15 Days Tibet Hiking Tour

Day 01 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport outside the luggage claim area with your name displayed and then transferred to the hotel for rest.

Day 02 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 03 Beijing (B)

Meet your guide at your hotel and then take private tour 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 04 Beijing / Xian (B)

Take private transfer to railway station and board the high-speed train to Xian. 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 05 Xian (B)

After breakfast travel 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 06 Xian / Lhasa (B)

Fly to Lhasa, the holy city of Tibet. Locked away in its mountain fortress of the Himalayas, Tibet has long had a unique hold on the imagination of the West. You are greeted by your guide and transferred to the hotel.

Day 07 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. At noon, 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. Take a leisure walk at Barkhor Street, located in the heart of Lhasa circling the Jokhang Temple. It means a pilgrim's inner circuit, and is the earliest street of old Lhasa city.

Day 08 Lhasa (B)

Full day sightseeing takes you to Drepung Monastery. "Drepung" means "the hill of rice', because this white Monastery looks like a big hill of rice in Tibetan. This monastery occupies an area of 150,000 square meters with 7700 lamas and becomes the largest monastery in Asia. In the afternoon, you will visit the Sera Monastery. Sera means 'Hailstone' in Tibetan, and legend tells that it hailed during the foundation of this famous monastery. Sera was the last of the three principal Yellow Sect monasteries to be built in Lhasa.

Day 09 Lhasa / Ganden (Bus & 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 guesthouse.

Day 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 Nyango / Samye Monastery (Trek & Bus) (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 hotel.

Day 14 Tsedang / Lhasa (B)

After breakfast, you will drive back to Lhasa. Check into the hotel and enjoy a relaxed time.

Day 15 Lhasa (B)

Transfer to the airport and board on your departure flight. Service ends.