17 Days Tibet & Silk Road Tour from Dunhuang to Everest Camp

Our guide and driver will meet you at the airport. Welcome to Dunhuang, the first city on our Silk Road trip. Then you will be transferred to the hotel and the rest of the day is for you to relax and prepare for our Natural Wonder and Culture Adventure.

In the morning, we will visit the Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the great artistic and religious wonders of the world. It is famous for its exquisite murals and various sculptures built in different dynasties, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. Before our exploration into the Grottoes, we will enjoy the Silk Road Movies in the visitor center for about 40 minutes. A professional guide from Mogao will bring us to 8 grottoes with a special torch, providing a clear view of the murals and paintings. Please note that no photos or videos are allowed in the caves. The visiting time is around 4 hours, including the movie.

After the visit to the Grottoes, we will head to Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up, making a loud sound. The sands produce a sound like an ancient musical instrument when blown by a breeze. Crescent Lake has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. Riding the camel as the Silk Road Caravan in the vast desert is highly recommended (approximately 40 minutes). Please bring your sunglasses and mask to keep out the dust.

Later on, we will take a walk around Shazhou Night Market, the most bustling place in Dunhuang at night. It's easy to lose track of time while wandering the market, enjoying leisure time, and tasting some local cuisine.

Today you will take the train to Jiayuguan to visit majestic Jiayuguan Pass and climb it upon your arrival. This Ming Dynasty fort guards the strategic Jiayuguan pass. The western end of the Great Wall was the last section built in the Ming Dynasty.

Then visit the The Great Wall Museum, which was opened to visitor in October 1989 and it is the first one to exhibit the Great Wall culture in a comprehensive and systematic way. (There are many steps from one tower to the other, please consider whether you are able to walk and climb about 2hrs).

After visiting, we will drive to Zhangye for overnight stay.

Enjoy the sunrise and beautiful scenery along the way. Today we will drive to visit Zhangye Danxia Geopark for its ribbons of red, orange, and yellow through the rock to create a rainbow vista contained only by the contours of the jagged mountain peaks. So many people also call it "Rainbow Mountain" for taking photos and hiking around. 

Continue to visit  Mati Temple, which was built in the Jin Dynasty. A series of horseshoe prints are visible in Grotto 9, which are said to be left by a heaven horse. Hence, the temple was named for the horseshoe prints left by the legendary heaven horse, which became the treasure of the temple.

In the morning, you will be transferred to the station to take an express train to Lanzhou.

Our first stop is Zhongshan Bridge, also called the first bridge over the Yellow River. It lies at the foot of Bai Ta Mountain and in front of Jin Cheng Pass in Lanzhou City. Even more bridges are planned to replace the Zhongshan Bridge's work, but none can replace its great value in history or its great work over 80 years. The Zhongshan Bridge will be remembered forever as a piece of history and a cultural relic.

Continue to visit the Waterwheel Garden, which is a theme garden exhibiting the waterwheel culture. Here, we could appreciate the waterwheel driven by the flowing water all year round to collect water from the river or cofferdam.

Then stroll around the White Pagoda Park located in the north of Lanzhou City, which owes its name to the amazing White Pagoda within it, a pure white pagoda from top to bottom except the green top which greatly enhances the glamour of the whole building.

Our last stop is Yellow River's Mother Statue, where you can explore the ancient history and culture of Gansu Province.

The morning excursion starts on a train to Xining.

Upon arrival, we will visit Ta'er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery) which has the largest number of monks outside of Tibet. Standing on Thangka Sunning Terrace, you will have a bird view of the monastery and surrounding scenery.

Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels are also the must-see spot. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels. Walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels, and pray for blessings. Butter sculpture is one of the "Three Wonders of Art" of Ta'er Monastery. It is a variety of artistic boutiques, such as statues of Buddha, figures, landscapes, pavilions, birds, animals, flowers, and trees, which are made of butter.

Today, we are going to enjoy the beautiful Chaka Salt Lake and take a one-way train ride around the Lake. It is the largest saline in Qinghai Province. "Chaka" means "the sea of salt" in Mongolian, lying in the center of Qaidam Basin, it was nominated by the National Tourist Geography magazine as one of the 55 places to go.

Another delightful day is coming. We will ride the bikes around the beautiful Qinghai Lake, or take a light trekking in the cole flower sea. The lake offers year-round pleasure. The mountains and grassland wear a green blanket with herds of cattle and sheep dispersed over the grassland. The bank is connected with stretching farmlands, which are prospering with blooming rape flowers and rolling with wheat waves, sending blasts of fragrance to the lake. The water here is also very limpid, which reflects the pretty green mountains in the deep like a mirror. The color changes with time and varies in different depths of the lake, which produces a sense of mystery, hence the name 'Seven-Colored Lake'. It's no exaggeration to say that Qinghai Lake is a miracle that is endowed by a deity. 

Say goodbye to beautiful Xining. This morning, we will take the train to Lhasa. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way, and expect the journey after.

Upon arrival, we will pick you up at the train station, then transfer you to the hotel. Have a good rest and take your time to adjust the high altitude sickness.

Lhasa has sunny weather throughout the year with little rainfall. There is no severe cold in winter and no intense heat in summer; the climate is pleasant. The annual sunshine time is more than 3000 hours, which is known as the "sunshine city".

Today's tour will begin from the UNESCO World Heritage site - Potala Palace, which is also the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It's situated at 12,139 feet above sea level, a 13-story high building that contains over 1,000 rooms, various statues, stupas, murals, and artifacts. Potala Palace is located on the Maburi mountain in the northwest of Lhasa city. It is a palace-castle-style building complex. It was originally built by Zanpu Songzanganbu of the Tubo Dynasty to marry Princess Wencheng. Potala Palace is an outstanding representative of Tibetan architecture as well as the essence of ancient Chinese architecture. The architectural art of Potala Palace is the most outstanding representative of thousands of Tibetan Buddhist temples and palaces. It is a unique example in China and even in the world. In addition, about 200 cultural relics in the Potala Palace treasure museum are on display, including letters of patent, seals, gifts, documents and classics, palm leaf scriptures, statues of Buddha, Thangka, magic tools, etc. Therefore, you can explore more about traditional Chinese culture and religious culture and also can get spiritual strength in this unique holy land.

Then continue to Jokhang Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a spiritual center for Buddhists in Tibet. Located in the center of the old urban area of Lhasa, it is a Tibetan Buddhist temple built by Tibetan king Songzanganbu. The reason why Lhasa has the reputation of "holy land" is related to this Buddha statue. Jokhang Temple has a history of more than 1300 years and has a supreme position in Tibetan Buddhism. Jokhang Temple was the most brilliant architecture in Tibet during the Tubo Period, and it is also the earliest civil structure architecture in Tibet. It has created the Tibetan Pingchuan style temple Municipal Bureau style.

Next to the temple, there is Bakhor Street, filled with pilgrims and street vendors, selling traditional Tibetan items such as prayer wheels and jewelry. It has strong local style and national characteristics. Bakhor Street is the most famous commodity street in Lhasa. It is also an ancient and sacred place in Lhasa. Here, you can visit for a long time and buy some souvenirs if you like.

Today's itinerary includes a visit to Dadong village, known as the most beautiful village in Lhasa. Located 18km away from the center of Lhasa city, this village is nestled in southwest Lhasa and boasts deep valleys, old trails, gurgling springs, lush greenery, and a history spanning nearly two thousand years. Dadong village is home to the Nyimatang Monastery, the mysterious Pharmacist Hall, the old warehouse where the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, once lived, and the original local Tibetan houses. The village's simple folk customs and ancient legends add a unique charm for travelers.

Next, we will visit the Sera Monastery, one of the "three great" Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1419. A must-see highlight is the monks' debate that takes place from 3 to 5 p.m., attracting a lot of spectators. It's recommended to arrive early for a good seat. In addition, the monastery houses older murals in many large halls, and bringing a flashlight or headlight for better appreciation is advisable. Within the temple, tens of thousands of Vajra Buddha statues are preserved, some locally made and some brought from the mainland or India. The entire Sera Monastery can be viewed from the northeast of the Buddha platform, and it hosts the annual Sutra ceremony during the Sho Dun Festival.

Today, we will start our tour to Gyantse. We will first admire the Gampala Pass (4790 m) and get a glimpse of the YamdrokTso Lake (4400m), which is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains. This lake is considered as "Turquoise Earrings scattered by goddess" in Tibetan culture. At Gangbala mountain pass, you can overlook the lake, which shows different shades of rich blue when irradiated at different times. The water sources come from snow in the Tanggula Mountains and change color with light, creating a beautiful spectacle.

Afterward, we will continue our journey west towards Gyantse, which is a historical and cultural site. Here, we will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum, which play a significant role in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. Gyantse Kumbum is known for its unique architectural style, different sculptures and paintings, and its ability to gather various Buddhist sects in one temple.

After a one and a half hour's drive, we will arrive in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet.

Today, we will drive to Everest Base Camp. Along the way, we will pass Pang La Pass, one of the highest passes in Tibet at 5050m. From this pass, you can enjoy the view of all five highest peaks in the world. Rongbuk Monastery is the most attractive place, with nearby Mount Everest, the main peak of the Himalayas. It is located at the border between China and Nepal and has a height of 8844.43 meters, making it the highest peak in China. Mount Everest is a huge pyramid, powerful and majestic, with extremely steep terrain and a complex environment. You will have enough time to take photos or videos and enjoy the spectacular and amazing views.

In the morning, you can catch the sunrise of Everest Peak if weather permits at the lodging area. Then we will visit the Rongbuk Monastery. Rongbuk Monastery is located at the end of Rongbuk glacier at the north foot of Everest, with an altitude of 5154 meters and about 20 kilometers from the top of Everest. It is a unique highest monastery with nuns and monks living together. It is also the highest temple in the world, and the landscape is wonderful.

Finally, we will drive back to Shigatse. It has many distinctive scenic spots and landscapes. With its ancient culture, magnificent temple buildings, magnificent natural landscape and superior geographical location, Shigatse has become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Tibet.

Enjoy your buffet breakfast at the hotel, then we will head to visit Panchen Lama's seat place, the great Tashilhunpo monastery, a big and complex monastery in Tibet. Here, you can have a look at the Local Market. Tashi Lhunpo Monastery was founded in 1447 and is recorded highest Lama in the Gelukpa tradition and the seat of successive Panchen Lamas in the Shigatse Prefecture.

Continue to the Yarlung Zangbo Gorge River. Tibetans refer to it as the longest river in the region. With the highest altitude in the world, it is also called the "Cradle of Tibet" or the "Mother River". The words Yarlung Zhangbo mean "snow water from high mountains" in the Tibetan language. The river, which has its source in the Gyaimanezong Glacier in Zongba County in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, flows like a silver thread from west to east across the southern section of the Tibet Plateau. Stroll along the river bank and you can enjoy scenic views.

Always hard to say Goodbye. Today we will transfer you to the airport to catch your flight back to yours sweet home. Hope you a pleasant journey home!