17 Days Kathmandu to Beijing Overland Tour

Kathmandu - Kyirong - Old Tingri - EBC - Shigatse - Lhasa - Xian - Beijing

From USD p.p

Driving across the majestic Himalaya mountain range, this 17-day Kathmandu to Beijing overland tour will let you discover the UNESCO world heritage sites in Kathmandu Valley, mysterious land of Tibetan Buddhism and two of China’s most centuries-old cultural cities, Xi’an and Beijing. In addition to the classic road trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa along the Friendship Highway, you will also enjoy the legendary Tibet train journey along the famous Qinghai-Tibet Railway and get amazed by the fast high speed train in China.

 

The tour will first bring you to Nepal’s Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur City, where you will visit the Swayambhunath, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and the Golden Temple etc. Leaving Nepal, you will take an overland tour from Kathmandu to Lhasa, traversing breathtaking plateau landscapes as lakes, glaciers, gorges, forests, grasslands etc. On the way, you will visit the renowned Everest Base Camp, the magnificent Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, and famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum. Then the holy Lhasa city will greet you with its landmarks, like Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of Tibetan culture and religion. After your Tibet tour, you will take the Tibet train from Lhasa to Xi’an, to visit the Terra-Cotta Warriors, the eighth wonder of the world. Then the high speed train will take you to the modern and ancient city of Beijing, where you will visit the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace, as well as hike to the Great Wall, before the tour ends.

Itinerary Day by Day

Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu

Arrive Tribhuvan International Airport, tour guide will await you outside the arrival area. Transfer for your stay at Kathmandu. (Our local office staff will meet you to collect your passport to apply for Chinese Visa for you, Visa fee is not included in price quotation and you will need pay extra service charge 20 USD/person).

Notice: Chinese embassy requires 3 working days to issue the Visa. We advise you arrive in Nepal 3 working days in advance before going to Tibet.

Stay overnight in Katmandu.

Day 2: Day tour to Kathmandu City, Swayambhunath and Patan City

Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is one of three durbar (royal palace) squares in the Kathmandu Valley. It is the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex, which was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and where important ceremonies taken place. Swayambhunath the golden spire of the 5th-century Swayambhu stupa is adorned with a colourful fluttering of prayer flags; it crowns a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley and offers fantastic views over the city of Kathmandu.

The last site we visit for today is Patan City which is the second largest town in Kathmandu valley. Patan's central Durbar Square is entitled in the World Heritage Site and absolutely packed with temples, the Golden Temple which is the unique Buddhist Monastery was founded in the 12th century, is a large rectangular building has three roofs and a copper gilded facade with the images of Buddha and Avalokitesvara where there are Buddha images and illustrations on the walls.

Stay overnight in Katmandu.

Day 3: Day tour to Pashupatinath, Bodhnath and Bhaktapur City

Pashupatinath the most important Hindu temple in Nepal, the old buildings on the site were destroyed by Moslem invaders in the 14th century, its stone linga smashed to dust, but it rose again behind their retreating backs. Succeeding monarchs reinstated the temple and the images. Bouddhanath is among the largest stupas in South Asia, and it has become the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. The white mound looms thirty-six meters overhead. The stupa is located on the ancient trade route to Tibet, and Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers here for many centuries.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal.

Stay overnight in Katmandu.

Day 4: Kathmandu to Syabrubesi

In the morning, our driver will pick you up in your hotel and drive to China Tibet border. There is a distance about 160km from Katmandu to Gyirong Border which usually takes about 7-9 hours on the way. So we will live in the Syabrubesi adjacent to Gyirong for a night before crossing the border in the second day morning.

On the way, will pass Mt. Himalaya, where you can see the deep gorges, snow-capped mountain. We will also drive across the LuangTang National Park, one of the well- preserved national parks in Nepal.

Stay overnight in village guest house in Syabrubesi.

Day 5: Syabrubesi to Kyirong

After breakfast, we will drive 15km away to the Nepal-China border. Our guide will meet you at the Gyirong Border in Tibet side. Then transfer to Gyirong county, a small town built on the side of Himalayas. It would be nice to see the Himalayan mountains and vibrant forest from there. We need to spend one night for a good acclimation for next days’ ascent to EBC.

In the afternoon, you will visit Padmasambava cave and trek 2 hours to Kepu village.

Stay overnight in Gyriong.

Day 6: Drive from Kyirong to Tingri (300km)

In the morning, transfer from Kyirong to Old Tingri (4300m). Kyirong is an amazing place, where is surrounded by forest with ice-capped mountain background due to its altitude about 2500m. After Kyirong, the altitude ascends slowly to 4300m, you could see forest disappeared and surrounding are all mountains, now you are in Himalaya mountain range now. When driving pass the Tongla mountain, you could see the panoramic view of Himalaya mountain range very close to you.

Overnight in Tingri

Day 7: Drive from Tingri to Shigatse, pay a visit to EBC (450km)

Today, you will visit Everest Base Camp at north side of Mt. Everest, which is 5200m above sea level, maybe it is the highest place you reach on earth in your lifetime. At Jawula pass, you could see the panoramaof Himalaya in a different angle. Then we drive along the New zigzag road to Everest Base Camp(5200m). in the afternoon, drive to Shigatse.

Overnight in Shigatse

Day 8: Shigatse to Lhasa via Gyantse (375km)

After visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse in the morning, drive from Shigatse to Lhasa. You will pass through Gyantse, tourists will visit the famous Pelkor Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum. On the way, you will visit drive over the Gampala pass (4790 m), and tourists will have a glimpse of Yamdrok-tso (4400m).The Lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and in the distance clients can have spectacular views of Holy Mount Nyenchen Khangsar (7191m) the highest mountain near Lhasa. In late afternoon, we will reach the holy city Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 9: Day tour to visit Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street.

The tour will begin from UNESCO World Heritage site - Potala Palace, which is also the winter palace of Dalai Lama. It's situated at 12,139 feet above sea level. It's a 13-story high building that contains over 1,000 rooms, various statues, stupas, murals and artifacts. Then continue to Jokhang Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a spiritual center for Buddhists in Tibet. Next to the temple there is Barkhor Street, filled with pilgrims and street vendors, selling traditional Tibetan items such as prayer wheels and jewelry.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 10: Day tour to visit two important monasteries in Lhasa - Sera & Drepung

In the morning, tourists are going to visit Drepung monastery which was one of the “three greet” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1416. Ganden palace is used as Dalai Lama’s palace in the Drepung before moving to the Potala palace. In the afternoon, Sera Monastery---It was one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet and was founded in 1419. The highlight is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon.

Stay overnight in Lhasa.

Day 11: Leave Lhasa to Xian by Train

Today, we end the trip in Tibet and take the Qinghai Tibet Railway, the highest railway in the world to ancient City Xian in mainland China. The train will move on Qinghai Tibet Plateau and down to China, the highest point of the railway is above 5000m, You will pass by Naqu Grassland and Cuona Lake, Tuotuo River - the resource of Yangtze River, World Natural Heritage Kekexili Naturel Preserve, Yuzhufeng, which is the main peak of Kunlun Mountain.

Overnight in the train

Day 12: Arrive in Xian in the evening

The Train will arrive in Xian in the evening. Please take taxi on your own to the reserved hotel.

Stay overnight in Xian.

Day 13: Xian - Day Tour to Terra-Cotta Warriors, Emperor Qinshihuang Mausoleum, Banpo Neolithic Village

The tour guide will pick you up from Xian railway station.

The day tour in Xian is impressive too. The Emperor’s Terracotta Army is also one of the eight wonders in the world. These terracotta warriors and horses are the size of a real army, and were buried alongside the Emperor in a vast underground palace. The archeological site of Banpo Village, built more than 6,000 year ago, and you will see how the resident matriarchic tribe used to survive in the Neolithic age. Short visit at the Terra-Cotta Replication Factory on the way back to downtown.

Stay overnight in Xian.

Day 14: Xian to Beijing by High-speed Train

Today, you will experience the world famous Chinese High-speed Train from Xian to Beijing, the whole journey takes about 5 hours. When arrive in Beijing, please take taxi on your own to the reserved hotel. The free time in Beijing is for your leisure.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

Day 15: Beijing - Day tour to explore ancient Beijing, visit Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace

Today is guided tour to Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace which are the traditional must-see places in Beijing. These attractions present to the visitors an image of how the ancient Chinese emperors manage the country, what their family life is, how they spent leisure time, how they sacrifice gods.

Stay overnight in Beijing.

Day 16: Beijing - Day tour to Mutianyu Great Wall

The Great Wall tour proves that China was one of the strongest country in its history. Stretching thousands of kilometers, the Great Wall protected the ancient Chinese against the invasion of the enemy from its north side for more than 1000 years, the Great Wall was listed as one of the world's eight wonders. Mutianyu Great Wall, featured “graceful”, enjoy the best quality among all Wall sections, 80km north-east of Beijing with 22 ancient watchtowers, about one every kilometer. (Cable car is optional if you do not want to walk)

Stay overnight in Beijing.

Day 17: Departure from Beijing

The tour ends, please arrange taxi by your own to the airport.

Route Map

Service Inclusion

  1. Tibet Travel Permit and all other necessary permit to Tibet
  2. Domestic train/flight tickets as indicated in the itinerary
  3. All lodging listed in the itinerary
  4. Meals listed in itinerary
  5. Entrance fees of all tourist sites listed in the itinerary
  6. Local Tour Transfers according to group size
  7. Excellent English-Speaking Tour Guide in China Tour and local Tibetan English-speaking guide in Tibet
  8. Government tax and travel agency service

Service Exclusion

  1. Chinese visa
  2. International flight to and out of China
  3. Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary
  4. Meals not specified the itinerary
  5. Tips and gratitude to tour guide and drive
  6. Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, snacks, soft drinks, optional tour activities, etc.

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