11 Days Xining and Tibet Train Tour from Shanghai

11 Days Xining and Tibet Train Tour from Shanghai

Tour Overview

This 11 Days Xining and Tibet Train Tour will take you to first experience the top attractions of Xining, including Qinghai Lake. Then, take the Qinghai-Tibet Train to Lhasa, this train tour...

Code of Tour: YCT0000000151

Length of Travel: 11 Day

Destinations of Tour: Shanghai - Xining - Qinghai Lake - Lhasa - Shigatse - Mt.Everest - Lhasa

Departure City: Xining

Price of Tour: Request

Type of Tour:

Features of Tour: Culture History Sunrise Landscape

More Map & Picture

This 11 Days Xining and Tibet Train Tour will take you to first experience the top attractions of Xining, including Qinghai Lake. Then, take the Qinghai-Tibet Train to Lhasa, this train tour will be the most unforgettable part in yourtour as you will pass by grasslands, snow mountains, plateau lakes, Tibetan villages and rare animals out of your window. After arrive at Lhasa, you will visit several significant monasteries in tibet, including Jokhang temple, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Tashilunpo monastery. Then drive to Shigatse to appreciate starry sky above the camp and the stunning sunrise of Mt.Everest and visit the highest monastery in the world-Rongphu Monastery. 

Highlights:

  • Visit the top attractions of Xining including Qinghai Lake.
  • Take the Qinghai-Tibet Trian to Lhasa with the most beautiful sceneries passing by.
  • Experience Tibetan Buddhism in significant monasteries in Lhasa.
  • Meet the tranquil lakes, white snow mounatians, shimmering rivers and rare animals in Lhasa.
  • Enjoy the starry sky and stunning sunrise of Mt. Everest.
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Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Xining Arrival
  • Day 2: Qinghai Lake Tour
  • Day 3: Xining-Lhasa
  • Day 4: Lhasa Arrival
  • Day 5: Lhasa 
  • Day 6: Lhasa
  • Day 7: Lhasa-Gyantse-Shigatse
  • Day 8: Shigatse-Everest Base Camp
  • Day 9: Everest Base Camp-Shigatse
  • Day 10: Shigatse-Lhasa
  • Day 11: Lhasa Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Xining

Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Xining
Accommodation:Xining
Meals:None

Take a flight from Shanghai to Xining. You will be transferred to your hotel after arriving in Xining airport. The rest of the time is at leisure. You can have a good rest or walk around in the city. Stay overnight in Xining.

Day 2 Qinghai Lake Day Tour

Sightseeing and Activities:Qinghai Lake Day Tour
Accommodation:Qinghai
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Qinghai Lake in Haibei and Hainan of Qinghai

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. After the day tour, we will head back to city of Xining. Stay overnight in Xining.

Day 3 Xining

Sightseeing and Activities:Xining City Tour in Ta’er Monastery and Board the Overnight Train to Lhasa
Accommodation:on the train
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, we are about to visit Ta’er Monastery, one of the must-see religious sites in Xining. Located 25km to the northeast of Xining City, Ta’er Monastery is also called “Kumbum Monastery”. It’s one of the major Gelugpa monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, well-known Tibetan Buddhist master. You can see many devoted Tibetan pilgrims doing full-body prostration to the Buddha, magnificent Buddhist hall and exquisite murals and Tibetan butter flowers, etc.

In the afternoon, tourists will be transferred to railway station for your overnight train to Lhasa. Stay overnight in the train.

Day 4 Arrive in Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Enjoy the train ride
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

You will spend a whole day on the Qinghai- Tibet Train 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.

Day 5 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Street
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

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, you will head to Jokhang Temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century, in order to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve, perhaps the only most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism. Around the temple is Barkhor Street where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, in the meantime you can buy souvenirs. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 6 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Drepung and Sera Monastery
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung monastery which was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. Ganden palace is used as Dalai lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace.

In the afternoon, head to the Sera Monastery which is one of the “great three” Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1419 by Jamchen chojey, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. The most popular attraction is the monk debate at around 3:00 – 5:00 in the afternoon. Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 7 Lhasa- Gyantse-Shigatse

Sightseeing and Activities:Lhasa (3650m) to Shigatse (3900m) via Gyantse
Accommodation:Shigatse
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we will drive from Lhasa to Gyantse. On the way, the group will pass over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and tourists will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m) .The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountain and in the distance you have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar, (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa .

We head westward along the lake and drive towards Gyantse. Gyantse was historically Tibet’s third largest city (after Lhasa and Shigatse). In Gyantse, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum.

After one and a half hour’s driving, we arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Day 8 Shigatse-Lhatse-Shegar-Everest Base Camp

Sightseeing and Activities:Shigatse (3900m) to Everest Base Camp(5200) via Lhatse and Shegar
Accommodation:Camp or Guest House
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

We’ll leave Shigatse after getting your Alien’s travel permit, and then drive to Lhatse. It is a small town where you can take lunch.

After that, you will drive to Shegar and if the weather is clear enough then on the way down to shegar you will view the Mt. Everest in the distance.

After 4 to 6 hours then you will arrive at Rongbuk Monastery but on the way, you will pass one of the highest passes in Tibet (pang la pass height 5050m) from that’s pass you will view the whole five highest peaks in the world. Stay overnight at tent or Rongbuk Monastery guest house.

Day 9 EBC (5200m)-Shigatse (3900m)

Sightseeing and Activities:EBC (5200m) and return to Shigatse (3900m)
Accommodation:Shigatse
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Tibet Hiking and Climbing Tour to Eastern Slope of Mount Everest-22

In the morning, you can see the sunrise appearing on the top of Mt. Everest, and have a full view the magnificent Mt. Everest standing like a snow-capped pyramid in front of you at Rongpuk, which is the vantage point for watching Mt. Everest. Then, tourists can visit Rongphu Monastery which is the highest monastery in the world (5000m) and belongs to Nyingma sect. After that drive back to Shigatse. Stay overnight in Shigatse.

Day 10 Shigatse-Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Shigatse to Lhasa:Tashilunpo monastery
Accommodation:Lhasa
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Before spending about 4 hours driving back to Lhasa from Shigatse, we will visit the largest Monastery in west Tibet, the Tashilhunpo 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.

Day 11 Departure from Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Lhasa
Accommodation:None
Meals:Breakfast

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

Recommended Hotels

Destination 5 Star 4 Star 3 Star
Xining Wanda Realm Xining Mehood Hotel (Xining Haihu New District) Home Inn Plus
Lhasa Luxury St. Regis Lhasa Resort Lhasa Gang Gyan Hotel Lhasa Xiongbala Hotel
Shigatse / Shigatse Manasarovar Hotel Jiumu Yamei Hotel in Shigatse

Service Included:

  • Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
  • All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary;
  • Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide;
  • Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver; vehicle ranging from 4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on your group size;
  • All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel or budget hostel, guesthouse or tent. Please tell us your accommodation preference when submitting the enquiry; we will arrange the best-value hotels for you.
  • Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary;
  • All meals listed in the above itinerary;

Service Excluded:

  • International flight to and out of China;
  • Chinese visa (Note: we could help you with the Chinese visa application, like providing the invitation letter, presenting the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies, etc that you may need. )
  • Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary. (We can provide you the domestic flight/train ticket booking service at the BEST discount price; please contact us our travel experts for the details.)
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary; usually it costs about USD3-15 per person for one meal in TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region).
  • Tips and gratitude to tour guide and driver;
  • Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks (please do the best to avoid the alcoholic beverages during your Tibet trip), optional tour activities, etc.

Travel Tips:

  1. Tibet Permits

There are several permits required to visit Tibet. Tibet Entry Permit, issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau, is the most important one which has to be obtained before your trip because you must have it to take your flight/train to Tibet. To get the permit, you have to book a Tibet tour with us, and send us your passport and Chinese visa about 20 days in advance, and then let us apply for the permit (all Tibet permits can only be applied by travel agency). If you travel to other prefectures like Shigatse, Nyingchi, Shannan, etc, you also have to obtain an Alien Travel Permit. If you travel to Mount Everest, you have to obtain a Border Permit. (Tibet Discovery, with office in Lhasa, has always kept up with the latest news on Tibet Permits. Traveling with us, all your permits are guaranteed as long as you are qualified to the requirements.)

  1. Available Months to Visit Tibet

Generally speaking, May to early October is the best time to for a Mount Kailash trip. July and August are the peak season and rainy season. It may be too cold to travel in Kailash area from November to March. There is usually heavy snow. The conditions in Namtso Lake and Mount Everest area are quite similar with Kailash. While other places like Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse are suitable for travel all year around.

  1. High Altitude Sickness

The average altitude of Tibet is about 4000 meters above the sea level (Lhasa: 3700m; EBC: 5200m; Namtso: 4718m). You may suffer a bit from High Altitude Sickness in the beginning days of your Tibet trip if you haven’t had rich high plateau travel experience. But don’t worry too much, the high altitude can be acclimatized usually in 2~3 days. Our suggestion is to take a physical examination and get suggestions from your doctor, and also bring some medicines to prevent from High Altitude Sickness before your trip. While in Tibet, you should keep warm all the time, avoid strenuous activities, drink more water and eat more vegetables and carbohydrates. You’d better not take showers during the first two days after your arrival at Tibet. If you don’t feel well, get help from your tour guide or go to the hospital without any delay.

  1. How to Go to Tibet

Basically you have two options – flight and train. Currently, you can take a flight to Lhasa from Beijing(4.5hrs), Xian(3.7hrs), Chengdu(2.5hrs), Chongqing(3hrs), Kuming(3hrs), etc. Among all these cities, Chengdu and Xian have more frequent flights to Lhasa. Kathmandu also has several flights to Lhasa each week.

If you a train travel, you can take a train to from Beijing(40.5hrs), Xian(32hrs), Chengdu(43hrs), Shanghai(47hrs), Chongqing(42hrs), Lanzhou(25hrs), Xining(22hrs), Guangzhou(54hrs).

  1. Packing and Wearing Ideas

Firstly you can’t forget your passport and Chinese Visa. A large backpack and a smaller one are recommended (the smaller one can be used for daily activities). Also bring the necessary medicine you need. Other stuffs like sunglasses, snow glasses, hats, lip balm, sun block are recommended. As for wearing, you are suggested to dress in layers (both thin and thick jackets). Down jacket is necessary in Spring and Autumn. A pair of durable and comfortable shoes is necessary.

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