Guangzhou Lhasa Shigatse Namtso Train Tour

Go to Guangzhou Railway Station on your own. Exchange the E-Ticket to the actual paper ticket at the ticket booth. A copy of your Tibet Travel Permit and your original passport is required. It's recommended to arrive at the train station 2 hours in advance.

Stay overnight on the train

The train starts from Guangzhou to Lhasa, with a total length of 4,980 kilometers. It takes about 53 hours, which means you have to stay on the train for three days and two nights. It sounds long but you can witness countless beautiful scenery along the way. You will move northwards first and then westward to cross Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, till Xi'ning, which is the starting point of the Qinghai Tibet Railway. You will see massive deserts, immense grasslands, vast valleys, snow-capped Mountains, picturesque lakes, and flocks of yaks and sheep.

Stay overnight on the train

Our local Tibetan guide will wait for you at Lhasa railway station by holding your name sign. You will be greeted with a warm Tashi Delek (a kind of blessing), and be presented with a white Hada (traditional Tibetan ceremonial by giving you a white scarf). Then transfer to the hotel in Lhasa city. On your first arrival day in Lhasa (3650m), it's essential to have a good rest to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS, also known as altitude sickness). Remember to drink lots of water, eat lighter and have high carbohydrate food which will be helpful to you to adapt to the high altitude better.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning our guide will meet you at the hotel and first take you to visit the famous Potala Palace, the cardinal landmark of Tibet and the masterpiece of Tibetan architecture. It was first built by the 33rd King - Songtsen Gangpo in the 7th century and rebuilt later by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Now it's a museum and world heritage site. 

In the afternoon, we will go to visit Jokhang Temple in the center of the Lhasa old town. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet and it is always bustling with earnest local pilgrims since the early days. After that, you will take a walk around the Barkhor Street - one of the most devotional circuits as well as a crowded central market of Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the locals are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, it‘s also a must-see place for visitors.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, we will visit Norbulingka, which is a typical Tibetan-style royal garden, the summer resort of the Dalai Lama. There are a lot of towering trees, exotic flowers and plants in the garden, as well as many collections of cultural relics, Buddha statues, pagodas, thangkas, murals, etc. They are all very precious treasures.

In the afternoon, you are heading to Drepung Monastery, which means Monastery of Rice Heap in the Tibetan language. The entire monastery is large in scale and the white buildings cluster and cover the hillsides. Drepung monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, also the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelug Sect.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

From Lhasa to Gyantse is about 264km, en route you will pass by Gambala Mountain Pass (4790m), where's the best place to overlook the Yamdroktso Lake. Later we will pass and enjoy the Karola Glacier, which looks spectacular from the highway. Then visit the main monastery in Gyantse - Pelkor Chode Monastery, famous for its exquisite architecture and intact murals and statues. Finally head to Shigatse via the fertile Nyangchu Valley, a wide agricultural plain where yaks and horses are used by Tibetan farmers to cultivate this land.

Stay overnight in Shigatse

Drive along the Friendship Highway from Shigatse, turn north at Tadruka village, pass Shoggu-la Pass (5440m) followed by Kyang-la Pass (5240m) before reach today's destination of Namtso Lake.

Note that lodgings at the lakeside of Namtso are very basic without private bathroom, kinda like Wild West mining camp, also nights can get very cold here, suitable from May~Oct. Most travelers bear with it for the stunning view at Namtso.

Stay overnight in Damxung

You are highly suggested to wake a bit earlier today to watch the sunrise at Namtso Lake. After breakfast, head back to Lhasa which is abt 200km. En route, visit Yampachen and Tsurphu Monastery.

We usually only include the entry fee of Yampachen, for bathing you can pay at the spot, choose for yourself of the different pools which charges differently, abt CNY 50~100/person.

Your tour ends today. Our guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to transfer to Lhasa Airport/Railway Station for your next destination.