8 Days Best Shanghai Tibet Adventure Tour by Flight

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Shanghai (No Meal)

   Welcome to one of the most prosperous metropolises in China - Shanghai! After arrival, your driver will pick you up and escort you to a hotel in the city center to check in (usually after 2pm). For the rest of the day, you can explore the Magic City of Shanghai by yourself, from the skyline to the intricate alleys, or taste famous local snacks such as Xiaolongbao. (There is no tour guide service today)

   Accommodation: Overnight in Shanghai

2. Day 2: Shanghai City Sightseeing
   Explore This Modern Metropolis and Its Past

   At 8:30 in the morning, our English-speaking tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to visit Yuyuan Garden, which was first built during the Ming Dynasty over 450 years ago. It’s the top traditional garden in Shanghai and was once a private retreat. The garden reflects the elegant style of southern China, with lovely pavilions, ancient trees, and stone bridges. Inside, you’ll also find old furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties, famous artworks, and fine clay and brick carvings. A 5-minute walk takes you to Yuyuan Market, where you can enjoy local snacks and explore small shops.

   After that, move on your visit to Shanghai Museum. This museum houses a huge number of ancient Chinese treasures, things like pottery, bronze items, old writing, traditional clothing, coins, jade pieces... The building has four floors filled with history. With more than a million items in its collection, it’s one of the best places in the world to glimpse Chinese culture. After learning about the past, take a walk around People’s Square to see how local people live today. One interesting spot here is the “match-making corner,” where parents gather to help find future husbands or wives for their children.

   In the afternoon, walk through the Former French Concession. From 1849 to 1943, this area was under French control and was once the largest and most active French zone in China. As you stroll along the streets lined with tall trees and old European buildings, your guide will share stories from its past. Next, go to visit the earliest shopping street in Shanghai - Nanjing Road. Your guide will show you Shanghai’s four famous old stores here.

   Last, enjoy your sightseeing in one of the landmarks of Shanghai - the Bund. In the late Qing Dynasty, the area turned into a British settlement and later developed into Shanghai’s main financial center. It’s a nice spot to take photos of the beautiful city view.

   Don’t miss the Huangpu River Cruise when visiting Shanghai! This river divides the city into Pudong and Puxi. On the cruise ship, you’ll enjoy amazing views of the city’s tall buildings and see both old and new sides of Shanghai.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Shanghai

   

3. Day 3: Shanghai to Lhasa by Flight

   Today, the driver in Shanghai will send you to the airport at the agreed time and take a flight to Lhasa (the total duration is about 7 hours, with a possible stopover in a certain city). After arrival, the Lhasa local driver will pick you up with a welcome sign and escort you to a hotel in the city center for check-in. You are advised to have a good rest in the hotel and acclimatize to the high altitude for the remaining time (Lhasa is about 3,650 meters above sea level).

   Tips:

   • Once you arrive, rest well and don’t move around too much. This helps your body get used to the high altitude.
   • Avoid taking a shower to avoid catching a cold.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

4. Day 4: Muse-sees in Lhasa
   Visit Spiritual Center from Potala Palace to Jokhang Temple

   The Potala Palace is a must-see when visiting Tibet. Today, you’ll be led up to this famous site first, sitting high at over 3,700 meters in Lhasa. The palace is made up of two main sections: the White Palace and the Red Palace. The Dalai Lamas (one of the two leaders of Tibetan Buddhism) used to live and work in the White Palace, while the Red Palace is mainly a place where Buddha and gods are worshipped and religious ceremonies are held. In the Red one, you can also see a large number of precious craft treasures, such as the seals of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, intricately carved antiques, rare cultural classics, as well as various Buddha statues, thangkas, ritual vessels, etc. Then, lunch is on your own.

   In the afternoon, continue to explore the holy Jokhang Temple - it's more than 1300 years old! This amazing place combines building styles from Tibet, China's Tang Dynasty, Nepal, and India. It shows the best of Tibetan religious architecture. Inside, you'll see many beautiful statues, colorful wall paintings, and butter lamps glowing softly. Most areas don't allow photos.

   Just step outside the Jokhang Temple, and your guide will lead you through the busy crowds on Barkhor Street. This ancient road is packed with local worshippers and visitors. You'll get to see real Tibetan daily life and religious practices here. Feel free to wander around and check out the shops as you like.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

   

5. Day 5: Temple Visit in Lhasa
   Visit the Most Famous Temples of Lhasa, Witness Monks Debating

   After breakfast, the guide will take you to visit other famous temples in Lhasa. Drepung Monastery, one of the six major Gelugpa temples, had over 10000 monks before and was the largest temple in Tibetan Buddhism. It is known as one of the three major monasteries in Lhasa, along with Sera Monastery (our next stop) and Ganden Monastery. Drepung Monastery is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a slow slope to the south covered in trees and shrubs. It faces the Lhasa River and open plains in front. The entire temple is built according to the mountain terrain, with Buddhist halls, scripture halls, and monk houses arranged in a staggered and grand manner. Here you can see many precious collections - historical porcelain, hundreds of thangka paintings, 1.29-meter-high Manjusri bronze mirror, as well as ancient weapons and armors.

   Afterward, we drive for about 20 minutes to reach Sera Monastery, which is the latest among the three major monasteries in Lhasa. Located at the foot of the Mt. Selawuzi, surrounded by willow forests, this place has been a place for eminent monks to preach since ancient times. At its peak, there were over 8000 monks in the temple, slightly smaller in scale than the Drepung Monastery. The temple holds tens of thousands of Vajra statues, mostly made locally in Tibet, and many brought by India. One highlight here is the scene of monks debating scriptures, which usually takes place between 3 pm and 5 pm. This is a unique way of learning and communication among monks.

   Finally, we will visit a local Tibetan family to learn about their daily life and Tibetan customs.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

   

6. Day 6: Drive from Lhasa to Shigatse via Gyantse
   Enjoy the Beauty of Plateau Lakes, Marvel at One Hundred Thousand Buddha Pagoda

   We need to wake up early today and depart from Lhasa around 8 o'clock. Drive southwest along National Highway 318 for 2 hours to reach the first attraction today - Yamdrok Lake. This jade lake with an altitude of 4441 meters is like a silk ribbon wrapped around the mountains, mysterious and beautiful. Based on the actual situation, we may stop at the observation deck of Ganbala Pass for 30 minutes to take a panoramic view of this holy lake. Here, you can enjoy plateau lakes, pastures, snow peaks, wildlife and plants, and more. At the lakeside, you can rent a yak for photography and cycling experiences (at an additional cost).

   Continue driving for 2 hours across the Karola Glacier (altitude 5020 meters). This is the filming location for the famous movie Red River Valley. Unlike other glaciers, its ice tongue extends straight to the edge of the road, with the closest point being only 300 meters away from the road.

   Afterward, we will pass through Gyantse County, where your guide will lead you to visit Pelkor Chode Monastery, which is surrounded by water on all sides and has an altitude of 3900 meters. Completed after 10 years, it is a typical Tibetan Buddhist temple building that combines towers and temples. The "One Hundred Thousand Buddha Pagoda", aka Kumbum Stupa, integrates the essence of the three major sects of Tibetan Buddhism and is the highlight here. The tower has nine floors, reaching a height of 42.2 meters, with 76 Buddhist halls and over 100000 Buddha statues, hence its name.

   In the evening, you will travel westward along the Yarlung Tsangpo River and finally arrive at the urban area of Shigatse. Your tour guide will help you check in. Rest well.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Shigatse

   

7. Day 7: Shigatse Back to Lhasa
   Appreciate the Statues Adorned with Colorful Jewels

   After breakfast at the hotel, follow the guide to the largest temple in Shigatse - Tashilhunpo Monastery, located at the foot of the mountain and known as one of the "Four Great Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist Temples" along with Ganden Monastery, Sera Monastery, and Drepung Monastery. The entire temple covers an area of 150000 square meters, built along the mountain terrain, with 57 monk houses and a total of 3600 halls, arranged in rows. The Great Scripture Hall is one of the earliest buildings here and is the main place for monks to meditate and recite scriptures. Visiting different halls, you can see statues of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and other deities adorned with colorful jewels.

   After lunch, we drive for about 5 hours back to Lhasa. After arrival, rest at the hotel. At night, you can witness the beautiful night view of the Potala Palace on your own.

   Accommodation: Overnight in Lhasa

   

8. Day 8: Lhasa Departure

   You have free time before your scheduled pick-up. When it’s time to leave, your driver will meet you in the hotel lobby and send you to the airport in Lhasa. That will be the end of your 8-day Shanghai to Tibet tour.

   Accommodation: N/A