10 days Beijing Tibet Tour: Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake & Shigatse

Welcome to Beijing! Your private driver will meet you at the airport or train station and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore at your own pace.

Overnight in Beijing.

Note: Pickup is included from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or any Beijing train station. Pickup from Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) is available at an additional cost.

Begin at Tiananmen Square before walking into the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Explore its grand halls and courtyards while learning about life inside China's imperial court.

Afterwards, climb Jingshan Park for a panoramic view over the Forbidden City's golden rooftops.

In the afternoon, visit the Summer Palace, a former imperial retreat centered around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, with gardens, pavilions and lakeside scenery.

In the evening, you may choose to enjoy a traditional Beijing Roast Duck dinner (optional, at additional cost).

Overnight in Beijing.

Start at the Temple of Heaven, where emperors once prayed for good harvests. The surrounding park is also a lively place to see Beijing residents exercising, dancing and socializing in the morning.

Then drive about 1.5–2 hours to the Mutianyu Great Wall, known for its well-preserved watchtowers and mountain scenery. Spend time walking along the Wall and enjoying views across the surrounding ridges. Cable car and chairlift options are available for an easier ascent or descent.

In the evening, you may choose to watch a Peking Opera or Kung Fu performance (optional, at additional cost).

Overnight in Beijing.

egin at Beihai Park, a former imperial garden where you can walk around the lake, see the White Dagoba and get a glimpse of local Beijing life in the park.

Continue to the Shichahai hutongs, exploring traditional courtyard neighborhoods around Yandai Xiejie and the Drum and Bell Towers for a glimpse of old Beijing.

In the afternoon, head to the 798 Art Zone, where former industrial buildings have been transformed into galleries, exhibition spaces, cafés and creative studios, offering a different look at contemporary Beijing.

In the evening, if your visit falls on a market night, you may explore Panjiayuan Night Market for antiques, handicrafts, collectibles and local snacks (optional). Otherwise, enjoy the evening at your own pace.

Overnight in Beijing.

Your driver will transfer you to Beijing airport for your flight to Tibet's capital Lhasa.

Upon arrival at Lhasa airport, your guide and driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. There is no sightseeing scheduled today, giving you time to rest and begin adjusting to the altitude.

Overnight in Lhasa.

Begin at the Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and Lhasa's most recognizable landmark, with its distinctive white and red architecture, chapels and historic treasures.

Continue to Jokhang Temple, Tibet's most sacred pilgrimage site and home to the revered Jowo Shakyamuni statue. Afterwards, walk around Barkhor Street, the traditional pilgrimage circuit surrounding the temple.

Finish at a local Tibetan sweet-tea house, where you can relax and experience a little of everyday Lhasa life.

Overnight in Lhasa.

Drive about 1 hour from Lhasa to Ganden Monastery, founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa and once the principal seat of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Explore its main halls and chapels before taking a short walk along the Ganden Kora, with wide views across the Kyi Chu Valley and surrounding mountains.

Return to Lhasa in the afternoon and visit Sera Monastery, known for its Buddhist philosophical debates. The debates are generally held from 15:00–17:00, except Sundays, with monks using questions, clapping and gestures as part of their religious studies.

Afterwards, enjoy some free time in Lhasa.

Overnight in Lhasa.

Approx. 360 km / 7 hrs driving

Leave Lhasa and cross Kampa La Pass (4,794m) for panoramic views over the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Lake. Continue toward Gyantse via Karo La Pass (5,045m), with views of the Nyenchen Kangsar Glacier close to the roadside.

In Gyantse, visit the Gyantse Kumbum at Pelkor Chode Monastery, a multi-level stupa filled with chapels and Buddhist murals. If time allows, take a short walk through Gyantse's old town.

Later, continue through farming valleys and villages to Shigatse, Tibet's second-largest city.

Overnight in Shigatse.

Approx. 260 km / 5 hrs driving

Begin at Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas. Explore its halls, courtyards and stupas, including the large Maitreya Buddha statue.

Afterwards, walk through Shigatse's local market before beginning the drive back to Lhasa.

En route, stop in Nyemo County to visit a family-run Tibetan incense workshop and see how traditional Tibetan incense are produced. Continue through the river valleys and farming villages, arriving in Lhasa in the late afternoon, and you can do your last minute shopping in Lhasa before departure. 

Overnight in Lhasa.

Enjoy your final morning in Lhasa before your driver transfers you to the airport or railway station for your onward journey, bringing your Beijing and Tibet tour to an end.