9 Days Guangzhou Tibet Train Tour

Traveling to Tibet by taking the Guangzhou-Lhasa Train Z264. It leaves Guangzhou Train Station and arrives at Lhasa Train Station on the third day for a total of 53hrs. You will spend two nights on the train.

Day01 Train: Guangzhou-Lhasa Go to Guangzhou Railway Station on your own
Day02 On the Train Enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way
Day03 Arrival in Lhasa by Train Pick up and transfer to the hotel
Day04 Lhasa City Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Tibetan Thangka Studio
Day05 Lhasa Suburb Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery
Day06 Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse Yamdroktso Lake , Karola Glacier, Pelkor Chode Monastery
Day07 Shigatse - Namtso Tashilhunpo Monastery, Namtso Lake
Day08 Namtso - Yampachen - Tsurphu - Lhasa Tsurphu Monastery
Day09 Departure from Lhasa Send off to the airport/railway station

Day by Day Arrangement:

Day 1 Train: Guangzhou-Lhasa
Go to Guangzhou Railway Station on your own. Exchange eTicket to the actual paper ticket at the ticket booth by showing them the eTicket, the copy of your Tibet Travel Permit and your original passport. To arrive abt 2hrs in advance is suggested.

Stay overnight in the train

Day 2 On the Train
The train Z264 starts from Guangzhou to Lhasa, with a total length of 4,980 kilometers. It takes 52 hours and 53 minutes, which means you have to stay on the train for three days and two nights. It sounds long but you can witness countless beautiful scenery along the way. You will move northwards first and then westward to cross Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, till Xi'ning, which is the start point of the Qinghai-Tibet railway. You will see massive deserts, the immense grasslands, vast valleys, snow-capped Mountains, picturesque lakes, and flocks of yaks and sheep.

Stay overnight in the train

Qinghai Tibet Railway is one of the most spectacular railways in the world.

Day 3 Arrival in Lhasa by Train
Our local Tibetan guide will wait for you at Lhasa railway station by holding your name sign. You will be greeted with a warm Tashi Delek (a kind of blessing), and be presented with a white Hada (traditional Tibetan ceremonial by giving you a white scarf). Then transfer to the hotel in Lhasa city. On your first arrival day in Lhasa (3650m), it's essential to have a good rest to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS, also known as altitude sickness). Remember to drink lots of water, eat lighter and have high carbohydrate food which will be helpful to you to adapt to the high altitude better.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Day 4 Lhasa City
In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site.

In the afternoon, we will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is one of the most sacred temples all over Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuit as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

As the winter palace of the Dalai Lama, Potala Palace is an important religious landmark of Tibet.

Day 5 Lhasa Suburb
In the morning, we will go to visit Norbulingka. Norbulingka park is considered the premier park of all such horticultural parks in similar ethnic settings in Tibet. During the summer and autumn months, the parks in Tibet including the Norbulingka, become hubs of entertainment with dancing, singing, music, and festivities. The park is where the annual Sho Dun or 'Yoghurt Festival' is held.

In the afternoon, you are heading to Drepung Monastery, which means Monastery of Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and covers the hillsides. They look like huge rice heaps in the distance, so it is called Drepung. Drepung monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, also the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Norbulingka consists of several palace including the Kelsang Potrang, Tsokyil Potrang, Golden Linka and Takten Migyur Potrang

Day 6 Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse
From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, en route you will pass by Gambala Mountain Pass (4790m), where's the best place to overlook the Yamdroktso lake. Then head to Shigatse via the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where colorfully decorated yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to cultivate this land.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Amazing Yamdroktso Lake

Day 7 Shigatse - Namtso
Drive along the Friendship Highway from Shigatse, turn north at Tadruka village, pass Shoggu-la Pass (5440m) followed by Kyang-la Pass (5240m) before reach today's destination of Namtso Lake.

Note that lodgings at the lakeside of Namtso are very basic without private bathroom, kinda like Wild West mining camp, also nights can get very cold here, suitable from May~Oct. Most travelers bear with it for the stunning view at Namtso.

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is seat to the Panchen Lama, the second most important spiritual leader of Tibet

Day 8 Namtso - Yampachen - Tsurphu - Lhasa
You are highly suggested to wake a bit earlier today to watch the sunrise at Namtso Lake. After breakfast, head back to Lhasa which is abt 200km. En route, visit Yampachen and Tsurphu Monastery.

We usually only include the entry fee of Yampachen, for bathing you can pay at the spot, choose for yourself of the different pools which charges differently, abt CNY 50~100/person.

A stream flows past Tsurphu Monastery.

Day 9 Departure from Lhasa
Your tour ends today. Our guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station for your next destination.

Based on 3-star hotels for 2 people in low seasons. Price varies according to travel season, number of people and level of accommodation.

INCLUSIONS

• Tibet Tourism Bureau Permit (TTB) and all other necessary permits to Tibet;
• Soft-sleepers from Guangzhou to Lhasa;
• All entrance tickets fee for tourist attractions listed in the itinerary;
• Experienced local English-speaking tour guide;
• Travel-licensed vehicle according to group size & season as itinerary needed including gas and parking fee;
• All lodging listed in the itinerary; it’s your decision about the accommodation class: luxury 5-star international hotel, comfortable 4-star hotel, economic 3-star hotel, or guesthouse. Please tell us your preference;
• All meals listed in the above itinerary;
• Pick-up & Drop-off service from Airport/railway station;
• Travel Agency Liability insurance;
• Government tax;
• Express delivery fee of Permit (eg. SF. Express);
• Food & lodgings for guide & driver;
• Oxygen tank for emergency use;
• Sleeping bags;
• Two bottles of mineral water per person per day.

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EXCLUSIONS

• International flight to and out of China;
• Chinese Visa/China Group Visa; (Note: we could help you by providing the hotel or domestic flight reservation copies for your Chinese Visa or the invitation letter for your China Group Visa)
• Other domestic flights/trains to and out of Lhasa; (We can help you book the domestic flight/train ticket at the BEST price. Please contact us for details.)
• Meals are not included but we will recommend some good ones for you according to your requirements. Usually, it takes 3-10 USD per person for each meal.
• While the gratuity for guide and driver is NOT mandatory, it is expected. Based on their service, you can tip them on the last day of the tour. Each of you is suggested to tip them 5-10 USD/day in total;
• All the commission and tax charged by PayPal, Bank, and government when making payment. (e.g. PayPal --- 4.2%. Wire transfer --- 2%);
• Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks, optional tour activities, etc.
• Anything not mentioned in the Inclusions.