8 Days Amazing China Tibet Sightseeing Tour from Beijing by Express Train

Summary

Day 1 Beijing Arrival
Day 2 Beijing: Forbidden City,Jingshan Park,Summer Palace
Day 3 Beijing-Lhasa: Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Train to Lhasa
Day 4 Train Travel
Day 5 Arrive in Lhasa
Day 6 Lhasa: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Day 7 Lhasa: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Day 8 Lhasa-Beijing: Flight back to Beijing

Day 1 Beijing Arrival

Upon your arrival in Beijing, our local Beijing tour guide will greet you at the exit of Beijing international airport, you will find a welcome signage "China Private Tour" and escorted you to your hotel directly, our guide will help you to check-in.

Day 2 Beijing

After breakfast, you will first meet the one of the world’s 5 most important palaces – Forbidden City, The Forbidden City, also named the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia. The incomparable palace occupies an area of 720,000 square meters (177.9 acres) and has approximately 8,700 rooms. A high red wall with a total length of 3,400 meters (3,718 yards) encases the palace. The palace, the most magnificent and splendid palace complex in China, was listed as a World Cultural Heritage Building in 1987. It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the construction of this group of buildings took fourteen years from 1406 to 1420.

Next, you will visit Jingshan Park, it is a beautiful loyal garden and facing the Forbidden City. And it is the highest poit of Beijing city where you can get a full and clear view of the Forbidden City.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Summer Palace. A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating summer torpor of the old imperial city and, most recently, it was the retirement playground of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Drive back to your hotel.

Day 3 Beijing-Lhasa

After breakfast, you will head to visit the famous Great Wall of China, there are several sections in Beijing city. You will visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, which is the less crowded but with charming scenery. The Mutianyu Great Wall was originally constructed in the mid-6th century and was rebuilt in its current form during the Ming Dynasty in 1569. The Mutianyu section spans over a mile and contains a total of 23 watchtowers, making it one of the longest fully restored portions of the Wall.

Walking up to the Wall from the base will take around 40-60 minutes. Unless you are super energetic and have enough time to spend at the Wall, we suggest you take the cable car up to the Wall and save your time and energy for the Wall itself. ( Optional)

Then, drive you to visit the Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs lie in Changping County, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest from the urban area of Beijing. It is actually a tomb cluster of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), including thirteen emperor's mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines and one grave for eunuchs.  

After dinner, you'll be driven to the Beijing West Railway Station, and you will take the overnight train Z21 starting at 20:00 for Lhasa with our private tour guide. You will arrive in Lhasa in the third day.

Day 4 Train Travel

The whole Train tour will last for 2 days, with a total length of 3750 kilometers. You will travel from Northeast China to southwest China and arrive in Lhasa. En route, you will enjoy the great contrast of cultural shock and marvelous landscape. Our professional tour guide will give you any help you need and any necessary explanation of the way. Meals will be mainly boxed meals provided on the train.

Day 5 Arrive in Lhasa

Arrival in Lhasa at around 12:45, and your tour guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel in Lhasa.

Day 6 Lhasa

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Today, you'll pay a visit to the famous Potala Palace, the world cultural heritage, also the landmark of Lhasa. You can explore its audience halls, the jeweled and Golden burial chortens (stupa Tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, and a tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, Thangkas, combinations of mandala, etc.

Have a simple lunch at local Chinese restaurant with authentic Tibetan Food.

Then, head to the Jokhang Temple, built during Songtsen Gampo's reign by princess Wencheng of Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. Here you can observe sincere pilgrims making prostration in front of Jokhang Temple. While entering the temple, you can see the holiest statue of Buddha. 

Next, you will walk around the famous Barkor Street, which close to monastery and where you can do the kora with pilgrims and locals. We'll go to explore the old market and you may have the chance to see the traditional jewelry trading between people from different part of Tibet.

Finally, you'll taste Tibetan tea with locals in the tea house and enjoy a welcome dinner at night. After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 7 Lhasa

Today, our guide will take you to visit these two prestigious Gelugpa monasteries in Lhasa, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. Founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416, Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet. Situated at the foot of Gambo Utse Mountain, Drepung was once home to more than 10000 monks. 

Here you can see the biggest monastery kitchen inside and then pay a visit to the Buddhist Sculpture Carving near Drepung.

After having lunch, you'll continue to visit the Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The highlight is the monk debate held in the courtyard at around 3-5 in the afternoon. Besides, you can also see the colorful Rock Painting of Buddha and the three sand Mandalas and then visit the Tibetan scripture printing house.

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 8 Lhasa-Beijing

Free on your own to visit the nearby until your tour guide transfer you to the airport in time for your flight back to Beijing. Once you arrived, you will be taken back to your hotel or airport in Beijing. Our service ends.

Price Per Person in US Dollars

Price Includes 1. All transfer and city transportation 2. Air-conditioned car or van 3. Hotels specified in the itinerary, all based     on two persons sharingone standard room; 4. Meals specified in the itinerary: Western     breakfast in hotels Chinese lunch and     dinner in local restaurants 5. Sightseeing: All arrangements mentioned     in the itinerary will be covered All first     admission/entrance fees in the itinerary 6. Tour guide: Conducted by a professional     tour guide

Price Excludes 1. International air-tickets 2. Airport departure tax. 3. International or domestic air tickets which     are not listed in the itinerary. 4. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness     or damages incurred during your trip 5. Tips to the tour guide and driver 6. Meals not specified in the itinerary. 7. Personal expenses: phone bills, laundry,     optional tours, postage, excess baggage     charge, entertainment fees out of the     itinerary. 8. Single Room Supplement.