CHINA HIGHLIGHTS & TIBET

SHANGHAI ● LHASA ● XIAN ● BEIJING

TOUR OVERVIEW

DURATION, PRICE, TOUR TYPE & DEPARTURES

9 nights from UK £ 2,300 / US $ 3,220 per person*

*Price based on 2 people travelling. These prices are based on 2021 rates and are here to give guidance. Final quotes vary by date, exchange rates and are subject to availability.

PRIVATE TOUR - NOT A GROUP TOUR - CAN BE TAILORED 

SEASON - April to december STARTING ANY DAY

TOUR CODE : TS-C-EW-07

MAP & DESTINATIONS

THE STOPS VISITED ON THIS TOUR

?? SHANGHAI - 2 nights

China's bustling financial capital is full of energy and a glimpse into the future.

?? LHASA - 4 nights

Tibet’s otherworldly capital with stunning architecture and setting.

?? TRAIN - 1 night

An overnight sleeper train across the Tibetan Plateau to Xian.

?? XIAN - 2 nights

China’s Tang Dynasty Capital & home to the extraordinary Terra Cotta Army.

?? BEIJING

This trip finishes on arrival in China's stunning capital of Beijing.

Note: This tour is designed to be booked in conjunction with our Trans-Siberian tours which already include accommodation, tours and transfers in Beijing. If booking this tour on its own we can add in the full Beijing section to this trip.

TSCEW07 map

OUR EXCLUSIVE TRIP GUIDEBOOK

This trip includes our exclusive 200+ page guidebook personalised to your trip with sections about the trains, destinations, timetables and emergency contacts and allowing you to be fully prepared for your trip of a lifetime - an invaluable resource!

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

DAILY DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTIVITIES, MEALS & OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION

Note: An altitude of over 4,000 meters (13,100 feet) is reached on this trip. Whilst the vast majority of people experience little more than shortness of breath there is a very small risk of more severe complications such as acute mountain sickness (AMS). Note that level of fitness and age are no indication as to whether you are more susceptible or not to AMS.

DAY 1 - SHANGHAI

ARRIVAL IN SHANGHAI WITH TIME TO RELAX AT THE HOTEL AFTER YOUR FLIGHT

Welcome to Shanghai, China’s exciting and futuristic financial capital and living testament to China's phenomenal growth. Your guide will greet you at the airport with a transfer by private car to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax from the long flight or start to explore the city with the help of your personalised and exclusive Trip Guidebook we send you before the trip. The area around your centrally located hotel is perfect for an introductory walk.

MEALS: None Today.

OVERNIGHT: SSAW Boutique Bund  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 2 - SHANGHAI

YUYUAN GARDENS, OLD SHANGHAI, ANTIQUE MARKET, THE BUND & SKYSCRAPER VIEWPOINT & ACROBATS

Today you will have a full day private tour of some of Shanghai’s highlights starting with the classical Yuyuan Garden that dates back to 1577. Surrounding the garden is Old Shanghai, an area that has been a vibrant commercial centre for over a century. Here we visit Fuyou Road antique market, one of the best places for souvenir hunting and a fascinating experience even if not shopping. The tour continues with a walk down the Bund along which the Huangpu River runs and where some of Asia’s finest colonial architecture is located. From here we cross the River by ferry to Shanghai’s ultra modern Pudong Financial district for a bird’s eye view of the city from the top of one of the stunning skyscrapers.

There is no better way to round off this Shanghai experience than with a visit to the world famous Chinese Acrobats for a show filled with colour and excitement.

Return to your hotel or head out to sample Shanghai’s vibrant nightlife.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & Restaurant Lunch.

OVERNIGHT: SSAW Boutique Bund  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 3 - LHASA

FLIGHT ON TO LHASA AND YOUR FIRST TASTE OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY CITY

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lhasa. Your guide will have your Tibet Travel Permit and plane ticket. Arrival at Lhasa’s Gonggar airport after what has, cloud cover permitting, been a spectacular flight. Your guide will be meeting you at the airport for the 1 hour drive to Lhasa. Tibet’s capital, at a quite manageable altitude of 3,650 meters (12,000 feet) is a unique city and a real highlight or any trip. The setting, history, architecture, people and contrasts all make for a very special travel experience.

Free time to relax and adjust to the altitude or start exploring the city.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Kyichu Hotel  ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 4 - LHASA

DREPUNG MONASTERY, NECHUNG RESIDENCE, SACRED JOKHANG TEMPLE & KORA

Today first head 5 km out of Lhasa to Drepung Monastery, the largest in Tibet located on Gambo Utse mountain. Founded in 1416, it was the principal seat of learning for the Gelugpa school and at its height was thought to contain up to 10,000 monks (now there are 300). About 10 minutes walk from Drepung is Nechung Chok which was the residence of the State Oracle of Tibet. This small monastery was also evocatively known as the ”Demon Fortress of the Oracle King.”

After lunch (own arrangement) visit the Jokhang Temple constructed in 642 AD and considered the most sacred and important temple in all Tibet. It is located at one end of Barkhor Square, a fascinating meeting point for pilgrims from all over the region making for an intense atmosphere infused with incense and devotion. Surrounding the temple is the Barkhor Kora, a 1 km circular walk for pilgrims and locals as well as a fascinating market selling all the goods a pilgrim might need on their travels.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Kyichu Hotel  ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 5 - LHASA

THE TRULY SPECTACULAR POTALA PALACE & ANCIENT SERA MONASTERY

Today you visit one of the architectural highlights of China - if not the world - the vast Potala Palace, former residence of Dalai Lamas. Building started in 1645 and has been added to over the centuries. It is 13 stories high and contains over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues. You will see some of the meeting rooms as well as the extraordinary chapels with their vast gold and jewel encrusted shrines to previous Dalai Lamas - the chapel of the 5th Dalai Lama has a stupa coated in 3,727kg of gold and 18,680 precious stones. The Potala dominates Lhasa and the views from the palace stretch out across the city to the surrounding mountains.

Continue to Sera Monastery, spread over 28 acres at the base of Pubuchok mountain and built in 1419. The highlights are the great assembly hall and some of the colleges located within the complex with their wealth of architectural features and shrines.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Kyichu Hotel  ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 6 - LHASA

DAY TRIP TO GANDEN MONASTERY WITH TIME TO WALK IN THE HILLS

Today you leave the city into the often dramatic countryside to the huge Ganden Monastery approached by a spectacular winding road. Ganden is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located at the top of Wangbur Mountain 36 km from Lhasa at an altitude of 4,300m. Founded in 1409 it used to be home to up to 6,000 monks. After touring the monastery you will have time to hike in the surrounding hills with their amazing views across the valleys and mountain ranges returning to Lhasa with a free evening.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & Picnic Lunch.

OVERNIGHT: Kyichu Hotel  ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

DAY 7 - TRAIN

DEPART LHASA BY TRAIN TO XIAN

Free time until a transfer to the train station to continue your journey by train across the plateau and its dramatic scenery.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: On board a sleeper train.

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DAY 8 - XIAN

CHANGING VISTAS OF CHINA BEFORE ARRIVAL IN THE TANG DYNASTY CAPITAL

A full day on the train watching the sparsely populated areas of Central China give way to the villages, towns and cities on the run up to Xian where you arrive late evening.

This city was the fabled Chang An - a thriving city of Emperors, soldiers, arts, culture and capital of the Tang Dynasty, an era considered a golden period of Chinese history. For a time it was the largest city in the world and one of the world's great meeting points at the end of the Silk Road. Transfer to your hotel to overnight.

MEALS: None Today - the train does have a dining car though.

OVERNIGHT: Atour Nanmen Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

DAY 9 - XIAN

THE TERRA COTTA ARMY, BIG WILD GOOSE PAGODA, CITY WALLS & MUSLIM QUARTER

Today visit one of China’s most extraordinary sights, the Terra Cotta Army built by China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 246 BC. Several thousand of the life-sized soldiers are on display and, with no two soldiers looking alike, make for a truly impressive spectacle.

We also visit a relic of the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, home to some of the most famous Buddhist scriptures in China. It is possible to climb the pagoda - you will need to buy a ticket locally if you wish to do this - for views over Xian. Continue to the 14 km Ming Dynasty City Walls which are up to 18 meters thick at the base and 12 meters in height. It is possible to hire bicycles and ride some sections of the wall - local rental payment required.

Finish the day with a wander through Xian’s vibrant Muslim quarter, including a visit to the Great Mosque, unusually built entirely in the Chinese architectural style. This area is an excellent place to souvenir shop.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & Restaurant Lunch.

OVERNIGHT: Atour Nanmen Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 10 - XIAN TO BEIJING

BULLET TRAIN ON TO BEIJING TO START YOUR TRANS-SIBERIAN ITINERARY

After breakfast transfer to the station to catch a bullet train on to Beijing. Afternoon arrival in China’s cultural and political capital with its extraordinary blend of ancient and modern sights.

Your guide and driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel as per day one of your Trans-Siberian itinerary.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

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INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS

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Train tickets.
All accommodation as specified above.
All private transfers and transport as described.
All meals as specified in the itinerary.
All tours as specified including entrance fees.
24 hour emergency assistance
Visa Paperwork you need in order to obtain the visas.
Financial Peace of Mind as your trip is protected.
Our exclusive 200+ page trip guidebook.
International Airfare to / from the start / finish of your trip – we can book these flights on request.
The Chinese visa – we can advise and partner with VisaCentral.
Travel insurance to cover any medical treatment – we canadvise on options.
Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides.

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