15 Days Yunnan-Tibet Mount Everest Tours from Kunming to Lhasa by Flight

Day 2 Kunming

Sightseeing and Activities: Stone Forest, Guandu Ancient Town, Jingang Pagoda
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will drive 86 km to the Stone Forest. An old local saying says that ‘If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.’ Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan. After lunch drive back Kunming to visit the Guandu Ancient Town which is a famous historical & cultural town in Kunming, which keeps the main architectural style of Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties.

After dinner, you will have an option to enjoy the large-scale dance drama “Dynamic Yunnan” which has been an outstanding innovation on the Chinese stage in recent years directed by Yang Liping. Primitive, unsophisticated folk dances and a fresh artistic concept converge in the programme, giving audiences a unique “Yunnan Impression.” Sixty-two drums and 120 masks of strong ethnic characteristics are incorporated in the performance. 

Day 3 Kunming-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities:the Three-pagoda in Chongshen Temple, Erhai Lake Cruise, Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, City Wall of Dali
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Take the morning high speed train to Dali. Arrive at Dali Railway Station, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel. Dali which is a historically and culturally famous city of China, is renowned for her historical interest and Bai ethnic culture. You will visit the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
 
After lunch, you’ll cruise in Erhai Lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island. During Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake in the winter.
 
Then, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. Visit Zhoucheng Village and the Bai people’s Tie-dying cloth workshop where you can take some special souvenir with the Bai ethnic style. At last, you will visit the Ancient Dali Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the relax time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have a panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.

Day 4 Dali-Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Shaping Bazaar, Black Dragon Pool, Dongba Museum, Lijiang Ancient Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Explore Dali Ancient Town in the early morning, visit the Shaping Bazaar happened every Monday in Shangguan Town. Drive about 180KM to Lijiang with the beautiful farmlands and ethnic villages on the way. Lunch at No.8 Restaurant at the bank of Black Dragon Pool, after lunch you’ll head for the scenic Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Museum to explore the rich Naxi minority culture. 
 
In the late afternoon, explore Lijiang Old Town. Lijiang Old Town has a history more than 800 years; it was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people. After dinner, you will attend the Naxi Orchestral Music in Naxi Concert in Lijiang Ancient Town.

Day 5 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Jade Dragon Snow Mountain,Spruce Meadow, Baisha Old Town and Murals, Baishui River and Terraces
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy the sunrise of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang Ancient Town in the morning. Drive about 30KM to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), you will take the sightseeing bus for a short visiting through the Baishuihe River, take the chairlift up to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The cableway will be arranged according to the condition of the mountain. You will hike around 1 hours in the original forest in Spruce Meadow(3200M).
 
After lunch, you will enjoy the Impression Lijang Ethnic Show directed in Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M). A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou, Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, a cast of over 500 people, and a number of horses. In the afternoon, you’ll stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan town.  Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.

Day 6 Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Shangri La

Sightseeing and Activities:Shigu Ancient Town, the Iron Chain Bridge, Stone Drum,Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation: Shangri La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 Shangri La

Sightseeing and Activities:Songzanlin Monastery, the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, Dukezong Ancient Town, the largest Prayer Wheel
Accommodation: Shangri La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. And afterwards you’ll visit the tranquil Bita Lake & Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.

Visit Dukezong Tibetan Ancient Town in the late afternoon, climb up to the top of Guishan Hill or tortoise Hill, you will see the largest Prayer Wheel of the world and have a panoramic view of shangrila county and Dukezong Ancient Town. Finally, you will have an option to visit a Tibetan’s family to experience the local life in the bonfire party with Tibetan dance and music and you will try Tibetan home-made yak and cheese.

Day 8 Shangri La-Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Lhasa
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:The Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor street
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Drepung monastery is situated at the foothill of a mountain and was founded by Jamyang Choeje in 1416. It was once home of 10000 monks and Ganden podrang in Drepung is famous. It was the government center during fifth Dalai lama and later moved to the famous Potala Palace during fifth Dalai Lama. By the time you can also visit the Nechung monastery located 1 km southeast of Drepung and is the abode of the protector deity pehar and the seat of the state Oracle of Tibet.

In the afternoon explore the Sera monastery which was founded in 1419 by Tsongkapa’s disciple Jamchen Choeje. The most attractive is that Monks debiting is held there in the courtyard at around 6-7:30 in the afternoon section. Overnight at Lhasa. (Notice, the sequence of sightseeing of first two days may be adjusted according to the reservation of visiting Potala Palace)

Day 11 Lhasa-Gyangtse-Shigatse

Sightseeing and Activities:Nyangchu Valley, Yamdro-tso lakes, karo-la glacier,Kubum monastery
Accommodation: Shigatse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Passing by the green farmland of Nyangchu Valley, Yamdro-tso lakes, karo-la glacier roadside at 4960m, We move westwards to the second biggest city Shigatse, the Area spiritually hosted by Pamchan Lama.
 
The most important attraction for today is Yamdro-tso Lake and Kubum monastery in Gyantse. From the top of the pass kangpa-la at 4700m high in clear weather, you can see the fabulous shade of deep turquoise, Yamdro-tso Lake is shaped like coiling scorpion with deep blue in colour.
 
Kubum monastery, means 100,000 images in Tibetan, is the town’s foremost attraction, The 35m-high chorten (stupa) with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome, is awe-inspiring. You can visit every chambers in the monastery.

Day 12 Shigatse-Lhatse-Tingri (Shegar)-Rongphu Monastery

Sightseeing and Activities:Mt. Lhotse(8516m),Mt. Everest(8848m), Mt. Qowowuyag(8201m),Mt Mayalu(8463m), Rongphu Monastery
Accommodation: Rongphu Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Drive westwards the Friendship way to Tingri. On the way you will pass the checking point with your TTB permit, travel permit and passport, and purchase the entrance of Everest Base Camp.
 
There is about 90km bumpy road from Tingri to Rongpuk, road is under construction. From Tingri to E.B.C with the very rough road, pass the wild grassland, cross the rapids river and high mountains. If it is in clear whether, you can have a glimpse of 4 mountains which is 8000m high or more, such as: Mt. Lhotse(8516m), Mt. Everest(8848m), Mt. Qowowuyag(8201m), Mt Mayalu(8463m).

Day 13 Rongphu Monastery-Tingri-Shigatse

Sightseeing and Activities:Rongphu Monastery, the sunrise of Mt. Everest, Mt.Everest Base Camp
Accommodation: Shigatse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Early in the morning to see the sunrise of Mt. Everest from Rongphu Monastery. It is fabulous and splendid. After walking arrive the place get on the animal carriage then use half of an hour arrive at Everest Base camp ( Or you also can trekking to Base Camp around 1.5-2 hours one way. It’s interesting and much more warm, but hard to breath).
 
Hiking up to the top of the photo point to take pictures of the splendid- Mt. Everest. Then in the afternoon at around 13:00, go down from E.B.C back to Tingri by friend-ship highway back to Shigaste.

Day 14 Shigatse-Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities: Tashilunpo monastery, Lhasa City
Accommodation: Lhasa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We spend about 4 hours to drive back to Lhasa from Shigatse, on the way, we will visit the largest Monastery in west Tibet, the Tashilunpo monastery, as the last but famous historic sites for your Tibet tour. Tashilunpo monastery is one of the the six great Gelukpa institutions and was founded in 1447 by a disciple of Tsongkapa, Genden drup who was the first Dalai Lama. Jamkhang Chenmo, contains the world’s largest gilded copper image(26m high) of future god Jampa. Drive along the Friend-ship Highway back to Lhasa.

Day 15 Departure from Lhasa

Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Lhasa
Accommodation:None
Meals: Breakfast

Departure from Lhasa. Service ends.