12 Days Chengdu, Lhasa, Namtso Lake, and Kathmandu Tour with Tibet Train Experience

Welcome to Chengdu, the Land of Abundance!

After landing at the airport/railway station, if you have not arranged for an arrival pick-up with us, you can take a taxi or subway to downtown Chengdu and reach your hotel by yourself.

The rest of the day is free for you to be on your own.

Stay overnight in Chengdu

Insider Tips:
1. Chengdu has two international airports: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. Please make sure to check which airport you're arriving at.
2. If you need a pick-up service upon arrival, please let your travel consultant know beforehand.

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.

Then, the whole afternoon is free for you to explore around.

In the evening, you will be transferred to the railway station for the train to Lhasa.

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 to board the train.

Stay overnight on the train.

• Closely see the cute giant pandas at Chengdu Panda Base.
• The train departs from Chengdu North Railway Station to Lhasa

Spend the whole day on the train to Lhasa.

Today, you will pass through two important provincial capital cities in northwest China, Lanzhou and Xining. Xining is known as the beginning of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Travelling along the rail line, you could see the scenery of the countryside and cities in northwest China. 

Stay overnight on the train.

• Qinghai-Tibet railway
• Tibet train soft sleeper

Today is the last day of your Tibet train journey. Enjoy the most beautiful scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway before arriving in Lhasa, like the stunning Cuona Lake beside the railway, and the vast grassland in northern Tibet.

After arriving in Lhasa, you will meet our friendly Tibetan guide at Lhasa Railway Station. The guide and the driver will 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 the Lhasa River.

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

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

• Tour guide will meet you at Lhasa Railway Station.
• Lhasa River

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

Next, you will 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 will 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
• Monk debate held in the courtyard 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 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
• Jokhang Temple in Lhasa is the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism.

In the morning, you’ll take a drive from Lhasa to Lake Namtso, one of the four holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest saline lake in the world. On the way, you can see snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountain Ranges and lots of nomads and their tents with grazing yak and sheep densely populated on the flourishing grassland (in summer). Besides, you can enjoy the view of the Sky-Road Railway with the snow mountain background. While standing at the famous Lagenla Pass (5,190m), you can view the stunning vista of holy Namtso Lake.

Then, you can enjoy your time doing a leisurely trek around Tashi Dor Island and along the lakeshore.

After sightseeing at Lake Namtso, you’ll drive back to Damxung.

Stay overnight in Damxung.

• Piles of mani stones stand along Namtso Lake.
• Meditate at the shore of Lake Namtso

After breakfast, you will first visit Chimelong Nunnery (Phyirmil Lung Nunnery). Roam over the peaceful small nunnery and get an idea of different Buddhist studies in Tibet; you may also spot a sky burial site (Tibet funeral site) in the distance.

Then, you can go to Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Here, you can learn more about the ‘Black Hats’, the Karma Kagyupa school of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the summertime (June to September), you can also go for a ‘Linka outing’ (Tibetan-style picnic) in the small village at the foot of the hill of Tsurphu Monastery.

Finally, you will get back to Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Today’s Cultural Tips:
Sky burial is a funeral practice commonly seen in Tibet. The corpse will be disposed of and later devoured by vultures. In Tibetan Buddhism, sky burial is believed to represent their wish to go to heaven. Only family members of the dead can attend the funeral.

• The nun preparing the butter lamp at Chimelong Nunnery
• Tsurphu Monastery is the seat of the Karmapa branch of the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism.

Today, you will take the flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu.

When you arrive at Kathmandu, your Nepali guide will greet you at the airport and take you to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

Nepal Visa Application Tips:
You can apply for a visa-on-arrival at Kathmandu International Airport. Please note that the visa fee is not included in the package and must be paid by you.

In the morning, you will the Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, which is one of the 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 where 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, and finally, you will head back to Kathmandu.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

• Swayambhunath stupa in Nepal
• Durbar Square in Nepal

In the morning, you are about to tour Pashupatinath, the most important Hindu temple in Nepal, the old buildings on the site were destroyed by Moslem invaders in the 14th century, its stone linga smashed to dust, but it rose again behind their retreating backs. Succeeding monarchs reinstated the temple and the images.

Then, you will explore the Bouddhanath, which is one of the largest stupas in South Asia, the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. The white mound looms thirty-six meters overhead. The stupa is located on the ancient trade route to Tibet, and Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers here for many centuries.

Later, you will cover Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley, as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal.

Stay overnight in Kathmandu.

• Pashupatinath is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal
• Bouddhanath

Today marks the end of your journey.

Please make sure to verify your departure flight details with your guide in advance. Your guide will then take you to Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward flight.

Thank you for choosing Tibet Vista. We warmly welcome you to travel with us again in the future.