Tour across the roof of the world with Tibet Train

Day 1 ARRIVE IN BEIJING

Upon arrival in Beijing; our tour guide will meet you at the customs exit of Beijing airport holding a welcome sign board with your name on it. The guide will assist your transfer to the hotel and help you check in. The rest of the day is on your own and can be used for relaxing or exploring the city.

Day 2 BEIJING (AB, L, SD)

The excursion today includes a visit to Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing and the largest public space on earth and the Forbidden City. Step back in time as you pass through the Gate of Heavenly Peace and enter the Forbidden City, home to the Imperial Courts of the Ming and Qing Dynasty for more than 500 years. The Forbidden City is an enormous complex of perfectly preserved palaces, temples, magnificent squares and formal gardens. You’ll stroll cobblestone paths once known only to the Emperor’s most intimate advisors, visit the private apartments of Imperial concubines and see stunning collections of priceless art, furnishings, and jewelry. Following lunch there will be a tour of the Summer Palace, a fairyland of pagodas, pavilions and stone bridges on the outskirts of the city. There you can visit Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake and take a leisurely walk down the Long Corridor. Tonight's special dinner will be Beijing Duck, served at an original century-old restaurant.
Optional program: A lively Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre. 

	Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Day 3 BEIJING (AB, L, D)

The highlight today is a trip to the astonishing Great Wall of China. You will leave the bustle and traffic of Beijing behind and journey through the countryside to see The Great Wall in Mutianyu where you will experience at first hand one of the Wonders of the World (a cable car ride is included). There will be plenty of time to walk along a portion of this 3700-mile long marvel or to simply sit and contemplate the wonders of China’s past. Compared with the other normal tours having lunch at the shopping site restaurant, we specially arrange your lunch to be served at a local popular Sichuan food restaurant. Later the journey will take you to the Ming Tomb in the peaceful shadow of Longevity Mountain, where you’ll walk along the “Sacred Way” lined with stone statues of different kinds of animals such as lions, elephants, camels and etc. Then back to Beijing.

Day 4 BEIJING / XI’AN (AB, L, SD)

This morning take a flight to Xi'an, the ancient capital city for 11 dynasties in Chinese history. Upon arrival in Xi'an airport, you will be met and transported to hotel. You’ll begin the visit with a tour of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD to house Buddhist scriptures from India. You’ll stroll through Xi'an’s bustling markets and visit the Provincial Museum of History where you’ll see artifacts from the Paleolithic period, priceless Tang Dynasty bronzes and treasures from the Silk Road caravans.  Tonight you will be served a delicious dumpling dinner banquet.
Optional program: Enjoy the on-stage performance of Tang Dynasty dance and music in the evening.

Day 5 XI’AN (AB, L, D)

Today you’ll visit the excavation site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors, which many people consider the high point of their trip to China. More than 6000 soldiers, ministers and horses, each individually sculpted from a real life model, stand guarding Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s still unopened tomb. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the site, get a good look at the warriors from various vantage points and visit the excellent museum. You will then take a tour of the well-preserved ancient City Wall and the Bell Tower, the emblem of Xi'an City. The remainder of the day will be left free for your leisure.

	The Hanging Bridge on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Day 6 XI’AN /XINING (AB, L, SD)
 
Fly this morning to Xining, Capital of Qinghai Province with an average altitude of over 2200 meters. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. A city tour later will include the Liuwan Museum of Ancient Painted Pottery with its collection of almost 38,000 objects. Later visit the Qutan Monastery, famous for the Ming-style buldings, precious relics, and valuable murals of the Ming and Qing Dynasty.

Day 7 XINING / LHASA  (AB, L, -)
 
This morning you will visit Kumbum Monastery, one of the most important Yellow Hat Sect monasteries features the Hall of Yak Butter Sculptures, lies 30 km outside Xining. Then you will visit the Provincial Museum where the museum's archaeologist will give a short lecture. This afternoon, you embark on the Tibet Express bound for Lhasa. Experience amazing countryside as you climb towards Tibet.  Overnight is on the train.   

Day 8 ARRIVE LHASA  
 
Spend the morning on the train with sightseeing stops including one of the sources of the Yangtze River. Pass through a National Nature Reserve where it is possible to view the rare Tibetan antelope plus other animals. Arrive in Lhasa in the evening and transfer to your hotel. You will marvel at Lhasa's palaces and temples set against a backdrop of towering peaks.  

Day 9 LHASA (AB, L, D)

First, you will visit the amazing Potala Palace built in the 17th century and at one time the seat of Tibetan religious and political activity and the former home to the Dalai Lamas. It is now a museum 13 stories high and consisting of 1000 rooms. Also visit Drepung Monastery, an active lamasery and Norbulinka Park which was the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas. It is a building with 370 rooms and set amid a 100 acre garden. In the evening, enjoy dinner and a Tibet Cultural Show.

Day 10 LHASA(AB, L, D)

This morning, visit Jokhang Temple, one of Tibet's holiest temples. See the Golden Buddha which is made of pure gold and encrusted with jewels. In the afternoon, visit the Sera Monastery built in 1419 and a training centre for Buddhist monks. There will be time to go shopping on Barskhor Street.

Day 11 LHASA (AB, L, D)

Today you will have an interesting morning visiting a Tibetan Hospital, a Tibetan School, and a local community and meet some of the locals.

Day 12 LHASA / CHENGDU (AB, L, D)

Time to depart Tibet. This morning you will be transferred to airport, fly to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. On arrival, transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Dujiangyan Ancient Dam with its "magic" water system. It is one of the world's first irrigation systems, which brings the vast Chengdu Plain under irrigation and has protected it against droughts and floods for over 2,300 years.

	Train Attendant

Day 13 CHENGDU (AB, L, D)

This morning is an excursion to the Myth of Sanxingdui Triple Piles Museum. Thousands of pieces of invaluable relics such as bronze ware, jade ware, gold ware, pottery, and bone ware unearthed from the Sanxingdui Ruins with a history of over 3000 years and here displayed. After lunch, you will visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, where you can see pandas breed in natural environments. It is the best place to see Chengdu's most famous residents and you can get to know more about this precious species in the museum there. Then you will visit a local teahouse.  

Day 14 CHENGDU / SHANGHAI (AB, L, D)

In the morning you will be transferred to airport and take flight to Shanghai. Upon your arrival at Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, your personal guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. After a short rest in hotel, you will take a stroll through the Yuyuan Garden, one of the best Suzhou-style gardens in southern China, and after get a taste of Shanghai's local life in the Yuyuan Market, then immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of the Jade Buddha Temple.　

Day 15 SHANGHAI(AB, L, D)

On this day you will visit the Oriental Pear TV Tower, the highest TV Tower in Asiaenjoy, to get a bird's eye view of the exciting city of Shanghai. Then we will visit Old Street to feel the atmosphere of old Shanghai. After that you will visit Shanghai Museum, known as the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art, where you will find more than 120,000 precious and rare works of art. Proceed to visit Nanjing Road and the Bund, famous waterfront with art-like buildings in China, the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. Enjoy Acrobatic Show in the evening.　

Day 16 DEPART FROM SHANGHAI (AB)

You will be free on this day until the time for your personal guide to escort you to the airport for your flight home.

Itinerary: AB: American Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner SD: Special Dinner