8 Days Lifetime Tibet Train Tour from Shanghai

Highlights: Welcome to Shanghai, the most metropolis of China! Upon arrival, you’ll be met by our guide and escorted to your hotel. The rest of is free for you

Highlights: After breakfast, you'll visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, a must-see for all true Shanghainophiles to witness how Shanghai became a cosmopolitan city from a shabby fishing village. Continued is a tour to the beautiful Yu Garden, a pleasant enough,well-contained classical Chinese garden, and savor some local flavor snacks at the Yu Garden Bazaar.Continued you will pay a visit to a Silk Factory to learn the Chinese silk culture. Then ascend the Jinmao Tower to get an amazing bird's eye view of this metropolis.

Note: Recommended optional night show---Acrobatics Opera (RMB260=USD43/per)

Shanghai Urban Planning and Exhibition Center: If you want to see what a city of the future is really going to look like, come and visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center on the eastern end of People's Square. Housed in a striking modern five-story building made of microlite glass, this is one of the world's largest showcases of urban development and is much more interesting than its dry name suggests. The highlight is on the third floor: an awesome vast scale model of urban Shanghai as it will look in a couple of decades, a master plan full of endless skyscrapers punctuated occasionally by patches of green. The clear plastic models indicate structures yet to be built, and there are many of them.

Yu Garden: Yuyuan Garden (Happy Garden) is one of the highlights of Shanghai. It isbelieved to have been built in the Ming Dynasty, more than 400 years ago, with an exquisite layout and beautiful scenery. The inner and outer gardens were both built in the Ming Dynasty classical style, with numerous rock and tree garden areas, ponds, dragon-lined walls and zigzagging bridges separating various garden areas and pavilions. It is in the center of Shanghai's Old City, a few blocks south of the Bund. The surrounding bazaar area has good shopping opportunities for traditional Chinese products, gold, and jewels.

Jinmao Tower: The Jin Mao Building symbolizes Shanghai emerging into the 21st century. It was the tallest building in the country and third tallest in the world until 2007, when the World Financial Center was finished, In 2014 the Shanghai Tower will become China's tallest building. With an east-meets-west design signifying Shanghai's emergence as a modern global city, Jin Mao follows a multi-use model, offering retail shopping at its base, offices above, and the Grand Hyatt  occupying the upper 38 floors.

Highlights: Today head to the famous Bund to witness Shanghai’s skyline, and stroll along China's No.1 shopping street, Nanjing Road. Then be escorted to the railway station for your lifetime train to Lhasa. 

The Bund: Which is a 1.5 km waterfront area of in Huangpu District of downtown Shanghai. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of the road, as well as some adjacent areas. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai, on the east of this area, you can see the mother river of Shanghai----Huangpu River; and on the west of it, you will see rows of western architectures from 1930s. Building heights are restricted in this area. 

Nanjing Road: Starts at the Bund in the east and ends in the west, Nanjing Road is 3.4 miles and regarded as China's premier shopping street, it is a must-see metropolitan destination for shoppers from all over the world. Buildings with distinctive features erect on both sides of the street, huge signboards and advertisements show prosperity, and when the night falls, dazzling neon lights flicker with bright colors. 

Highlights: Today’s daytime the train runs through Xian-Lanzhou-Xining, enjoying the majestic northwestern scenery of China. The Xining to Golmud part of the train journey is mostly in the dark, which is one of the disappointments. That's why most of our travelers choose to fly to Xining (2200m) firstly for 1-2 days acclimatization, then take train from Xining to Lhasa. 

Highlights: This morning you will be in Golmud, with 5,072 meters above sea level, the Tanggula Mountain Pass is the highest point of thie train journey. Outside the window you will see snow-capped mountain. The train arrives in Lhasa at around 17:40PM. 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 comers usually have different level of high altitude sickness symptom, the best treatment is to drink more water, have enough rest , if necessary you can ask the guide to bring you some oxygen 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 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 you will visit Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and enjoy the debate. 

Drepung Monastery: Located 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the western suburb of Lhasa, Drepung Monastery is known as the most important monastery of Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. It is considered one of the 'Three Great Monasteries' (the other two are the Ganden Monastery and the Sera Monastery. Seen from afar, its grand, white construction gives the appearance of a heap of rice. As such, it was given the name 'Drepung', which, in the Tibetan language, means 'Collecting Rice.. 

Sera Monastery: Which is located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. The monastery was named Sera which means wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built. From of Mon ~ Fri, every afternoon, you ll be able to see monks debating at Sera Monastery.

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. 

Highlights: Today will be free for you to be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to next city.