Day 1 USA - Beijing

Today we board an international flight bound for Beijing, China. Cross the International Date Line.

Day 2 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Our guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the luxury hotel for rest and relaxation.

Day 3 Beijing - Urumqi

More than 2000 years ago, Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty dispatched an emissary to the west, not for trade, but for securing allies against the hordes intrusion from the north. That was the first time China opened its door to the western world. Since then, camel caravans, carrying spices, fruits and all kinds of goods from the west, continuously crossed the vast deserts and the freezing mountains to come to China for the seek of silk. Today, you can follow the path of those ancient caravans all the way on the silk road. Fly to Urumqi. Of all the cities in the world, Urumqi is the farthest from the sea! You are about to step on that mystical road where East meets West. Upon arrival, enjoy the approximately 70 miles drive to the placid Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), properly named for its steep green pastures, virgin conifer forests, and snowy mountains. The elevation is 6000 feet. Take a cruise on the lake. 

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 Urumqi - Turpan

In the morning, we proceed to Turpan, an oasis amid the desert, and renown for its grapes and honeydew melons. On the way we enjoy the unique scenery of snow capped peaks, dragon-spruce tress and wild flowers. Visit the famous Karez Wells, an underground irrigation system that carries melted snow from Mt. Tianshan to the fields below. You will tour the ruins of the ancient city of Jiaohe and Sugong Minaret. Tonight taste roasted lamb and enjoy the Xingjiang folklore performance. 

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 Turpan - Urumqi

Turpan is best known for its grapes and honeydew melons, but is also rich in historical links to the Silk Road. Visit to Grape Valley. Return to the city and visit the local free market - Big Bazaar and the Xinjiang Minority People’s Museum. Tonight you are treated with the famous regional cuisine. 

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 Urumqi - Dunhuang

We take high speed train to Dunhuang, one of China's most historic cities that served as a rest stop for traders and as the gateway through which Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity entered China. Our city tour includes visits to the Yangguan Pass of Great Wall (Yangguan), Singing Hill and Moon Lake. Tonight, we enjoy a colorful Minority Show following dinner.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 Dunhuang

Today our tour takes us to visit Dunhuang Museum at first, later excursion to Mogao Grottoes, known as "The World Art Treasure House". The cave is the largest, most well preserved treasure house of arts in the world and is listed as one of the World Cultural Heritages. Mogao Grottoes designated as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO for its 1600-year accumulated cultural, architecture, and art treasures. They are China's oldest monumental Buddhist grottoes. The first grotto was constructed in 366 AD. Housed in the remaining 492 cave temples are over 2,400 sculptures and 45,000 square meters of frescoes.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 Dunhuang - Jiayuguan

Drive from Dunhuang to Jiayuguan Pass, the western end of the Great Wall. Visit this vital stronghold of military defense. Lunch in a nearby city followed by a visit to a local vineyard. Visit Jiayuguan Pass Fort. Tonight we stay at Jiayuguan.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Jiayuguan - Zhangye - Xining

After breakfast, drive to Zhangye. You will tour the Zhangye Geological Park. The landform of Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park is a unique type of petrographic geomorphology which is found only in China which consists of red-colored sandstones and conglomerates of largely Cretaceous age. About 100 million years ago, there used to be a huge inland basin here. Water carried silt from the surrounding mountains to the basin. As the result of global high temperatures the basin dried up and in these arid conditions the sediment oxidized and turned rust color. The area is fast becoming a popular tourist attraction for the sleepy town of Zhangye. The World Heritage Committee decided to include China Danxia Landform in the World Heritage List at its 34th meeting being held in Brasilia, capital of Brazil, on August 1, 2010. Take high speed train to Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Xining - Qinghai Lake - Xining - Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Xining, it has been central China's gateway to Tibet since the ancient times. It is also the area fro which the Yangtze and the Yellow Rivers originate. After breakfast, we drive to Qinghai Lake, the China's largest salt lake. You will never forget the turquoise blue water, the jade green pastures, the cleanest azure sky, the reed tents, the black oxen, the yellow blooms and the colorful Tibetan costumes. Experience the unique flavor of this border city where many different ethnic, cultural, and religious groups live in peace and harmony. Return to the city, see those majestic temples and golden altars. Marvel at the jeweled pagodas of a mosque and visit the Temple of Tar. This evening, you will take train (soft sleeper class) to Tibet.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 Golmud - Kekexili - Tuotuo River - Mt. Tanggula - Lhasa (Tibet)

Today we will go across Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and enjoy the beautiful view along the way. The people spent half a century in designing and construction the railway. Qinghai-Tibet Railway has the following world records: 1. It is the world's highest railway. 960 kilometers of tracks are located at more than 4,000 meters above sea level and the highest point is 5,072 meters, at least 200 meters higher than the Peruvian railway in the Andes, which was formerly the world's most elevated track. 2. The Railway is the world's longest plateau railroad. The newly completed Golmud-Lhasa section zigzags 1,142 kilometers across the Kunlun and Tanggula ranges. 3. Above 550 kilometers of the tracks run on frozen earth, which is the longest one in the world. 4. Tanggula Railway Station, 5,068 meters above sea level, is the highest railway station in the world. 5. Fenghuoshan Tunnel, 4,905 meters above sea level, is the highest tunnel through frozen earth in the world. 6. Kunlun Mountain Tunnel, running 1,686 meters, is the world's longest plateau tunnel built on frozen earth. 7. Anduo track-laying bases at an altitude of 4704 meters in Tibet is the highest track laying base in the world. 8. Qingshuihe River Bridge (11.7 kilometers long) is the longest plateau bridge on frozen earth. 9. Upon its completion, the maximum train speed is designed to reach 100 kilometers per hour in the frozen earth area and 120 kilometers per hour in non-frozen earth area. Arrive in Lhasa, you are met and transferred to the luxury hotel to have a good rest to adapt yourself to the high altitude. Have a dinner. Note: Today you will manage breakfast and lunch by yourself on the train. 

• Includes Dinner

Day 12 Lhasa

After breakfast you will tour Potala Palace, Sera Monastery and Norbu Lingka. Potala Palace was built at the time of Songtsan Gampo in the 7th century. In the 17th century the 5th Dalai Lama rebuilt it and extended it to its present size. Its 13-story main building is 117 meters high and is composed of the Red and White Palaces, with the red one in the middle. The main building consists of the Hall of stupas of Dalai Lamas from various historical stages and halls of Buddha. The White Palace is the residence of the Dalai Lamas and place for handling political affairs. Sera Monastery is one of the three great monasteries in Lhasa. It was built by one of the disciples of Zonggaba in 1419. On the 27th of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, it holds the great Sera Bungchen Festival, which attracts flocks of Buddhists and others. Norbu Lingka means a lovely garden in Tibetan. Located in the western suburbs of Lhasa, it has been a place for the Dalai Lamas to stay to escape the summer heat.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13 Lhasa

Today you will tour Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkor Street. Drepung Monastery was built in 1416 and is the largest of the Monasteries of the Gelug Sect. In its heyday, it had more than 10,000 Monks. It has trained a large group of talents for Tibetan Buddhism. Jokhang Monastery is located in the center of the old city of Lhasa and was built in the 7th century by Songtsan Gambo, the Tang Dynasty Princess Wen Cheng and Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti. After touring Barkor Street you will know something about the local life. In the evening you are entertained by Tibetan Music and Dance Show after a local Tibetan Cuisine dinner. You may try a cup of jam butter tea, the local favorite.

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14 Lhasa - Lake Yamdrok Tso - Gyangze - Xigaze

Drive to Xigaze. On the way you will see Lake Yamdrok, one of the three most sacred lakes in Tibet and Karola Glacier. After arrival you will visit Pelkor Monastery built in 1414. Its 17 Dratsang belong to three sects of Sagya, Kadam and Gelug and gather all religious sects, a salient feature of the Hall of Coqen. By the monastery stands the resplendent Palkor Pagoda. This nine-story pagoda is 32.5 meters high house some 100,000 statues of Buddhas. So the pagoda is also famous as the 100,000-Buddha PAGODA". 

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15 Xigaze

Xigaze is the second largest town in Tibet. You will visit Tashilunpo Monastery and the free market. Tashilunpo Monastery was built in 1447 under the supervision of the First Dalai Lama Gedun Zhuiba, one of the disciples of Zonggaba. It was expanded by the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Bainqen Lamas and has become the place of the reincarnation of the Bainqen Lamas. It houses the 22.4-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Qiangba Buddha, the tallest of its kind in the world. The image of the Buddha is kind and generous, and is vivid. 

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16 Xigaze - Lhasa

On the way back to Lhasa, enjoy the fascinating highland scenery at the "roof of the world." 

• Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17 Lhasa - Beijing - USA

After breakfast, you are transferred to airport for your return flight back to your home. You will be in the United States the same day. End of tour.

• Includes Breakfast