Search

Tibet Travel (Tibet Vista) · Private escorted tour

13 Days Beijing Xining Lhasa Everest Base Camp Tour by Scenic Tibet Train

Beijing imperial sites, Qinghai-Tibet Railway sleeper, Lhasa temples, Everest Base Camp

Illustration of 13 Days Beijing Xining Lhasa Everest Base Camp Tour by Scenic Tibet Train

Tibet Travel operates a 13-day private escorted tour combining Beijing's imperial heritage with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and Everest Base Camp. You begin in Beijing with three days exploring the Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. On Day 4 you fly to Xining, home to the legendary Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Day 5 includes a day trip to Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake, before you board the overnight sleeper train to Lhasa. Day 6 is spent riding the plateau crossing; on arrival, you acclimatize in Lhasa. Days 7 and 8 feature temples and monasteries, including Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung, and Sera. From Day 9 onward, you travel overland via Shigatse to Everest Base Camp, where you overnight at 5,010 meters, then return to Lhasa via Sakya. A personal English-speaking Tibetan guide and private driver accompany you throughout, arranging all permits, meals, accommodation (choose from four tiers), and transport. The operator accepts year-round departures.

What to know before you look closer

  • The from-price is not stated in the operator's materials; request a quote from Tibet Travel for your travel dates and accommodation class preference.
  • Accommodation is on a tiered-choice basis: you select from luxury 5-star, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse options, and the final hotel depends on your selection and city.
  • Day 10 overnight at Everest Base Camp is in a tent or nearby village guesthouse depending on the season; confirm accommodation specifics before booking.
  • Chinese visa and international flights to and from China are not included; an international flight is required to reach Beijing.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Beijing

    Arrive in Beijing

    Airport transfer to the hotel in downtown Beijing; free time.

  2. Day 2overnight: Beijing

    Beijing Tour - Badaling Great Wall and Ming Tomb

    Hike the Badaling Great Wall, lunch with the group, then visit the Ming Tomb of Emperor Shenzong.

  3. Day 3overnight: Beijing

    Beijing Tour - Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace

    Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City; Beijing Roast Duck lunch; Summer Palace in the afternoon.

  4. Day 4overnight: Xining

    Fly to Xining

    Flight from Beijing to Xining and transfer to the hotel.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Train

    Qinghai Lake Day Tour and Take overnight Train to Lhasa

    Day trip to Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake, including Bird Island; return to Xining and board the overnight train to Lhasa.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Lhasa

    Enjoy the Train Ride and Arrive in Lhasa

    Scenic day on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway across the plateau; met at Lhasa Railway Station and transferred to the hotel to acclimatize.

  7. Day 7overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa Tour - Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street

    Potala Palace in the morning; Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Kora in the afternoon.

  8. Day 8overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa Tour - Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery

    Drepung Monastery in the morning; Sera Monastery and the monk debate in the afternoon.

  9. Day 9overnight: Shigatse

    Lhasa-Gyantse-Shigatse 360km

    Drive over Gampala Pass to Yamdrok Lake, past the Korola Glacier and Simila Mountain Pass, via Gyantse to Shigatse.

  10. Day 10overnight: Everest Base Camp (tent, or nearby village in winter)

    Shigatse (3,850m) to Everest Base Camp (5,000m)

    Drive via Gyatsola Pass and Gawula Pass to the Everest Base Camp zigzag road, with an overnight beneath Mount Everest.

  11. Day 11overnight: Shigatse

    EBC to Sakya via Dinggye and Return to Shigatse

    Visit Rongbuk Monastery, return via the Dinggye Xilin Viewpoint (views of Everest and Mt Lhotse) and Sakya's Saga Ancient Town, with a Tibetan song-and-dance dinner in Shigatse.

  12. Day 12overnight: Lhasa

    Shigatse to Lhasa via Nyemo

    Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, seat of the Panchen Lama, then drive back to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo River; free time on Barkhor Street.

  13. Day 13railovernight: Tour ends

    Departure from Lhasa

    Transfer to the airport or Lhasa Railway Station for departure.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Hike the Badaling Great Wall near Beijing, then visit the Ming Tomb of Emperor Shenzong.
  • Day 5Day trip to Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake, including Bird Island, before boarding the overnight Qinghai-Tibet Railway sleeper train to Lhasa.
  • Day 6Scenic day on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway across the plateau; acclimatize at the hotel in Lhasa.
  • Day 7Visit Potala Palace in the morning and Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Kora in the afternoon.
  • Day 10Arrive at Everest Base Camp at 5,010 meters and spend the night beneath Mount Everest.

Included

  • Tibet travel permit and all other necessary permits to Tibet
  • All entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites listed in the itinerary
  • Personal knowledgeable English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide
  • Personal comfortable, clean and safe vehicle with reliable Tibetan local driver (4WD land cruiser to minibus depending on group size)
  • All lodging listed in the itinerary (traveller chooses accommodation class: luxury 5-star, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse/tent)
  • Domestic flight/train tickets listed in the itinerary
  • All meals listed in the itinerary
  • Tourist accident/casualty insurance
  • First aid kit

Not included

  • International flight to and from China
  • Chinese visa (application support available on request)
  • Domestic flight/train not listed in the itinerary
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary (approx. USD 3-15 per meal in Tibet)
  • Tips and gratuities for guide and driver
  • Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, snacks, drinks, optional activities, etc.)

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. The package includes the overnight sleeper train on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Xining to Lhasa, as well as the Beijing-to-Xining flight. All domestic rail and flight tickets listed in the itinerary are included.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
Fully escorted. Tibet Travel provides a personal English-speaking Tibetan local guide and driver throughout in a private vehicle (4WD Land Cruiser to minibus depending on group size). The tour departs 365 days a year.
What is included in the price?
All Tibet travel permits, entrance fees to sites, the personal guide and driver, lodging (you choose accommodation class), domestic flights and trains listed, all meals listed in the itinerary, tourist accident and casualty insurance, and a first aid kit.
What is not included?
International flights to and from China, Chinese visa, any meals not specified in the itinerary (estimated USD 3-15 per meal locally available), tips for guide and driver, and personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls, and optional activities.
How much walking and hiking is involved?
The tour includes hiking the Badaling Great Wall on Day 2 and walking tours of Beijing's imperial sites, Lhasa's temples, and multiple monasteries. The operator rates the activity level as 'Easy, suitable for all levels of fitness, family with kids and senior groups.'
What are the altitude concerns?
The journey culminates at Everest Base Camp at 5,010 meters. Day 6 is designated for acclimatization in Lhasa before proceeding higher.

Similar journeys