11 Days Tibet Discovery Hop On 2027

Your detailed trip plan

A suggested sequence — every flight, hotel and day can be changed.

• 2Destinations
• 6Transport

1. 09 Apr

   Chengdu

   Stay from
   

   • China
   • 10 nights

   Chengdu is the provincial capital and largest city of Sichuan Province in southwest China. Chengdu is located on the edge of the fertile plains of the Red Basin in China's Sichuan Province. Due to its agricultural wealth, Chengdu is sometimes called the "Land of Milk and Honey". The Funan River bisects the city. The most important attractions in Chengdu are the West Pearl Tower, the Kuanzhaixiangzi area, Tianfu Square, Sichuan Opera, the Wenshu Temple and the Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Chengdu has the reputation as a very laid-back city that emphasizes culture and relaxation and as a result of this and much green space is ranked one of the most livable mega-cities in China. It is credited with a good nightlife scene and contains many new western style buildings in the large city center.
2. 09 Apr

   11 Days Tibet Discovery Hop On 2027

   Guided tour
   

   • days 1–11

   Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu

   Your Tibet adventure begins the moment you land in Chengdu, arranged independently (for example departing on a Friday with flight CA432 from Frankfurt to Chengdu, 13:30-06:55+1). A local guide will be waiting for you at the airport for a warm welcome before transferring you to your hotel in the city, giving you time to settle in after your long journey and get your first taste of Sichuan's bustling capital.

   
   

   Day 2: Chengdu to Lhasa (B)

   After breakfast at the hotel, you'll be transferred to Chengdu airport for your flight to Lhasa, the spiritual heart of Tibet. Upon arrival in Lhasa, a smooth transfer takes you to your hotel, where the remainder of the day is left free for you to acclimatize to the high altitude and relax before the exploration of Lhasa begins in earnest.

   
   

   Day 3: Lhasa (B)

   Following breakfast, the morning is dedicated to Lhasa's most sacred sites, starting with a visit to Jokhang Monastery, one of Tibetan Buddhism's holiest temples, before strolling through the lively Barkhor street market that encircles it. In the afternoon, you'll visit the magnificent Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lama and an iconic symbol of Tibet perched high above the city of Lhasa.

   
   

   Day 4: Lhasa (B)

   Breakfast at the hotel sets you up for a full day devoted to more of Lhasa's remarkable monastic heritage. You'll explore Sera Monastery, famous for its monks' debating courtyard, followed by Drepung Monastery, once one of the largest monasteries in the world. The day continues with a visit to Norbulingka, the former summer residence of the Dalai Lama, a peaceful park-like retreat offering a different side of Lhasa's rich cultural landscape.

   
   

   Day 5: Lhasa to Shigatse (B)

   After breakfast, you'll depart Lhasa and travel toward Gyantse via the stunning Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet's three holy lakes, where you'll have time for a short walk along its turquoise shores. Continuing on, you'll visit the historic Gyantse Fort and the impressive Kumbum Stupa before pressing onward to Shigatse in the evening, Tibet's second-largest city.

   
   

   Day 6: Shigatse to Dingri (B)

   Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a morning visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama and one of the great monasteries of the Gelug tradition in Shigatse. From there, the journey continues to Dingri, a small town sitting right at the entrance to the national park that surrounds Mount Everest, setting the stage for the days ahead.

   
   

   Day 7: Dingri to Shigatse (B)

   After breakfast, you'll head to the Mount Everest Base Camp near Rongbuk Monastery, one of the highest monasteries in the world and a dramatic viewpoint for the world's tallest mountain. Afterward, you'll make your way back to Shigatse, taking in the vast, dramatic landscapes of the Tibetan plateau along the return route.

   
   

   Day 8: Shigatse to Lhasa (B)

   Following breakfast, spend the morning browsing Shigatse's local market, a great opportunity to see everyday Tibetan life and perhaps pick up a few souvenirs. In the afternoon, you'll return to Lhasa, retracing part of the route and bringing your time in the Tibetan highlands full circle before the next leg of the journey by rail.

   
   

   Day 9: Lhasa - Train to Xining (B)

   After breakfast, you'll transfer to the railway station for a scenic train journey to Xining, traveling in soft sleeper four-berth cabins along one of the world's most spectacular railway routes, crossing the high Tibetan plateau as it descends toward Qinghai province.

   
   

   Day 10: Xining (B)

   Breakfast is taken either at the hotel or on the train, depending on your arrival time in Xining. Once settled, you'll visit the Xining Mosque, an important site reflecting the city's Hui Muslim heritage, before strolling through Xining's large and lively market, a colorful window into this multicultural crossroads city.

   
   

   Day 11: Return flight from Xining (B)

   After a final breakfast at the hotel, you'll be transferred to Xining airport for your return flight or onward journey, bringing this in-depth journey through Tibet and Qinghai to a close.

   
   

   B = Breakfast

3. 19 Apr

   Xining

   Stay from
   

   • China

   Situated on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, this lively provincial capital makes a good base from which to dive into the surrounding sights and on to the more remote regions of Qīnghǎi and beyond. Though many travellers use Xīníng (西宁) as a jumping-off or landing point from the Qīnghǎi–Tibet Railway, it’s also a wonderful place to explore the province’s varied cultures – Muslim (Huí, Salar and Uighur), Tibetan and Han Chinese – especially the dynamite culinary mix that these groups bring together.