Tour Duration: 11 day(s)
Group Size: 2 - 15 people
Specialty Categories: Railway Trips Sightseeing
Season: January - December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 - Day 3: Beijing - Lhasa Train Journey
First and second day on yours journey through train. Take Train T27 from Beijing to Lhasa at 9:30 pm on first day, arrive in Lhasa at 4:10 pm on day 3. We are sure that you have a pleasant tour on Qinghai - Tibet railway because you will feel like you are traveling on Paradise as you will come cross different famous lakes, Mountain ranges, tributaries of Yangtse river, yellow river, with the life of Tibetan nomads, natural reserves and grassland dotted with yaks and domestic animals etc. Our agency will arrange yours tour guide an driver to pick you up from the train station to yours reserved hotel. Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 4: Lhasa City Sightseeing
Visiting Potala palace, Jokhang temple and famous Barkhor street. In the morning section, you are going to visit the famous Potala palace, which is the land mark of Lhasa and is recently considered one of the seven wonders of the world. The Potala palace is divided into two different parts that is red and white palace. Afternoon section, visiting Jokhang temple, built mainly for the "Jowoe" bring along with princess Wencheng from Xi’an during Tang dynasty and is grouped into world cultural heritage list by the UNESCO. Then exploring the famous old Barkhor street, enjoying shopping traditional Tibetan things around the street. Meals: (B) and (D). Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 5: Lhasa City Sightseeing
Sera monastery and Drepung monastery. Drepung monastery is situated at the foothill of a mountain and was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416. The monastery is divided into two different colleges that is Drepung Loselling and Drepung Gomang college. The Ganden podrang is famous among them as it is the government center during fifth Dalai lama and later moved to the famous Potala palace during fifth Dalai lama. In the afternoon exploring the Sera monastery which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa’s disciple Jamchen Choeje. The whole monastery is divided into two colleges and there are Sera ‘jhe’ and Sera ‘may’ respectively. Among them "Tsokhang chenmo" where the monks from all the colleges assemble and pray together there.you can also see monks debating there in the courtyard at around 6-7:30 in the afternoon section. Note: if you don’t feel tired, you can try for the khora (circumambling around) Drepung and Sera monastery. Your tour guide and driver will drop you back to your hotel. Meals: (B). Overnight in Lhasa.
Day 6: Lhasa - Gyantse (300km) - asphalt road
Visiting Yamdrok tso and Gyantse kumbhum monastery. It is better to leave early in the morning and in about one and half hourway, there is a county called "chushor" quxu in chinese where have to move towards the lhokha (shannan) prefecture. A few kilometers from chushor is famous pass kangpa-la with 4700 meters. From the top of the pass in clear weather, you can see the fabulous shade of deep turquoise. Yamdrok-yutso is shaped like coiling scorpion with deep blue in color. Far in the distance is the huge massif of mount Nanchan kangtsang (7191 meters). Just a few kilometers driving through the shore of lake Yamdrok-Yutso reaches Nangartse county and is the largest town on the lake side and popular stop for the night. Leaving yamdrok-tso is a spectacular as arriving, since you have to cross the 4960 m karo-la with its awesome roadside views of the Nanchan - Kangtsang glacier. It was here that Younghusband’s British troops clashed with Tibetan forces en route to Lhasa. Then reached to our day’s final destination Gyantse. Relax a night in hotel. Overnight in Gyantse. Meals: (B).
Day 7: Gyantse - Shigatse - Sakya (90 km) - smooth road
Visiting famous Tashi Lhunpo monastery and forward to Sakya monastery. Morning section for Kubum monastery is the town’s foremost attraction. The 35 m-high chorten(stupa) with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like goldendome, is awe-inspiring. Youcan visit every chambers in the monastery. Kubum means 100,000 images in Tibetan. Then experience the life of common Tibetan people’s life around the town and also the Gyantse fort. Then moving towards the Shigatse city. After finished up yours lunch, you can visit the famous Tashi lhunpo monastery and is one of the the six great Gelukpa institutions and was founded in 1447 by a disciple of Tsongkapa, Genden drup who was first dalai lama. Jamkhang Chenmo, containing the world’s largest gilded copper image (26m high) of future god Jampa. Then in evening you can visit the famous Tibetan market below the shigatse Zong. Overnight in Sakya County.
Day 8: Sakya - Shegar - Rongpuk (335km)
Visiting Sakya monastery in morning section and towards Rongpuk, advancing towards the Sakya county where you can visit to the Sakya monastery. On the way you will cross the Tso la pass(4410m) and on the long descent from this pass, the Sakya bridge is visible in the distance. The Sakya county is 21 km from the friendship highway. The Sakya tradition is one of the four main Buddhist schools in Tibet. It was from here that the whole of Tibet was governed during the period of Sakya hegemony and even now there are buildings of historic importance to be seen here. You can see the largest book in the world in Sakya’s great library written in gold. The most interesting thing in Sakya sect is that the sect do not believe in reincarnation and the head of Sakya sect will wear white cassock and also marry to birth their child for next generation. after lunch, drive towards to Rongpuk.
It is not easy to travel up to Everest Natural Preserve. Like you need two permits to visit base camp. The first is the usual PSB travel permit and second, a park-entry permit for Everest nature preserve, can be brought at Qomolangma nature preserve San Chen guesthouse in Shekar or the snow leopard guest house in old Tingri. The permit cost 400 Y per vehicle, plus 180 Y per passenger. Your passport and PBS permit will be checked at the checkpoint 6 km west of Shegar. Overnight in Rongpuk. Meals: (B).
Day 9: Half day sightseeing at Everest Area, then drive back to Lhatse
Moving towards the famous Everest camp to see the Everest (4km). Generally speaking, although the altitude of Rongpu Monastery is 5200 meters, most healthy travelers are able to live in Rongpu without feeling uncomfortable. We strongly advice you to live at Rongpu Monastery for 1 night. As of our experience in mountain area, Everest can be seen much clearer in the morning than at noon. If you live in Rongpu Monastery, it takes 10 minutes walking to the viewing platform to see the clear Mt.Everest in the morning, on the contrary, living in Tingri might lead you to a bad result that you can not see the clear face of Mt.Everest at noon. Meals: (B). Overnight in Ranbuk Monastery.
Day 10: Lhatse - Lhasa (450 km, 7 hours, smooth road)
There is no tourist sites to visit today, our only purpose is drive back to Lhasa. Overnight in Lhasa. Meals: (B).
Day 11: Leave Tibet
Our tour guide will see you off in person at Lhasa airport or train station, end the tour. Meals: (B).
Notes:
Price Includes:
- 8 breakfast and 1 Tibetan style dinner
- Transport
- Accommodation: Hotels (9 nights twin room, 3 star hotel in large cities, 2 star hotel in remote county)
- Guide: English-speaking Local Tibetan Tour Guide available
- Tibet Entry permit and PSB Travel permit
- Entrance Tickets of Potala Palace
- Travel Insurance, only for accident, maximum compensation
- The entrance fee in Mt. Everest Nature Reserve
- The entrance fee for Guide in Mt. Everest Nature Reserve
- Oxygen supply
- Government Tax
- Hot Water Bottle and electric blanket supply special for winter
- Train Tickets from Beijing to Lhasa, Train T27, soft sleeper berth.
Price Excludes:
- Flight tickets or train tickets leaving Lhasa
- Your own expense
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Lunches and Dinner
- Single room supplement
- Entrance tickets of scenic and historic except Potala Palace.