10 Days Lijiang Shangri-la Lhasa Xian Tour

As you arrive in Lijiang, a historic city home to Naxi and other ethnic minority groups in northwest of Yunnan Province, our local guide will be expecting you at the airport. Later, the guide will escort you to your hotel.

In the afternoon, we will visit one of the must-see attractions in Lijiang, namely Lijiang Ancient Town. The hot pedestrianized town features plenty of lovely little canals and bridges, traffic free streets and overhanging willow trees. Numerous small cafes and bars, and street artists, tasty local snacks, etc. can also be found. Afterwards, climbing to Wangu Tower of the Lion Hill where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the entire old town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain afar.

Stay overnight in Lijiang.

In the morning, the tour will take you to climb Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the picturesque mountain overlooking the Lijiang. Get down jacket since the temperature can get pretty cold. You may choose to visit incredible Glacier Peak or enchanting yak meadows.

After that, we head to spectacular Black Dragon Pool, built in Qing Dynasty. The lovely park gives you a break from touristy ancient town. You can stroll on the colorful cobbled path and enjoy the gorgeous Moon-Embracing Pavilion with crystal-clear lake below reflecting the enchanting Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. We can also stop by Dongba Culture Museum inside the park

Stay overnight in Lijiang.

In the morning, we will drive from Lijiang to Shangri La (Zhongdian) and on the way we will pass drive the First Bend on the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery, and the Iron Chain Bridge in the Stone Drum town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road runs through the Lijiang valley, which is filled with wheat fields and dry haystacks.

Continue driving 40KM more to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha in this area because you can find gold in the river.

In the afternoon, head for Shangri La, the former Zhongdian. Upon arrival in Shangri La, you will enter the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields and yaks scatter in the valleys. The guide will take you the hotel for rest.

Stay overnight in Shangri La.

In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. And afterwards you'll go and visit the tranquil Bita Lake & Shudu Lake. Having finished touring the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, you would visit the Old Town of Shangri La and the Guishan Park.

At night, you can have dinner in Tibetan family and enjoy butter tea and other tasty Tibetan food.

Stay overnight in Shangri La.

In the morning, you will be transferred to Diqing Shangri La Airport and take the flight from Shangri La to Tibet. Upon your arrival in Lhasa Gonggar Airport, our Tibetan guide will be expecting you and escort you to the hotels in Lhasa City. The rest of the day is for you to get acclimatized to high altitude in Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang Temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market. Besides, we can taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house.

Optional:
With time permitting, you may go with tour guide to visit Tibetan handicraft art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine center. You can upgrade your service to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD).

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung Monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. You can visit the biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.

In the afternoon, you will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour the Tibetan religious scripture printing house. Inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

The guide will transfer you to the airport and help you board the plane bound for Xian. After around 3 hours’ flight, you will land in Xian. The local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotels. And the rest of the day is for you to have a rest.

Stay overnight in Xian.

The day tour in Xian is impressive too. The Emperor’s Terracotta Army is also one of the eight wonders in the world. These terracotta warriors and horses are the size of a real army, and were buried alongside the Emperor in a vast underground palace.

In the archeological site of Banpo Village, built more than 6,000 year ago, you will see how the resident matriarchal tribe used to survive in the Neolithic age.

Stay overnight in Xian.

The guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.