• Tour Code: CPT-XZ-9
• Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
• Destinations: Lhasa, Xining
  
• Tour Price: from USD2239 (Tourist Class, per person rate, 2-5 persons' group)
• Meals(B/L/D): Specified in the program
• Guide: English Speaking
• Departure Dates: You Choose!
• Highlights: Qinghai Lake,Taersi Monastery,Sun and Moon Mountain,Yambajan hot spring,Potala Palace,Jokhang Temple,Barkhor Street.

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrive in Xining (-/-/D)
Met and transferred to your hotel for a short break. Pay a visit to Taersi Monastery. Taersi Monastery is named from the Great Temple of Golden Tile, one dedicated to Zongkaba. The temple is actually comprised of several temples, halls for scripture, Buddhist pagodas and monks' dormitory, and incorporates both Tibetan and Han architectural styles.
Accommodation: Xining Hotel or similar.

Day 2. Xining - Chaka (320km, 5-6 hours drive) (B/L/D)
After breakfast, drive to the Qinghai Lake, along the way passing the strategic passage of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau--Yuanhuang valley, crossing the delimitation of Loess plateau and Qinghai-Tibet plateau Sun & Moon Mountain (With an altitude of 3520 meters, it is the exact route taken by Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo in Tang dynasty when they married , since when numerous passersby would go there and trace the way.) Also, you can see Daotang River, the only one river in the world flowing to the west instead of east direction, and Qinghai Lake , the biggest and finest lake in China.(Acclaimed as the first drop of tears on the Earth, it is Chinas biggest inland saltwater lake. With blue water melted into the sky, ripples stretching far across the lake, snow-capped mount in the distance, green grasslands under foot, a grand spectacle is formed. Next stop is the Chaka Salt Lake. (Noted for its natural crystal salt, the lake is extracted as far back to 1763A.D and has a history of over 230 years so far)
Accommodation: Chaka Hotel or similar.

Day 3. Chaka - Golumd (480km, 7-8 hours driving) (B/L/D)
After breakfast, take a bus ride to Golumd, see Gobi sight, oasis in the desert, and so called Treasure bowl, also one of the four basins in China Qaidam basin on the way, arrive in the pearl of Gobi Golumd at night.
Accommodation: Golumd Hotel or similar.

Day 4. Golumd - Kunlun Mount - Tuotuo River (470 km, 7-8 hours driving) (B/L/D)
After breakfast, begins our tour to the mouth of Mt Kunlun along the highest altitude road in the world. (The mountain has a steep terrain, a unique ecological environment and a magnificent natural scene. Here you can also see numerous hills rising one upon another, snowy peaks towering into the sky, and a vast expanse of grassland. It is also renowned as the ancestor of all mountains and the backbone of Chinese nation. The rift zone caused by the 8.2 level earthquake happened in 2001 is also accessible.). You will pay a visit to magic spring of Kunlun, jade pearl peak, statue forest, mouth of Kunlun Mount, overlooking Kekexili. ( Appreciating its graceful and elegant beauty, you can be enchanted by scenes like snow mount, plateau, grassland and lake. ). Accompanying by afterglow of the setting sun, you are expected to cross the first bridge on the Yangtze river.( The river, quite wide, is not only the source of Yangtze River, but also the Yellow river and Lancang river. Since it is the main source of the three world-famous rivers, Qinghai province gains the reputation as Asia water tower.
Accommodation: Tuotuo Hotel or similar.

Day 5. Tuotuo River - Tanggula Mount - Nakqu - Damxung (580km,7-8 hours driving) (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Yanshiping stop and never-froze spring, crossing the mouth of Mt Tanggula (The dividing ridge of Qinghai and Tibet, it proves itself as the mount in the plateau with icy peaks and snow ridges surrounded ). You can take a look into the distant source of the Yangtze River (Jianggendiru glacier, on the southwest of Geladandoong Icy peak, the main peak of Tanggula Mount. The ice tower forest here has thousands of shapes, just like a slim and graceful lady standing in Crystal Palace, overshadowing grand buildings far away. The melting water from glacier flows down merrily, thereby making it the source of the first river of the Yangtze river (Tuotuo river), and Geladandong Snow mount (With a height of 6621meters,it is the source of the Yangtze river; The dazzling and various postures icy tower forest is undoubtedly the ice engraving built by the nature in thousand years, which is the art work of the creator and has no equal in the world).
Accommodation: Damxung Hotel or similar.

Day 6. Damxung - Namtso - Yambajan hot spring - Lhasa (200km, 5-6 hours driving) (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you will go to the roof of the world feeling magnificent view in the third pole of the world and changeable plateau climate, also the natural Namtso Lake located between Damxung and Baingoin counties.(As the highest altitude holy lake in the world, it oversees the lakeside, where blue water and sky blend into one harmonious whole. Islands in Namtso scatter all over like stars in the sky. Odd-shaped rocks in Zhaxi Island, southern lake, and caves with numerous legends combine to make many unique types of scenery. Then you will be transferred to Yambajan hot spring. Incessant Tanggula snow mount, boundless stretch of north Tibet grassland, colorful flags waving in the air, graceful Namtso are elements that make the breathtaking view. On the way you can also overlook the main peak of Tanggula mount, which has an altitude of 7717 meters, cross the mouth of Nagenla mount, 5190 meters altitude. In addition, enjoy yourself in hot spring of Yambajan.( Fyi, outdoor hot spring fee is RMB40/person or RMB60/person inside. Please bring your own swimsuit since its quite expensive buying there.), along the Lhasa river comes the sunlight city Lhasa.
Accommodation: Tibet Hotel or similar.

Day 7. Potala Palace - Jokhang Temple - Barkhor Street (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you are on the way to the pearl of world roof-Potala Palace. Also you will visit the Jokhang Temple, posing as an absolute power in Tibetan Buddhism. Then you are free to wander around the oldest street-- Barkhor Street.
Accommodation: Tibet Hotel or similar.

Day 8. Depart Lhasa (B/-/-)
After breakfast at your hotel, the perfect Qinghai-Tibet bus tour ends.

Tour End

Price of this tour($)

2010 Prices (Valid from Jan. 1st, 2010 to Dec. 31th, 2010)

Pax No.	Price(per person)	Book
1	USD3784 /per person
2-5	USD2239 /per person
6-9	USD1494 /per person

* Prices are in US dollars, for one person. Prices are for references only and may vary according to your travel time.

* Our tour prices are inclusive of accommodation in twin shared room, meals as specified in the program (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner), transfers and tours with English speaking local guides, all entrance fees, train fares, room taxes and baggage handling.

* Better discounts are available when traveling in low season (from November to March) or when traveling in a large group. Please Contact Us for more details.

* Note: Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.