Tibet Odyssey from Shanghai

Your Tibet tour will start when your flight lands in Shanghai. Upon arrival, please take a taxi to the hotel that we have booked for you. For your reference, the taxi costs around CNY180 per way from Pudong Airport and CNY60 per taxi from Hongqiao Airport to the hotel. For the remainder of the day, you are advised to have a rest at the hotel or have a leisure walk around the hotel by yourself. 

Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Accommodation: Golden River-view Hotel

Today's arrangement is on your own. We suggest you start your trip by visiting the Shanghai Museum. It is quite convenient to go there by subway or taxi. To take subway, you will walk to the Hanzhong Road Station and take subway Line 1 (Xinzhuang direction) for 2 stops to People's Square Station. After coming out from Exit 1, you may walk along the square for 430 meters, then turn back right and keep going for 270 meters to get to the destination. Alternatively, you can also take a taxi and the fare is about CNY20. Established in 1952, Shanghai Museum, a large museum of ancient Chinese art, is famous for its rich collections and excellent quality. Next, proceed to Yuyuan Garden by taxi (about CNY14). With a history of over 400 years, Yuyuan Garden was once a private garden during Ming Dynasty, and now it is a renowned south classical garden. There are many restaurants with a variety of food choices around the site, and the Town God's Temple nearby is also an ideal place to sample the local flavor. After that, take subway Line 10 (New Jiangwan City direction) for one stop and get off at Nanjing East Road Station. You can stroll along Nanjing East Road to Nanjing Road, which is a shopping paradise gathering more than 600 stores. Then head to south for about 260 meters to get to the Bund area to appreciate the different styles of buildings along the banks. You may stay there till evening to enjoy the beautiful night scene of the city. Finally, you can take a taxi at a cost of around CNY25 to get back to your hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Continue your Tibet tour itinerary from Shanghai to Xian today. Full day is free on your own arrangements. In the afternoon, please take subway line 1 or walk northwards along Hengfeng Road for around 15 minutes to arrive at the Shanghai Railway Station. Board an overnight soft sleeper train to Xian. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight soft sleeper train

Arrive in Xian in the morning. Our tour guide will pick you up at the railway station. Breakfast is on your own. Your private Xian trip will begin with a visit to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, one of the symbols of the city. Discovered in 1974, it covers the three accompanying pits of the first emperor of Qin's mausoleum. Everyone who visits here will be overwhelmed by its grand scale, thrilling scenes, high standard of science and art in the ancient times. We do not arrange lunch for you today. You may stop for it at a restaurant around the museum or get back to downtown area and seek a good restaurant. Our guide will be glad to help you to find a proper restaurant upon your request. After that, you will proceed to visit the Provincial History Museum. As the capital of thirteen dynasties, Xian is an ancient city abundant with rich historical relics and deep cultural heritages. This museum best presents the glorious past of the province and the brilliant ancient civilization of our country. Then your last stop will be the Xian Museum and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. Walking in the museum, you can not only appreciate the valuable collections but also enjoy the graceful sceneries around. 

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Days Inn City Centre Xi'an

After breakfast, bid farewell to the ancient city and journey to Lhasa by air. Our local guide will expect you at the airport and escort you to check in at the hotel for a good rest. It is entitled to be a city famous for its strong religious atmosphere and the age-old historical remains. You will explore this mysterious land in-depth in the next few days and the journey may be difficult and hard to some people. In order to ease the possible discomfort due to the high altitude, we would like to suggest you minimize the physical activities as much as possible by avoiding running, bathing and other intense exercises. If you feel uncomfortable and have severe altitude illness, please use the oxygen mask which is available at the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Gang-gyan Lhasa Hotel

Morning sightseeing today brings you to the Tibet Museum. Covering an area of 53,959 square meters, the museum has abundant collections including various types of artifacts, images of Buddha and Bodhisattva, ancient scriptures, golden seals issued by the governments, Tangka, etc. All of these give visitors a visual representation of the unique and profound Tibetan history, culture, art, religion and folk customs. Then you will head to visit Sera Monastery and Norbulingka Park. As one of the largest temples in the holy land, Sera Monastery used to have over 5,500 monks during its heyday and the sutra-debating is the most distinctive activity in the temple. Located in the western suburbs, Norbulingka Park is a typical Tibetan style garden and noted for its exquisite buildings and elegant environment. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Today's private excursion will take you to explore the Potala Palace. Acclaimed as the "pearl on the roof of the world" for its highest elevation, Potala Palace was once the power center of Tibet and now it has been the symbol of Qinghai - Tibet Plateau. You are able to find a remarkable amount of cultural relics and learn the unique heritage of local culture in this grand palace. After dining at a nice local restaurant, you will move on to visit Jokhang Temple, where you can witness the devout worshippers making pilgrimage outside of the temple. Surrounding Jokhang Temple, it is Barkhor Street. The street is not only a very prosperous commercial area but also a main route for pilgrimage. Afterwards, you will visit a Nunnery. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, our guide and driver will pick you up at hotel lobby and transfer you to Gyangtse. After two hours and twenty minutes' driving, you will get to Yamdrok Yumtso Lake. It is regarded as one of the largest holy lakes along with Namtso and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet. With a length of 130 kilometers and a width of 70 kilometers, it is also the biggest inland lake at the northern foot of Himalayas. After a short stop at Yamdrok Yumtso Lake and Karola snow mountain. We will continue the private journey to Gyangtse, where you will visit Palkhor Monastery and explore the time-honored Gyangtse Old Street. Then, you will move onto your next destination, Shigatse and check in at the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Gasar Hotel - VIP Building

Today, you are going to visit Tashilunpo Monastery, which is the biggest temple of Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Shigatse. On the way, you are able to see the golden crown of the temple sparkling in the sunlight, and the magnificent palaces will come into sight when visitors step to the entrance of the temple. At the south of Tashilunpo Monastery, you will see the New Palace of Panchen, which was built in 1954 by the Tenth Panchen Lama. With splendid architectures and pleasant environment, it is an ideal place to spend the summer time and here you may find many historical relics and artistic works, among which the painting of Ba Si Ba meets with Kublai, is the most precious. After that, we will keep on our way for about five hours to reach Dingri. En route, you will pay a visit to Sakya Monastery and Lhatse city. Located at Benbo Mountain of Sakya County, Sakya Monastery is the main temple of Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism and was listed as the national key cultural unit by the State Council in 1961. As one of the largest and best counties in Shigatse, Lhatse city will impress you with its unique sceneries and simple folk customs of the locals. Afterwards, you will check in at the Everest Hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Everest Hotel

Today you are going to make an expedition to Everest Base Camp and have sightseeing at Rongbuk Monastery. With an altitude of 5,154 meters, Rongbuk Monastery is only 20 kilometers below the peak of the mountain, so the landscape here is very unique and breathtaking. The temple has been reconstructed in 1983 and the painted murals here are worthwhile to appreciate carefully. Afterward, we will get back to Shigatse. Upon arrival, you will have a good rest at the hotel to prepare for another long journey tomorrow. 

Meals: Buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Gasar Hotel - VIP Building

The transfer from Shigatse to Lhasa will take around five to six hours. Upon getting back to Lhasa, you will check in at the hotel and refresh yourself by having a good rest. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Gang-gyan Lhasa Hotel

Today, you will depart from the holy land and head to Beijing by a flight. Our tour guide will wait for you at the airport and transfer to the hotel. You are advised to have a rest at the hotel to recover from the high altitude. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Days Inn Forbidden City Hotel

Your first guided sightseeing stop will be the Tiananmen Square, which is a solemn place where the flag-raising ceremony and flag-lowering ceremony take place every day. On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Tiananmen Tower and raised the first national flag personally. From then on, Tiananmen has been the symbol of new China and the image of it has been an important part of the national emblem. Walking through the Tiananmen Tower, you will reach the Forbidden City, where you can explore the lives of Chinese feudal emperors. It is said that there are 10000 halls in the palace of the Jade Emperor who is the king of the heaven. In order to avoid being superior to the god, the Ming and Qing emperors decided to construct 9999 rooms in the Forbidden City. This incomparable masterpiece fully embodies the supreme power of the emperors in ancient times. There is no lunch included in the itinerary today. Walk out of the north gate of Forbidden City, you will find many good restaurants nearby the Jingshan West Road. 

Then, extend your journey to explore the Summer Palace. It used to be the most important center of the political and diplomatic activities for supreme rulers outside the Forbidden City in the late Qing Dynasty. According to the different terrain and location, the whole garden is dotted by exquisite buildings including palaces, halls, pavilions and corridors around the 41-meter-high Fo Xiang Pavilion on the Longevity Hill. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

As one of the world eight greatest miracles, the Great Wall is a must for most travelers to Beijing. This morning, we will drive you to admire this splendid project at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, and the round way cable car is included. The strategic location of Mutianyu makes it an important military pass of the Ming dynasty and the defense of the capital city. Every visitor who climbs this great wall will marvel at the incredible perseverance, intelligence and the creativity of the ancient people. Lunch is not provided, but you can manage it individually. Since the restaurants in this mountain area offer low-quality food, it is recommended that you have a hearty breakfast at the hotel and choose a fast food restaurant for lunch. 

After that, we will drive you back to downtown, on the way you will have a short stop at the Bird's Nest and take some photos from a distance. Then continue to visit the Temple of Heaven. Built in 1420, it used to be a shrine for worshipping ceremonies held by the ancient Chinese emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and it has been a park since the year of 1918 till now. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Today you will arrange the transfer from hotel to the airport on your own. The check out time of the hotel is before 12:00. You may take Subway Line 10 and get off at Liangmaqiao Station, then connect Airport Express to reach Beijing International Airport. It takes around 2 hours by public transport. While if you take a taxi, it takes around 1hour and the taxi fee is about CNY110.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast