gateway to tibet - 10 days
 Tour Information
Starts in: Beijing
Ends in: Lhasa
Prices and Departures: Click here
Local Payment Required: No
Breakfast: 9, Lunch: 2, Dinner: 2
Hotel rating: 3 - 4 
Tour leader: Yes (for groups of 6 or more)
Day 1: Beijing
Welcome to China and the start of your holiday! We meet you at the airport and transfer you to our hotel. Overnight - Beijing
Day 2: Beijing
Beijing - breakfast. Today we explore the heart of Beijing - Tiananmen Square where Chairman Mao’s tomb and various monuments to the people are located. Dominating the city’s heart is the Forbidden City, a centre of power for five centuries and seat of the emperors. Entering through the Gate of Heavenly Peace (replete with Chairman Mao’s portrait), we enjoy a guided walk of this old city within a city. Tonight, we enjoy a Peking Duck at a city restaurant. Dinner and overnight - Beijing
Day 3: Great Wall
Beijing - breakfast. Don some comfortable shoes. Today we drive to Badaling, to walk a section of the Great Wall. The Wall is impressive to say the least. Following the ridge of barren hills through northern China it stretches as far as the eye can see. Later we visit the tombs of the Ming emperors and cloisonne workshop demonstrating the unique Chinese art of combining copper and enamel to make decorative pieces. Tonight, we watch a death-defying acrobatic performance. Doing the ‘splits’ is an elementary skill, when compared to what these acrobats can do. Lunch and overnight – Beijing
Day 4: Summer palace
Beijing - Xi’an - breakfast. Today, we walk the local street market. Fancy a portion of stir fried scorpions or silk worms on a skewer? We visit the Silk Alley markets and the beautiful Summer Palace. Tonight, we journey to Xi’an in Shaanxi Province by express sleeper train. Overnight – sleeper train
Day 5: Xi’an/Terracotta warriors
Xi’an - breakfast. Arrive Xi’an and transfer to hotel. We visit Huaqing Hot Springs, a scenic spot in the shadow of Li Mountain. Before visiting the Terracotta Warrior archaeological site, we visit a workshop where we see the process used to create the terracotta figurines. In battle formation, the Terracotta Warriors are one of China’s most impressive sights. This evening we can attend a Tang Dynasty dinner and performance with Chang’an music and dance originally performed for the illustrious Tang emperors. Check out our Tang Dynasty bolton. Overnight - Xi’an
Day 6: Xi’an/Tibet
Xi’an - Lhasa - breakfast. Today, we visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Muslim Quarter. Encircling the old city is Xi’an’s medieval City Wall, where we enjoy a hired bike ride. Later, we fly to Lhasa by air. Upon arrival we will drive (aprox 1.5 hours) to the fabled city. Once we reach our destination the remainder of the day is free for you to relax and acclimatise at ‘the roof of the world’. Lunch and overnight – Lhasa
Day 7: The Dalai Lama
Lhasa – breakfast. We begin our exploration of this mystical city first heading to Lhasa’s most enduring image, the Potala Palace. The winter home of the Dalai Lamas and a masterpiece in design, 13 stories high, containing thousands of rooms, this is the heart of Tibet, its (exiled) government and people. The Dalai Lama’s Summer palace, Norbulingka, is our next place of pilgrimage. Less daunting and surrounded by gardens, this homely palace reflects the Dalai Lama’s more earthly pleasures and it was from here the present Lama fled in the 1950’s. However, it is the Jokhang Temple which will be the most enlightening stop of the day. The holiest shrine in Tibet, it houses a solid gold shrine of the enlightened Buddha and it is around which, in varying degrees of exertion, all Tibetans prostrate themselves at some point throughout their lifetime. Dinner and overnight – Lhasa
Day 8: Drepung Monastery
Lhasa – breakfast. Our exploration of Lhasa continues today as we take the short journey to the 15th century Drepung Monastery. Formerly one of the central monasteries of Tibet it was torn asunder during the Cultural Revolution and continues to rebuild is walls and status today. Just north of Lhasa is the Sera Monastery, still a working retreat 600 years after its foundation as a main teaching monastery and one of the three great Gelukpa ‘Universities’ once housing more than 5500 monks. You will see young novices learning scriptures in the Debating Garden and being rewarded for a correct answer with a resounding hand-clap from their master. Returning to Lhasa we will experience the Barkhor markets which surround the Jokhang temple and sell all things Tibetan. Overnight – Lhasa
Day 9: 4x4 Himalayas
Lhasa – breakfast. An early rise and into our 4 wheel drives as we head out to the Himalayas. From Lhasa, itself at 3500m, we travel over the Kamba-La pass and reach 4794m above see level. From the top of the pass we can look down on the deep azure waters of Yamdrok Lake before dropping down to the shores itself. One of Tibet’s 3 holy lakes, nomadic tents, pilgrims prostrating and children hunting with sling shots on the stony beaches make this something you are likely to have never experienced before. Rising back into these vivid and rugged mountains we head back to Lhasa, looking for hoards of Yak along the way. Overnight – Lhasa
Day 10: Lhasa
Lhasa – breakfast. Hotel check out and included onward transfer to airport.
Why not extend your stay? There is plenty to see and do in Lhasa. Visit Nechung Monastery - the powerhouse for all spirtual decisions till 1959, Ganden Temple or picturesque Lake Namtso. As another option, consider travelling through to Kathmandu - Nepal’s largest and most cosmopolitan city. Pock marked with medieval alleyways and courtyeards, intricate and ornate temples and living gods. Kathmandu is also the meeting place for dozens of ethnic groups filling the streets with life, colour and a buzz of activity. | 
