12 Days Hong Kong Chengdu Tibet Nepal Tour by Train

Upon your arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport, your tour guide will welcome you and escort you to your private vehicle to transfer you to your hotel and help you check in. You will have the rest of the day to rest up from your long trip, or you can go out and explore the local area on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Hongkong

Today we will begin our exploration of Hong Kong with a visit to the ancient fishing village of Aberdeen, famous for its floating village and floating seafood restaurants. You may want to rent a sampan for a quick ride around the harbor area to view the village from the sea, or stroll along the Aberdeen Promenade to enjoy the sea breeze and fantastic scenery.

After visiting Aberdeen, we will move on to Repulse Bay, which has one of the longest beaches in Hong Kong, and the home of some of the most expensive residential real estate in Hong Kong. After a relaxing walk along the beach, we will return to the city to take the Victoria Peak Tram, or if you would rather get more exercise, hike to the top of Victoria Peak. Victoria Peak has an observation deck with stunning panoramic views of the Hong Kong skyline and the harbor.

After visiting Victoria Peak, we will take you back to the Hong Kong International Airport to help you check in for your flight to Mainland China and Chengdu, in Sichuan Province. At the Chengdu airport, your local tour guide will meet you and transfer you by private car to your downtown Chengdu hotel.

Accommodation: Overnight in Chengdu

This morning we will pick you up from your hotel by private vehicle to visit the lovely Giant Pandas at the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base & Breeding Center, which is the number one must-do thing in Chengdu. We will pick you up early in the morning from your hotel and drive about 30 minutes to the panda base to see giant pandas as they are being fed, playing with each other, climbing trees, etc. There are many different enclosures for pandas of different ages, from baby pandas to 1-year old pandas to teenage pandas and older - more than 100 Giant Pandas live here at the center. Beautiful tree-lined walking paths lead you from one enclosure to the next so it’s an enjoyable morning spending time with the pandas. Don’t miss the opportunity to see panda mothers nursing their cubs in the nursery rooms. There is also a very informative Panda Museum filled with interesting exhibits and everything you need to know about these wonderful creatures.

After your visit to the panda center, we will show you why Chengdu is famous for its laid back, leisurely lifestyle with a visit to Renmin Park. Renmin (People’s) Park is where the locals go for a relaxing walk, to meet friends or have a cup of tea. After a relaxing visit to the park, we will take you on to Old Jinli Street. Jinli Street, by contrast, is a street mainly for tourists but it does offer a view of the way things were in ancient times. You can wander along this traditional old street to absorb the special atmosphere of Chengdu while tasting the local snacks, watching street performers, etc.

Accommodation: Overnight in Chengdu

Today we will give you free time to explore Chengdu on your own before we pick you up in the evening to take you to the Chengdu train station to board your train to Lhasa. We will have your Tibet Entry Permit for you, which will need to be presented to the train staff before they will allow you to board the train. The Chengdu – Lhasa train departs at 9:27 p.m. and arrives in at 9:55 a.m on the third day, for a total trip time of 36 hours and 28 minutes, crossing 5 provinces and 3070 kilometers.

Accommodation: Overnight on the train

Today you will be traveling along the tracks of the world’s highest altitude train line – the Qinghai – Tibet Railway. Taking the train to Tibet is certainly a slower way to travel than by flight, but you will get to witness thousands of kilometers of some of the most stunning plateau landscapes in the world.

Today’s trip notes:

1) There is access to outlets for battery charging on board the train, but you will want to make sure that you have a proper socket adapter;
2) Only Chinese-style food is available on board the train, including breakfast, boxed lunches and self-selected meals in the dining car.

Accommodation: Overnight on the train

As you awake in the morning you will find that the train is traveling across the vast Nagchu Grasslands on it’s way into Lhasa. From Nagchu, it will take about 4 hours to arrive at your final destination on this long train journey – Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.

After arriving at the Lhasa Railway Station at around 9:55 a.m., your local tour guide will greet you to escort you by private car to your hotel in Lhasa. The rest of the day will be free for you to explore the local area and acclimatize yourself to the air, temperature and high altitude of Lhasa.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

Start your exploration of Lhasa today with a visit to a world-famous landmark - the Potala Palace, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of architecture in the world. Climb up to the palace along zig-zagging stone paths alongside the white and red walls to the top of the palace where you can gain a greater appreciation of the exotic Tibetan-style buildings as well as for a great view of Lhasa's entire urban area. After admiring the sweeping outside views, explore the inner spaces of the Potala Palace to find the stately chapels and learn more about the fascinating history of this special place.

From one historic landmark to another, your next stop will be at the Jokhang Temple, considered as the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism. Every day thousands of pilgrims come from all over Tibet and other places to the temple to worship the Buddha. The Jokhang Temple is also known as the "House of Buddha" because it houses the precious Jowo Rinpoche, a life-sized (1.5 meter/5 feet) image of the Sakyamuni at the age of 12.

The last stop for today's Lhasa exploration is Barkhor Street, the wide, circular street that surrounds the Jokhang Temple. Local residents enjoy walking on the street, completing several circuits known as “kora” around the temple as a daily tradition of pilgrimage. The street also has many small shops selling a wide variety of traditional Tibetan goods, religious items and handicrafts.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

After breakfast at your hotel, we will visit the beautiful Norbulingka Palace and Park, the location of the former summer palace of the Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until 1959. It features the famous Potrang, the private palaces of former Dalai Lamas built in the grandiose style of traditional Tibetan architecture. After visiting the palaces and park at Norbulingka, we will travel around 5 kilometers to the western outskirts of Lhasa to visit the Drepung Monastery. The word "drepung" in Tibetan language means "prosperity". Since its establishment in 1416, Drepung Monastery has served as one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. During its prime, more than 10,000 monks lived and studied in the monastery. Throughout its history, many important and famous Tibetan leaders studied at this monastery, including the Dalai Lamas. Accordingly, Drepung Monastery is also respectfully known as the “Mother School of Dalai Lamas”.

In the afternoon, we will escort you on to another famous monastery in Lhasa - the Sera Monastery. Sera Monastery is famous for its spectacular “Buddhist Debates”. As a daily routine, the monks gather in a courtyard, and debate on the various Buddhist doctrines with exaggerated gestures, which is thought to be helpful in facilitating a better comprehension of the Buddhist philosophy to attain higher levels of study. After enjoying the "Buddhist Debates", we will take you back to your hotel with the rest of the day and evening to relax or explore on your own.

Tips for Proper Etiquette While Visiting Monasteries

1) For clothing, shorts and/or bare shoulders are not allowed.
2) Hats and sunglasses should be removed before entering the chapels.
3) Taking photos is usually not allowed inside the chapels.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

Today we will begin our exploration of the more rural areas of Tibet, with an 8-hour drive to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. Although it is a long drive, it certainly won’t be a boring one – there is much to see and do along the way. The first stop en route from Lhasa to Shigatse will be the holy Yamdrok Lake (elevation 4400 meters). As the largest fresh water lake in the northern Himalayas, the lake reaches about 675 square kilometers from north to south, shaped much like a teardrop lying amidst the giant snow-capped mountains. Beyond the lake, you can see fertile pastures dotted with yaks and sheep along with small Tibetan villages along the shores of the lake. A little bit further on from Yamdrok Lake we will see the Karola Glacier (elevation 5045 meters) as it towers imposingly above the right side of the road.

Continuing on our journey, we will reach the historical city of Gyantse, where we will have a nice local lunch before visiting the mysterious Palcho Monastery (elevation 4040 meters). At this monastery, monks from three of the main sects of Tibetan Buddhism – Sakyapa, Zhalupa and Gelukpa peacefully live in harmony. The monastery’s Kumbum (multi-storied aggregate of Buddhist chapels) is 35 meters tall, consisting of 76 small chapels with hundreds of images of Kriyantantras, and it is believed to be the largest such structure in all of Tibet.

After visiting Gyantse, we will drive the remaining 3 hours on to Shigatse (elevation 3800 meters) and check into the hotel for an overnight stay.

Tips for today’s trip:

1) Wear warm clothing to protect against the wind and colder high altitude temperatures;
2) Bring food and drinks with you for the long road trip.

Accommodation: Overnight in Shigatse

After breakfast, we will take you to see the officlal seat of the Panchen Lama – Tashilunpo Monastery. This important monastery is the largest and most influential Gelug Monastery in Shigatse Prefecture. It contains a giant statue of the Future Buddha, the largest one of its kind in the world, standing 26.2 meters tall and 11.5 meters wide and decorated with precious pearls, turquoise, coral and amber.

After our visit to Tashilunpo, we will travel on to our ultimate destination – Mount Everest. Although this is another long drive of 7 hours, the views along the route are absolutely incredible. On clear days you can see the faces of the mountains in the Himalyan range, including several famous peaks that reach more than 8,000 meters into the sky, such as Makalu, Lhotse, Gyachung and Cho Oyu. Once we reach the isolated Rongbuk Monastery (elevation 4980 meters) and get our first look at mighty Mount Everest, it’s a fantastic feeling that will make you realize that all of the effort that went into this long journey was not made in vain. Located about 5100 meters above sea level, Rongbuk Monastery is the highest monastery in the world. This is also the best location to take the best photos of the front face of Mount Everest. You will have the rest of this day free to visit the Rongbuk Monastery and explore the natural scenery of the surrounding area.

Tips for this trip to Mount Everest:

1) Bring plenty of food and drinks for the long drive;
2) Bring a warm, heavy coat for the lower temperatures in the Mount Everest area;
3) Avoid strenuous activities to help prevent high altitude sickness.

Accommodation: Overnight in Rongphu Guest House

This morning we will get up early to watch the sunrise on the peak of Mount Everest, and then pay a visit to the Rongbuk Monastery. This monastery is situated as the highest altitude monastery in the world, with it being unique in that both monks and nuns live together in the same monastery as part of the Nyingmapa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

From there we will drive on to Gyirong Port on the Nepal border, taking in the breathtaking views of Mt. Shishapangma and Pekutso Lake along the way.

Accommodation: Overnight in Gyirong

This morning your tour guide will assist you in your exit from China as you pass through customs at the border with Nepal.

Today’s trip notes:

Our services for this tour will end at the border of Tibet and Nepal. If you would like, we can also arrange the transfer from the border on to Kathmandu for you at an extra charge.

Accommodation: None