Shanghai-Yangtze Cruise-Chengdu-Tibet-Nepal Tour Itinerary 21 Days

Day 1

Place & Transport: Arrive in Shanghai
Meals: /
Detailed Itinerary: Upon arrival, be picked up and transfer to the hotel. Later, go and visit The Bund that is home to a myriad of European-styled buildings that face the Huangpu River. The Bund has been seen as the embodiment of Shanghai for a long time. Nanjing Road, Shanghai's main shopping street is known as "the No.1 commercial street of China", also one of the most prosperous streets in Asia.

Day 2

Place & Transport: Shanghai Sightseeing
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today we are visiting the biggest museum in China, Shanghai Museum. This museum is especially famous for its treasures of bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy. Yuyuan Garden is our next stop. This is a traditional Chinese park decorated by beautiful pavilions, miniature lakes, bridges and rock formations. Last but not least is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. This TV Tower is standing by the Huangpu River with a height of 468 meters, ranking the highest TV Tower in Asia. This site is now regarded as the symbol of modern Shanghai.

Day 3

Place & Transport: Shanghai to Yichang
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: This morning, you will be sightseeing on your own. In the afternoon, we are going to take flight from Shanghai to Yichang where the upstream Yangtze Cruise starts. In the evening, embark the ship to get the Yangtze Cruise started.

Day 4

Place & Transport: Yangtze Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: In the morning, we are visiting the Three Gorges Dam site. The Three Gorges Dam is the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken by man and it has been a dream for several generations of Chinese people. Then, we will sail through the Xiling Gorge, one of the three gorges.

Day 5

Place & Transport: Yangtze Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today, we will have a little excursion to the Daning River Small Gorges or Shennong Stream, Pass through Wu/Qutang Gorge.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Yangtze Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today, have a shore excursion to Fengdu or Shibaozhai.

Day 7

Place & Transport: arrive Chongqing and transfer to Chengdu
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: In the morning, disembark in Chongqing and then take the train to Chengdu. Upon arrival in Chengdu, be picked up from the railway station to hotel.

Day 8

Place & Transport: Chengdu to Mt. Emei
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today, we will drive out Chengdu to Leshan City south of Chengdu to visit the Giant Buddha. The Giant Buddha is located on the Lingyun Mountain where Min River, Qingyi River and Dadu River meet. It has been the largest stone carved sitting Buddha statue in the world so far. We stay overnight at Emei.

Day 9

Place & Transport: Mt. Emei to Chengdu
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Mt. Emei is one of the most famous mountains for Buddhism in China. It has many temples and beautiful scenery. Baoguo Temple lies right at the foot of Mt. Emei. We may visit the Monastery of Ten Thousand Years, The Brick Hall, etc. After all that, we will head back to Chengdu.

Day 10

Place & Transport: Chengdu Sightseeing
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today we are going to visit the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center which locates at the Axe Hill 10 kilometers from the north suburb of Chengdu. The environment there is exquisitely designed; the air is refreshing with the bamboo growing luxuriantly and flocks of wild birds flying around. In the afternoon, you are on your own to stroll around the city. You might go to visit the Jinli Lane, south of Chengdu, a very exotic place to relax.

Day 11

Place & Transport: Chengdu to Lhasa
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Fly to Lhasa, Tibet. Upon your arrival, local guide will meet you and transfer you to Lhasa. On the way, you can enjoy the heart-beating highland view along the Lhasa River. The rest time is free for relax and adjustment.

Day 12

Place & Transport: Lhasa Sightseeing
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today, our highlights are Potala Palace and Jokhang temple. The cardinal landmark of Lhasa, Potala Palace, is a structure of massive portions. Its towering image already appearing on various occasions, but your first sight of the Potala will still be an awe-inspiring moment. Potala Palace is a place where you can appreciate the Tibetan culture, religion and art of architecture as well. Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Every day, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple to pray for their now and future. The temple is the product of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Around the temple is the Barkhor Street, the oldest street in a very traditional city in Tibet. We can have a visit after the Jokhang visit. Out there, we can visit a handcraft product store.

Day 13

Place & Transport: Lhasa Sightseeing
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today's highlights are Norbulingka and Sera monastery. Norbulingka used to be the Summer Palace for the Dalai Lamas where they handled political affairs, and practiced religious activities. The whole park has more than 370 rooms of different sizes, and lawns, shaded by green trees and embrided by various flowers. With the clear water, and the flowers and trees around, it is known as the "park within the park"
Sera monastery is one of the greatest Gelugpa monasteries. Around 5km north of central Lhasa, It was founded in 1419 by Jamchen Choje, one of the eight disciples of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelugpa Sect, covering an area of 114,964 square metres. The structure is imposing, picturesque in disorder, and splendid in green and gold. It is a typical Tibetan architecture. The 'Buddhism Scriptures Debating' in Sera is very famous.

Day 14

Place & Transport: Lhasa to Shigatse
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today we will drive to Shigatse. Make a tour to Yamdroktso Lake on the way. Yamdroktso Lake is a coiling, many-armed body of water shaped like a scorpion. It doubles back on itself on the western side, effectively creating a large island within its reaches. For Tibetans, it is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Also, we will go for the tour of Palkhor monastery, built in the 15th century, is situated in the west of Gyantse Town with mountains enclosing form three sides of the east, west and north. Its uniqueness is that its three sects of Buddism-Shaja, Ningma and Guolu stayed harmoniously under one roof. We will stay in Shigatse tonight.

Day 15

Place & Transport: Shigatse to Shegar
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: After today's visits to Tashilumpo monastery and the local free market in Shigatse, we are heading to the town of Shegar, we might call it the gateway to Mt. Everest area. On the way, you are going to pass two high mountains named Gyula and Gyatsola.

Day 16

Place & Transport: Shegar to Mt. Everest Base Camp to Rongbuk
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today we drive southward to the highest monastery of the world, the Rongbuk monastery. We are getting closer to Mt. Everest from now on. Heading up the Mt. Everest Base Camp, you will have a comparative close view of the highest mountain in world. Overnight in Rongbuk guesthouse.

Day 17

Place & Transport: Rongbuk to Zhangmu
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Today, we could be appreciating the morning scenery out there at Rongbuk. After then, we will drive towards the border town of Zhangmu. On the way, pay a short visit to the Milarepa cave. This day can be a comparatively long ride.

Day 18

Place & Transport: Zhangmu/Katmandu
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Drive to Kodari (Friendship Bridge) and go through the China customers. Our guide and driver will see you off at the Kodari of the China side. And the Nepal tour operator will pick you up from their side to continue the journey to Katmandu.

Day 19

Place & Transport: Katmandu Sightseeing
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Morning sightseeing tour of Bungamati Village and Patan Durbar Square
Afternoon sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath Stupa

Day 20

Place & Transport: Katmandu Sightseeing
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Morning sightseeing tour of ChanguNarayan and Bhaktapur
Afternoon sightseeing tour of Pashupatinath and Boudhanath

Day 21

Place & Transport: Departure
Meals: B,L,D
Detailed Itinerary: Transfer to International Airport for the flight to next destination.