Tibet Shoton Festival Tour

Day 01 Shanghai

Arrive in Shanghai, the financial and commercial center of China. You will be met by your guide and transferred to the hotel.

Day 02 Shanghai (B)

After breakfast, start the city tour to Yu Garden, the best preserved ancient Chinese garden. There are many small-commodities like handicrafts and clothes, and you can explore the sale market around all by yourself and enjoy the fun of shopping. Then travel to the Bund, appreciating the splendid Bund western buildings and the Lujiazui skylines on the other side of the Huangpu River. At the end of the tour, spend some time on the No. 1 shopping street in the country-East Nanjing Road. Transfer back to your hotel for rest.

Day 03 Shanghai / Xian (B)

Fly to Xian in the morning. Upon arrival, visit the City Wall built in the Ming dynasty, one of the oldest and best preserved ancient Chinese city walls. The wall is 14 kilometers long. Walk on the top of it, you can have an idea of medieval defense system composed of by watchtowers, ramparts and a moat. Contrasting the old from its inside are the modern high-rises and bustling traffic of Xian. Cross the street and walk to the Muslim quarter. You will visit the mosque at Daxuexixiang. After that, enjoy your shopping time at the Muslim Street which is lined with shops selling souvenirs and local snacks.

Day 04 Xian (B)

After breakfast, you will take an express bus to Lintong, the place where The Terracotta Army and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was discovered. The Terracotta Warriors are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. There are more than 8,000 life-size Terra-cotta soldiers and horses excavated from this area which all displayed in the practical battle formation in 3 pits respectively. In the late afternoon, travel back to your hotel.

Day 05 Xian / Lhasa (B)

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 hotel. The rest of the day will be at leisure for you to relax and get preparation for attending Shoton Festival.

Day 06 Lhasa (B)

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. In the afternoon, 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 07 Lhasa (B)

After an early breakfast, join the local Tibetans for Shoton Festival celebration. Shoton in Tibetan language, means 'yoghurt banquet'. So as the name suggests, the Shoton Festival is the festival for savoring various yoghurts. Normally Tibetan people will watch unveiling Buddha Thangka and Tibet operas to celebrate festival. After viewing giant Thangkas of the Buddha unveiled there, enjoy a tour in 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. Then proceed to Norbulingka Park for watching Tibet operas combining singing, dancing, storytelling, chanting, acrobatics and religious rituals. Since 7th century, opera performances and Tibet Drama were held for days in Norbulingka.

Day 08 Lhasa (B)

After breakfast, you will begin to visit Sera Monastery firstly. Sera means 'Hailstone' in Tibetan, and legend tells that it hailed during the foundation of this famous monastery.Then visit Tibet Museum where you can appreciate the unique Tibetan culture and arts. In the afternoon, take the stroll at Barkhor Street or do some shopping.

Day 09 Lhasa / Beijing (B)

In the morning, you will fly to Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport and transferred to the hotel.

Day 10 Beijing (B)

Get up early today and meet our guide at your hotel lobby. Your first visit is the Temple of Heaven Park, which is the largest ancient imperial worship architecture group in the world where most Emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for peace and harvest.Then stroll the Tian'anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, and then enter the Forbidden City, which is the residence of Chinese emperors for more than 500 years.

Day 11 Beijing (B)

Morning program takes you to Badaling Section of the Great Wall. Upon arriving at the Badaling Great Wall, you can either take cable car (optional cost) uphill or hike along the stairs on the wall. You may spend 2-3 hours on the symbol of the Chinese ancient civilization. Then you will visit the Summer Palace, one of the China's largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. It is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, integrating the natural landscape of hills and open water with man-made features into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole.

Day 12 Beijing departure (B)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Service concludes.