QTT04 Trans Qinghai – Tibet Railway Train Travel + Beijing Great Wall and Xi’an Terra Cotta Warriors 16 Days Highlights Tour

In the morning, we will visit the Temple of Heaven, a complex of buildings representing the pinnacle of Ming and Qing architecture built in 1420, including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, Imperial Vault of Heaven, Circular Altar, and Abstinence Palace. The surrounding park areas are also alive with locals practicing Tai Chi, playing traditional musical instruments, enjoying a game of Chinese chess, or just chatting with friends. This afternoon is free for further exploration. In the evening, we will be served one of the most popular dishes in China at the Beijing Duck Dinner Party.

After breakfast, we travel northwest of Beijing to visit China’s most famous attraction – the Great Wall of China. Built over 2,000 years ago, it stretches 4,000 miles across mountains and valleys in the northern part of China. We walk along a well-preserved section of this true wonder of the world, and admire the panoramic views. In the afternoon, we marvel at the former Imperial Summer Palace – the famous royal garden that was favored by the Empress Cixi in the late 19th Century. Tonight, enjoy an entertaining “The Legend of Kung Fu” show.

We continue exploring Beijing’s famous sites with a tour of the vast Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. We walk through the Gate of Heavenly Peace to the magnificent Forbidden City, which was home to the Ming and Qing dynasties for over 500 years. Afterwards, board your flight to Xian. Your guide will pick you up from the airport ,which is 50 KM. to the city of Xian,and transfer to hotel. In the evening, you will take a chance to enjoy Local Specialty Dumpling Banquet  and the Tang Dynasty Dance Show. A performance of Changan music and dance originated in China’s Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago. This wonderful combination of colourful costumes, melodious tunes and ancient history is a living, breathing work of art-an extravaganza not to be missed!

After breakfast, tansfer to Terracotta Warriors. Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum is the Eighth Wonder of the World. More than 6,000 different looking pottery figures depict the history of the Qin Dynasty from 221 BC-206 BC. Take sightseeing in this attraction for about 2 to 2.5 hours. Drive back to visit Great Mosque. It is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China. Occupying an area of over 12,000 square meters, the Great Mosque is divided into four courtyards, 250 meters long and 47 meters wide with a well-arranged layout. Landscaped with gardens, the further one strolls into its interior, the more serene one feels. Take a flight to Xining and transfer to the hotel.

Take a flight to Xining and transfer to the hotel. Xining which is an ancient city in Qinghai-Tibetan highland, also the capital of Qinghai Province, visit Kumbum Monastery in the afternoon which is another Tibetan Buddhism monastery ,famous for the three unique—butter flower, mural and embroidery . also it is the Birthplace of Tsongkapa , who is the former of Gelu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Back to Xining.

After breakfast drive to beautiful Korkornor lake, the biggest inland salt lake in china, on the way you can appreciate the Sun and Moon mountain, Sand island ,Golden and silver grassland. then come back Xining.

The building of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway started on 29th June 2001. The 1142 kilometre-long railway extends between Golmud in Qinghai Province and Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region. Its sections over 4,400m above sea level total 960km, and the highest section, which crosses the Tanggula Mountain, is at 5,072m above sea level. The railway passes 550km of ever-frozen land. The construction of the railway, the highest and longest one on plateau in the world , is planned to be finished in six years. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a representative project in China’s implementation of its strategic decision to develop China’s west at the beginning of the 21st century. The significant project is a magnificent task in the world history of railway construction and has drawn the attention of the world. Pickup and transfer to hotel in Lhasa .

Arrive in Lhasa, the roof of the world, Tibet is truly beyond your imagination. The blue sky, the highest mountain, lake and train, religious people, harmony between people and nature will give you a deep impression. Pickup and transfer to hotel in Lhasa . In order to acclimatize to the high altitude. No program will be arranged for the rest of the day.

An extraordinary day of sightseeing shows the spectacular architecture at the world famous Potala Palace . Former home of the Dalai Lama, its massive 1000-room structure towers over this mountain city. The tour is followed by Jokhang Temple . Then visit famous Barkhor Market, where you can shop for rare Tibetan items.

Drive to Yangbacheng Hot spring 92km north of Lhasa, view the Northern Tibet grassland and NyanchengTanggula Snow Mountain on the way. Continue to Namutso lake, one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet, called “Heavenly lake”. Taking photo, yak riding lakeside, then back to Lhasa.

Due to the renovation of the road from Nakartse to Gyanste, this course is closed since May. That means people can not cross the 5045m Karola to see its awesome roadside views of the Nojin Kangtsang Glacier. The alternative is, cross the Kambala( 5030m ) to take a look at the dazzling Yamdroktso lake. Then drive through another route to Gyantse via Shigatse, where you will visit the Tashilunpo, the home monastery of Panchan Lama.

Gyantse is one of the richest area of Tibet and provide the whole land with its various harvest. In the history it was an important stopover station for caravans between India and China . Here you will visit the peokorchoden Monastery with its huge Kumbum-Stupa, which is a masterpiece for Tibetan architecture. Afterwards drive back to Lhasa

Airport drop off to Lhasa airport, take flight to Chengdu. visit River-Viewing Pavilion Park (Wang Jiang Lou Gong yuan), River-Viewing Pavilion Park (Wang Jiang Lou Gongyuan) has more than 150 kinds of bamboo brought from all over Asia, and the lush bamboo forests provide plenty of shade in the summer. There is a four-story wooden ’river-viewing pavilion’ that was built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in memory of Xue Tao, a Tang Dynasty poetess who often wrote about bamboo (thus bamboo is the park’s specialty). The pavilion overlooks the Jingjiang River. It is a good place for the local people to drink tea and play Taichi or Chinese Gongfu. As an option in the evening(200CNY extra), enjoy a wonderful variety show of “Face changing” and “Flame Spitting – Out” of Sichuan Opera.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is located in the northern suburb of Chengdu on Futou Hill 10 km from downtown. It is an excellent recreational area and a highlight of any visit to Chengdu. Many types of bamboo, trees, and flowers thrive at the Research Base. Several species of birds also make their home there. It is one of the important centers in China for the captive conservation of giant pandas. The Sanxingdui Museum is a large-scale modern museum of history situated in the northeastern part of the state-protected Sanxingdui Ruins by the bank of the Yazi River in Guanghan city 40 kilometers south of Chengdu. The exposure of a large number of spectacular relics such as gleaming gold sculpture, jade wares, bronze holy tree, created a great sensation, making the Sanxingdui site well known to the world.