12 days China Exploration with Tibet Train Tour
- Trip Highlights: This itinerary shows you every aspect of China including cosmopolitan momentum of Shanghai, ancient grandeur of Beijing, relaxing tea houses and adorable giant pandas in Chengdu, pure nature and spiritual Holiness of Lhasa, and the world's highest train tour across unparalleled heavenly beauty on the Tibetan Plateau.
- Tour Route: Shanghai (Cosmopolitan Metropolis)
Chengdu (Home of the Giant Panda)Lhasa (Holy Tibetan City)Xining (Qinghai Lake)Beijing (China's Capital)
- Tour Code: COT-TTT-01
- Dates: No fixed departure dates. You may go whenever you wish.
- Starts/Ends: Shanghai/Beijing
- Trip Type: Rail Travel, Culture and History Journey, Ethnic Culture and Folk Arts
- Activity Level: Regular itinerary, Moderate walking
- Tour Customizable: Absolutely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)
- Special Experiences:
- Enjoy an awesome acrobatic show in Shanghai where has long-standing reputation in international circus-acrobatic circles
- Say "Hi" to the adorable baby pandas at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, see how people making efforts to protect this rare species
- The world's highest train tour across unparalleled heavenly beauty on the Tibetan Plateau
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive / Shanghai
Transfer via: International flight arranged by you
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown 
Upon your arrival at Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, your personal guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, or step out into this amazing city for an adventure on your own.
Day 2 Shanghai (B,L)
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Sites visited: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Yuyuan Market, Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple
Unique Cultural Performance: Acrobatic Show
On this day you will visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, which chronicles Shanghai's past, present and future, then take a stroll through the Yu Garden. After, you can observe local people's life at the Yuyuan Market and immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of the Jade Buddha Temple. In the evening you enjoy a wonderful Acrobatic Show.
Find out what was Shanghai used to be and how it is going to look like in near feature, a perfect place to start your shanghai tour
Yu Garden is a perfectly preserved ancient garden in the dazzling downtown Shanghai, where tradition harmoniously coexists with modern civilization.
Day 3 Shanghai / Chengdu (B,L,D)
Transfer via: Domestic flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Tianfu Sunshine hotel
Sites visited: The Bund, Nanjing Road, Jinmao Tower
Special Dinner: Chuan Food
After breakfast, you will walk down the Bund along the Huangpu River and visit Nanjing Road, and then get a bird's eye view of Shanghai from the Jinmao Tower. After, you will be escorted to the airport for your flight to your next destination-Chengdu. Upon arriving in Chengdu, your personal guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel for a rest before you are taken out for a delicious dinner of Sichuan cuisine at a local restaurant.
Day 4 Chengdu (B,L)
Accommodations: Tianfu Sunshine hotel
Sites visited: Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Wenshu Temple, Tea houses, Jinli Old Street
On this day, you will visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, followed by a trip to the Wenshu Temple where you can spend some time sitting in its tea house enjoying a cup of traditional Chinese tea and absorb the special atmosphere of Chengdu and Jili Old Street.
Closs up to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, where these rare cuties are well taken care of
Lifes in Chengdu's tea houses are peaceful and relaxing. Why not take a tea break like the locals?
Day 5 Chengdu / Lhasa (B,L)
Transfer via: Domestic flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Tibet Hotel
You will be free until your local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination-Lhasa.Upon your arrival at Gonggar airport, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to the hotel in Lhasa city (2-hour drive), you will view the Stone Giant Buddha engraved in the mountain face en route. After checking in the hotel, rest in the afternoon to get adapted to the high altitude.
Day 6 Lhasa (B,L)
Accommodations: Tibet Hotel
Sites visited: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Your sightseeing today will include the Lhasa's cardinal landmark -- Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and flourishing Barkhor Street.
Day 7 Lhasa (B,L)
Accommodations: Tibet Hotel
Sites visited: Norbulingka Park, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Today we will bring you to the Norbulingka Park, the Drepung Monastery and the Sera Monastery.
Every visitor to Lhasa will be immediately overwhelmed by the spiritual holiness of this land.
Barkhor Street is a local shopping place for local people and tourists.
Day 8 Lhasa / Xining (B)
Transfer via: Over-night sleeper train arranged by China Odyssey Tours (about 24 hours)
Accommodations: On The Train
Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the railway station for your sleeper train to Xining. You could enjoy the fabulous scenery along your train trip.
Day 9 Xining / Beijing
Transfer via: Domestic flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Today you will arrive Xining station and then you will be escorted to the airport for your forward flight to Beijing.Upon arriving at the Beijing airport, your local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax or step out into this amazing metropolis for an adventure on your own.
Day 10 Beijing (B,L)
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Sites visited: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
On this day you will visit Tiananmen Square, and the magnificent Forbidden City. In the afternoon, you will marvel at the spectacular Temple of Heaven.
Every visitor will be amazed by not only the grandeur but also the scale of the Forbidden City.
The Echo Wall surrounding the Imperial Vault can transmit sounds over large distances.
Day 11 Beijing (B,L)
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Sites visited: Great Wall, Sacred Road
You will visit to the magnificent Great Wall (Badaling section) and Sacred road.
Day 12 Beijing / Departure (B)
Transfer via: International flight arranged by you
Sites visited: Summer Palace
After breakfast, you will visit the exquisite Summer Palace. In the afternoon you will be escorted to the airport for your flight to your next destination.
Price & Included Features
- China domestic flights as specified in the itinerary
- A. Entrance fees of the scenic spots as listed in the itinerary.
- B.19 meals: 10 full breakfasts, 8 lunches and 1 dinners(included )Exceptions: If the western breakfast is not available in some of the hotels, breakfast would be either Chinese breakfast or Chinese and western breakfast.
- C. Hotel: for 10 nights at four star hotels in comfortable twin-bedded rooms with a private bath, air-conditioning, television, telephone and minibar.1 nights stay on the train. Hotel Based on two persons sharing one room with twin beds or a king size bed; all hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily western or Chinese breakfast; please note double bed room is on request basis which is subject to Hotel's availability and re-confirmation upon check-in.*Service, room facilities and breakfast might be not up to standard in some remote areas.
- 1 unique cultural performance-- Acrobatic Show
- D.Transportation:Flights as listed in the itinerary (airport tax and fuel fee included), economy class. Train as listed in the itinerary.
- E. Sightseeing: As outlined in the Itinerary will be escorted with English-speaking guide; Service of local guide and van is for a maximum of 8 hours during the full day individual tour packages.*Please note that our English-speaking guide and driver provided for you in each city or area will not fly with you from one city to another.
- F. Private Transfers between airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing in each city or area by private air-conditioned vehicle with driver and English-speaking guide as listed in the itinerary.
- G. Service Charge (the planning, handling, operational and communication charges) & Government Taxes.
- H. Luggage Transfers between airports, trains and hotels.
Accommodation
Shanghai - Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
The Four-star Holiday Inn Shanghai is strategically located with easy accessibility to shopping and tourist attractions. Combining a central location with excellent service and facilities, the Holiday Inn Downtown Shanghai is an ideal choice for visitors to Shanghai.
Chengdu - Tianfu Sunshine hotel
Chengdu's Tianfu Sunshine Hotel is a four-star hotel, located in the city center, only 20 minutes by car from the airport.The interior of the hotel, designed by internationally renowned design firm Hirsch, provides an aesthetic appeal of the highest order.
Tibet Hotel is an enterprise under the administration of Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, which is a luxurious three-star hotel with traditional Tibetan style. The hotel is constructed in granite in shape of the Potala Palace. The hotel is near to the Potala Palace and Norbulinka with comfortable environment and convenient transportation. After finish the Building for the Honored Guests of Tibet Hotel which is built with the standard of four-star hotel and invested 50 million Yuan, Tibet Hotel will welcome you with a new appearance. Tibet Hotel has 258 super-decorated guest rooms and suites including 2 luxurious presidential suites, 8 luxurious suites, 5 economic suites, 220 standard rooms, 20 single rooms, 8 triple rooms and 3 special rooms for the disabled. All these rooms are equipped with sanitary ware from U.S.A., coded safe, central heating system, in-room safe, hair dryer, private bathroom, weight, color TV, refrigerator, mini-bar and etc. Besides these, there are also living-room, office, chess-room and sona-bath.
Express train in China. You could meet local people directelly on board and enjoy the real communicate with comment Chinese people.
Beijing - Jianguo Garden Hotel
A Four-Star International Hotel, Jianguo Garden Hotel is located in the heart of Beijing. It is located on bustling Chang'an Street, located near the well-known Shopping street of Wangfujing and just a few minute's drive to historical Tourist attractions such as Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
Meals
Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Meal codes are: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
Breakfast - Each breakfast will be served in your hotel. Breakfast selections include both Chinese and Western dishes to meet every diner's taste.
Lunch - Lunches are normally arranged at the Chinese restaurants near the scenic spots. Your tour guides will order food according to your appetite. Most are Chinese dishes, and some are modified to fit westerners' tastes. A complimentary glass of beer or soft drink is served with lunch.
Dinner - Same as lunch. If you prefer to not eat Chinese food, China Odyssey Tours suggests you have dinner on your own. Your local tour guide can recommend some good western restaurants in the area.
Transfer and Transport Service
China Odyssey Tours has received wide recognition for its transfer service. With our on-time service, you will never feel alone while traveling through China. We work hard to live up to the slogan's promise "You are not alone in China".
With our private small group tours, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you will enjoy flexible tour arrangements and you will have your own tour guide, car and driver in each destination, exclusive to your own group of friends or family.
