Essentials - 13 days

Days 1-2 Arrive Kunming

Beginning in Kunming, the city is at an altitude of 1890 m and with a temperate climate, known as the City of Perpetual Spring.

Tour the Old City, the Bird & Flower Market and the extraordinary Stone Forest.

Days 3-4 Lijiang

Continue to China’s rural, southwestern Yunnan Province. Spend 2 nights at the Banyan Tree Lijiang, a luxury resort in Lijiang - one of China’s best-preserved traditional towns, located in the foothills of the Himalayas. Tour the cultural and scenic highlights of the region: Visit minority villages, see ancient Buddhist frescoes, attend a Naxi musical concert, browse the shops and charming streetslining canals in town, and visit monasteries and beautiful parks at the base of the mountains.

Days 5-6 Shangri-La

A fantastic drive today, taking in the site where the Yangtze flows through the astounding Tiger Leaping Gorge, 3900 m deep. The road takes you on to Shangri La, at an altitude of 3300 m.

In Shangri-La, private day trip to Sungtzeling Monastery, a Tibetan village and the old quarter of Zhongdian.

Days 7-10 Lhasa

You fly to Lhasa. The rest of the day is at your leisureYou will be met on arrival in Lhasa and taken to your hotel. Lhasa is at 3500 m and you will be able to rest and further adjust to the altitude.

During your 4 days in Lhasa, with your expert guide and driver, explore Lhasa, the capital of Tibet and a city steeped in Buddhist spirituality and Tibetan traditions. Visit Lhasa’s most compelling sights, including Potala Palace, the fortress-like Buddhist complex that towers over the city. Tour the most interesting parts of the palace and monastery compound, which is the historic seat of the Dalai Lama. Also, visit ancient Jokhang Temple, the most sacred temple in Tibet and an important and lively pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists, who come to prostrate themselves, spin prayer wheels, and see a revered, life-size sculpture of the Buddha as a boy. If desired, also enjoy a private trek to the DrakYerpa caves.

Additional activities in and around Lhasa can be arranged according to your interests, such as private meditation sessions, visits to homes, guided hikes, visits to important monasteries outside Lhasa, and more.

Days 11-12 Chengdu

Flight to Chengdu and Private transfer to your hotel for a 2 night stay.

Endowed with highly fertile land, Chengdu’s nickname is “China’s breadbasket”. You will stroll in People’ Park and watch countless Tea Houses and observe local people’s customs and life. Tonight you will enjoy the famous and colourful Sichuan Opera with unique “changing faces”, experience one of the most unique and special moments on this trip – a visit to see the pandas

Day 13 Depart Chengdu

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.