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Tibet Travel (Tibet Vista) · Private escorted tour

15 Days China, Tibet and Nepal Tour by Train

Beijing to Kathmandu via Qinghai-Tibet Railway and Everest Base Camp

Illustration of 15 Days China, Tibet and Nepal Tour by Train

Tibet Travel (Tibet Vista) runs this 15-day private escorted journey from Beijing to Kathmandu, combining rail and overland travel through China and Nepal. The trip opens with two days in Beijing visiting the Great Wall at Badaling, the Ming Tombs and the Forbidden City, before you board an overnight train to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors and Banpo Museum. On day 5, you board the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Xi'an for an approximately 38-hour sleeper journey across high plateaus to Lhasa, spending the next three days exploring the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and the Drepung and Sera Monasteries. From day 9 onwards, you travel overland via the Friendship Highway, visiting Yamdrok Lake and the Kumbum Stupa at Gyantse, then driving to Everest Base Camp with views of Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Makalu (weather permitting). A cross-border handover at Gyirong on day 12 takes you into Nepal for three days of sightseeing around Kathmandu Valley, visiting Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, Bhaktapur and Patan. The operator includes permits, guides, accommodation (choice of four tiers, from budget to luxury), most meals, entrance fees and tourist insurance. The itinerary is rated Easy, suitable for all fitness levels, families and seniors.

What to know before you look closer

  • Domestic flights may substitute for the train leg during peak summer: the operator may use a flight to Xining plus the Xining-Lhasa train instead of the direct Xi'an-Lhasa train.
  • The private-car transfer from Gyirong to Kathmandu is not included; it costs USD 250 per car and is optional.
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary are not included; budget approximately USD 3 to USD 15 per meal in Tibet.
  • Accommodation class is your choice: the final hotel depends on which tier (luxury 5-star, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse/tent) you select.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Beijing

    Arrive in Beijing

    Private car transfer to the hotel in Beijing; free time.

  2. Day 2overnight: Beijing

    Sightseeing in Beijing: Great Wall at Badaling, Ming Tombs-Changling

    Group tour of the Badaling Great Wall, then the Ming Tombs, burial site of Emperor Wanli.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Train

    Sightseeing in Beijing: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace

    Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in the morning; Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven in the afternoon, then board the overnight train to Xi'an.

  4. Day 4overnight: Xi'an

    Sightseeing in Xi'an - Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses

    Arrive in Xi'an; visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Banpo Museum and the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Train

    Board the train to Lhasa from Xian

    Board the sky train to Lhasa at Xi'an railway station for the roughly 38-hour journey (note: in peak summer the operator may substitute a flight to Xining plus the Xining-Lhasa train).

  6. Day 6railovernight: Lhasa

    Sightseeing along the railway, arrive in Lhasa in the late afternoon

    Full day of window sightseeing along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway before arriving in Lhasa and resting to acclimatize.

  7. Day 7overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa Sightseeing: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street

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

  8. Day 8overnight: Lhasa

    Lhasa Sightseeing: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery

    Drepung Monastery and its carpet factory; Sera Monastery and the evening monk debate.

  9. Day 9overnight: Shigatse

    Lhasa, Yamdrotso lake, Gyangtse, Shigatse

    Drive west via the Nyangchu Valley and Yamdrok Lake to Gyantse, visiting the Kumbum Stupa, then on to Shigatse.

  10. Day 10overnight: Rongphu Monastery Tent or Guest House

    Shigatse, Lhatse, Tingri (Shegar), Rongphu Monastery

    Drive the Friendship Highway via Tingri toward Everest Base Camp, with views (weather permitting) of Mt Lhotse, Everest, Cho Oyu and Makalu.

  11. Day 11overnight: Guesthouse in Gyirong

    EBC to Gyirong Border (370km)

    Sunrise views of Everest Peak, visit Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp, then drive past Mt Shishapangma and Pelku Tso Lake to Gyirong.

  12. Day 12overnight: Kathmandu

    Gyirong to Nepal border and Kathmandu Arrival

    Guide assists with the China exit and hands over to Nepali staff for the transfer to Kathmandu. Optional: private-car transfer from Gyirong to Kathmandu (USD 250 per car, not included in the package).

  13. Day 13overnight: Kathmandu

    Kathmandu Valley half a day Tour

    Half-day sightseeing to Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Patan handicraft centre.

  14. Day 14overnight: Kathmandu

    Kathmandu Valley half a day Tour-Bhaktapur

    Half-day tour of Bhaktapur - Lion Gate, Golden Gate, Nyatapola Temple and the Malla Palace.

  15. Day 15overnight: Tour ends

    Leave Kathmandu to continue to your other destination in Nepal

    Airport transfer for the onward flight, or extend the trip elsewhere in Nepal on request.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Visit the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven in Beijing, then board the overnight train to Xi'an.
  • Day 5Board the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Xi'an for the roughly 38-hour journey to Lhasa, known as the 'sky train.'
  • Day 6Full day of window sightseeing along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway before arriving in Lhasa in the late afternoon.
  • Day 10Drive the Friendship Highway toward Everest Base Camp with views of Mt Lhotse, Everest, Cho Oyu and Makalu (weather permitting), overnight at Rongphu Monastery Tent or Guest House.
  • Day 11Watch sunrise over Everest Peak, visit Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp, then drive to Gyirong.

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 train travel included?
Yes. The package includes the overnight Beijing-Xi'an train and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Xi'an to Lhasa (approximately 38 hours sleeper class). In peak summer, the operator may substitute a flight to Xining plus the Xining-Lhasa train.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is a private escorted tour. Tibet Travel (Tibet Vista) provides a personal English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide and driver throughout, and the tour departs 365 days a year.
What is the physical fitness requirement?
The operator rates the activity level as 'Easy, suitable for all levels of fitness, family with kids and senior groups.' Days involve sightseeing, walking tours of cities and monasteries, and scenic driving.
Which hotels are included?
All lodging listed in the itinerary is included. You choose the accommodation class: luxury 5-star, standard 4-star, economic 3-star, or budget guesthouse/tent. The final hotel depends on your choice and the city.
When does this trip run?
The tour departs 365 days a year, so it operates year-round.
What is not included in the package price?
International flights to and from China, Chinese visa, meals not specified in the itinerary (budget USD 3 to USD 15 per meal in Tibet), tips and gratuities for guide and driver, and personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls, snacks, drinks and optional activities are not included.

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