13 Days Epic Chengdu Lhasa EBC Kathmandu Tour with Tibet Train Experience

Welcome to Chengdu, the Land of Abundance and the hometown of Giant Pandas!

Upon arrival in Chengdu, the Land of Abundance, our local guide will meet you at the airport and take you to your downtown hotels. 

After checking in at the hotel, you can take a good rest to relieve yourself or explore surrounding areas on your own.

Stay overnight in Chengdu.

Insider Tips:
Chengdu has two international airports: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Please make sure to check which airport you're arriving at.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, also known as Chengdu Panda Base. Morning is feeding time, when pandas are most active. You can see lovely giant pandas eating fresh bamboo and marvel at playful giant pandas in their natural habitat. If you’re lucky, you may also see the cutest baby giant pandas.

Next, you will get back to the downtown city and visit Renmin Park to immerse yourself in the leisurely pace of local life. Enjoy a cup of fragrant green tea at a traditional tea house while observing locals playing mahjong, a quintessential Chengdu pastime.

Later, you’ll take a stroll along Kuanzhai Alley, where modernity meets tradition in Chengdu. Explore the ancient alleys adorned with shops offering Chengdu snacks, folk arts, handicrafts, and cozy coffee shops. It is one of Chengdu's liveliest destinations to experience the vibrant culture of the city.

Stay overnight in Chengdu.

• cute giant panda
• Enjoy a cup of tea at a traditional teahouse in Chengdu’s Renmin Park

After breakfast, you will visit the famous Dujianyan Scenic Area, which is around 48 kilometers west to downtown Chengdu. Here, you will explore the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, which was constructed in 256 BC and are still on work nowadays. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 2000 due to its historical significance and its role in the development of Chinese agriculture and civilization.

In the evening, you will transferred to the railway station for the Chengdu to Lhasa train Z322. It is suggested to get to the railway station at least 1 hour before departure. You need to present your passport and the Tibet Travel Permit for boarding the train.

Stay overnight on the train.

Insider Tips:
1. Our local staff will deliver the Tibet Travel Permit to you before you board the train to Lhasa. Keep the permit safe as it is important for boarding the train and entering the Tibet Autonomous Region.
2. The Chengdu to Lhasa train departs every other day. Please confirm the train schedule with your travel consultant.

• Dujiangyan Irrigation system
• The train departs from Chengdu North Railway Station to Lhasa

Today, enjoy the train ride along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world’s highest railway. You’ll pass through Lanzhou and Xining, two important cities in northwest China.

After passing Xining, the starting point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, you’ll be amazed by the picturesque views of the landscapes along the rail route through the Tibet Plateau.

Stay overnight on the train.

• Tibet train soft sleeper
• Qinghai-Tibet railway

When you arrive, your guide will greet you at Lhasa Railway Station and take you to your hotel in downtown Lhasa.

You may view the Yarlung Tsangpo River/Brahmaputra River (the Longest and largest river in Tibet) and Lhasa River.

After settling into your hotel, take some time to rest and adjust to the high altitude.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Qinghai-Tibet railway
• Tour guide will meet you at Lhasa Railway Station.

In the morning, you’ll explore the largest monastery in Tibet - Drepung Monastery, which was once the home to over 10,000 monks. As you walk through the Coqen Hall, your guide will provide detailed explanations of the worldview of Tibetan Buddhism and introduce notable figures in Tibetan Buddhist history.

Next, you’ll visit the renowned Loseling College (or an equivalent), offering a glimpse into the study and life of Tibetan monks. Explore their dormitories to gain insights into the Tibetan monks' daily routines and living conditions.

In the afternoon, you’ll head to Sera Monastery, another of the ‘great three’ Gelug monasteries of Tibet, to witness the famous Tibetan Monks Debate (15:00 - 17:00, from Monday to Saturday). Your guide will intricately explain how Tibetan monks engage in these debates to acquire knowledge and advance in their academic degrees.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Drepung Monastery, one of the Great Three Gelug monasteries of Tibet
• Monk Debate is a highlight of Sera Monastery

After breakfast, your first stop is the Potala Palace, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Lhasa Old Town. Discover the lives and stories of the Dalai Lamas through history within the palace, and the extraordinary treasures it holds. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

After touring the Potala Palace, you will visit Longwangtan Park at the foot of the Potala Palace. Here, you can appreciate the majestic Potala Palace from a different perspective and engage in local Tibetan folk activities.

In the afternoon, you will head to the heart of Tibetan religion - the Jokhang Temple. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Next, follow your guide to one of the liveliest indoor Tibetan tea houses in Lhasa. Sip traditional Tibetan sweet tea alongside local Tibetans as your guide shares insights into Tibetan social dynamics and daily life.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Potala Palace is always the No.1 attraction for travelers visiting Tibet.
• A Tibetan pilgrim is worshipping Jokhang Temple

In the morning, start the overland journey from Lhasa to Shigatse, which includes visits to Tibet's most beautiful lake, glacier, and charming Tibetan villages.

First, drive over the Gampala Pass (4790 m) to catch a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m). The Yamdrok Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance you can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191m), the highest mountain near Lhasa. Continue to explore the lakeshore from various viewpoints, and at the end of the lake, you could visit a local family in the village and have lunch with the locals.

Next, you will pass and enjoy the Korola Glacier on the roadside. It is the largest glacier in Tibet. As you see the ice tongue of the glacier climb the entire hillside, you will feel the magical power of nature.

Then, continue your journey to Gyantse. On the way, you will stop at Simila Mountain Pass, where you can hang prayer flags to pray for world peace and the health of your family.

After arriving in Gyantse, you can spend some time taking photos of the ancient city of Gyantse. From Gyantse to Shigatse, you will pass by green (in summer) and golden (in autumn) Tibetan barley fields and countless farms.

Finally, we will arrive in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet. After checking in to the hotel, you can take a good rest and prepare for the next day’s trip to Mount Everest.

Stay overnight in Shigatse.

• Yamdrok Lake at Gampala Pass, where you can get a marvelous bird's-eye view of the lake.
• The Karola Glacier is so close that you will appreciate a spectacular view of the white glacier contrasted with blue sky.

After breakfast, you will head directly to Mount Everest.

First, you will pass Gyatsola Pass (5280m). At Gyatsola Pass viewpoint, you’ll catch your first glimpse of Mount Everest. Hidden behind the mountain range, the Everest resembles a budding lotus flower, a captivating sight along the roadside.

Shortly after we enter Mount Everest National Nature Reserve, you will enjoy the panoramic view of the Himalayas at Gawula Pass (5198m). At this viewpoint, you will marvel at the majestic lineup of the five highest peaks in the Himalayas, including Everest at the forefront.

Then , continue driving along the new zigzag road to Everest Base Camp (5200m). As you get close to the base camp, the majestic Everest gradually unfolds before you, drawing nearer with each winding turn.

Upon reaching Everest Base Camp, the colossal white pyramid peak of Mount Everest stands towering before you. As the day transitions to dusk, witness the golden hues of the sun casting a warm glow on Everest's northern face.

As night falls, the sparkling Milky Way and the snow-white peak of Mount Everest reveal your final encounter with Everest.

Stay overnight at Everest Base Camp or in the local village near EBC if the EBC tent hotels are closed during the winter season.

Insider Tips:
1. The visibility of Everest is subject to weather conditions and cannot be guaranteed.
2. During the winter season, typically from November to March, the tent hotels at Everest Base Camp close. Therefore, if you’re traveling in winter, your accommodation options are limited to the village near EBC.

• Drive along the zigzag road to Everest Base Camp
• Enjoy your group tour to Everest Base Camp

Today, you will reach the Gyirong Border, witnessing the breathtaking landscapes changing from 5200 meters to 2800 meters above sea level.

In the morning, before departing from the base camp, you will visit Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest monastery, where nuns and monks live together at 5154 meters above sea level.

Then, you will cross the Himalayas and take a drive to Gyirong at the Sino-Nepal border. Across the 380-kilometer journey, marvel at the evolving scenery - from snow-capped peaks towering over 5000 meters to the lush forests and canyon vistas at around 2800 meters above sea level.

As you pass by Mt. Shishabangma (8027 meters), one of the world’s highest mountains over 8000 meters, you can enjoy a close view of the three main peaks of Shigabangma, as well as the golden glow of Pelku Tso Lake beneath the peaks.

Afterward, the altitude drops dramatically. You’ll be mesmerized by forests, waterfalls, and bottomless canyons as you enter the edge of the Himalayas.

When you arrive in Gyirong Valley, what you will see is the dense forest and the snowy peaks above the forests. In Gyirong town, you can breathe in the abundant oxygen.

Stay overnight in Gyirong.

• Rongbuk Monastery, the higest monastery in the world
• Pelku Tso Lake is surrounded by rugged mountains.

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to your Tibetan guide and driver as our Tibet tour service ends at the Gyirong border.

After crossing the border, you can choose our border transfer service to your hotel in Kathmandu (Optional: 60 USD per person). Alternatively, you can take the public bus from the border to downtown Kathmandu and then take a taxi to your hotel from the downtown bus station.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Nepal Visa Application Tips:
1. You need to prepare a passport-size ID photo with a white background
2. You will pay the Nepal visa fee at the border. Only US dollars in cash are accepted, and not credit cards.

• The picturesque scenery of Gyirong Town
• You will be transferred to Gyirong Port.

In the morning, you’ll visit the Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, which is one of three Durbar (royal palace) squares in the Kathmandu Valley. It is the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex, which was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and when important ceremonies, such as the coronation of the Nepalese monarch, still take place today.

Then, you will tour Swayambhunath. It is one of the most recognizable symbols in Nepal and the painted eyes of Buddha watch all who ascend the worn stone steps. It is a World Heritage Site and one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, and is at the source of the Valley’s mythical beginning.

In the afternoon, you will head to Patan City, which is 15 minutes driving from Kathmandu. Patan's central - Durbar Square, is absolutely packed with temples: It’s an architectural center point with a far greater concentration of temples per sq. meter than in Kathamandu or Bhaktapur. You may shop around before heading back to downtown Kathmandu.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

• Durbar Square in Nepal
• Swayambhunath stupa in Nepal

Today marks the end of your adventure.

Please make sure to verify your departure flight details with our guide in advance. And your guide will take you to the airport.

Thank you for choosing Tibet Vista, and we extend a warm welcome for your return trip in the future.

• Kathmandu durbar square at night in Nepal
• Enjoy the local cuisine in Kathmandu