19 Days Tibet Hiking Tour

Day 01 Arrive Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport and transferred to the first-class Beijing Holiday Inn Downtown Hotel.

Day 02 Beijing (B, L)

The highlight today is a visit to the Great Wall, a symbol of the Chinese ancient civilization and to the Ming Tombs, the burial grounds for the 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. Today you will enjoy the sumptuous Chinese cuisine at local famous restaurant.

Day 03 Beijing (B, L)

Morning program takes you to Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City, the residence of emperors for more than 500 years. Lunch is arranged our carefully-selected restaurant. Afternoon sightseeing features the Temple of Heaven, where emperors once prayed for good harvests.

Day 04 Beijing (B, L)

After breakfast, drive to visit the Summer Palace, a summer resort for Empress Dowager Ci Xi. Then you will visit the Gongwangfu Garden, the largest private mansion house in the Qing Dynasty. After that, you will explore this city on your own. Today you will enjoy one of the famous cuisines in China, Huaiyang cuisine for lunch.

Day 05 Beijing / Xian (B, L)

Fly to Xian in the morning. Check into the first-class Aurum International Hotel. After enjoy a local flavor at popular restaurant for lunch, you will visit the majestic Wild Goose Pagoda and the Ancient City Wall. Then visit the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, a massive modern museum up to the national standard, which is located in the south outskirt of Xi'an city.

Day 06 Xian (B, L)

A full day tour recalls the glories of ancient Xian as you visit the burial site of an incredible army of 8000 lifelike Terra-cotta soldiers and the ancient Banpo Village. Lunch is arranged local popular restaurant.

Day 07 Xian / Lhasa (B, L)

Fly to the holy city of Lhasa, capital of the mystical Buddhist Kingdom of Tibet. Locked away in its mountain fortress of the Himalayas, Tibet has had a unique hold on the imagination of the West. You are greeted by tour guide at the airport and transferred to your first-class Tibet Hotel. The rest of the day will be at leisure for you to relax and adjust to the high altitude.

Day 08 Lhasa (B, L)

Tour starts from the religious Potala Palace built in the 7th century by the famous Tibetan king-Songtzen Gampo. The present one was built by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. It became known as the "Winter Palace" by the 1750, when the 7th Dalai Lama built the Norbulingka Park as his summer residence. After having a Tibet-style lunch, you will visit Jokhang Temple, situated in the old section of Lhasa. King Songtzen Gampo built this temple in the mid-7th century A.D. Now it is the most sacred place in Tibet. Pilgrims come here to pay homage from all over Tibet.

Day 09 Lhasa (B, L)

Full day sightseeing takes you to Drepung Monastery. "Drepung" in Tibetan means "the hill of rice', because this white Monastery looks like a big hill of rice. This monastery occupies an area of 150,000 square meters with 7700 lamas and becomes the largest monastery in Asia. After that, you will visit Norbulingka Park. In 1752, the 7th Dalai Lama built the first palace here for successive Dalai Lamas to carry out their political and religious activities during the summer season. Today Norbulingka has become a public park for picnicking, relaxing and entertainment. You will continue to visit Sera Monastery. Sera means 'Hailstone' in Tibetan, and legend tells that it hailed during the foundation of this famous monastery.

Day 10 Lhasa / Ganden (Drive & Trek) (B, L, D)

This morning drive 52 km to Ganden (13,907 ft) and hike up to the monastery complex - formerly one of the three great religious centers of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to exploring Ganden's ruins and visiting the rebuilt temples, you can get your legs in shape with a day hike in the surrounding hills. Enjoy a picnic lunch and warm up hikes in this area. Overnight in the Ganden Guesthouse.

Day 11 Ganden / Drogpa (Trek) (B, L, D)

Continue trekking about 5 to 6 hours until you arrive at Drogpa camp, an almost 4000 ft. altitude gain. This is the last good campsite before arriving at a valley beyond Shuga La (17,188 ft). Overnight in tents.

Day 12 Drogpa / Chitu la (Trek) (B, L, D)

Today's vigorous trek will be between 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours from Drogpa Camp to Chitu La (16,204 ft), the broad, flat meadow where the trail meets the valley floor and is an excellent campsite. Overnight in tents.

Day 13 Chitu la / Nyango (Trek) (B, L, D)

Trek for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours from Chitu La (16,204 ft) to Nyango village (12,694 ft) via Yamalung, a renowned pilgrimage site for Buddhists of the Nyingmapa sect. Guru Rimpoche, the founder of this school of thought, and his main disciple, Vairocana meditated here twelve centuries ago and is said to be the site where Guru Rimpoche concealed religious texts, known as terma (hidden treasures), that were discovered centuries later. The small Ani Gompa lies in ruins and above the cave is the retreat of Vairocan. Scattered around the cliffs are five or six other Buddhist caves. Overnight in tents.

Day 14 Nyango / Samye Monastery (Trek & Drive) (B, L, D)

Today’s 3-hour hike takes you from Nyango to Samye Monastery (11,808 ft) via Wango and Dragmar. Samye Monastery was the first great Buddhist monastery in Tibet, founded in 775 A.D. during the reign of King Thrisong Detsen. Along this route you will visit two of the most historical monasteries in Tibet. Then drive to Tsedang and check into the local best Tsedang Hotel.

Day 15 Tsedang / Lhasa (B, L)

After breakfast, you will drive back to Lhasa. Check into the hotel for your long hiking tour.

Day 16 Lhasa / Chengdu (B, L)

After breakfast drive to the airport and fly to Chengdu. A sumptuous hot pot lunch will be served for you at the local popular restaurant. Check into the first-class Jinyu Sunshine Hotel upon arrival. Continue to visit the panda center in the afternoon.

Day 17 Chengdu / Guilin (B, L)

Fly to the mystical city of Guilin in the morning. With its thousands of limestone outcroppings, Guilin has inspired generations of silk scroll painters. Check into the first-class Guihu Park Hotel. After a delicious lunch at the famous local restaurant, you will visit Elephant Trunk Hill, a fantastically shaped hill in the shape of an elephant extending its trunk into the river. Then visit Folded Brocade Hill.

Day 18 Guilin (B, L)

Spend the day aboard a scenic Li River Cruise through the mist-shrouded limestone mountains, passing picturesque farms and fishing villages. In the afternoon, you will see the limestone Reed Flute Caves where spectacular stalactites and stalagmites and the mirror lake dazzle visitors.

Day 19 Guilin / Guangzhou (B)

After breakfast in the hotel, you will fly to Guangzhou. Upon arrival, connect your homeward flight.