【Departing from Xining】Xining to Lhasa Everest Base Camp Qinghai-Tibet Railway 10-Day Tour

Welcome to Xining, Xining (average altitude about 2,275 meters) is the capital city of Qinghai Province, China, located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province and the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is the eastern gateway to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and enjoys the title of "the First City of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." It is also the starting city of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, with the most Qinghai-Tibet trains departing from here to Lhasa and the shortest travel time. Our driver will greet you at the airport/train station exit and take you to your hotel in downtown Xining to check in and rest. After that, you can arrange your time freely—rest at the hotel to recover from your journey, or explore the city. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Xining Caojiabao International Airport (XNN) is the main airport of Xining, about 30 kilometers from downtown Xining, with very convenient transportation. You can fly directly to Xining from domestic cities such as Beijing (2.5 to 3 hours), Xi'an (1.5 hours), Shanghai (3.5 hours), Chengdu (1.5 to 2 hours), Chongqing (2 hours), and Guangzhou (3.5 to 4 hours). 2. By train: Xining is an important railway hub in Qinghai Province, with direct trains from cities such as Xi'an (4 to 5 hours), Lanzhou (1 to 1.5 hours), Zhangye (1.5 to 2 hours), Dunhuang (6 hours), Beijing/Shanghai (10 hours), Chengdu (7 to 8 hours), and Chongqing (8 to 9 hours).

Today our guide will pick you up at your hotel and, at the agreed time, transfer you to Xining Railway Station to board the Qinghai-Tibet train to Lhasa, Tibet. On the way into Tibet by train, you can enjoy the magnificent Himalayas, azure lakes, vast grasslands, and plateau scenery such as yaks and Tibetan antelopes through the train windows. List of train schedules from Xining to Lhasa

Tashi Delek! Welcome to Lhasa. Our driver will meet you at the train station exit and escort you to a 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 Reminders 1. On the day of arrival in Lhasa, do not engage in strenuous exercise, and do not take a shower 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 Gaoyuan'an to relieve altitude sickness. 2. Follow the guide's arrangements and try not to go out for activities. Maintaining a calm mindset and getting sufficient rest is the best way to prevent altitude sickness. 3. If you feel unwell, please promptly seek help from your guide or hotel staff and go to the hospital for treatment.

After breakfast, head to visit the holy site in the hearts of Tibetan Buddhist believers - Jokhang Temple. 【Jokhang Temple】 was first built in 647 AD and has a history of 1,350 years. It is the most glorious surviving Tubo-period building in Tibet, with a total of 5 golden roofs and 108 Buddhist halls. Here, you can see the world's rare life-size statue of Shakyamuni at age 12 and devout pilgrims worshipping in front of Jokhang Temple. In the afternoon, drive about 30 kilometers (50 minutes) to visit Sera Monastery, one of the three great monasteries of 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 debate sessions. The debates generally begin at 15:00 (except Sundays). During the debates, the monks in the courtyard engage in fierce discussion, 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 the local kora ritual, but also a very lively ancient commercial street. Here you can unexpectedly encounter locals wearing Tibetan robes and devout pilgrims, stroll through the alleys to browse handicraft shops, or find a sweet tea house and learn from Tibetan friends how to be tranquil and content.

After breakfast, head to visit the Potala Palace, the world's highest ancient palace-castle complex. [Potala Palace] is located on Maburi Hill in the northwest of Lhasa's urban area. It is a magnificent building complex integrating a 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 in total, 117.19 meters high, and more than 400 meters long from east to west. You will climb up the long stairs of the Potala Palace step by step, overlooking Lhasa as you go, taking in the grandeur of Lhasa city. While taking photos and resting, you will then enter the Potala Palace to explore this mysterious ancient palace that is rarely shown in pictures online. Afterward, drive about 12 kilometers (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, grand in scale, and its white walls and red eaves look especially peaceful and serene under the sunlight. Inside the monastery, you can visit important buildings such as the Tsokchen Assembly Hall, Ganden Podrang, and the four major dratsangs in turn 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 in search of inner peace. In addition, around August each year, a grand Buddha-unveiling ceremony is held here, known as the famous Shoton Festival.

After breakfast, you will depart from Lhasa and drive about 6 hours (approximately 270 km) to Gyantse, a historic and cultural town in Tibet. On the way, you will first cross the Gambala Pass at an elevation of 4,990 meters. From the pass, you can take in a panoramic view of Yamdrok Lake, drifting like a blue ribbon among the mountains, and the majestic Noijin Kangsang Snow Mountain in the distance. Then you will 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 of Tibet and is also praised as the most beautiful water in the world. The lake is as clear as a mirror, stretching into the distance and merging with the distant snow mountains. Together with the rolling mountains on both sides, the scenery is 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." Afterward, the car will continue driving along the shore of Yamdrok Lake for a while, allowing you to see the beautiful lake again. Then you will visit [Karo La Glacier], the most accessible glacier in Tibet. The glacier is located right beside the highway, like a giant thangka hanging on the mountain wall, crystal clear and pure white, so close that it seems within reach. You can admire the towering glacier from the roadside or walk to its foot for a closer look at its grandeur. Visiting tips 1. The Karo La Glacier scenic area is at a high altitude of 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 for you, ask in advance whether there is a charge. After the visit, continue to Gyantse, the town of anti-British heroes. This is an ancient city with more than 600 years of history and an important transportation hub from U-Tsang to Tsang. Upon arrival, visit [Pelkor Chode Monastery], which integrates the three major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also one of the few monasteries in Tibet where both the monastery and the stupa are well preserved. There is a stupa in the monastery and a monastery in the stupa, naturally blending and complementing each other. Here, you will focus on visiting the Ten Thousand Buddha Stupa, famous for its exquisite murals and carvings, and learn about the development of Tibetan Buddhism in Tsang. You can also climb to a high point and look out at Gyantse Dzong Fortress in the distance. Finally, continue to Shigatse and check in at the hotel for rest.

After breakfast, set off for Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, about a 6-7 hour drive (approximately 330 km). 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 at Mount Everest in the distance. Afterwards, you will arrive at Everest Base Camp, which is not only the best spot to view 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 may 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 km away 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 gaze at Mount Everest from the white stupa outside the monastery, which is the most common scene on many Everest postcards and posters. If you have good stamina, you can continue along the road to the Everest altitude marker for a photo. In the evening, stay in a tent at Base Camp (tents are shared dormitories with limited facilities and are closed in winter, in which case you will stay at a guesthouse in a village near Everest instead).

This morning, you might try your luck by getting up early, hoping to encounter the most magnificent Everest sunrise 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 【Gawula Pass】 and 【Gyatsola Pass】 to look back at Mount Everest, and finally arrive at your hotel in Shigatse to rest.

After breakfast, head to visit [Tashilhunpo Monastery], the largest monastery in Shigatse and the seat of successive Panchen Lamas. It was once also the political center of the rear Tibet region. The monastery enshrines the world's largest seated bronze Buddha statue, the 28-meter-high "Maitreya Buddha" (Jampa Buddha). Here, you can visit buildings such as the Panchen Lama's residence, the sutra college, the stupa halls, and the Buddha-unveiling platform to learn about the long cultural history of Tibetan Buddhism and its development in the rear Tibet region. You can also see exquisite murals, carvings, and other cultural relics. If interested, you can also climb to a high point to overlook the panorama of the monastery and the distant view of Shigatse city. Afterward, drive about 280 kilometers (about 3h40m) back to Lhasa. Along the way, you can enjoy the magnificent Yarlung Valley scenery through the window, seeing the broad riverbed and peaceful village and farmland views... Finally, return to your hotel in downtown Lhasa. (PS: You can also take a train from Shigatse to Lhasa, which takes about 2h28m.)

Today your wonderful 10-day Xining to Lhasa Qinghai-Tibet Railway journey comes to an end. Our driver will take you to Lhasa Airport or Railway Station in advance according to the agreed time for your onward destination. If you wish to extend this trip and explore more destinations in Tibet, such as Namtso, Nyingchi, or Mount Kailash in Ngari, you may also contact our customer service to arrange it for you. We look forward to welcoming you again someday in the future.