11 days tibet sightseeing tour

includes: chengdu, tsetang, gyangtse, shigatse & lhasa

explore the roof of the world where earth meets sky. discover the beauty of the himalayas and its hidden mysteries - from the magnificent potala palace to the beautiful yamdrok tso lake.

d1 arrive in chengdu, the capital of sichuanprovince, and also the celebrated home to the world-famous chinese panda. surrounded by lofty mountains, meandering valleys,this city has a very comfortable mild climate and abundant natural resources. stay overnight in chengdu.

d2 visit the well-known dujiang dam. built in the warringstate period about 2000 years ago, this dam plays an important part in the irrigation of this area, and it is still functioning very well nowadays. afterwards visit qingchengmountain, a holy site of taoism. stay in chengdu.

d3 take a morning flight to lhasa, the capital of tibet. it is located on a plateau at an elevation of 12,000 feet. afterwards drive to tsetang, home of the original tibetans and the place where king songtsan and the tang princess, weng cheng, used to live. take a rest after arriving in tsetang to acclimate yourself to the high altitude. stay in tsetang.

d4 your first stop today is the yumbu lukhang (female deer in the tibetan language), believed to be tibet's first monastery, built in the 1st century b.c., holding inside numerious bronze statues. next visit the changzhutemple dating back to the tang dynasty. after lunch see the tombs of the ancient tibetan kings. stay overnight in tsetang.

d5 drive to gyangtse, the city of heroes. on the way, you will see the snow-capped mountains, the holyriver, and lake yamdrok tso ( " lake of jade and grassland " in the tibetan language ). upon arrival, visit the famous baijutemple built in the ming dynasty. stay in gyangtse.

d6 take a drive to tibet's second largest city, xigatse. at its main attraction, the tashilunpo monastery, you will be overwhelmed by the gold statues of the panchen lamas. shop at an exciting open market. stay in xigatse.

d7 drive back to lhasa, on the way, enjoy the fascinating highland scenery at the " roof of the world ." stay in lhasa.

d8 pay a visit to the norbulingkatreasuregarden. once the summer palace of the dalai lamas, this famous park is composed of resplendent palaces, beautiful gardens, and lush forests home to rare animals. after lunch, visit the jokhangtemple and its encircling barkhor street, filled with rich and colorful ethnic crafts.

d9 today you will visit the grand potalapalace. built in the 7th century, 13 stories high with a total height of 117 meters, it is an architectural wonder made of wood and stone. its 1,000 rooms and halls, with numerous gilded pinnacles gleaming in the sunshine, feature nearly 200,000 buddhist statues and other valuable relics. in the afternoon, visit longtanpark where the sixth dalai lama used to date his lovers. continue on to the sera monastery, one of the three largest tibetan theological institutes.

d10 take a morning flight back to chengdu, visit the zoo to see the grand pandas, then go to taste the famous snacks, in the afternoon, take a rickshaw to visit du fu's cottage. du fu, a great poet of realistic styles from tang dynasty, is well known to every household in china. the bamboo park has several rooms for the introduction of the poet and his former residence, a thatch-roofed cottage. you will be treated with the best tea of this province, learning about tea drinking which originated from sichuanprovince. then, if time permits, you will be invited to visit the sichuan shu embroidery display. visit chengdu qingshiqiao market. this is the largest free market of the city, reflecting the life-style of the people live here. you will see eel, gold fish and food of all sorts (some will look funny to you) pets of birds, dogs, cats, even bonsai with many other surprises. dinner will be at the hotel, followed by a reproduction show of tang dynasty imperial music and court dance. holiday inn crown.

d11 after a relaxed breakfast in your hotel, we will transfer you to the airport and see you off.