[Departing from Shanghai] 14-Day Train Tour from Shanghai via Xi'an to Lhasa and Everest Base Camp in Tibet

Welcome to Shanghai, the Magic City. Our guide will meet you at the airport or train station exit and escort you to your selected hotel in Shanghai for check-in. You can arrange the remaining time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge. If there is still time, you can also stroll around the nearby area. You may refer to the free-time suggestions below or ask the guide for travel advice. Free-time suggestions 1. City walk: Stroll around the nearby area, admire the exquisite architecture where history and modernity intertwine along the way, experience the unique culture that perfectly blends East and West, and feel the diverse charm of an international metropolis. 2. Taste the food: Find a long-established brand restaurant, taste the most authentic Shanghai cuisine, and experience the local lifestyle and food culture. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Shanghai has two airports - Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). They have many direct domestic routes, such as Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Kunming, Harbin, Hong Kong, etc., as well as direct international routes, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Los Angeles, Japan, etc. Transportation is very convenient. 2. By train: Shanghai has a total of 5 railway stations. You can take high-speed rail to Shanghai from places such as Beijing (4.5-6 hours), Xi'an (6-7.5 hours), Huangshan (2.5-3 hours), Guangzhou (7-8.5 hours), Suzhou (0.5 hours), Hangzhou (about 45 minutes), and Wuhan (3.5-4.5 hours).

After breakfast, you will head to the [Shanghai Museum], one of China's four great museums, to admire various exquisite traditional treasures and gain a deeper understanding of China's long and profound history and culture. The Shanghai Museum is known as "half of the cultural relics world." Its overall architecture is round on top and square below, in keeping with the ancient Chinese concept of "a round heaven and a square earth." The museum houses more than 1.02 million cultural relics, covering the most precious artworks from China's 5,000-year history of civilization. Among them, the museum's greatest treasures are especially worth seeing: the Da Ke Ding, a bronze vessel about 3,000 years old; the Jin Hou Su Bell, an ancient musical instrument from the Western Zhou period; the Shang Yang Fang Sheng, a relic of Shang Yang's reforms; and the Zi Zhong Jiang Pan, a Spring and Autumn period bronze carved with more than 30 aquatic animals. Afterwards, head to [Yu Garden], known as "the finest garden in the southeast," to enjoy the scenery of classical Jiangnan gardens in China. Yu Garden was first built in the 38th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1559 AD) and has a history of more than 460 years. It was originally a private garden built by Pan Yunduan, the Ming Dynasty provincial administrator of Sichuan, for his father to enjoy his later years. Strolling along Yu Garden's winding paths, you can admire China's exquisite garden layout, beautiful classical architecture, and superb brick carving, stone carving, clay sculpture, and wood carving craftsmanship. In particular, the landmark sights - the Dragon Wall, the Nine-Turn Bridge, and the Mid-Lake Pavilion - are especially worth observing in detail. Afterwards, walk to Yuyuan Bazaar near Yu Garden to taste the most authentic Shanghai cuisine, such as xiaolongbao, braised pork, and eight-treasure duck. If interested, you can also browse various traditional Chinese handicraft shops, such as embroidery, ceramics, and wood carvings. After lunch, you can walk along [Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street], known as "China's No. 1 Commercial Street," to the Bund, about 2 kilometers in total. Along the way, you can appreciate Shanghai's architectural style from the 1930s and 1940s and browse various century-old brand stores. Then, arrive at the [Bund], known as the "Paris of the East," and feel the prosperity of magical Shanghai. Located on the west bank of the Huangpu River, the Bund is one of Shanghai's landmark attractions and is known as the "Exhibition of World Architecture." It brings together 52 buildings of different foreign styles, such as the Shanghai Club, the Peace Hotel, and HSBC. Stepping into it is like entering the golden age of the former Oriental Wall Street. Standing by the river, you can also look out at landmark buildings such as the world's third-tallest building, Shanghai Tower; Asia's tallest tower, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower; Shanghai's fourth-tallest building, Jin Mao Tower; and Shanghai's second-tallest building, Shanghai World Financial Center. Afterwards, you will take a public ferry at Jinling East Road to cross the [Huangpu River] and arrive in Shanghai's Pudong Lujiazui business district. Walk to [Shanghai Tower], the tallest building in Shanghai and even in China. Here, you will take the world's fastest sightseeing elevator (73.8 km/h) directly to the "Top of Shanghai Observatory" on the 118th floor, 546 meters above the ground, and enjoy a 360-degree, unobstructed view of Shanghai's magnificent skyline and panoramic city views, overlooking famous buildings all around. If interested, you can also send a special blessing from above the clouds to family and friends at the Top of Shanghai Air Post Office, currently the world's highest post office. Suggestions for Nighttime Activities in Shanghai 1. Shanghai Acrobatics Show (19:30-21:00, 1.5 hours): The Shanghai acrobatics performance is the favorite nighttime entertainment for domestic and international tourists. It features not only thrilling acrobatics but also graceful dance and humorous, comedic plots, bringing the audience a brand-new viewing experience and allowing you to gain a fun understanding of Shanghai's rich cultural heritage.

This morning, our guide will take you to visit Jade Buddha Temple, praised as a pure land in the bustling city of Shanghai. Built in 1882, this ancient temple is one of the few and most influential Buddhist temples in Shanghai. Here, you can see a seated jade Buddha statue about 1.95 meters high with a compassionate and peaceful expression, which is also the main highlight of the temple. You can also stroll around the temple, learn about Buddhist culture in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, or admire the exquisite temple architecture. If time permits, you can also visit Tianzifang in the former French Concession of Shanghai, browse the dazzling array of tourist souvenirs or handicraft shops, or look at the shikumen architecture and learn about Shanghai's longtang culture. Afterward, head to Shanghai Airport and take a flight to Xi'an (about 2.5 hours). Upon arrival in Xi'an, our driver will meet you at the airport exit and escort you to your downtown Xi'an hotel for check-in. You can arrange the remaining time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge. If it is still early, you can also stroll around the area.

After breakfast, you will drive about 40 kilometers (1 hour) to visit the Terracotta Army, one of the "Eighth Wonders of the World." The Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a site museum built on the original location of the terracotta pits and is also China's largest ancient military museum. With the vivid explanations of a professional guide, you will visit Pits No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 in sequence, learning about the historical background and production techniques of the Terracotta Army, as well as the little-known stories behind these thousand-year-old clay figures buried in the long river of history. After lunch, return to Xi'an's urban area and stroll around Bell and Drum Tower Square, visiting the amazing Bell Tower and Drum Tower. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower were first built during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, about 600 years ago. The two buildings echo each other from afar and are magnificent. Afterward, walk to the Great Mosque of Xi'an, an Islamic temple with a distinctly Chinese palatial architectural style. After the visit, head to Xi'an's famous food culture street, Muslim Quarter, to experience the local living atmosphere while tasting local specialty snacks.

After breakfast, you will visit the 【Shaanxi History Museum】, known as the treasure house of China. This is one of the most worthwhile museums to visit in Xi'an. Its collection is extremely rich and presents a miniature of more than 1,000 years of Chinese history and culture. Here you can see bronze artifacts from the Western Zhou dynasty as well as various precious gold and silver wares and murals from the Tang dynasty, making it the best place to learn about splendid Chinese civilization. Afterward, head to visit Xi'an's famous cultural landmark, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. 【Big Wild Goose Pagoda】 is located within Daci'en Temple and is the earliest existing and largest Tang dynasty square pavilion-style brick pagoda. The pagoda has 7 stories and is about 64 meters high. Here you can appreciate the ancient architectural style, view the scriptures and Buddha statues that Master Xuanzang brought back from Tianzhu, and also climb this thousand-year-old pagoda to overlook the urban scenery of Xi'an. In addition, if you are interested, you can also wear traditional Chinese clothing, Hanfu, and stroll among the ancient buildings as if traveling back in time, and take photos with the antique pagoda to capture beautiful travel moments. In the afternoon, you can leisurely visit the time-honored 【Xi'an Ancient City Wall】. First built in the Ming dynasty, it is also called the Xi'an Ming City Wall and is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient city walls in China. You can climb the city wall, walk on the historic blue bricks, feel the charm of the ancient city wall, or ride a bicycle to enjoy the excellent scenery formed by the ancient city wall and the modern cityscape together.

Today, our guide will transfer you to Xi'an Railway Station ahead of the agreed time to take the train to Lhasa, Tibet. There are two Qinghai-Tibet trains departing from Xining every day: Z265: departs at 7:53 AM and arrives in Lhasa at 14:53 the next day, taking 31 hours in total Z165: departs at 9:27 AM and arrives in Lhasa at 15:36 the next day, taking 30 hours and 9 minutes in total Today, during the daytime, the train mainly travels along the Xi'an to Xining section. Through the train window, you can see the scenery outside gradually transition from pastoral plains to the vastness of the Loess Plateau, and then into the expanse of the Qinghai Plateau. Around evening, the train will arrive at Xining Station, the starting point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, where we will transfer to an oxygen-supplied train (it is recommended to wipe the train windows for better sightseeing and photography). Tonight, the train will travel through plateau regions, so you need to rest well.

This morning, the train continues to travel across the vast and boundless Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Compared with yesterday, the scenery outside the window is even more stunning and spectacular. You will have the chance to see the blue Cuona Lake, the vast Northern Tibetan grasslands, the year-round snow-capped Nyainqentanglha Mountains, and plateau-specific animals such as wild yaks and Tibetan antelopes, before finally arriving in Lhasa, the Sunlight City. Tashi Delek! Welcome to Lhasa. Our driver will meet you at the train station exit and take you to your hotel in Lhasa for check-in and rest. You can have a good rest at the hotel for the remaining time and let your body slowly adapt to the high-altitude environment. Warm tips 1. On the day of arrival in Lhasa, do not do strenuous exercise, and do not take a bath or drink alcohol. Rest more, drink water, eat fruit, and avoid overeating. You may bring American ginseng lozenges or health supplements such as rhodiola and Gao Yuan An to relieve altitude sickness. 2. Follow the guide's arrangements, try not to go out for activities, and maintaining a calm mindset and sufficient rest is the best way to prevent altitude sickness. 3. If you feel unwell, please promptly seek help from the guide or hotel staff and go to the hospital for treatment.

After breakfast, head to visit the Jokhang Temple, the holy site in the hearts of Tibetan Buddhist believers. The Jokhang Temple was first built in 647 AD and has a history of 1,350 years. It is the most splendid surviving Tubo-period building in Tibet, with 5 golden roofs and 108 Buddha halls. Here, you can see the world's rare life-size statue of Shakyamuni at age 12 and devout pilgrims worshipping in front of the Jokhang Temple. In the afternoon, drive about 30 kilometers (50 minutes) to visit Sera Monastery, one of Lhasa's three great monasteries. Sera Monastery is also one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is solemn and sacred. At Sera Monastery, you can watch the famous debate activity. The debate usually starts at 15:00 (except Sundays). During the debate, the monks in the courtyard engage in fierce discussion, and you can truly feel the faith and power of Tibetan Buddhism. Finally, return to central Lhasa and visit Barkhor Street. This is not only the route for the local kora ritual but also a very lively ancient commercial street. Here, you can encounter locals wearing Tibetan robes and devout pilgrims, stroll through the alleys and browse handicraft shops, or find a sweet tea house and learn from Tibetan friends to be calm and content.

After breakfast, head to visit the world's highest ancient palace-fortress architectural complex - Potala Palace. 【Potala Palace】 is located on Maburi Mountain in the northwest of downtown Lhasa. It is a magnificent building integrating palace, fortress, and monastery, and is also the largest and most complete ancient palace-fortress complex in Tibet. The Potala Palace is built against the mountain, with 13 stories in total, 117.19 meters high, and more than 400 meters long from east to west. You will climb up along its long stairs, overlooking Lhasa as you go and taking in the grandeur of the city. Take photos and rest along the way, then enter the Potala Palace to explore this mysterious and ancient palace for which very few images are shown online. Afterward, drive about 12 km (35 minutes) to visit 【Drepung Monastery】, one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is built layer by layer along the mountain terrain and is grand in scale. Its white-walled and red-eaved buildings look especially peaceful and serene in the sunlight. After entering the monastery, you can visit important buildings such as the Tsokchen Assembly Hall, Ganden Podrang, and the four great colleges in turn to learn about Tibetan Buddhist culture. You can also go to the debate courtyard to watch monks debating Buddhist doctrine (around 14:00), or stroll within the monastery in search of inner peace. In addition, around August each year, a grand Buddha-unveiling ceremony is held here, which is the famous Shoton Festival.

After breakfast, you will depart from Lhasa and drive about 8-9 hours (about 270 kilometers) to Shigatse, the center of Tsang. Along the way, you will first cross the [Gampala Snow Mountain] at an altitude of 4,900 meters. From Gampala Pass, you can take in a panoramic view of Yamdrok Lake, like a blue ribbon drifting among the mountains, and the majestic Noijin Kangsang Snow Mountain in the distance. Then continue toward Yamdrok Lake, the highest freshwater lake in the world, and appreciate its beauty from multiple angles, including the mountainside and the lakeshore. [Yamdrok Lake] is one of the three great sacred lakes of Tibet and is also praised as the most beautiful water in the world. Its water is as clear as a mirror, stretching into the distance and merging with the distant snow mountains, while the rolling mountains on both sides make the scenery absolutely stunning. Local Tibetans praise Yamdrok Lake in folk songs: "A fairyland in heaven, Yamdrok on earth. Stars in the sky, cattle and sheep by the lake." Afterwards, the car will continue along the shore of Yamdrok Lake for a while, allowing you to see the beautiful lake again. Then head to visit [Karo La Glacier], the most accessible glacier in Tibet. The glacier is right beside the highway, like a giant thangka hanging on the mountain wall, crystal clear and pure white, so close that it seems you could touch it. You can admire the towering glacier from the roadside or walk to the foot of the glacier to appreciate its grandeur up close. Visiting Tips 1. The Karo La Glacier scenic area is at a high altitude, over 5,000 meters. When walking along the boardwalk, please slow down. You may also carry a small oxygen bottle and inhale oxygen for relief if you feel unwell. 2. Please beware of photo traps. If a stranger offers to take photos for you, ask in advance whether there is a charge. Afterwards, continue to Shigatse and stay overnight in a star-rated hotel in Shigatse.

After breakfast, set off for Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. The drive takes about 6-7 hours (about 330 kilometers). Along the way, you will pass Gyatso La Pass at an altitude of 5,252 meters, the highest point on the China-Nepal Highway. On clear days, standing at the pass, you can see Mount Everest in the distance. Then arrive at Everest Base Camp, which is not only the best place to view Mount Everest, but also the best accommodation spot for visiting Everest. Here, you can enjoy the stunning sunrise and sunset over Everest and the starry night sky. Upon first arrival, you can rest and adapt for a while, then walk to visit Rongbuk Monastery. This is the highest monastery in the world and also the best viewpoint for the north face of Mount Everest, only 20 kilometers from the peak. Here, you can enter the monastery and see this ancient temple standing beneath the snowy sky, where time seems to stand still. You can also look out at Mount Everest from the white stupa outside the monastery, which is also the most common scene in many Everest postcards and posters. If you have good stamina, you can continue along the road to the Everest altitude marker for a group photo. At night, stay in a tent at Base Camp (the tents are multi-person rooms with limited conditions and are closed in winter, in which case accommodation will be changed to a guesthouse in a village near Everest).

This morning, you might try your luck by getting up early, hoping to encounter the most magnificent sunrise over Mount Everest and once again admire the majestic figure of the world's highest peak from different angles. Then, after breakfast, return to Shigatse. Along the way, you will stop again at Gyawu La Pass and Gyatsola Pass to look back at Mount Everest, and finally arrive at your hotel in Shigatse for rest.

After breakfast, head to visit 【Tashilhunpo Monastery】. This is the largest monastery in Shigatse and the seat of successive Panchen Lamas. It was once also the political ruling center of the important Tsang region. The monastery enshrines the world's largest seated bronze Buddha statue, the 28-meter-high "Maitreya Buddha" (namely the Buddha of the Future). Here you can visit the Panchen Lama's living quarters, the sutra college, the stupa hall, and the Buddha-unveiling platform to learn about the long cultural history of Tibetan Buddhism and its development in the Tsang region, and you can also see exquisite murals, carvings, and other cultural relics. If interested, you can also climb to a high point to overlook the full view of the monastery and gaze at the scenery of downtown Shigatse in the distance. Afterward, drive about 280 km (about 3 h 40 m) back to Lhasa. Along the way, through the window, you can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Yarlung Valley, seeing the broad riverbed and the peaceful village and farmland scenery... Finally, return to your hotel in downtown Lhasa. (PS: You can also take a train from Shigatse to Lhasa, which takes about 2 h 28 m.)

Today marks the end of this wonderful 14-day train journey from Shanghai through Xi'an to Lhasa, Tibet. Our driver will take you to Lhasa Airport or Railway Station in advance according to the agreed time for your next destination. If you wish to extend this trip and explore more destinations in Tibet, such as Nyingchi, Ali Mount Kailash, and other places, you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you. We look forward to welcoming you again someday in the future.