[Enter from Chengdu, Exit from Gyirong] Chengdu to Lhasa Shigatse Gyirong 10-Day Overland Journey (Entering Tibet via Qinghai-Tibet Railway)

Welcome to Chengdu, the hometown of giant pandas. Our driver will meet you at the airport or train station exit and escort you to the hotel for check-in and rest. You can arrange the remaining time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to relieve travel fatigue. If it is still early, you can also stroll around the neighborhood, or consult the guide for travel suggestions based on your time and interests. Suggested arrival methods 1. By plane: Chengdu has two airports - Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), with many domestic direct flights, such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Lhasa, Chongqing, Wuhan, Guiyang, Xiamen, etc., as well as international direct flights, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, etc. Transportation is very convenient. 2. By train: Chengdu has four railway stations. You can take high-speed trains to Chengdu from cities such as Beijing (7-11 hours), Xi'an (3-4 hours), Chongqing (1.5-2 hours), Shanghai (12.5-14.5 hours), Kunming (6-6.5 hours), and Guiyang (3.5-4.5 hours).

After breakfast, you will drive about 17 kilometers to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the northern suburbs of Chengdu, to see China's adorable national treasure, the giant panda, and learn about their habits and conservation. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, abbreviated as Chengdu Panda Base, houses over 100 giant pandas and is the world's largest captive giant panda breeding base. Here, you can see giant pandas of different ages playing, eating, climbing hills, climbing trees, sleeping, and other cute and interesting scenes. You can also follow the guide to visit the Panda Museum to learn more stories about pandas. In addition, if you visit in autumn, you may also have the chance to see adorable giant panda cubs in the Moon Nursery and Sun Nursery. Moreover, the famous Chinese panda star Hua Hua lives here. She is known for her cute appearance and unique personality and is called a "top-tier female celebrity." (Note: Giant pandas prefer cooler weather and are more active in the morning, so it is recommended to arrive early to see more natural behaviors of the giant pandas.) Then, head to People's Park, praised as one of the "most beautiful parks in Chengdu," to experience the leisurely Chengdu culture up close and the slow life of locals. Here, you can sit in a century-old teahouse, order a cup of fragrant covered-bowl tea, chat leisurely with friends on bamboo chairs, experience the intangible cultural heritage ear cleaning, enjoy the tingling "little comfort" that goes straight to your head, or watch the exciting local mahjong activities and visit the famous matchmaking corner. Afterwards, you can leisurely stroll in Kuanzhai Alley, one of the "Top Ten Most Beautiful Streets in Sichuan," to experience the leisurely life of Chengdu, enjoy wonderful Sichuan opera face-changing performances, take excellent photos, admire exquisite specialty architecture, and taste authentic old Chengdu food. (Optional activities: You can try local spicy dishes such as skewers, dan dan noodles, etc., and even try one of Chengdu's most representative specialty foods - spicy rabbit head!) After the tour, we will transfer you to Chengdu West Railway Station to take train Z322 to Lhasa. The train departs at 20:53 in the evening and arrives in Lhasa at 07:24 on the third day, with a total duration of 34 hours and 31 minutes.

After traveling through the night, the train has left Sichuan and entered Gansu. Today, the train will mainly travel along the Lanzhou to Golmud section throughout the day. Through the window, you can see the vast loess plateau landscape of the Northwest, the winding Yellow River, the beautiful and expansive Qinghai Lake, as well as grasslands, salt lakes, the Gobi Desert, high mountains, deserts, and other stunning plateau scenery.

Tashi Delek! Welcome to the Sunshine City - Lhasa. Upon arrival, our driver will meet you at the airport or train station exit and transfer you to your hotel in Lhasa for check-in and rest. For the remaining time, you can rest well at the hotel and let your body gradually adapt to the high-altitude environment. Warm tips: On the day of arrival in Lhasa, do not engage in strenuous exercise, and do not take a shower that night to prevent catching a cold. Do not drink alcohol. Drink plenty of water and eat fruits, and avoid overeating. Rest more. You may bring American ginseng lozenges or health supplements such as Rhodiola and Gao Yuan An to relieve altitude sickness. Follow the guide's arrangements, try not to go out for activities, and maintaining a calm mindset and adequate rest is the best way to prevent altitude sickness. If you feel unwell, seek medical treatment at the hospital promptly.

After breakfast, head to visit the sacred site in the hearts of Tibetan Buddhist followers - the Jokhang Temple. The Jokhang Temple was first built in 647 AD and has a history of 1,350 years. It is the most magnificent surviving Tubo-period architecture in Tibet, with 5 golden roofs and 108 Buddha halls. Here, you can see the world-rare 12-year-old life-size statue of Shakyamuni 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 the three major monasteries in Lhasa. Sera Monastery is also one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is solemn and sacred. At Sera Monastery, you can watch the famous Buddhist debate activity, which usually starts at 15:00 (except Sundays). During the debate, the lamas in the courtyard engage in intense discussions, and you can truly feel the faith and power of Tibetan Buddhism. Finally, return to downtown Lhasa and visit Barkhor Street. This is not only the route for local kora rituals but also a very lively ancient commercial street. Here, you can encounter locals in Tibetan robes and devout pilgrims, stroll through the alleys to browse handicraft shops, or find a sweet tea house and learn the tranquility and contentment of Tibetan friends.

After breakfast, head to visit the world's highest ancient palace-style architectural complex - the Potala Palace. The Potala Palace is located on Maburi Hill in the northwest of Lhasa city. It is a magnificent building integrating palace, castle, and monastery, and is also the largest and most complete ancient palace-castle complex in Tibet. The Potala Palace is built against the mountain, with 13 stories, 117.19 meters high, and over 400 meters long from east to west. You will climb up the long stairs of the Potala Palace, overlooking Lhasa as you go, taking in the grandeur of the city. While taking photos and resting, you will then enter the Potala Palace to explore this mysterious ancient palace that has very few pictures online. Afterwards, drive about 12 kilometers (35 minutes) to visit Drepung Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is built layer by layer along the mountain, with a grand scale. The white walls and red eaves of the buildings look particularly peaceful and serene under the sunlight. Inside the monastery, you can visit important buildings such as the Tsokchen Assembly Hall, Ganden Phodrang, and the four Dratsangs to learn about Tibetan Buddhist culture. You can also go to the debate courtyard to watch monks debate Buddhist teachings (around 14:00), or stroll within the monastery to find inner peace. In addition, around August each year, there is a grand Buddha unveiling ceremony here, known as 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. On the way, you will first cross the Gambala Pass at an altitude of 4,990 meters. From the pass, you can take in the 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 sacred lakes in Tibet and is also known as the most beautiful water in the world. The lake water is clear as a mirror, extending into the distance and merging with the distant snow mountains. Together with the undulating mountains on both sides, the scenery is 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 the most accessible glacier in Tibet, Karola Glacier. The glacier is right by the roadside, like a giant thangka hanging on the mountain wall, crystal clear and pure white, so close that it seems touchable. 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 Karola 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 if you feel unwell. 2. Please beware of photo traps. If a stranger offers to take photos, ask in advance whether there is a charge. Afterwards, continue to Shigatse and stay overnight at a star-rated hotel in Shigatse.

After breakfast, set off for Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, with a drive of about 6–7 hours (about 330 kilometers). Along the way, you will pass the Gyatso La Pass at an altitude of 5,252 meters, the highest point on the China-Nepal Highway. On a clear day, standing at the pass, you can gaze into the distance and see Mount Everest. Afterwards, you will arrive at Everest Base Camp, which is not only the best spot for viewing Mount Everest but also the best place to stay while visiting it. Here, you can enjoy the stunning sunrise and sunset over Everest and the starry night sky. Upon first arrival, you can rest and acclimatize, then walk to visit Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world and 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, and you can also gaze at Mount Everest from the white stupa outside the monastery, the scene most commonly seen on Everest postcards and posters. If you have good stamina, you can continue along the road to the Everest altitude marker for a commemorative photo. In the evening, stay in a tent at Base Camp (tents are multi-person rooms with limited facilities and are closed in winter, in which case you will stay in a guesthouse in a village near Everest instead).

This morning, try your luck by getting up early, hoping to catch the most magnificent sunrise over Mount Everest. Then, after breakfast, head along the China-Nepal Friendship Highway toward Gyirong Town. Along the way, you will have the chance to see the majestic Shishapangma (8,027 meters), the only peak above 8,000 meters located entirely within Tibet. Finally, arrive at your hotel in Gyirong to check in and rest.

After breakfast, our driver will take you to Gyirong Port, where you will exit China and enter Nepal, bringing this 10-day overland journey from Chengdu to Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyirong to an end. If you would like to continue with a tour in Nepal, or need to arrange a private car from the port to Kathmandu, you can also contact our customer service in advance to arrange it for you. We look forward to welcoming you again someday in the future.