7 Days Qinghai-Tibet Train Experience

Day 1

Arrival Xining
Arrive in Xining, capital city of Qinghai Province, your local guide will meet you at the airport then transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
Meals: No meal
Accommodation: In Xining

Day 2

Xining    Qinghai Lake    Xining
After breakfast, you will start your tour to Qinghai Lake, the largest saline lake in China. After 2.5 hours driving, you will reach this largest inland and salty lake of China. During the way, you can have a short stop at the Sun & Moon Mountain site. In the late afternoon, be transferred back to Xining.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Xining

Day 3

Xining    Lhasa
This morning, you will take a 0.5 hour driving to Ta’er Monastery, one of the six grandest monasteries of Tibetan Dge Lugs School, for your half day religious tour there. After lunch, you will be transferred back to Xining railway station for your overnight train to Lhasa.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: On the train

Day 4

Lhasa
You will reach Lhasa in the afternoon. Be met at the railway station then transferred to your hotel for a good rest. 
Meals: No meal
Accommodation: In Lhasa 
 

Day 5

Lhasa
Taking a visit to Lhasa, a trip to Potala Palace is a must. It’s the largest monastery of its type in the world and official home to Dalai Lama. Then you will move to Jokhang Monastery, where monks receive their official training and education. The surrounding Jokang Monastery of is Barkhor Street. Walk along this street of eight corners which will afford us a window into Tibetan culture and an opportunity to buy colorful ethnic handicrafts rarely seen outside of Tibet.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lhasa
 

Day 6

Lhasa
Today, you will have another one day city tour. After breakfast, enjoy your sightseeing tour that starts with a visit to Drepung Monastery, then continue your tour to Norbulingka and Sera Monastery.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lhasa
  

Day 7

Departure Lhasa
Say Goodbye to this faithful city. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to next destination.
Meals: Breakfast

Service Ends

Day 1

Arrival Xining
Arrive in Xining, capital city of Qinghai Province, your local guide will meet you at the airport then transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
Meals: No meal
Accommodation: In Xining

As the capital city of Qinghai Province, Xining is the provincial center of politics, economy, culture, education, technology, transportation and commerce. This city lies in the eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, is one of the major gateways to the Tibetan Plateau.
 

Day 2

Xining    Qinghai Lake    Xining
After breakfast, you will start your tour to Qinghai Lake, the largest saline lake in China. After 2.5 hours driving, you will reach this largest inland and salty lake of China. During the way, you can have a short stop at the Sun & Moon Mountain site. In the late afternoon, be transferred back to Xining.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Xining

As the largest saline lake in China, Qinghai Lake, is considered as “green lake" or "fairyland" by local folks because of the marvelous and natural beautiful reflected on it. Qinghai Lake is an important place in history which has been the traditional meeting place between Mongolian and Tibetan societies. Despite its salinity, Qinghai Lake has an abundance of fish.

The lake has a number of attractions that draw travelers in this region in. Ornithologists, campers, hikers, botanists, swimmers, sailors, fishermen, loners and nomads all find areas of interest around the lake. The beauty here lies in its salty vastness and the remote peace that it instills. The colours that can be found around the lake are of purity and contrasts, from the deep yellows of oil seed rape against the cold blues of the lake to the dark greens of distant mountains against the fluffy white of bilious clouds.

Tips: The average temperature in Qinghai Lake area is 3-5℃ lowers then Xining’s. You’d better take some thicker overcoat or long-sleeves shirt, even during the Summer time.

Day 3

Xining    Lhasa
This morning, you will take a 0.5 hour driving to Ta’er Monastery, one of the six grandest monasteries of Tibetan Dge Lugs School, for your half day religious tour there. After lunch, you will be transferred back to Xining railway station for your overnight train to Lhasa.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: On the train

Ta’er Monastery (also called Kumbum Mosque) which is a typical religious building with a history more than 400 years. Ta’er Monastery is a wonderful architectural complex contains 9,300 structures, including Buddha halls, scripture halls, Buddhist pagodas and lamas residences.

This monastery incorporates both Tibetan and Han architectural styles. The magnificent temples and halls are, in architecture, a perfect combination of the Han's style of palace buildings with upturned roof-eaves with Tibetan style under-eave walls and decorations. The spectacular Lamasery is scattered with tall ancient trees and Buddhist pagodas.

Tips: When you enter into a temple or monastery, please take off your hats at the entrance to show your respects and follow the clockwise direction for visiting. No smoking, do not touch the Buddha statues, turn the Buddhism scriptures or toll the bell.

Day 4

Lhasa
You will reach Lhasa in the afternoon. Be met at the railway station then transferred to your hotel for a good rest. 
Meals: No meal
Accommodation: In Lhasa

Lhasa is the capital of Tibet. Located at the foot of Mt. Gephel, Lhasa’s altitude is 3,490 m and the air contains only 68% of oxygen compared to sea level. Traditionally, Lhasa is the seat of the Dalai Lama, and the location of the Potala Palace and Norbulingka Palace. In Tibetan Buddhism the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa is regarded as the holiest centre in Tibet. 
 

Day 5

Lhasa
Taking a visit to Lhasa, a trip to Potala Palace is a must. It’s the largest monastery of its type in the world and official home to Dalai Lama. Then you will move to Jokhang Monastery, where monks receive their official training and education. The surrounding Jokang Monastery of is Barkhor Street. Walk along this street of eight corners which will afford us a window into Tibetan culture and an opportunity to buy colorful ethnic handicrafts rarely seen outside of Tibet.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lhasa

Tips: When you enter into a temple or monastery in Tibet, please take off your hats at the entrance to show your respects and follow the clockwise direction for visiting. No smoking, do not touch the Buddha statues, turn the Buddhism scriptures or toll the bell.

The awe-inspiring Potala Palace, perched high above much of Lhasa, is the landmark of the city. The palace which consists of the Red Palace, the White Palace and some attached buildings was a complex of political and religious function. Now it is a huge treasure house for materials and articles of Tibetan history, religion, culture and arts.

Located at the center of the old Lhasa, Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo, it has a history of more than 1,300 years. The temple is the fine product of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architecture techniques. Visitors will be treated to the sight of various exotic and sacred sculptures. Jokhang Temple also houses many invaluable cultural relics. Every year, the Great Prayer Festival is held here. 

Then explore Barkhor Street. It is a famous commercial and commodity-distributing center in Lhasa, consisting of more than 120 handicrafts shops and more than 200 stalls. It is a good choice that should never be missed by tourists coming to Lhasa, for you can buy anything Tibet-related, from sacks of incense, chunks of yak butter to monk outfits. Barkhor is the road that pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. When walking along Barkhor Street, you should move in the clockwise direction.
 

Day 6

Lhasa
Today, you will have another one day city tour. After breakfast, enjoy your sightseeing tour that starts with a visit to Drepung Monastery, then continue your tour to Norbulingka and Sera Monastery.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lhasa
 
Located 5 km from Lhasa, the Drepung Monastery is considered one of the three great monasteries in Tibet. It was first built in 1416, and held 7,700 monks in its heyday. In Tibetan language, Drepung Monastery means monastery of collecting rice.

Norbulingka means Jewel Garden. First built in 1751, it borrowed architectural style from the inland areas of China while maintaining local ethnic and religious features. Norbulingka served as a traditional summer palace and residence starting with the 7th Dalai Lama, and now it is the largest garden in Tibet.

In the afternoon, the Sera Monastery will be a good choice as well. It is the last of the three principal Yellow Sect monasteries built in Lhasa. The setting itself is very beautiful with cobbled alleyways, temples and colleges. The highlight of visiting Sera Monastery will be watching monks debating inside the shady courtyard behind the main temple. Every day, hundreds of red-robed monks assemble in small groups and practice their debating skills.
 

Day 7

Departure Lhasa
Say Goodbye to this faithful city. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to next destination.
Meals: Breakfast

Service Ends

Full price of this tour (per person in US$):

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Optional Local Specialties & Night Shows: