10 Days Xining and Tibet Natural Scenery Tour by Train

Transfer to your hotel after arriving in Xining airport or railway station. The rest of the time is at leisure. You can have a good rest or walk around in the city.

Stay overnight in Xining

In the morning, drive about 2.5 hours from Xining to Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland salt water lake. The ellipse-shaped lake looks like a huge poplar leaf sitting on the alpine prairie. Scenery in Qinghai lake varies according to seasons. Summer and autumn have the most comfortable weather conditions and the lake's scenery is most beautiful during these seasons. The most charming and attractive place in Qinghai Lake is the Bird Island. It situates on the western shore of the Lake. Cruising for about 30 minutes is a popular way to appreciate the lake. On the way to this charming lake, you can get a view of Riyue mountain. In the afternoon, drive back to Xining. Then, transfer to railway station for your overnight train to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in the train

You will spend a whole day on the train to Lhasa and enjoy fabulous scenery along the world famous Qinghai-Tibet railway, the highest railway in the world. Spectacular land of snows, boundless desert, vast grassland, grand ice mountains, and beautiful lakes will continually appear and strongly attract your heart. You will arrive in Lhasa in late afternoon or evening. Then transfer to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, visit Lhasa's landmarks, Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple. First go to Potala Palace to explore its grand and myriad chapel, and appreciate the jeweled burial chorten of past Dalai Lamas as well as statuary, frescoes and paintings. Later visit the Jokhang Temple, which is considered as the most sacred temple in Tibet and draws tremendous number of pilgrims from all over Tibet each year for it houses a magnificent image of Sakyamuni at 12 years old. The Barkhor, a pilgrimage circuit encircling the Jokhang, also serving as the biggest bazaar in Lhasa, is a great place full of handicrafts, ambers, jewelry, Tibetan clothes, ect. In the afternoon, explore the Sera monastery which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The most attractive is its Buddhist Scriptures debating held in the courtyard mostly around 6:00 - 7:30 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Drive from Lhasa to the holy Namsto Lake, the second-largest saltwater lake in China. It is over 70km long and reaches a width of 30km. In clear weather, the water is a miraculous shade of turquoise and there are magnificent views of the nearby mountains. The wide open spaces, dotted with tents of local nomads, are intoxicating. After enjoying the fabulous scenery, we will drive back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Passing by the green farmland of Nyangchu Valley, Yamdrok lake, Karo-la Glacier roadside at 4960m, we move westwards to the second biggest city of Tibet, Shigatse, the area spiritually hosted by Pamchan Lama. The most important attraction for today is Yamdrok Lake and Kubum monastery in Gyantse. Yamdrok Lake is shaped like coiling scorpion with deep blue in color and Kubum monastery has a 35m-high chorten (stupa) with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Drive westwards along the Friendship way to Tingri. There is about 90km bumpy road from Tingri to Rongpuk. The road is under construction, and it is very rough from Tingri to E.B.C. We will pass the wild grassland, cross the rapid river and high mountains. If the weather is clear, you can have a glimpse of four mountains which are 8000m high or more. They are Mt. Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Everest (8848m), Mt. Qowowuyag (8201m) and Mt Mayalu (8463m).

Stay overnight in Rongphu Monastery (Tent or Guest House)

Appreciate the sunrise from Rongphu in early morning, and then to view Mt. Everest. It is fabulous and splendid. After walking, you will get on the local bus to arrive in Everest Base camp in half an hour. You can take pictures of the splendid Mt. Everest at the camping site. Then in the afternoon, go back from EBC and drive back to Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Before spending about 4 hours driving back to Lhasa from Shigatse, we will visit the largest Monastery in west Tibet, the Tashilunpo monastery which is one of the six great Gelukpa institutions and was founded in 1447 by a disciple of Tsongkapa, contains the world's largest gilded copper image (26m high) of future god Jampa. Drive along the Friend-ship Highway back to Lhasa.
Stay overnight in Lhasa

You will be transferred to Lhasa airport for your flight to next destination.