10 Days Guangzhou & Xining & Tibet Train Tour

Highlights: Today upon your Guangzhou arrival, be met by our guide and escorted to hotel.  Rest of the day will be free for you to relax.

Highlights: Today, you will take a city tour of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Temple of the Six Banyan Trees and Yuexiu Park. Then transfer back to hotel.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall: Which is one of the most important historic buildings in Canton. It is built to honor Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great architect of Chinese revolution. The hall was constructed between 1929 and 1931, on the site of the former Presidential Palace.

Yuexiu Park: originally named Yuexiu Hill, is the largest park in Guangzhou City with an area of 920,000 square meters. Inside the park, there are luxuriant trees and colorful flowers. Every year, the Spring Festival Flower Fair is hold here when the festival is approaching, besides the there is Chrysanthemum Exhibition in autumn. In the park, visitors can find a large stadium, which can hold more than 30,000 audiences, the Stone Sculpture of Five Rams which is the symbol of Guangzhou City, Zhenhai Tower, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the ancient city walls built in the Ming Dynasty.

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees: Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, situated on Liurong Road, was constructed in the third year of Datong in the Southern Dynasty, and was originally named Baozhuangyan Temple. The temple has a history stretching back some 1,400 years and has seen many ups and downs. Having been raized to the ground by fire in the Northern Song Dynasty, it was rebuilt in the second year of Ruigong in the Song Dynasty and was subsequently named Jinghui Temple.  In 1100, the famous writer and calligrapher, Su Dongpo, visited this temple, and wrote the two words, “Six Banyan” after seeing the six old banyan trees near the temple. From this time, the temple has been known as the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees and was adjudged as one of the Top Ten Attractions in Guangzhou in 1997. 

Highlights: Today you will your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Xining. Upon your Xining arrival. our Xining guide will meet you and escort you to hotel. 

Highlights: Today you will be driven 3 hours to visit Qinghai Lake and the Bird Island, stay overnight at Qinghai Lake. 

Qinghai Lake: Located 130km from Xining and 3205m above the sea level, Qinghai Lake is the largest salt water lake In China. The lake is surrounded by amazing mountains and endless beautiful grasslands, you can enjoy the great views by walking, riding or biking. The lake is the paradise for birders, during summer time, the birds will be up to 100000. 

Highlights: Today you will drive back to Xining city, and visit the famous Ta'erMonastery, then embark your lifetime Qinghai-Tibet Train to Lhasa. Enjoy the fantastic plateau views along this highest railway in the world. 

Ta'er Monastery: As the birthplace of the Tibetan Buddhism master – Tsongkhapa Ta'er Monastery is one of the most famous 6 monasteries of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, and a very important institute to learn Buddhism, Astronomy and Medicine. There are many Buddhist ceremonies organized here in each year. The 3 treasures of Ta'er Monastery are murals, barbola and butter sculptures. 

Welcome to Lhasa! Today upon your Lhasa arrival, you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide and escorted to hotel. Rest of the day you will have a good rest to acclimatize the high altitude. 

Tips: 

As the altitude of Lhasa is up to 3,500meters, so it is recommended to avoid strenuous activities or alcohol drinking for the first few days, taking NO shower upon new arrival is advisable. New commers usually have different level of high altitude sickness symptom, the best treatment is to drink more water, have enough rest , if neccessory you can ask the guide to bring you some oxgen bags to better acclimatize. These measures will help you to overcome or prevent the sickness.

Elevation: 3500m 

Highlights: Today you will visit the famous Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street 

Potala Palace: Which is known as the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the residence of the Dalai Lama lineages. Stands 13 stories high and owes over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues, the Potala Palace formed a small world in it. 

Jokhang Temple: Listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace,Jokhang Temple is the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Pilgrims. The temple is a four-storey timber complex with a golden top, with the combination of  Tang Dynasty, Tibetan and Nepal architectural styles. Every day, pilgrims come from every corner of Tibet worship here, make it a perfect site for photograpers.

Barkhor Street: As the oldest street in Lhasa, Barkhor Street is considered as the center of the old city, and a perfect place to lear Tibetan culture, economy, religion, and arts. The street is full of handicarfts, such as ornaments, knives, tangka,  religious musical instruments, gold and silver ware, masks and a lot more. If you intend to buy some souvenirs for friends or famiy, Barkhor Street will be an ideal place.

Tips: 

1) Some visitors might feel a bit hard to breath when climbing the Potala Palace, so please just climb slowly. 

2) Some places are not allowed to take photos, please kindly inquire your guide for details. 

3) When shopping around Barkor Street, you can compare and bargain for the unique souvenirs 

4) During the summer time, the musical fountain show at the Potala Plalace Square is 19:30—22:00PM. 

5) Please bring water, a hat, sun cream, and sun glasses for today’s tour as you will be at outside for a long day

Elevation: 3500m 

Highlights: Today's morning you will visit the famous Drepung Monastery . Afternoon visit to Sera Monastery and enjoy the famous debate there. 

Drepung Monastery: Located 5 km from the western suburb of Lhasa, the Drepung Monastery is known for its high standards in academic study of Tibetan Buddhism. In its heyday, the monastery accommodated 7,700 monks and possessed 141 fazendas and 540 pastures, as the most important monastery of Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the Drepung is one of the 'Greatest Tree Monasteries' in Lhasa, with the other two are the Ganden Monastery and the Sera Monastery. 

Sera Monastery: Which 5km north of Jokhang Temple. It was built in 1419 and considered as one of the top three greatest monasteries in Lhasa, along with the Drepung Monastery and  Ganden Monastery.  The origin of the name 'Sera' is not certain, but might come from the wild roses (sera in Tibetan) surrounding the original site. The highlights of Sera monastery is the daily 'monk debates' , every afternoon, the monks gather and debate in a central courtyard and debate points. 

Tips: 

1) Today's road condition is good. The tour involves some easy walking and climbing

2) Please bring water, a hat, sun cream, and sun glasses for today’s tour as you will be at outside for a long day

Distance: 500 round-way   Drive: 10 hours    Elevation: 4730m 

Highlights: This morning you will get up early to catch a 4hrs drive to visit the Tibetan holy lake---Namtso Lake. The high plateau sceneries of yaks, sheep, grasslands, snow mountains will certainly impress you. 

Namtso Lake: Located 250km aways from Lhasa, sitting at 4,718 meters above sea level, Namtso Lake is the highest lake in the world and one of the 3 holy lakes in Tibet and one of the 5 most beautiful lakes in China. The Namtso Lake is highly adored by the local Tibetans, during the Tibetan year of sheep, pilgrims from far away come to walk around the lake for pilgrimage, which ttakes over ten days to complete. With the lake surface assuming sky blue, the lake and the sky seem to form a perfect picture, makes visitors feel themselves are strolling in a fairy land.  

Highlights: Today you will be escorted to airport for the flight to next city. Your lifetime Tibet tour is now completed.