12 Days Qinghai and Tibet Trekking & Hiking Tour

Today your flight will touch down in Xining. We will meet you at the Xining airport, transfer you to the hotel, and check you in. The rest of the day will be your free time to explore at your leisure.

The morning after breakfast, we will be going to Qunshan Forest Farm for a 10km trek. Unlike hiking, trekking is done on a variety of terrains, not only in nature. A long trek may take you on roads, high mountains, and even unmarked terrain. You'll often have to use your orientation skills with a compass and a map to find your way to your destination, which can be tens or even hundreds of kilometers away. After lunch, we will head to Xiaqiong Temple, a famous religious and cultural tourist resort, built in 1349. It is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist temples in Qinghai. Then, we will head back to the hotel for some rest.

After breakfast, we will drive for about 3 hours to Qinghai Lake. Once we've checked in at the hostel, we'll take a trek along the lake to enjoy the magnificent scenery. Qinghai Lake is the largest inland saltwater lake in China, and it's no exaggeration to say that it's a natural wonder. The lake is surrounded by four continuous mountains and vast grasslands at their foothills. The distance you walk will depend on your energy level.

Enjoy the amazing sunrise over the Qinghai Lake. Afterward, we will continue hiking along the 10km lakeside trail. We can have lunch with a local nomadic Tibetan family and experience their lifestyle. In the afternoon, we'll drive back to Xining.

The morning after breakfast, we will take the famous Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa. Enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Overnight on the train.

Upon arriving in Holy Lhasa, you will be met and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to acclimate to the high altitude and prepare for the upcoming days of trekking. It is highly recommended not to visit the city upon arrival, instead to have a good rest in the hotel.

Today you'll visit the Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. Situated at 12,139 feet above sea level, this 13-story building contains over 1,000 rooms, various statues, stupas, murals, and artifacts.

Next, we will visit the Jokhang Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage site and a spiritual center for Buddhists in Tibet. Adjacent to the temple is Bakhor Street, which is filled with pilgrims and street vendors. Here, traditional Tibetan items such as prayer wheels and jewelry are sold.

In the morning, we will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to visit the Ganden Monastery. After visiting, we will transfer to Tsubshi Village to prepare for yaks. Then, we will start the trek up to Yama-do (trekking time 2-3 hours).

In the morning, we'll leave the valley floor and make our way through a steep gully rising from the stream bank. Then, climb the Shug La and begin our climb down through treacherous boulder fields. Later, cross Tsotup Chu, a large stream winding through the valley floor. A comfortable camp will be set up in one of the herder fields. 

Follow the Tsotup Chu down through its tributary and head towards the Chitu La pass. After ascending this rocky pass, we will quickly descend down and find a beautiful place to camp in one of the fields surrounding the stream. To find our campsite we will meander through quiet herder camps for nearly an hour. Another beautiful day of our trek is over!

The Samye Monastery is the first Monastery built in Tibet and the first contains the three Buddhist jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. With these unique features, this splendid temple has become an attraction for visitors from near and far. After visiting Samye, we finish the trek and live in Samye Town near the Yarlung River. Met and be trasferred the Hotel in Samye Town for a rest.

Today, we will drive to Lhasa, which will take around 1.5 hours. It's time to bid goodbye to Lhasa and head to the airport to catch your flight. You can make the most of your leisure time in the morning, and we will arrange the airport transfer according to your flight schedule. We wish you a pleasant journey back home!