8 Days Southwest China Essence Tour with Chengdu and Lhasa

D1 Chengdu Arrival

Pick up service can be arranged at Chengdu train station or Chengdu airport by our local tour guide, you will find a welcome sign "Chengdu Private Tour". Transfer to your hotel in Chengdu to check in your room, the rest day is free on your own to explore the city or take rest in your hotel.

D2 Chengdu

After breakfast, you will have chance to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is about 10 km from Chengdu downtown. This beautifully laid out park is the home of about 80 giant pandas and some other rare animals, such as red panda, black-necked crane, white crane ect. Walking along the excellently designed walkways, you could have a good angle through the open enclosures of giant pandas.

Next, head to visit the Jinsha Site Runis, which is the museum established in the Jinsha ruins site, and is also a museum to show categories of ancient Shu culture in Sichuan area during Shang and Zhou dynasty.

In the afternoon, take the chance to visit the Wenshu Monastery. It is the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is the home of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City

The last stop for the tour is Jinli Ancient Street. It is “The First Street of Shu Kingdom”, and it’s a famous snack street in Chengdu. The ambiance was like stepping back into the past, well presented and historically brilliant. Evening stroll is extreme beautiful, and picturesque with the lanterns lit up and the street performances are also wonderful. 

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel in Chengdu.

D3 Chengdu

After breakfast, drive about 2 hours to visit the famous UNESCO site around Chengdu-Leshan Giant Buddha. Sitting on the confluence of three rivers in Leshan, the 71-meter-high Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest Maitreya Buddha statue carved out of a cliff in the world. Ancient wisdom and regilious faith of Buddhism created the giant and magnificent cultural treasure, and now is world-known as an amazing UNESCO Natural & Cultural Heritage property in Leshan, nearby Chengdu.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. It is the great technological achievement of ancient China. For more than 2,300 years of irrigation, Dujiangyan has benefited the local people just as it prevents Min River basin from annual flooding

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel in Chengdu.

D4 Chengdu--Lhasa

Free on your own to explore Chengdu city until transfer to Chengdu airport to catch your flight to Lhasa. Once you arrive, our Lhasa local tour guide will meet you at the exit of the airport with a welcome sign. Transfer to your hotel in Lhasa city, the rest day is free on your own to adapt to the local altitude.

D5 Lhasa

After breakfast, our guide will take you to visit Lhasa’a cardinal landmark Potala Palace; the highest palace in the world. It well worths visiting for its artistic value, historic purposes, and cultural awareness, has been regarded as the No. 1 must-see attraction in Tibet. It is one of the world culture heritages. You can explore its audience halls, the jeweled and Golden burial chortens (stupa Tombs) of past Dalai Lamas, and tremendous number of Buddhist frescoes, Thangkas, combinations of mandala, etc.

In the afternoon, head to the holiest temple in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple, built during Songtsen Gampo's reign by princess Wencheng of Tang dynasty, 647 A.D. Here you can observe sincere pilgrims making prostration in front of Jokhang Temple. While entering inside the temple, you can see the holiest statue of Buddha. 

Next, walk along the famous street in Barkhor Street, where you can do the kora with pilgrims and locals. And then we’ll go to explore the old market and you may have chance to see the traditional jewelry trading between people from different part of Tibet.

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel in Lhasa.

D6 Lhasa

The activities for today is Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. Our guide will take you to visit these two prestigious Gelugpa monasteries in Lhasa. Founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416, Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet. Situated at the foot of Gambo Utse Mountain, Drepung was once home to more than 10000 monks. Here you can see the biggest monastery kitchen inside and then pay a visit to the Buddhist Sculpture Carving near Drepung.

After having lunch, you’ll continue to visit the Sera Monastery, which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa's disciple Jamchen Choeje. The highlight is the monk debate held in the courtyard at around 3-5 in the afternoon. Besides, you can also see the colorful Rock Painting of Buddha and the three sand Mandalas and then visit the Tibetan scripture printing house.

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel in Lhasa.

D7 Lhasa

Around 08:00 am, our guide and driver pick you up from your hotel, and then leave Lhasa to Namtso Lake. Nyenchen Thanglha snow mountain ranges appear in front of you all the way. In summer (May to August), the sheepherders and their family move to grassland and set up their tents, you could see green grassland, groups of sheep and yaks, nomad tents by the road.

Namtso Lake is the Heavenly lake which is one of the three holy lakes of Tibet and also the highest salt lake. You can do a very relaxing trekking around the lake side and Tashi Island.

Spending a night at lake shore is fantastic. The night sky is so clean that you could see all the stars twinkling on the sky, which are so close to you as if you could stretch your hands to pick them. Namtso lake is actually the lake in the sky, and it is about 5000m high lies on the highest plateau in the world.

In the afternoon, drive you back Lhasa.

D8 Lhasa Departure

Free on your own to explore Lhasa city until transfer to Lhasa train station or Lhasa airport for your next destination.

Price Per Person in US Dollars

Price Includes 1. All transfer and city transportation 2. Air-conditioned car or van 3. Hotels specified in the itinerary, all based     on two persons sharingone standard room; 4. Meals specified in the itinerary: Western     breakfast in hotels Chinese lunch and     dinner in local restaurants 5. Sightseeing: All arrangements mentioned     in the itinerary will be covered All first     admission/entrance fees in the itinerary 6. Tour guide: Conducted by a professional     tour guide

Price Excludes 1. International air-tickets 2. Airport departure tax. 3. International or domestic air tickets which     are not listed in the itinerary. 4. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness     or damages incurred during your trip 5. Tips to the tour guide and driver 6. Meals not specified in the itinerary. 7. Personal expenses: phone bills, laundry,     optional tours, postage, excess baggage     charge, entertainment fees out of the     itinerary. 8. Single Room Supplement.