FROM CAPITAL BEIJING TO ON-THE-TIBET-PLATEAU LHASA FOR 12 DAYS
The tour can be also done in reverse (from the end to the beginning)
Day 1. Arrive in Beijing, have time for recovery from long-time-flight exhaustion
After long-time flight you must be very exhausted. Therefore, you need time to get recovery after your landing. You have options for today.
1) you take taxi to go to the hotel which you can book by yourself or we do the booking for you. You don't have any problem at Beijing airport due to its an international airport in finding taxi, subway, etc. The economical way is to take subway, and then pay less for the taxi to the hotel if the subway is not close to your hotel.
2) Or if you don't bother to spend much time or you want to arrive fastly to the hotel. Then we can arrange you a car to pick you up instead.
One word: you can do it economically or easily.
Day 2. Visit the Great Wall, and Summer Palace
Today you also have economical and worry-free options. If you want to save money, we can help book the sit-in-coach, to the Great Wall.
The Great Wall we choose for you, if we arrange a private tour for you, is to see part of it in Mutianyuan Great Wall. But if sit-in-coach, you will follow the Group Tour menus.
After back to city, go directly to Summer Palace. Or follow the memus for sit-in-coach Group Tour
Day 3. Visit the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and have a spare time
Continue to visit in Beijing, and again pick up your choice from two options of whether sit-in-coach or private tour. After breakfast you go to Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City, which tour activity will be the whole morning until lunch time. Then you can have your own time in Beijing for the afternoon, the rest of the day.
Now it is time for you to take China Bullet Train from Beijing to the next destination，meaning your train tour starts. The speed is around 300-350 km/per hour. It takes 4 hours to get there.
Day 4. Take China Bullet Train to Pingyao where you see typically traditional North China
Upon arriving there, check in at a hotel of mostly traditional ancient Chinese style in terms of architecture and life atmosphere. Later after lunch by yourself, go with the local guide to visit the old city. In the evening, stroll in the red-latterns-hung-up street and feel like you were walking in the ancient China.
Again take China Bullet Train from Beijing to the next destination. The speed is around 300-350 km/per hour. It takes 3 hours to get there.
Till here you may realize that it is just like a specially made train for a group's tour, you visit in one place and continue to the next place after the visit. Right
Day 5. This is the next destination, Xian, famous for Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses.
Upon arriving Xian City, check in at the hotel located in the center of Xian City. After lunch time you will be transferred to City Wall, Stele Forest Museum, and Shaanxi Provincial Museum.
Day 6. Second day in Xian for the highlight
Drive 70 km east to Xian City to see the 8th World Wonder "Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses". Right after that, drive directly to Xian North Railway Station for China Bullet Train and go to Xining.
Upon reaching Xining, and after layover about one hour, switch to Tibet train on the same day. And seat to sleeper
Day 7. Continue with your train tour though switching to a different type of train Tibet Train
You can lie down in bed of soft sleeper and relax in Tibet train. Of course when it is day time you can enjoy the Tibet-Plateau Views from the train windows, such wild life as wild donkeys, Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks, sheep and goats, Tibetan Mastiff, etc.
Upon arriving in Lhasa, you will be transferred to the hotel located in center of Old Lhasa City
Day 8. Really begin your Tibet tour with visitings in Lhasa in a way of either participating Group Tour or Individual Tour
Today after the acclimatization in Tibet train and one night in Lhasa, you will be escorted to magnificent and Tibet symbol Potala Palace, World Buddhism Center Jokhang Temple, and Souvenir market Barchor Bazaar.
Day 9. Another day visit some other highlights in Lhasa, capital of Tibet
Again today you will continue to visit sightseeing in Lhasa, such as the first and the largest monastery Drepung, and well-known monks debating in Sera Monastery. Later you can have chance for free time before you leave for next destination
Day 10. Continue train tour with again Tibet train inland to Shigatse
Take Tibet inland train for 3 hours to cover the distance which needs 5-6 hours if by driving before getting to Shigatse. The views can be seen from the train windows. But if you pay only $10 you can then see them from wider windows in dining car while you having cups of coffee. (This is my own experience, by the way)
Once getting there, go to visit famous monastery in Latter Tibet "Tashilumpu" which was also successive Panchen Lamas' Seat.
Day 11. Driving for hours back to Lhasa, just like break in between train time
After breakfast, drive through Shigatse City and towards Gyangtse town. Suggest you have a late lunch at the holy lake Yamdrok Lake while you enjoy the splendid nature views.
The views are actually on the way today, from Shigatse to Lhasa, not only a few sight spots before back to Lhasa city. Say for instance you can opt in visiting Pelchor Chode Monastery since you have more than enough monasteries before.
Day 12. While yesterday's views are still in brain, you will be flying out of Lhasa today.
Today you will be busy with making connection with the flight from Lhasa to Chengdu and the one from Chengdu back to your country (maybe via Beijing, or Shanghai, or Hong Kong, etc. besides Chengdu.
Or you can still take Tibet train back to the city where you can fly back to happy home.
Alternative for the train from Beijing to Xian (important)
* if you want to save money for one night accommodation, and / or if you don't want to visit Pingyao, and / or
You can take a direct train from Beijing to Xian by the Z type train which runs for around 12 hours. The train starts in Beijing on Day 3 night and it is already Day 4 when you wake up.
** if you want to save one to two days, without visit Xian (Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses)
1) you can then take China Bullet Trains with two times of switches in Xian and in Xining, with 9-11 less hours other than normal train (19-22 hours) before Tibet train. In this way you can fresh yourself and stretch yourself, and can see lots of views as well in the daytime other than the night train
2) or you can also make a switch in Xining by taking one night train from Beijing to Xining, and then fresh and stretch yourself with cups of tea or coffee in the layover time. After all any tourist has no choice but to switch to Tibet train within only 20 minutes for layover time hurrying to carry your stuff from one train to another. The reason why you are suggested to do so is that Beijing to Lhasa train runs for 41 hours which really makes you exhausted if you don't have time for break.
Tell us your choice if you have, at info@accesstibettour.com