Discover Tibet

Begin your adventure in Beijing, the capital of China, a modern megacity with a history stretching back more than 3,000 years. Around 6pm, say hello to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want more time in Beijing? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Bid farewell to Beijing this morning, catching a high-speed train for the journey (around 6hr 45min) to Lanzhou, the capital of the Gansu province. Arriving at the station, we take a road transfer (three hours) to Xiahe. Also known as Little Tibet, it’s a town few tourists visit, but one well worthy of exploration as, despite sitting outside the borders of the Tibet Autonomous Region, it’s rich in Tibetan culture and tradition. Our stay here also gives us time to adjust to the altitude – Xiahe sits around 9,840ft (3,000m) above sea level.

We get our first proper exploration of Tibetan culture today. Start with a visit to Labrang Monastery this morning, one of the six great Tibetan monasteries from the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. In the afternoon, we dive further into Tibetan culture with an exploration of Xiahe market, where our tour leader introduces us to vendors selling an array of traditional products, such as yak wool goods, religious trinkets, and Tibetan clothing.

Set off this morning on a scenic drive through the grassland of Ganjia. After three hours, we arrive at Wutun in Tongren county. The village is home to Wutun Monastery, which has become known as an artistic hub, particularly for producing thangka, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton or silk, which typically depicts Buddha or mandalas. During our visit, we get to see the artist-monks in action, creating their intricate, colourful artwork. After, continue the drive (three hours) to the city of Xining, passing the valley of Longwu River en route.

Visit Kumbum Monastery (also known as Ta'er Temple) this morning. Home to more than 800 monks, it’s also the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Like Labrang, it’s one of the six great Tibetan monasteries from the Yellow Hat sect. Visit the 600-year-old Dongguan Mosque after, before exploring vibrant Mo Street, known for its foodie offerings, and enjoying a delicious dinner. Tonight, we board the sleeper train to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. It’s an epic 1,240mi (2,000km) ride that takes us up to 16,640ft (5,072m) at the Tanggula Pass, making it the highest railway line in the world and earning it the nicknames the Sky Train and the Road to Heaven. We sleep in soft sleeper berths, the comfiest beds on the train. The train journey takes around 21 hours in total.

Waking on the Sky Train, we spend most of today enjoying the views of vast desert, boundless grassland, snow-capped mountains, and glistening lakes, while also chatting together and dining. En route, your local guide can teach you Tibetan words or how to play the popular Chinese tile game of mahjong. Arriving in Lhasa at 5.40pm, transfer (30 minutes) straight to our hotel for dinner. En route, enjoy highland views of the Lhasa River.

On our first full day in Tibet, we start with a visit to Jokhang, the most sacred temple in Tibet, which always attracts a steady stream of pilgrims. Spend time exploring this large World Heritage site, including the golden Buddha which stands in the centre, and learn about its rich history. After, join the pilgrims walking around Barkhor Street in a clockwise direction, considered a sacred kora by Tibetans. Then, in the late afternoon, we visit the great university monastery of Sera, where you witness lively philosophical debating (except Sundays).