Overview

Ten days for the one time of year that southeast Tibet is at its best. In late March and early April the wild peach blossom breaks along the Niyang River from Milin up through Bomi, and the sequence works because altitude moves the season: the lower villages flower first, then the higher ones a week or two later. This programme follows that sequence south to north rather than trying to see everything at once.

You fly into Nyingchi and work north through the Tongmai narrows, Guxiang Lake and the Bomi Peach Blossom Valley, then on to Midui Glacier and Lake Ranwu on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. You overnight once in Lulang, the small town under the snow mountain at 3,300 metres, then take Basum Tso, Laru village and the new Lalin Expressway to Lhasa. Two full days cover the holy city, and the last two days are Lake Yamdrok with Rituo Monastery and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway out to Xining.

Two practical points decide whether this trip works for you. First, the outbound flight from Chengdu must reach Nyingchi before 11:00, which is why the programme begins with a night in Chengdu — that night is not optional. Second, the blossom window is narrow and moves with the weather, so give yourself a margin of a few days either side if the timing is fixed. Beyond that, the biggest single pleasure of this route is simply that most of it happens at 2,500 to 3,300 metres, where you breathe easily and can walk properly.

The route ends overland. From Lhasa you take the Qinghai-Tibet Railway across the plateau to Xining, then fly to Chengdu to connect home. It is a comfortable way out of Tibet and one that gives you the highest railway in the world without changing hotels.

Highlights

  • Three of Tibet's major wild peach blossom villages in one season

  • Bomi Peach Blossom Valley, on China National Geographic's list

  • Midui Glacier, one of the most important maritime glaciers in Tibet

  • An overnight in Lulang, the town under the snow mountain

  • Basum Tso and the blossom on its shore

  • Exit overland on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Lhasa to Xining

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival in Chengdu & Onward Connection

Arrival in Chengdu

You arrive at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, or Shuangliu Airport, according to your own flight schedule. A transfer takes you to a hotel near the airport, and the rest of the day is free to rest before the early flight into Tibet.

Why Chengdu first: Nyingchi has a short, steep runway and few direct international connections, so routing through Chengdu is the most reliable way in. It also gives you one night at ordinary altitude before Tibet, which most guests find valuable.

Day 2Chengdu to Nyingchi, Milin Peach Blossom Village (60km)

Morning — Flight to Nyingchi

You take an early morning flight from Chengdu to Nyingchi Mainling Airport, arriving around 11:00. Please note that the flight must land before 11:00 in order to keep this programme running as written, so the Chengdu night is not optional.

Afternoon — Milin Peach Blossom Village

Milin Peach Blossom Village sits in Milin County on the Niyang River. In spring the whole village is covered in pink blossom, with the traditional Tibetan houses and the snow line of the Gangdise range behind them. The peach blossom season here is roughly late March to mid-April and varies by altitude, so if you travel in early April the lower villages are at their best and the higher ones a week later.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3Tongmai Gorge, Guxiang Lake & Bomi Peach Blossom Valley

Tongmai Natural Barrier and Guxiang Lake

You leave Nyingchi in the morning and pass through the Tongmai narrows, one of the most dramatic single stretches of road in Tibet, where the road threads between rock walls and the great Yarlung Tsangpo river below. Beyond it lies Guxiang Lake, at 2,600 metres and about five kilometres long, with a depth over twenty metres.

Bomi Peach Blossom Valley

The Bomi Peach Blossom Valley is one of the most beautiful places in southeast Tibet and appears on the China National Geographic list of the hundred finest viewing and photography sites in Tibet. You have the afternoon here, with the ancient peach trees, wild forest and the Zongqu river running through the valley floor.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4Midui Glacier, Galang Village & Lake Ranwu

Morning — Midui Glacier

Midui Glacier in Bomi County is one of the most important maritime glaciers in Tibet, with its main peak at 6,800 metres and a snow line at about 4,600 metres. Its surface temperature is comparatively mild, and the glacier is known for ice worms, ice fleas and other microorganisms that live in it. One of the unusual facts of the glacier is that although it sits at 29 degrees north, the temperature at its terminus is lower than that of glaciers on Bogda Peak at roughly 44 degrees north.

Afternoon — Lake Ranwu

Ranwu Lake, or Ranwu Tso, sits in the southwest corner of Baxoi County in Chamdo, formed when a landslide dammed the river. It lies right by the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, which is why it is known to travellers on that route, and it is one of the largest lakes in eastern Tibet.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5Galang Lake, Lulang Forest Sea & the Town Under the Snow Mountain

Morning — Galang Lake and Galang Village

Galang Lake lies to the northwest of Bomi County, ringed by green mountains and old trees. The area is also the site of the ruins of the Galang dynasty and is home to descendants of the Galang kings, which makes it interesting as well as scenic.

Afternoon — Lulang Forest Sea

The Lulang Forest Sea is a forest in a sea of cloud. Snow peaks stand behind, the valleys are full of dense green, and the meadows inside the forest look as though they have been trimmed by hand. Traditional houses sit among streams and wildflowers. You stay the night in Lulang International Tourist Town, the small settlement under the snow mountain, which is the one place on this route where you sleep below 3,500 metres in a mountain setting rather than a town hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6Basum Tso, Laru Village & Onward to Lhasa

Morning — Basum Tso

Basum Tso is one of the great alpine lakes of the Nyingchi region. In spring the shore and the hillsides around it break into blossom, and the Basum peach blossom forest beside the lake is one of the best places in Tibet to see it. You visit the island in the middle of the lake, and this is the last major stop before Lhasa.

Afternoon — Laru Village and the Lalin Expressway

Laru Village, with its wild peach trees, is on the way out. From here you join the Lalin Expressway to Lhasa, the new highway across the mountains that cuts the old Nyingchi to Lhasa drive from two days to a single one. You arrive in Lhasa, the holy city, in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7Lhasa: Potala Palace, Yaowang Hill, Jokhang & Barkhor Street

Morning — Potala Palace and Yaowang Mountain

You start at the Yaowang Mountain viewing platform, the classic position opposite the Potala Palace, and then enter the palace itself: the courtyards, the audience halls, the golden burial chortens, the Buddhist frescoes and the thangka paintings. It was the residence of successive Dalai Lamas and the centre of Tibet's political and religious power, and the collection inside is a concentrated expression of Tibetan culture.

Afternoon — Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street

The Jokhang is the earliest Buddhist temple of the Tubo kingdom period and holds a life-size statue of the twelve-year-old Shakyamuni Buddha, brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. You then walk Barkhor Street with the pilgrims, who circle the temple clockwise, and the afternoon tea and coffee at the Potala Palace is included.

Practical Note

The Potala Palace closes on Mondays. Photography is prohibited inside many chapel interiors, and inside monasteries you should remove hats and sunglasses, not smoke, and not touch statues, scriptures, bells or drums.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8Lhasa to Yamdrok Lake, Rituo Monastery & Return

Morning — Lake Yamdrok

You drive out of Lhasa in the early morning for Yamdrok Lake, one of the three sacred lakes of Tibet and the highest freshwater lake in the world at 4,441 metres. It means Jade Lake in Tibetan. After the descent you get close to the water, where the deep blue merges with the snow peaks and the surrounding villages and grazing herds make a quiet pastoral scene.

Afternoon — Rituo Monastery

Rituo Monastery, the stone on the mountain, is the only building on its peninsula and has been held by a single practitioner for over 700 years. One lake, one monastery, one monk, one lifetime. It is usually described as the loneliest monastery in the world.

Return to Lhasa

You return to Lhasa the same evening.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9Lhasa to Xining by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway

You take the train at 08:00 from Lhasa. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway climbs over 5,000 metres and runs for most of the day beside the sources of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, with the snow of the Tanggula range alongside the track. Your accommodation is a soft sleeper in a four-berth compartment, which is the appropriate class at this altitude.

Guests Who Prefer to Fly

If you would rather not spend a full day on the train, you can be ticketed on the parallel flight from Lhasa to Xining. Tell us at booking and we will arrange it as an alternative.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10Xining to Chengdu & Departure

Morning — Arrival in Xining

The train reaches Xining at about 08:00. Xining is the capital of Qinghai Province and sits at 2,275 metres, so it is still high, though considerably lower than Lhasa. A private transfer takes you from the station to Xining Airport.

Midday — Onward to Chengdu

From Xining you fly to Chengdu, where you can connect with your international flight home the same evening, or stay in Chengdu as an extension. End your perfect Tibet journey here, or let us build the rest of your China trip around it.

Meals: Breakfast

Booking Price

Group Size Adult(Age:8-80) Price/p.p Child(Age:4-7) Price/p.p Infant(Age:0-3) Price/p.p
1 PAX from $2850 / /
2 PAX from $1782 / /
3 PAX from $1782 / /
4 PAX from $1782 / /
5 PAX from $1782 / /
6 PAX from $1782 / /
7 PAX from $1782 / /
8 PAX from $1782 / /
9 PAX from $1782 / /
10 PAX from $1782 / /
11 PAX from $1782 / /
12 PAX from $1782 / /
13 PAX from $1888 / /
14 PAX from $1853 / /
15 PAX from $1826 / /
16 PAX from $1799 / /

Includes

  • Tibet Travel Permit and all border permits required for the areas on the route, handled on your behalf

  • Private tour vehicle with an experienced local driver throughout, including fuel, tolls and mountain access fees

  • English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request), with the driver's and guide's accommodation and meals covered

  • All entrance fees for the sites listed in the daily itinerary, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them

  • Daily hotel breakfast as shown in the itinerary

  • Oxygen supply: a portable cylinder in the vehicle on high-altitude days, with in-room oxygen at the Everest Base Camp lodge

  • Welcome Tibetan dinner and Everest hot pot where listed, plus bottled water each day

  • Travel agency liability insurance, vehicle passenger insurance and travel accident insurance

  • Domestic connections listed in the itinerary (Chengdu-Nyingchi flight, Lhasa-Xining soft sleeper, Xining-Chengdu flight, and the Chengdu airport hotel night where shown)

Excludes

  • International air tickets to and from China, and any flights not listed in the itinerary

  • China visa and any visa or entry documentation fees

  • Lunches and dinners except where the itinerary states a meal is included

  • Tips for guides and drivers (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)

  • Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping and excess baggage

  • Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone

  • Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes

Trip Notes

Before booking, please read the entry and health notes below. Tibet is not like the rest of China: entry paperwork, altitude and the pace of travel all need planning, and some of it cannot be arranged at short notice.

Entry formalities. Every foreign visitor needs a Tibet Travel Permit (often called the TTP or 入藏证) in addition to a Chinese visa. Independent travel is not permitted: you must travel as part of an arranged group with a licensed Tibetan guide and a licensed vehicle with driver throughout. For areas beyond Lhasa prefecture — Shigatse, Everest Base Camp and the border counties among them — additional permits are required on top of the TTP. We handle the paperwork, but it takes time, so please book well ahead and send passport details early. Apply at least 15 to 30 working days in advance, and longer in peak season. The original permit must be carried with you throughout the trip: photocopies are not accepted, and it is checked at airports, railway stations, checkpoints, hotels and attraction entrances. The name, passport number, nationality, travel dates and permitted travel shown on the permit must match your actual information and itinerary. Permits are issued at the discretion of the authorities and can be withdrawn at short notice if policy changes.

China visa. You must hold a valid Chinese visa for the whole trip, including the domestic flights and trains used to enter and leave Tibet. In most cases this is an L tourist visa. If you hold another type of visa, tell us when you enquire, as additional supporting documents may be needed.

Altitude. Lhasa sits at 3,650 m and much of this programme runs higher. Acclimatisation days are built into the itinerary for a reason: guests who fly in and drive straight up do not enjoy the trip. Expect some breathlessness and disturbed sleep for the first day or two, drink more water than usual, avoid alcohol on the first nights and keep the first day gentle.

Health. Travellers over 60, and anyone with a heart or lung condition, high blood pressure, or who is pregnant, should consult a doctor before booking and bring a medical certificate. Please tell us about any relevant condition when you enquire. Oxygen is carried in the vehicle on all high-altitude days.

Pace and conditions. Road distances in Tibet are long and journey times depend on road works, weather and checkpoint queues, so treat all driving times as approximate. Accommodation outside Lhasa is simpler than in the big eastern cities, and hotels of the same standard are used where the ones shown are full; specific hotels cannot be guaranteed. Photography is prohibited inside many chapel interiors; your guide will tell you where.

Q: Do I need a Tibet Travel Permit, and do you arrange it?
A: Yes. Every overseas visitor needs a Tibet Travel Permit in addition to a Chinese visa, and for Shigatse, Everest Base Camp and the border counties further permits are required. We arrange them as part of the booking. You cannot apply for them yourself, and you cannot travel in Tibet independently, so please book early and send passport details as soon as you can.

Q: Is the Potala Palace open every day?
A: No. The Potala Palace closes on Mondays. If your programme falls on a Monday, the order of visits is rearranged so that no site is lost.

Q: What should I bring?
A: A valid passport and Chinese visa, your permit, warm layers including a down jacket, sun protection with high-factor sunscreen and sunglasses, a hat, comfortable walking shoes, a light rain jacket, and any regular medication. Lip balm and hand cream are useful, since the air is very dry.

Q: Can the itinerary be adjusted?
A: Yes. These programmes are built to be adjusted — a longer acclimatisation stay, a hotel category upgrade in Lhasa, or a different route out of Tibet. Tell us what you need when you enquire and we will price it.

Quick Inquiry Tailoring is available based on your requirements.
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