8 Days Classic Shanghai and Lhasa Tour by Train

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Shanghai Arrival

   Welcome to Shanghai, one of China’s most developed cities! After you arrive, a local driver will take you to your hotel downtown and help you check in (usually after 2:00 pm). The rest of the day is free for you to discover the city on your own. You can walk around and see tall buildings, explore small streets, or try popular Shanghai snacks. (No guide will be with you today.)

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

2. Day 2: Shanghai City Sightseeing
   Immerse in Shanghai's Cultural Gems and Skyline Thrills

   Today, you'll visit some best attractions in Shanghai. First, take a guided tour of the Shanghai Museum, located in People's Square. This 4-storey museum has many things to see - like ceramics, sculptures, bronze, oracle bones, jade, calligraphy and painting, weaving and embroidery, lacquerware, and ethnic minority cultural relics. It’s a great stop if you’re interested in Chinese art and history.

   Next, go to visit Yuyuan Garden. Built more than 450 years ago during the Ming Dynasty, it used to be a private place to relax. It shows the garden design style of Jiangnan (regions south of the Yangtze River), with exquisite buildings and stone bridges. Inside, you can also see furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties, celebrity artwork, and detailed clay decorations. After that, just a 10-minute walk brings you to Yuyuan Bazaar, where you can try local representative food and look around fun souvenir shops.

   In the afternoon, your guide will take you to Jinmao Tower, one of Shanghai's tallest buildings, at a height of 420.5 meters, with 88 floors. At the top, you can walk the glass skyway, overlooking the city and seeing the Huangpu River. As the night falls, stroll along the Bund and capture the views of the shining lights from the skyscrapers across the river. A cruise on the Huangpu River (optional, at your own expense) will give you a special view of Shanghai’s modern life.

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

   

3. Day 3: Shanghai Water Town, Train to Lhasa
   Step back 1,700 Years in Zhujiajiao's Canal-laced Alleys

   Today, you’ll take it easy and visit Zhujiajiao Water Town, a famous old town not far from Shanghai (about 1.5-hour drive).

   With more than 1,700 years of history, Zhujiajiao is often called the “Venice of Shanghai.” When you walk along its old stone streets, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The town is full of arched stone bridges and traditional houses with white walls and grey roofs by the water. Kezhi Garden is a must-see here. This place took 15 years to finish and mixes Chinese and Western building styles. You’ll see its special features, like glass-roofed flower halls and walls shaped like horse heads.

   If you’d like, you can hop on a small boat to enjoy the peaceful river views. Just ask your guide if you’re interested (optional and at your own cost).

   After having a short break at your hotel in the afternoon, you’ll be sent to Shanghai Railway Station. There, get on the overnight train to Lhasa. The train Z164 leaves around 18:33 and will reach Lhasa at 15:30 on the third day. The full trip takes about 45 hours.

   Accommodation: on the Train

   

4. Day 4: Scenery on the Way
   Capture Tibet's Landscapes Outside Your Window

   Enjoy beautiful views from your window all day along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. You'll see snowy lands, wide grasslands, big deserts, and clear lakes.

   Accommodation: on the Train

5. Day 5: Arrive in Lhasa

   When you get to Lhasa in the late afternoon, the local guide will pick you up at the Lhasa Train Station. He/she will escort you to your hotel for a good rest. This helps your body to be acclimatized to the height (the average altitude of Lhasa is 3650 meters).

   Health Tips:

   • After you get there, avoid heavy activity so you can get used to the thin air.
   • Do not take a shower today so you don’t catch a cold.
   • Drink plenty of water and get enough sleep, and you will feel better.

   Accommodation: in Lhasa

6. Day 6: Lhasa Highlights Exploration
   Scale Potala Palace's Spiritual Heights, Do Kora on Barkhor Street

   After finishing your breakfast at the hotel in the morning, the tour guide will come to the lobby to pick you up. The first place to go today is the Potala Palace, which is the most essence part of any Tibet trip. The palace is very high, sitting at over 3,700 meters above sea level. You will be guided to visit the White House and the Red Palace, and see many beautiful things: thangkas, paintings on the walls, Buddha statues, and other Buddhist artworks. The guide will tell you about the history of this palace and the knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism.

   The next stop is the sacred Jokhang Temple. Inside, you will see a famous Buddha statue of Shakyamuni, in his 12-year-old appearance. This special statue has a history of over 1300 years here, and now very important to Tibetan Buddhists. Every day, endless people come to pray.

   After leaving the temple, the guide takes you to Barkhor Street, surrounding the Jokhang Temple. This busy area is crowded with pilgrims and tourists. You can buy many beautiful things here, such as handicrafts, Tibetan tea, prayer wheels, etc. You can also join locals do kora (a religious circle).

   Finally, you will be sent back to the hotel to rest.

   Accommodation: in Lhasa

   

7. Day 7: Monasteries in Lhasa
   From Drepung's Rice-piled Holiness to Sera's Fiery Debates

   After breakfast, we drive to two of the most popular temples in Lhasa. Drepung Monastery is one of the top six monasteries of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) tradition in Tibet, and it's also one of the three most famous monasteries in Lhasa, along with Sera and Ganden. Drepung sits on the southern side of a mountain, about 10 kilometers from the western outskirts of Lhasa. The white buildings are neatly arranged along the mountainside, looking like a giant pile of rice. That’s why it’s called “Drepung,” which means “piled rice” in Tibetan - a symbol of abundance and prosperity.

   Your Tibet tour will end with a visit to Sera Monastery, one of the three main monasteries in Lhasa (as mentioned above). This place is famous for its lively scripture debates, which are a special way for monks learning and practicing. Inside the monastery, you’ll also see old wall paintings and thousands of Vajra statues — some made in Tibet, and others brought from India long ago.

   After the visit, drive you for 20 minutes back to Lhasa city center. At night, you can go on your own to capture the night view of the Potala Palace (no tour guide).

   Accommodation: in Lhasa

   

8. Day 8: Departure from Lhasa

   Before you leave, ask your tour guide to confirm your flight or train schedule. After breakfast, your guide and driver will escort you to the airport or train station. This marks the end of your 8-day Shanghai Lhasa tour by train.

   Accommodation: N/A