The Lhasa Express - 12 days from £2449

Accommodation

Accommodation on the train is in 4-berth cabins which convert into your sleeping quarters.

Please note: Due to restricted luggage compartment space on some of the trains, one soft bag per person is suggested.

Customers should be aware that heavy or large suitcases are not advised. There are occasions where cases need to be pulled or lifted for some distance to the coaches, which in Xining and Xian cannot get close to the railway station.

Beijing - Qianmen Hotel or similar (3/4-star)
2 nights. Located close to Tiananmen Square, this hotel offers good accommodation. Features include a choice of restaurants and a well-being centre. Rooms have private facilities, airconditioning, fridge and TV.

Lhasa - Thangka Hotel or similar (4-star)
4 nights. A well located, spacious hotel. The hotel offers a choice of dining options with musical accompaniment most evenings. Room features provate facilities, air-conditioning and TV.

Xian - King Dynasty Hotel or similar (4-star)
1 night. A large hotel with excellent facilities. There is a choice of restaurants, an indoor swimming pool and health club. Rooms have private facilities, air-conditioning and tea/coffeemaking facilities.

Please note: Details of your confirmed hotels will be advised in your final documentation, which will arrive approximately two weeks before departure.

Please note: During this tour you will travel to altitudes of almost 17,000 feet, which should not cause a problem. During the train journey you will travel in pressurised compartments and oxygen is available if necessary. If you suffer from heart or respiratory conditions or have any other concerns please consult your doctor.

Itinerary

Days 1 - 2: UK/Beijing

After your overnight flight, arrive in Beijing, China’s most amazing capital city. Make use of the facilities at your hotel, which include a sports centre and beauty salon, or take a stroll in the surrounding area.

Meals: dinner on day 2

Day 3: Beijing

From Tiananmen Square, delve into the historic sights of this fascinating city. This is the largest public square in the world and it leads into the Forbidden City, the ancient palace at the centre of modern Beijing. In contrast, Beijing’s modern side is equally impressive. The iconic Olympic buildings built for the 2008 Olympics include the National Aquatics Centre and the Bird’s Nest Stadium, they demonstrate Beijing’s ability to combine the old with the ultra-modern effortlessly. Dinner this evening includes the famous dish Peking duck.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 4: Lhasa

Your journey today takes you across China to Tibet as you fly to Lhasa, where you will stay for the next four nights. Relax and take time to acclimatise to the high altitudes you will experience during your stay in Lhasa.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 5: Lhasa

Pilgrims travel from all over Tibet to come to worship at the Jokhang Temple, literally the ‘House of Buddha’. and Tibet’s most famous shrine. The temple is located in the heart of Lhasa close to the bustling Barkhor Market, a great place to watch the locals’ daily comings and goings and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the real Lhasa.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 6: Lhasa

To the north of Lhasa lies the impressive Sera Monastery, another of Lhasa’s celebrated holy places. Colourful decoration and statues adorn its halls and you will discover delights at every turn as you explore it. Even more impressive architecture awaits at Norbulingka. This palace and its surrounding park was used as the summer residence of the Dalai Lama from the late 18th century to the 1950s and is a treasure-trove of buildings and sculptures commissioned by the various Lamas.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 7: Lhasa

Of all the architecture you will have seen during your explorations of Tibet, what you are going to see today will outshine them all. The Potala Palace perches high up on the summit of Marpo Ri Hill, otherwise known as Red Mountain, in the heart of the Lhasa Valley. It was the winter residence of the Dalai Lama for centuries and its striking White and Red Palaces command attention from all who gaze upon them.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 8: Rooftop of the World train

If you enjoyed the feeling of being up in the clouds at the Potala Palace, then you’re going to enjoy today’s spectacular overnight journey even more aboard the high-altitude Rooftop of the World train, or Lhasa Express, to Xining. This recently completed railway line is the first to link Tibet with the rest of China and is a magnificent feat of engineering. You will travel about 750 miles, reaching an altitude of almost 17,000 feet as you cross the Tangula Pass. You will sleep overnight on the train in a four-berth cabin.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 9: Xining

After arriving into this vast city in the morning and enjoying lunch in a local restaurant, you’ll head out to the Kumbum Monastery. This vast monastery added to over the centuries began with one simple, single building which still stands today. Still an important religious site Kumbum is home to some 400 Buddhist monks. Later, sit back and relax as you board the overnight train for the next stage of your journey to Xian.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 10: Xian

Xian was once the flourishing capital of China and the most important city in Asia. However, in more recent times Xian has become better known for the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors. The first Qin emperor was interred here in 200 BC along with at least 6,000 life-size terracotta figures representing the individuals of the Imperial Guard. You’re sure to agree that this is quite simply one of the world’s most remarkable sights. Reflect on all you’ve seen with a Tang Dynasty show and dinner in a local restaurant this evening.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 11: Xian & Beijing

Discover the sights of Xian this morning, including the old city walls, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Bell Tower before flying to Beijing for your final night’s stay.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 12: Beijing/UK

Your adventure comes to an end today as you head to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Meals: Breakfast