15 Days Chengdu Lhasa EBC Overland Tour via 318 National Highway

Welcome to Chengdu! Upon arrival, be greeted by our local guide at the airport or train station.

After a group photo at airport, you will board on the coach and transfer to your hotel or have a stroll at the famous Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street, Wide and Narrow Alley, Jin Li Ancient Street, etc. Around 7 pm, the whole tour group, including Tibetan guide, will enjoy a welcome dinner (traditional Sichuan Cuisine).

Stay overnight in Chengdu.

After breakfast, you take the car from Chengdu to Xinduqiao. Travelling along the Dadu River, upper reaches of Yangtze River, we will pass Zheduo Mountain (4298m). From there, the scenery turns different. Here, you will see Tibetan villages, lush pastures, and grazing yaks, bobbling brooks and fluffy clouds over deep blue sky. Then, you head towards Xindu Bridge, which is widely known for its ultimate pastoral scenery, a paradise for photographers.

Stay overnight in Xinduqiao.

You make your way from Xindu, along the Yajiang, up to Mt. Jiangziwan (4658m). Then, we will reach Litang. Situated on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the city of Litang is natural grassland, dotted with grazing yaks, sheep, and nomad’s tents. If you visit there in summer, you’ll see blossoming flowers all over the fields. There have another dazzling and glorious temple named Ke’er Monastery. After visiting Litang, you will pass Mt. Haizi. It was called as Haizi Mountain but the road condition from east to the west is good.

And then we will go down to the Batang which is located in the bank of Jinshajiang River. Here produce many good fruits and they enjoined very high honor in east Tibet. It was said that the apple had been planted by a foreign preacher firstly. And the Christian churches here are still well protected now.

Stay overnight in Batang.

Today, you begin to enter the region of Tibet. We will pass through three renowned rivers, namely Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nu River, all originating from the rivers of Tanggula Mountains. Keeping moving westwards, you will pass Lawu Mountain (4358m) and Dongda Mountain (5008m). Standing on the lofty mountain passes, you can take in the spectacular views of wandering Sichuan-Tibet Highway. At night, we will arrive in Zogong.

Stay overnight in Zogong.

In the morning, setting off to the next destination of Rakwa Tso. You will be first greeted by Bangda Grassland, which is one of the most important pastures in Tibet with boundless grass, flocks of yaks and horses. Then, you will continue your journey to Yela Mountain (4839m), the most dangerous natural barrier on Hengduan Mountain Range. Following the famous Seventy-two Bends, we will descend to the shore of Nu River. The road is bumpy, but the scenery here is very lovely. Along the elegant road with hollow and grass, you can catch sight of the snow mountain and glacier. At night, you finally get to Rakwa Tso.

Stay overnight in Ranwu.

Get up early to enjoy the beauty of Rakwa Lake. As the source of Yarlung Tsangpo Lake, Rakwa is a typical seasonal glacial lake in Chamdo. Stretching westwards for about 10 km, this narrow river slowly plunges into a huge canyon. The flickering light of Rakwa Tso shows incredible beauty, with the snow-capped peaks and primeval forests afar as the background.

Driving out of the beautiful lake, you will head to Bomi. Along the road you can see thick trees, streaming water, snow mountains, lakes and small villages which make the place more marvellous. On the way, you can visit the Midui Glacier, famed as the most beautiful glacier in China. In the evening, you arrive at Bomi.

Stay overnight in Bomi.

Following a wide valley, you will move into Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon. The canyon and its surroundings form an earthly paradise, where you can see raging torrent, gushing waterfalls one after another. After that, heading to the lush Lulang Forest. Noted for Switzerland Scene of Tibet, Nyingchi Lulang Forest has typical alpine scenery depicting authentic rural scenery of snow-caped forest nature. Here, you can visit the Zhaxigang Village, the iconic Tibetan village in Lulang, enjoy the local famous Lulang Stone Chicken and other local snacks.

Standing at the viewing platform of Lulang, you will enjoy the stunning panorama views of Mt. Namjagbarwa (7782m). We will have a short stay at the Sejila Mountain Pass (4728m), where you can view the colorful leaves on the mountain in autumn. After that, we will move westwards to Nyinchi, the biggest city in eastern Tibet.

Stay overnight in Nyingchi.

Today, following Nyang River, you will keep moving west to your destination, Lhasa. On the way, we will see the different scenery, featuring idyllic pastoral scene along the valley. After passing Mila Pass (5013m), you'll finally arrive in Lhasa valley. The magnificent Potala Palace on the Red Hill will come into your eyes.

After arriving at Lhasa, your tour guide will help you check in the hotel.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

After breakfast, we go to the Potala Palace, a golden feather upon the roof of the world, which Tibetans proudly claim to be the prime miracle since the creation of this world. It is visible from any distance, with the golden roof shinning in the sun, spend one hour wondering around the inside of this magnificent building exploring the rooms previously used by the Dalai Lama and the many Buddhist icons within.

In the afternoon we go inside of the Jokhang Temple. The Jokhang, like most of the larger temple structures have numerous individual temples within it dedicated to specific enlightened beings, protectors, high lamas, or saints. Images, both sculpted and painted, are everywhere. Every inch of wall and ceiling is brightly painted with images of clouds, beings, mandalas, or decorative patterns. Colorful silk banners, three stories high, hang in various places. Color, pattern, and images crowd in around you. The central image inside the building is a 30-foot high gilded image of Maitreya Buddha.

Then stroll around the back alleys of the Barkhor area of Old Lhasa. The streets smelled of yak butter and incense while hordes of pilgrims shuffled along the main Kora (circumambulations) around Jokhang Temple. If someone just walked at a normal pace, one kora would take about 15-20 minutes.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

In the morning, tourists go to Drepung Monastery, which used to be the largest monastery with more than 10 thousand monks, Buddhist debates often occur there. Seen from afar, its grand, white construction gives the monastery the appearance of a heap of rice. Drepung monastery, in the Tibetan language, means Monastery of Collecting-Rice. Learn about the lives of Tibetan monks there.

In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 Lamas live in there.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

After fully explore Lhasa, you’ll have a chance to get lost in the endless Tibetan landscape while you take a short hike along the turquoise waters of Lake Yamdrok, one of the four holy lakes in Tibet. This dazzling lake is normally first seen from the summit of the Kamba-la (4700m). The lake lies several hundred meters below the road, and it is shaped like a coiling scorpion. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangstsang (7191m).

Afterwards pass by the 5,010 m high Karo-la and the Simi La forward to Gyantse (3,950m). Visit Pelkor Monastery as well as the splendid Kumbum Stupa (100-Thousand-Buddha Pagoda) nearby, both built in the 15th century and situated in the northwestern edge of Gyantse.

In the afternoon drive about 90 kilometers to Shigatse (3880m), the second largest city with 40,000 inhabitants in Tibet and the traditional capital of the Tsang.

Drive to Lhatse, it is a small town where tourists can have lunch. Then, head to Shegar and if the weather is clear enough then on the way down to Shegar tourists will view the Mt. Everest in the distance. After 4 to 6 hours’ drive, tourists will arrive at Rongbuk Monastery but on the way, they will pass one of the highest Passes in Tibet (pang la pass height 5050m) from that’s pass they will view the whole five highest peaks in the world.

Open your eyes, and wake up to the first sunlight shining over the pyramid-shaped summit of imposing Mt. Everest. Grab your camera for an epic shot and stroll to the Rongbuk Monastery, exploring this world’s highest Buddhist compound. If you wish, you can do the meditation and experience the unparalleled tranquility and harmony there. Or you can interact with monks and nuns with the help of guide to learn more of their unique spiritual life.

The temperature can get bitterly cold in the early morning. Do wear enough cloths like your down jacket, scarf and mittens to protect the extreme coldness. Finally, jump into our tour vehicle and say farewell to the world’s highest peaks through the rearview mirror of the van. By following the zigzag roads on Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway, we head back to Shigatse.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

This morning you’ll have an opportunity to explore the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the holy seat of the Panchen Lama, which is essentially a walled town with cobbled and twisting lanes that revolve around a magnificent monastery.

Then you’ll take a slightly different route back to Lhasa along Yarlung Tsangpo River, be wrapped again in the endless vistas of the Tibetan plateau.

Today, our guide will transfer you to the airport or train station and help you get on board.

Tour services end and Tibet welcome you back forever.