basu County

Altitude: 3,260m | Distance: 360km, about 8 hours' drive

Travel from Mangkang County to Basu on a full overland day that crosses several major passes and grassland viewpoints along the Sichuan–Tibet Highway.

Climb from Mangkang to Lawa Mountain Pass at 4,376 meters, the first major pass of the day.

Lawa Mountain

Continue to Dongda Mountain, whose pass is measured at 5,130 meters and is the highest point on the southern Sichuan–Tibet Highway. Summer scenery can include green pasture and grazing yaks.

Cross Bangda Grassland, an extensive natural pasture, and stop at the 4,444-meter observation deck for views of the grassland and winding rivers.

Descend the Nujiang 72 Turns, a series of tight bends covering roughly 12 kilometers and an elevation change of about 1,551 meters.

Arrive in Basu County and check in for the overnight stay.

Special Reminder:

• Speed limits are strictly enforced after entering Tibet. Cooperate with the driver, expect a long travel day and carry sufficient snacks and water.

Nujiang 78 Bends

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room in Bomi County

Altitude: 2,750m | Distance: 360km, about 6 hours' drive

After breakfast, follow G318 to Ranwu Lake, also known as Rakwa Tso, a glacial lake at approximately 3,850 meters surrounded by mountains, meadow and forest.

Glacial and mountain meltwater feeds the lake, whose clear surface reflects the surrounding landscape. In Tibetan it is known as Rannu Co, with “Co” meaning lake.

Ranwu Lake

Drive another 47 kilometers to Midui Glacier, approximately 100 kilometers east of Bomi. Use the scenic shuttle to see this low-lying glacier, whose snowline is around 4,600 meters, together with its icefalls and surrounding mountain landscape.

After the glacier visit, continue to Bomi County and check in for the night.

Midui Glacier

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Standard room in Nyingchi

Altitude: 3,000m | Distance: 240km, about 5-6 hours' drive Travel approximately 240 kilometers from Bomi to Nyingchi, a drive of about 5–6 hours. Stop first at
, a clear roadside lake along G318 with views toward the sky and snow-covered mountains.
Guxiang Lake

Guxiang Lake

Continue to Lulang, where the landscape changes from high peaks to forest. Lunch includes the listed Stone Pot Chicken, prepared with Tibetan chicken, hand-shaped ginseng and gastrodia in a stone pot.

After lunch, enter Lulang Forest, a densely vegetated area of cypress, spruce and birch with meadow and river scenery.

Take an approximately three-hour walk through Lulang's meadow and forest landscape. Trails are generally defined, but be prepared for rain, snow or strong wind at higher elevation. When conditions are clear, viewpoints may include Mount Namche Barwa.

Namche Barwa Mountain

Drive 48 kilometers to Segrila Pass at 4,768 meters for views toward the surrounding peaks, including Mount Namche Barwa, the 7,782-meter mountain in the eastern Himalayas.

Continue to Nyingchi and check in for the overnight stay.

Segrila Mountain

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room in Lhasa City

Altitude: 3,650m | Distance: 480km, about 7 hours' drive

After breakfast, travel from Nyingchi to Basomtso Lake at 3,538 meters. This turquoise alpine lake, also called Basom Tso or Dragsum Tso, is a national forest park and an important Nyingma Buddhist site.

Visit Tashi Island and the 17th-century Tsozong Monastery, then walk around the island for views across the lake and mountains. Continue to Jieba Village for a look at local village life.

After Basomtso Lake, continue by road to Lhasa, a journey of approximately 5–6 hours.

Basomtso Lake

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Standard room in Lhasa City

Altitude: 3,650m | Distance: 20km, about 0.5 hours' drive

Explore Lhasa at the Potala Palace, then continue to the Jokhang Temple and walk with local residents around Barkhor Street to observe the daily kora circuit.

Walk up to the Potala Palace, the landmark of Tibet and former winter residence of the Dalai Lama. After climbing 365 steps to the Red Palace at 3,700 meters, take in a panoramic view of Lhasa city and explore chapels associated with past Dalai Lamas. Ask your guide about Songtsen Gampo, who built the first palace in the seventh century for his marriage to Princess Wencheng. Please note the visit order follows the entry time on your ticket; visitors must remain with the tour group, time inside is limited to one hour and photography is prohibited.

Potala Palace

Visit the  Jokhang Temple, Lhasa's principal pilgrimage site, traditionally associated with Songtsen Gampo, Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti. The temple houses a life-size statue of the 12-year-old Sakyamuni and is known for its carvings, murals and decorative details. Please note Jokhang Temple Ticket Reservation procedures are subject to official reservation arrangements.

Jokhang Temple

Walk along Barkhor Street, historically part of the Buddhist kora route and now also a market for Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian handicrafts.

Special Reminders:

• Potala Palace uses a real-name ticket reservation system.
• The management office assigns entry times by computer, so a specific visit time cannot be requested and the actual route may differ from the reference itinerary.
• Visitor limits apply during peak season. A group may be divided into smaller entry groups, and ticket arrangements can vary by booking channel; follow your guide's instructions for the confirmed visit.

Barkhor Street

Meals: Breakfast

Altitude: 3,650-3,660m | Distance: 60km, about 1.5 hours' drive

It is time to conclude the 10 Days Sichuan Tibet Tour. Your guide will transfer you to the airport or railway station for your onward flight or train.

Service Ends