Cross-Country Railway Tour

Travel over 4000km from the capital of China to the capital of Tibet. Starting in Beijing, visit the historic sites of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Lama Temple, and the Temple of Heaven. Next, travel to Xi’an, which is home to the famous Terra-Cotta Warriors, the Huaqing Hot Springs, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Then hop the train to Xining, the gateway to Tibet. In Xining, visit Qinghai Lake, Kumbum Monastery, the source of the Yellow River, and the Repkong Tibetan Art Village. At last, take the train to Lhasa. Along the way, watch snow mountains and the deep blue sky float by your cabin window. Once in Lhasa, visit the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, the Great Monasteries, the Yongbulakang Castle, and Yamdrok Lake.

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing

Welcome to Beijing! Transfer for your hotel and get settled. Afterwards, visit some of the lively night markets.

Day 2-3:  Around Beijing

Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and a few hutongs, or traditional Chinese residential alleyways. The next day, just outside the city, stop by the Summer Palace and then head to the Great Wall.

Day 4: Take train to Xi’an (train duration: 13hrs)

From the train windows, watch the countryside of China pass by. You will see fields, small villages, and rivers.

Day 5-6: Around Xi’an

In the city, visit the Bell Tower, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the famous army of Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses. Afterwards, go to the Huaqing Hot Springs for a dip in the warm waters.

Day 7: Xi’an to Xining train (duration: 10.5hrs)

On this leg of the journey, watch farming fields turn into the foothills of the mountains of the Tibetan plateau. Pass through tunnels in the mountains along a river that cuts through local villages.

Day 8-9: Around Xining

In Xining, a major gateway to Tibetan regions, visit Kumbum Monastery on the way to China’s largest lake, Qinghai Lake. Next, drive to Repkong Artist Village and watch Tibetans paint traditional scroll thangka. Alongside the Yellow River in Gui’de, visit a holy monastery.

Day 9-10: Take the Tibetan Plateau railway (duration: 24hrs)

Opened in 2006, the Tibet-Qinghai Railway is the highest railway in the world. Traveling across the Tibetan grasslands, you will see many snow mountains, wild animals, and rural Tibetan villages along the way.

Day 11-14: Lhasa

In Lhasa, visit the grand Potala Palace, the holy Jokhang Temple, and the enormous Drepung Monastery. Watch monks debate at Sera Monastery, travel to mandala-shaped Samye Monastery, and see the ancient castle at Yongbulakang. Drive back to Lhasa along the Yurlung Tsangpo river.

Day 15: Depart Lhasa

Say goodbye to Tibet!