Access Tibet Tour — A 12 day trip that only costs you $1262 per person
Posted by: Ruth in TibetRuth and I have finally booked our long talked about trip to Tibet. Below is our inteniary as described by our Chinese travel agent in Lhasa. I had asked for train tickets from Guangzhou, China to Lhasa, Tibet; our Tibet entry permit; some time off in Lhasa to acclimate to the altitude before starting our tours; tours of Lhasa; and an overland vehicle trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu, Nepal through the Himalayas stopping overnight at the Mt Everest base camp.
I must admit, the agent did a good job, even putting in a bicycle tour of Lhasa. He doesn’t know we’re cyclist, or were. The train ride is 56 hours and we will be sharing a four sleeper cabin with two strangers. The train goes over a pass that is 16,000 feet high which will be a record for Ruth and I. Lhasa is at 12,000 feet.
I’m looking forward to the overland travel through the Himalayas to Kathmandu. We will likely arrange a tour of that city as well. I still need to organize our flight from Kathmandu back to Singapore but will do that after we decide how long to stay there.
Suggested tour day by day:
June 17th: Board the train from Guangzhou to Lhasa, Tibet.
June 19th:
Arrving from Guangzhou to Lhasa, take a rest for a while. Get used to the climate.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 20th: Rest for one day!
Have a rest for a day, you could hanging around the city with the company of our guide.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 21st: Lhasa city tour
Highlights: Norbulinka, Tibet Museum, and Tangka Factory
In the morning, we will first visit Norbulinka and Tibet Museum. Learn about Tibet architecture and Culture achievement, then in the afternoon, Let’s visit Tangka Factory.
Tangka—The most important art in Tibet, Tibet daily life is drawn on it along with their belief and their history.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 22nd: Rest for one day!
Have a rest for a day, you could hanging around the city with the company of our guide.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 23rd: A biking tour along the city and a close touch with the local Tibetans.
Highlights: A biking tour along the Lhasa River and to be a Tibetan for one day!
First we will bike to The famous Lhasa River bridge, then biking along the Lhasa River for a few time. We will go to a local Tibet village and have lunch there, in the afternoon we could try to be a Tibetan for a while, learn how to make traditional butter tea, you could also help them with harvesting, cook some fried potato, learn about Tibet local people ordinary life things.
Lhasa River Bridge and Lhasa River ( the bridge is for train)
June 24th: Gandan Monastery, free time — Today you will explore yourself, group members are arriving from else where
Highlights: Gandan Monastery, Kora and hike a little
Today we will vist Gandan Monastery, which is among the most famous monastery in Tibet, it’s around a hill not far from Lhasa city, where we could do a Kora like local Tibetans do around the
monastery and we could enjoy the natural view and hiking a little around this place.
The rest of the day is free time, you could explore the city yourself.
Gandan Monastery
June 25th: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Bachkor Street – Group tour
This morning you’ ll wind your way up through the stunning, awe-inspiring Potala Palace. Built in 637 AD by Songtsen Gampo, it was the former winter residence for the Dalai Lamas and is truly a splendor of Eastern architecture. Next, visit the Johkang Temple, the center of Tibetan Buddhism, also built in the 7th century on the legendary pond, Finish the day by taking a Kora around the Barkhor. Test your bartering skills with the locals in this push-and-shove economy.
Potala Palace
June 26th: Ani Sangkhung Nunnery, Sera Monastery – Group tour
Highlights: enjoy Tibetan tea in Ani Sangkhung Nunnery tea house, a short hiking into Tibet nature, catch the famous debate sessions of the monks in Sera monastery.
Head past Muslim tea stalls and butcher shops, along part of the Lingkhor pilgrim circuit to the yellow walls of the Ani Sangkhung Nunnery. This small, friendly and active nunnery is the only one within the precincts of the old Tibetan quarter. The site of the nunnery probably dates back to the 7th century, but is housed a monastery until at least the 15th century. The principal image, upstairs on the 2nd floor, is a thousand-armed Chenresing. A small alley to the side of the main chapel heads down to the former meditation chamber of Songtsen Gampo, the 7th-century king of Tibet. The busy nuns run a great teahouse in the courtyard. Then drive to Sera Monastery, have a little hike for the beautiful valley scenery nearby and picnic there, in the afternoon, visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called the court of wild rose. Today still 200 lamas live in there. Catch the famous debate session of the monks before returning back to Lhasa.
Sera Monastery
June 27th: Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse – Group tour
Highlights: Yamdrok Lake
Today we will drive from Lhasa thru Gyantse to Shigatse, along the road, we will enjoy the blue sky with far away Nianqing Tanggula Mountains. In a minute we will drive along the stunning turquoise like Yamdrok Lake. We will have a look at the stunning Korala Glacier too.
We will keep driving to the second largest city – Shigatse.
Stunning Yamdrok Lake
June 28th: Shigatse – Shegar-EBC – Group tour
Highlights: Tashilumpu Monatsery, Free market, spectacular scenery en route
Morning, have a tour to Tashilumpu Monastery, the most famous attraction in Shigatse, then wander in free market for a while in which you can buy some souvenir for you friends or families. Today we drive about 350Kms to Everest Base Camp. You must enjoy the spectacular scenery, if you are lucky enough, you may have a chance of a glimp of Tibetan antelope.
Tashilunpo Monastery
Accommodation: Sightseeing Hotel
June 29th: Everest Base Camp/ Zhangmu – Group tour
Highlights: Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp
We will explore Rongbuk Monastery first and then hike a little around Everest Base Camp where you could see the Mt. Everest clearly if you are lucky.
We will arrive in Zhangmu today.
Everest Base Camp
June 30th: Depart – Group tour.
Finish your tour in the border, you could rent a car to Katmandu, it’s only us$80 per car.
Price Quotation:
The net price of this 12 day tour of 2 PAX is RMB 8581 (US$1262) per person.
The one way train fare from Guangzhou to Lhasa is RMB 1530 for the soft sleeper( 4 beds in one Cabin, First class) Plus RMB 200 as service fee for our ticket agent in Guangzhou.
Price includes:
1) Comfortable class hotel twin-sharing room accommodation in Lhasa, Shigatse, 3 star standard. The best available hotel in EBC area, Sightseeing hotel.(Still very poor due to the remoteness)
2) One private comfortable mini van for your private tour and one experienced driver, group tour vehicle is decided by the size of the tour.
3) An experienced English speaking tour guide (a local Tibetan)
4) All necessary permits
5) All entrance fees of sightseeing place mentioned in itinerary
6) Service charge
7) Meals mentioned in the itinerary [B]: Breakfast
Price excludes:
1) All train fare or airfare
2) Tour guide and driver’s tips
3) Private expense like laundry, IDD calls, drinks in the room, etc
4) Extra expenses and/of additional days caused due to unexpected events (delays, porterage because of land slides and other natural events.)
5) Wire transfer procedure fees
6) Meals not mentioned in the itinerary [L+D]: Lunch and Dinner
For any more question, please kindly let me know. Frankly I think if you are in budget, this would be a really good plan since for a 12 days tour of this exact itinerary, a private tour could easily go up to RMB 12000. Anyway, please kindly let me know your thoughts.
And Again, sorry for the late feedback!
Casper Zhang
Senior Travel Advisor, Travel Tibet Guide
Access Tibet Tour & Service Co., Ltd
URL: http://www.accesstibettour.com
MSN: coosper@hotmail.com
Tel: 0086-28-86183638
Mobile phone: 0086-15208315208
Fax: 86-28-8756-2424
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