Day 1 Xining
Day 2 Xining
Located 3200 meters above sea level, the Qinghai Lake is the largest inland and salt water lake in China. The lake has different scenery in four seasons and has become a popular destination for biking and bird watching.
Day 3 Xining - Lhasa (by train)
Built in 1377 to commemorate Tsong Khapa (the founder of the Yellow Hat Sect), the Ta'er Monastery attracts tens of thousands of pilgrim every year.
In the afternoon, transfer to board the overnight train for your journey to Lhasa.
Accommodation on the train (soft sleeper)
Good to Know: It is hardly to book Tibet train ticket (soft sleeper or hard sleeper) in the peak season, especially from July to September because the demand far exceeds the supply. So we suggest that traveler to take the flight to Lhasa directly and take the train from Lhasa to Xining.
Day 4 on the train - Lhasa
Today, get up early for the early morning sunrise on the train. It gives great breathtaking pictures just like you are traveling in the sky-space. Then the train runs to the heavenly high screen of legendary Kunlun Mountain and the Jade Peak at altitude of 6178 meters in a shape of pyramid. While on train, enjoy the scenery of jagged mountain peaks caped in ice and the permanently frozen Tibetan Plateau.
The Tibet Railway runs 1,956 kilometers from Xining to Lhasa and is the world's longest railroad built atop a plateau. The Golmud-Lhasa section extends 1,142 kilometers, with the highest elevation being some 5,072 meters above sea level at Tanggula Range, making it the highest railway in the world.
In the rest of the day, you will see:
Kekexili – “paradise for wild animals”, the field none of any human beings, the origin of 4 longest rivers in Asia.
Couna Lake – the highest fresh water blue lake beneath the snow-caped mountains and worshipped as a holy lake for Tibetan Religions.
Arrival at Lhasa at about 14:30, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel.
Day 5 Lhasa
The Sera Monastery, one of the three most distinguished monasteries in Lhasa, is famous for its tantric teachings.
Day 6 Lhasa
The Norbulingkha is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama.
The Barkhor Street, Lhasa's old market, is full of vendors selling their wares. The smell of Yak butter is wafting in the air and hundreds of pilgrims are moving in a clockwise direction.
About Tibet Travel Permits:
1. All foreign travelers are required to have the Tibet Travel Permit (or Tibet Permit, Tibet Entry Permit) in hand before entering Tibet. The Tibet Travel Permit is issued by Tibet Administration to the authorized travel agencies, but not to individual travelers directly.
2. CITS handle Tibet Permit application for guests who booked Tibet tour package from us. Travelers can either take a tailored private tour or join in a group tour. The tour package should include services of tour guide, automobile, sightseeing & accommodation. Please be advised that we do NOT offer “permit-only” service.
3. The Tibet Permit needs to be applied at least 20 days prior to arrival in Tibet, so we suggest travelers send the tour inquiry at least 30 days in advance.
4. The general travel information (including tour dates, travelers’ personal information, destinations in Tibet…) will be attached to the Tibet Permit, so the travel itinerary could not be changed once the tour is confirmed.
5. All travelers can get Tibet Permit through an authorized travel agency except diplomats, journalists, and government officials who should travel to Tibet under the arrangement by the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Government.
How to book a Tibet tour with Tibet Travel Permit:
Step1: Traveler sends a travel inquiry to CITS.
Step 2: CITS travel counselor sends you an itinerary and quote. We are pleased to make any changes as per your request before you are completely satisfied with the tour proposal.
Step 3: Book the tour and make the payment via bank transfer or PayPal. Payment needs to be received by us at least 20 days before your arrival.
Step 4: Send us the following document & information:
- A scanned copy of your passport (photo page);
- A scanned copy of your China visa (tourist visa);
- All travelers’ information including full names, gender, date of birth, passport number, nationality and occupation;
Step 5: Your travel counselors will confirm the tour and send you an email attached with the confirmation & voucher.
Step 6: When you leave for Lhasa you will need to show the original copy of the Tibet permit when checking in at the airport or railway station. The permit will be delivered to our local office in the departure city. You will need to pick it up from the local office. If you booked the land service at that city, our guide will pass the permit to you.
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- Air-conditioned coach
- Land transfers between airport or train station and hotel
- Train ticket from Xining to Lhasa (soft sleeper)
- Entrance tickets as listed
- Lunch as listed
- Hotel accommodations
- Tibet permit
- Service charge & government tax
- Tibet Travel Permit
- Any flight ticket
- Personal expenses such as laundry, drinks, fax fee, phone bills, optional activities
- Tips for guides and drivers
- China Entry Visa
- Travel insurance