15 days China dreams with Tibet tour from Beijing

Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China,  and a great place to start your 15-day China tour to Tibet. Upon your arrival in Beijing, be greeted and assisted to your hotel by our local guide and driver. Have the rest of the day to take a break or explore China's capital city on your own. Your local guide will be ready to offer suggestions on where to go your first night in Beijing.

This morning you will visit Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. After breakfast, head to Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing city. The square, regarded as the largest in the world, is an important place for Chinese people to hold a celebration or other big occasions. At the north end of the square, you will see the magnificent Forbidden City, an ancient palace complex where 24 emperors had lived and worked during Ming an Qing Dynasty. Enter directly into the Forbidden City, and learn about the detailed history of the city and what life was once like for the emperors, empress and their servants who used to live here from your guide.

In the afternoon drive back to visit the Summer Palace, the largest and best preserved imperial garden in China. It's also considered to be one of the four classic gardens. Here you can witness the breathtaking scenery which combines the natural landscape of hill and open water with many elegant pavilions, temples, halls, and bridges. In 1998, UNESCO declared it as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.

In the evening, you might consider to savor the world famous Beijing roast duck or another local specialty for dinner.

After breakfast, head to the Temple of Heaven, a frozen masterpiece of architecture and landscape in China's history. A holy imperial temple where emperors once prayed for a good harvest and offered sacrifices to the God of Heaven during every winter solstice.

Then take 2.5 hours' drive to the Mutianyu Great Wall, located about 80 km. (50 mi.) north from Beijing. Then enjoy 2 to 3 hours to walk along the great wall and take photos. You can also enjoy the breathtaking scenery of this man-made wonder by taking a cable car. 

On the way back to your hotel, you might have a quick stop at the Olympic Green. (Optional: If you are interested in local life, we can also drop you off at the Donghuamen night market or Sanlitun Bar Street, where you can get closer to local Beijing life.)

After breakfast, drive to visit the Lama Temple, also known as Yonghegong Temple. It is a temple and monastery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and houses the world's largest wooden Buddha. (Optional: If you're more interested in local life, you can visit Beihai Park instead).

Afterward, spend 1-2 hours experiencing traditional Hutong culture by visiting Shichahai in west Beijing. Travel by rickshaw through centuries-old Hutongs in Shichahai before their demolition. Walk along the ancient Yandai Xiejie, which has an 800-year history, near Beijing's Drum Tower. You'll have plenty of time to explore nearby Nanluoguoxiang on your own, tasting local snacks or buying souvenirs and antiques for your family and friends.

Then transfer to board afternoon high-speed train to Xi'an - about 4.5 hours' ride. Xi'an train station pick-up and transfer to the hotel.

Start tour today by visiting the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, also known as the eighth wonder of the world. Have a glimpse of three exposed pits lined with clay warriors and horses which were created by Qin Shi Huang the first emperor in China, to defend his mausoleum and help him rule in the afterlife. 

In the afternoon, drive back to Xi'an city and visit Xi'an City Wall, one of the oldest and best-preserved city walls in China. Then take a walk along Shuyuan Men, an ancient street where you can taste the local snacks and feel the local life from the Tang Dynasty. Afterward, head to the Muslim Quarters and the Great Mosque to feel the unique ethnic culture of Hui (Chinese Muslim) in Xi'an. 

In the evening, you may choose to enjoy the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show (additional fee required).

In the morning, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel around 08:00 and transfer you to Mount Huashan, a 2-hour journey. Upon arrival, a tourist bus takes you to the West Peak cable car station, where you'll enjoy a 20-minute ride to the peak, offering stunning mountain views. The West Peak, known for its natural beauty and lotus-shaped rock, is a highlight along with attractions like Cuiyun Palace and the Self-sacrifice Cliff.

Next, you'll hike for about an hour to the Middle Peak, a small extension of the East Peak, now considered a main peak of Huashan. The journey continues to the North Peak, requiring a 2-hour hike down through scenic spots like the Golden Lock Pass and the adventurous Black Dragon Ridge. The North Peak offers spectacular sunset views and a bird's-eye view of the surrounding peaks. The day concludes with a cable car ride down from the North Peak and a return transfer to your hotel in Xi’an.

P.S. If you prefer not to trek too much, you can choose to only go from the West Peak to the Middle Peak, then return to the West Peak to take the cable car down.

In the morning, your guide will assist you to the airport for taking the flight to Lhasa, a holy city in China. The flight will take about 3 hours. Upon arrival, the rest of the day is yours for starting acclimatizing to the high altitude. Your Lhasa tour will start tomorrow.

Today visit the Potala Place, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street all within Lhasa city.
The Potala Place was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama and a visit here affords you the chance to witness this impressive its' Tibetan structure. As you ascend be prepared to walk through the now quiet rooms that once were filled by dignitaries, passing giant golden Buddha statues, tombs of past lamas. Beyond being a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, the Potala Palace is an indescribable experience never to be missed in Tibet.

Afterward, visit Jokhang Temple, a 1300-year-old temple which is the vibrant spiritual center of Tibet. The name Jokhang means the "House of the Buddha" in Sanskrit and is always a bustling place with pilgrims and cultural relics at every corner. Lastly complete your first Kora as you walk with pilgrims along Barkhor Street, jammed with 1,000's of devoted pilgrims, locals and many little shops selling souvenirs.

Drive to the Ganden Monastery located at the top of Wangbur Mountain, about 35 km. (20 mi.) from Lhasa's city center. Once home to the Dali Lama before the Potala Palace's construction it is an amazing place to explore one of the oldest Tibetan monasteries and one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university of Tibet.

In the afternoon, drive back to Lhasa and continue with a visit to Sera Monastery, which is also the second of the "great three" Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet. This monastery is famous for its' lively Buddhism Scriptures Debating that is set within a stone walled natural courtyard.

After visiting several famous monasteries and exploring the Tibetan Buddhist culture during your first 2 days in Tibet, now head to the breathtaking Yamdrok Tso Lake, one of the three sacred lakes in Tibet. A great place to have a picnic lunch while taking in the magnificent lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

A highlight of this day is a visit to a local Tibetan family at the Yamdrok Tso Lake side, where you can see and learn more about Tibetan customs and daily life. Be invited to have butter tea or sweet tea by the hospitable host. Late in the afternoon, drive back to Lhasa.

In the morning, you will be driven to Lhasa airport for a flight to Chengdu. The flight duration is about 2 hours. Be sure to keep your camera handy, as the view is amazing. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you at Chengdu airport and assist you in visiting the Leshan Giant Buddha. Completed in 803 during the Tang Dynasty after 90 years of construction, it is renowned as the largest seated stone sculpture in the world, standing at 71 meters tall. Carved into the cliff face, the sculpture is meticulously designed for perfect balance and an effective water drainage system. Late afternoon drive to Chengdu for overnight.

In the morning, visit the Chengdu Panda Base, the No.1 attraction in Chengdu, to get up close and personal with the world-famous pandas, one of the rarest animals in the world. Today, the giant panda only lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan Province, and the Panda Base is the best place to see them.

In the afternoon, you will visit People's Park and Jinli Street. People's Park is a great place to gain insight into the daily lives of locals who come here to relax, exercise, play games like Mahjong and chess, sing and dance, or find love matches for their relatives. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a cup of tea like the locals at the open-air Heming Tea House, a great place to unwind and rest your legs. Jinli Street is an ancient street in Chengdu, where you can challenge yourself by tasting the local spicy snacks or buying souvenirs for your family and friends.

Afterwards drive to the airport for your flight to Shanghai, the final destination of your 15-day China tour. Upon arrival, meet your Shanghai guide and be assisted to your hotel.

After breakfast, enjoy a visit to Yu Garden in Shanghai's old town. You will witness a large number of breathtaking landscapes, shaded alcoves, glittering pools churning with bright carp, pavilions, pines sprouting wistfully rooted in rocks and whispering bamboo. Just next door to the garden is the Yuyuan Market, here find many antiques and souvenirs for sale. Afterwards, head to Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and learn about the developing process as well as the future evolution in Shanghai.

In the afternoon, you will visit Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in Shanghai. Then walk through Nanjing Road and see the beautiful scenery of the Bund in Shanghai.

In the evening, you may choose to have a wonderful cruise along the Huangpu River to see the night scene of Shanghai.

As one of the last days of the tour, we have left it open and flexible, have one full day free to explore Shanghai. go shopping or just walk around to get a better understanding of this modern city. You can easily ask your local guide for some suggestions on where to go or what to see.

Pack up and say farewell, as we help you depart from this remarkable trip. Your guide and driver will take you to the airport or train station for departure. Wish you have a pleasant journey home.