Day 1 Departure from USA for Beijing
On the plane


Day 2 Beijing
Arrive in Beijing in the late afternoon. You will be met at airport and transferred to Sheraton-Great Wall Hotel. Check in and dinner at hotel. .


Day 3 Beijing
A whole day excursion to the Great Wall, Ming Tombs. A genuine Peking duck dinner in the evening. Hotel accommodation will be at Sheraton-Great Wall Hotel .


Day 4 Beijing
Day tour to Palace museum and Temple of Heaven. Afternoon tour to Summer Palace. Acrobatic show in the evening. Stay at Sheraton-Great Wall Hotel .


Day 5 Beijing/Xining by WH2125 1125/1335 Boeing 737
Arrive in Xining. You will be met at airport and transferred to hotel. Xining is the capital of Qinhai Province. Although this province is not well developed in economy but it is rich in natural resources. It occupied 7.5% of the total land area of China, with a population of only 4.8 million. Furthermore, this is one of the provinces where most minority nationalities live. The altitude there is 2,400 m above sea level. Check in and lunch. Practice driving the luxurious Mitsibushi Montero equivalent jeep and study traffic rules. A brief tour of the local city area. Hotel accommodation will be at Xining Qinghai Hotel .


Day 6 Xining to Koko Nor Lake Distance:98 km,time taken:2 hours
Koko Nor Lake is a must for visitors to see. This is the largest saltwater lake in China and one of the three largest in the world. The attraction of this lake is not only for its size but also for its unique picturesque natural scenery. There you will see yak and cattle walking on the endless open grassland, and herdsmen pasturing their sheep under the blue sky with white clouds over head. You will enjoy the sight of clear water with rich fishing resources and taste the delicious fish dishes. Not far away, you should take way on a so-called Island of Birds. Here you will find over 10,000 birds of different spices. The altitude there is 3,266 m above sea level. Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Zhangfang Hotel .


Day 7 Koko Nor Lake to Golmud Distance:430km time taken:9 hours
Today you will drive from Koko Nor Lake to Golmud. On the way, you can feast your eyes on different landscapes. While driving, you may have a chance to find wild donkeys, antelopes, and wild yaks galloping on the grassland. Golmud is the land gateway to Tibet. Here you will meet the local Tibetans dressed in folk customs. The altitude there is 3,000 m above sea level. Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Golmud Hotel .


Day 8 Golmud to Tuotuohe Distance:400km, time taken:8 hours
You will drive from Golmud to Tuotuohe.Tuotuohe is a very small river but enjoy great fame in China, becuase it is the seminary of Yangtze River which ranks the third largest river in the world. Hotel acoommodation will be arranged at Tuotuohe Army Station Guest House.


Day 9 Tuotuohe to Nagqu Distance:400km, time taken:8 hours
A long drive on the Qinghai-Tibet highway will bring you from Qinghai Province to Tibet. Your first stop in Tibet is Nagqu, a political, business, and cultural center in northern Tibet. The altitude of this city is 4,500 m above sea level. Nagqu is a city of the gate to Lhasa. Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Nagqu Hotel .


Day 10 Nagqu to Lhasa Distance:330km, time taken:5 hours
After a long drive today, you at last arrive at Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. En route, you will pass by the Nam Co Lake (meaning heavenly lake in Tibetan). This is the largest lake in Tibet as well as the highest in the world. The altitude there is 3,700 m above sea level. Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Lhasa Hotel .


Day 11 Sightseeing in Lhasa
After a good rest, a visit to the immense Potala Palace will be arranged. There are over 1,000 rooms on thirteen stories. You will see the Dalai Lama's house, consisting of the living quarters, apartments for regents, officials and religions figures, offices and storerooms. The Palace was built on a hill and it bird-eyed the whole city. This incredible complex has a history of 1,400 years. And it was renovated by the 5th Dalai Lama 300 years ago.
Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Lhasa Hotel .


Day 12 Sightseeing in Lhasa
Various sightseeing activities will be arranged for the group, including the legendary monasteries of Drepung and Sera, the Norbulingkha, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, and the Jokhang Temple, the most holy temple in Tibet, built in the 7th century. The Jokhang Temple is regarded as another wonder in Lhasa, the city of the sun. Other places will also be visited, such as the Octagon Street and the Barkhor Bazaar, with shops filled with an assortment of traditional and local items from precious kham to prayer flags. You will also have a chance to visit a Tibetan family. Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Lhasa Hotel .


Day 13 Lhasa to Gyantse Distance:274km, time taken:7 hours
Driving to Gyantze, you will be able to see the beautiful turquoise colored Yamdrom Lake on the way. In Gyantze, you will visit the Palkhor (Baiju) Monastery which was built in 1365 A.D. and once housed about 1000 monks. There is the largest stupa in Tibet, designed by a Nepalese Architect and built by a prince of Gyantze in 1427 A.D. The city of Gyantse lies at the head of Nyangchy Valley astride the main routes from India and Nepal to Lhasa. In former times, it was a port to the outside world, from which Tibetan wool was exported to other countries. The altitude there is 3,800 m above sea level. Hotel accommodation will be arranged at Gyantze Hotel .


Day 14 Gyantze to Lhasa Distance:274km, time taken:7 hours
Return to Lhasa after breakfast. Check in at Lhasa Hotel again .


Day 15 Lhasa/Chengdu by SZ4402 0940/1125 Airbus 340
A morning flight will take you from Lhasa to Chengdu, where you will be checked in to Jingjiang Hotel . Lunch in hotel. Sightseeing to old Chinese temples and visit zoo to see pandas.


Day 16 Chengdu/Beijing by SZ4107 1100/1310 Boeing 757
Lunch on board. Rickshaw Hutong Tour upon arrival. Shopping at famous Wangfujing Street and Silk Market just beside US Embassy. Emperial Farewell Banquet at Beihai Fangshan Restaurant. Accommodation will be at Sheraton-Great Wall Hotel.


Day 17 Leave Beijing for USA
Departure for USA and arrive home the same day.

Domestic flights reference

Beijing/Xining
CA1207(0750/1000)
WH2125(1125/1335)
SZ4134(1215/1420)

Lhasa/Chengdu/Beijing
SZ4111(1410/1910)

Departures: (minimum four pax)

PILGRIMAGE TO THE "ROOF OF THE WORLD"

May20, 2005
Jun10, 2005; Jun30, 2005
Jul20, 2005
Sep20, 2005
Oct10, 2005; Oct30, 2005

Price Valid Nov.2004-Mar31,2006

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fhdiao@hotmail.com.