15 Days Shanghai Xining Lhasa EBC Kathmandu Tour by Train

When international flight lands in Shanghai, please take a taxi by yourself to our reserved hotel. The rest of the day free for you to be on your own.

Stay overnight in Shanghai.

In the morning, visit Shanghai Museum. It is a large museum exhibiting the ancient art while featuring bronze ware, chinaware, calligraphy and painting. Then, travel to the Yu Garden, which is a famous classic garden of south region. The beautiful scenery and quiet atmosphere here make it a peaceful place in bustling Shanghai.

In the afternoon, we will transfer you to the Bund area for a short cruise on the Huangpu River. Standing on the cruise ship, you will see many western-style buildings from Shanghai's colonial days in Puxi area. While on Pudong side, rows of skyscrapers will come into view. The utterly different buildings are the best records of the development of the city. You will explore the Bund area and then visit an old street in Shanghai.

Stay overnight in Shanghai.

Today, we will drive 1 hour from downtown Shanghai to the picturesque Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. It is also known as the "Venice of China". You can enjoy a boat trip from one end of the water way to the other. And there are a lot of shops and vendors selling kinds of handicrafts.

After that, you will go to visit the renowned pedestrian precinct Nanjing Road to take a nice stroll. It is a bustling street that allows you to shop to your heart’s content, from the small boutiques selling handicrafts and other souvenirs to high-end fashion products. You can also enjoy some local food and snacks.  

Stay overnight in Shanghai.

Take the early flight from Shanghai to Xining. After your arrival in Xining, you will be transferred to your hotel. After a good rest in the hotel, at night we will head for the finger-licking local snacks in Mo Street, the well-known gourmet street in Xining. Local delicacies like boiled mutton, lamb soup, noodles with chicken shreds and sesame, Muslim Yogurt, etc.

Stay overnight in Xining.

Today, you will take the short drive to Qinghai Lake, the largest inland saltwater lake in China. There you will see different varieties of birds. It is suggested to take a cycling trip around the lake the appreciate the beautiful scenery. The lake is elliptical in shape, and the crystal-clear waters reflect the surrounding mountains and the clear blue sky.

In the afternoon, drive back to Xining to see the beautiful view of Riyue Mountain, known locally as “Sun and Moon Mountain”. Legend tells that it was on this mountain that Princess Wencheng lost a mirror called Sun and Moon, that allowed her to see her home in Xi’an, and the Datong River was born from her tears.

Stay overnight in Xining.

Xining, the beginning of Qinghai - Tibet Railway, offers the most trains to Lhasa. Today, you will transfer to Xining Railway Station for your overnight train to Lhasa. Please be sure to arrive in train station at least 1 hour before the train departure.

It will take you 23.5 to 24 hrs to get Lhasa and across the 5200 meter high mountain pass amidst the grand vistas of stunning mountain range and uniquely shaped Tibetan Landscape. It would be an unforgettable expedition across full bosomed clear streams cascading down beautiful mountain ranges, sharing kisses with glistering dew drops, an amorous ride with nature. Each car had an electronic sign showing the speed, altitude and next stop. In the compartment, the beds are stacked up like facing bunk beds across a table, with pressed cotton sheets, pillows and comforters. Each sleeper was equipped with a TV monitor and headset as well as oxygen canisters for those with altitude sickness.

Stay overnight on the train.

Today, you are going to witness the most beautiful scenery of Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Along the way to Nagchu, you could see Tanggula Pass come and go, almost indistinguishable from the rest of the high land. You could find villagers gaze at the passing train and yaks bolted off the tracks. Up here, every few minutes another range of snow-capped peaks with glaciers streaming down their sides appeared on the horizon.

Up here, every few minutes another range of snow-capped peaks with glaciers streaming down their sides appeared on the horizon. Lhasa After the whole daytime in the train enjoying the views outside, finally arrive at Lhasa in the afternoon.

Upon arrival in Lhasa, be greeted by local guide at the train station and be presented with traditional Tibetan White Scarf to wish you good luck!

After group photo at the station, board on the vehicle and transfer back to hotel, you will enjoy the spectacular scenery and the typical Tibetan villages on the way.

Stay at the hotel after arrival for adapting to the high attitude. It is helpful to take things easy for the first few days, and try to drink some water just and now.

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 Street 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 have a tour for Drepung Monastery, the ever 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. As such, it was given its name which, in the Tibetan language, means Monastery of Collecting-Rice. Learn about the lives of Tibetan monks there.

In the afternoon, you are going to visit Sera Monastery, and have a little hike for the beautiful valley scenery nearby and picnic there. Sera monastery 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. Catch the famous Monks Debate (from 15:00 to 17:00) before returning to Lhasa.

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 metres 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 of them built in the15th 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.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

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.

Stay overnight in Rongpuk Tent Guest House.

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.

Then drive to Tongla pass to see the panoramic view of Himalaya mountain range. Then driving down to Gyirong, where is surrounded by forest with ice-capped mountain background. The altitude is 2600m at the border.

Stay overnight in the guesthouse in Gyirong.

In the morning, drive clients to the Sino-Nepal border - Gyirong, tour guide will assist clients to check out of the border. After going through the immigration, Nepalese driver will pick you up at the border and drive to Kathmandu. The road to Kathmandu is bumpy but the scenery is quite beautiful, you can see the deep gorges, rivers all through the way. the road condition is rough in Nepal so this 160km road takes a whole day.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is one of three durbar (royal palace) squares in the Kathmandu Valley. It is the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex, which was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and where important ceremonies taken place. Swayambhunath the golden spire of the 5th-century Swayambhu stupa is adorned with a colourful fluttering of prayer flags; it crowns a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley and offers fantastic views over the city of Kathmandu.

The last site we visit for today is Patan City which is the second largest town in Kathmandu valley. Patan's central Durbar Square is entitled in the World Heritage Site and absolutely packed with temples, the Golden Temple which is the unique Buddhist Monastery was founded in the 12th century, is a large rectangular building has three roofs and a copper gilded facade with the images of Buddha and Avalokitesvara where there are Buddha images and illustrations on the walls.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Drive back to Kathmandu and transfer to airport to take your flight back home.