Chengdu & Tibet Train Tour
- Duration:
- 11 Days
- Route:
- Chengdu-Leshan-Emei-Chengdu-Lhasa-Shigatse-Lhasa
- Season:
-
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter
- Tour Type:
- Private Tour
Overview
Chengdu is the largest and most important city in Southwest China and a surprisingly laid-back city. Here you will discover Chengdu's highlights and the world heritages of nearby cities Leshan and Mount Emei. Then take the world's highest railway to Tibet, the roof of the world. Along the train ride, you will see amazing plateau scenery including the snow-capped mountains, barren wilderness, azure sky, grazing sheep and yaks, dotted nomad tents, etc. In Tibet, you will have a cultural tour from Lhasa to Shigatse by visiting Tibetan monasteries and witnessing devout Tibetans, red-clad monks and flapping prayer flags…
| Day | Route | Attractions & Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Chengdu | Pick up and transfer to the hotel |
| 2 | Chengdu - Panda Base - Leshan - Emei | Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Leshan Giant Buddha |
| 3 | Emei - Chengdu | Mt. Emei |
| 4 | Chengdu - Lhasa Train | Wenshu Temple, Kuan Zhai Lane |
| 5 | On the Train | Enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way |
| 6 | Arrival in Lhasa by Train | Pick up and transfer to the hotel |
| 7 | Lhasa Sightseeing | Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Tibetan Carpet Workshop |
| 8 | Lhasa Sightseeing | Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery |
| 9 | Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse, 360km, Approx. 7hrs | Yamdroktso Lake, Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chode Monastery |
| 10 | Shigatse - Lhasa, 280km, Approx. 5hrs | Tashilhunpo Monastery |
| 11 | Lhasa Departure | Send off to the airport/train station |
Daily Itinerary
CollapseUpon arrival at the airport/railway station, you will find your guide/driver holding your name sign at the exit. Then they will transfer you to your hotel in downtown Chengdu. The rest of the day is your free time.
Stay overnight in Chengdu
We’ll pick you up at your hotel in Chengdu and then drive to visit the Panda Research Base in the northern suburb of Chengdu this morning. The Chengdu Panda Base was founded in 1987. It started with 6 giant pandas that were rescued from the wild. Through 2007, it has had 110 panda births, and its panda population has grown to 62. It is a huge, beautifully landscaped park.
After lunch, drive to Leshan city to see the famous Giant Buddha which is a statue of Maitreya in sitting posture. It is 71 meters (about 233 feet) high and has 8.3-meter-long (about 27 feet) fingers. The 9-meter-wide (about 30 feet) instep is big enough for one hundred people to sit on and the 24-meter-wide (about 79 feet) shoulder is large enough to be a basketball playground. (Optional: ferry boat ride at Leshan Giant Buddha, about USD 10/person). We’ll continue to go to the foot of Mt. Emei in the late afternoon.
Stay overnight in Emei
Today, you will spend the whole day exploring Mount Emei. In the early morning, you will take the shuttle bus in the Scenic Spot to Leidongpin, then hike to Jieyin Palace to take the cable car up to Golden Summit which is the mountain's main peak at 3,077 meters above sea level, seems to almost touching the sky. At Golden Summit, the highest peak of the mountain, you will be amazed by the awe-inspiring view of the Huazhang Temple and enjoy the magnificent view of the clouds, mountains, and forests. Then take the sightseeing bus down to Wannian Temple, you’ll experience the beautiful scenery by walking from Wannian Temple, Qingyin Pavilion and Moneky Zone to WuxianGang.
Later, you will go down the mountain by the eco bus and then drive back to Chengdu. We will send you back to your hotel in Chengdu.
Stay overnight in Chengdu
You will visit Wenshu Monastery in the morning, the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is the home of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City. In Wenshu Monastery, you can visit the cultural relic and taste the delicious vegetarian food for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will visit a nostalgic place - Kuan Zhai Lane. It shows the courtyard culture of old Chengdu. Most of these courtyards are occupied by stylish bars and restaurants. Tourists and youths stay in the alleys and spend the whole afternoon leisurely, feeling the stop of time.
In the evening, your tour guide will escort you to Chengdu West Railway Station to board the Chengdu-Lhasa train.
Today, you will spend the whole day on the train. You will see the majestic mountains, barren land, and the Yellow River. In the afternoon, you will arrive in Xining - the start point of the Qinghai Tibet Railway. You will see massive deserts, immense grasslands, vast valleys, snow-capped Mountains, picturesque lakes, and flocks of yaks and sheep.
Stay overnight on the train
Our local Tibetan guide will wait for you at Lhasa railway station by holding your name sign. You will be greeted with a warm Tashi Delek (a kind of blessing), and be presented with a white Hada (traditional Tibetan ceremonial by giving you a white scarf). Then transfer to the hotel in Lhasa city. On your first arrival day in Lhasa (3,650m), it's essential to have a good rest to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS, also known as altitude sickness). Remember to drink lots of water, eat lighter and have high carbohydrate food which will be helpful to you to adapt to the high altitude better.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site.
In the afternoon, we will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuits as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
In the morning, we will visit Norbulingka, which is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama. There are a lot of towering trees, exotic flowers and plants in the garden, as well as many collections of cultural relics, Buddha statues, pagodas, thangkas, murals, etc. They are all very precious treasures.
In the afternoon, you are heading to Drepung Monastery, which means Monastery of Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and cover the hillsides. Drepung monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, also the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, en route you will pass by Gambala Mountain Pass (4,790m), where's the best place to overlook the Yamdroktso Lake. Later we will pass and enjoy the Karola Glacier, which looks spectacular from the highway. Then visit the main monastery in Gyantse - Pelkor Chode Monastery, famous for its exquisite architecture and intact murals and statues. Finally head to Shigatse via the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to cultivate this land.
Stay overnight in Shigatse
In Shigatse, we will visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery - the home of Panchen Lama. It was founded by the 1st Dalai Lama in 1447 and is a historic and culturally important monastery in Shigatse. It's located on the central hill of the city, the full name in Tibetan of the monastery means "all fortune and happiness gathered here" or "heap of glory".
In the afternoon, we will drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse along the Friendship Highway, via the northern route to Lhasa. It is the most direct route and usually takes around five hours to reach the capital. We will make several stops on the way to enjoy the views of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley.
Stay overnight in Lhasa
Our Service
INCLUSIONS
- Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
- All entrance tickets fee for tourist attractions listed in the itinerary;
- Experienced local English-speaking tour guide;
- Travel-licensed vehicle according to group size & season as itinerary needed including gas and parking fee;
- 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 guesthouse. Please tell us your preference;
- Breakfasts provided by hotels;
- Pick-up & Drop-off service from Airport/railway station;
- Travel Agency Liability insurance;
- Government tax;
- Express delivery fee of Permit (eg. SF. Express);
- Food & lodgings for guide & driver;
- Oxygen tank for emergency use;
- Two bottles of mineral water per person per day.
EXCLUSIONS
- International flight to and out of China;
- Chinese Visa/China Group Visa; (Note: we could help you by providing the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies for your Chinese Visa or the invitation letter for your China Group Visa)
- Domestic flight/train to and out of Lhasa; (We can help you book the domestic flight/train ticket at the BEST price. Please contact us for details.)
- Meals are not included but we will recommend some good ones for you according to your requirements. Usually, it takes 5-15 USD per person for each meal.
- While the gratuity for guide and driver is NOT mandatory, it is expected. Based on their service, you can tip them on the last day of the tour. Each of you is suggested to tip them 8-15 USD/day in total;
- All the commission and tax charged by PayPal, Bank, and government when making payment. (e.g. PayPal --- 4.4%. Wire transfer --- 2%);
- Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks, optional tour activities, etc.
- Anything not mentioned in the Inclusions.
I am well thankyou. It turned out to be a great trip. I have two excellent guides and the driver. Especially as Lakdun (not sure how to spell her name) was there to help me at the airport when my flight got cancelled. You might also be interested to know that I run spiritual retreats and pilgrimages ....
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Typically Asked Questions from Our Clients
Asked by Ling***
We will arrive in Beijing on 7/21/24, and leave Beijing on 8/2/24. Can you please suggest a trip to visit Sichuan and Tibet?
We are interesting in 11 Days Chengdu & Tibet Train Tour, but don't know if we have enough time to travel between Beijing and Chengdu and back to Beijing to catch the returning flight.
Dear Ling****,
According to your schedule, the total days for you to travel to Beijing, Chengdu and Tibet are 13 days. Below is the suggested itinerary. If you are concerned about the return flight, we can cut the one-day Emei tour. If you agree, I'll quote you next email. If not, I'll happily tweak it until your satisfaction. May I know your preferred hotel class?
Asked by Ed***
Hi, I'm interested in the Chengdu & Tibet Train Tour. We are a pax of 3 and we prefer to have a private tour for 14 days. We prefer 4 star hotels and customize some of the itinerary. We are looking at the train for soft sleepers.
Dear Ed****,
We can arrange the 14-day customized private Chengdu & Tibet Train Tour for you in June 2024. We can also help you buy the soft-sleeper train tickets.
Asked by Mr R***
Hi. I am interested in this trip but I would like 3 days to it, so that we could visit additional places in Tibet and Sichuan. I am wondering if you could propose a modified itinerary and a quote. Thank you!
Dear Mr.**, Thank you for sending us an inquiry! I can modify the itinerary for you. Are you mentioning 3 days for your Chengdu to Lhasa train trip including your visit in Chengdu? We can do that because the train from Chengdu to Lhasa usually takes 36hrs and it departs in the evening, about 9:00 pm. And then continue the trip to Tibet? How many days do you plan to visit Tibet? Most travelers stay in Tibet for 8 to 10 days. In addition, how long for the total journey, covering Chengdu and Tibet? I can tweak your itinerary as per your preference.
Asked by Mich***
Would like to begin in Chengdu and take train to Lhasa, which is a very high priority for us. Would like to return by air from Lhasa either to Chendu if necessary, or preferably to Shanghai. Ideal would be the four of us, but could be part of a larger group if necessary.
In your inquiry, you mentioned you would like to take a train from Chengdu to Lhasa. We can arrange a private tour for you. There would be only four of you. We can book the train ticket from Chengdu to Lhasa and air tickets from Lhasa to Chengdu or Shanghai for you. Here is the recommended itinerary,
Asked by Rich***
Chengdu en Tibet train tour for 12 day’s. Cost?
In your inquiry, you mentioned you would like to have the 12 Days Chengdu & Tibet Train Tour which is a private tour. May I know have many travelers and when would you like to have this tour?
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