To Tibet & Back, Yakety Yak – China & Tibet

You’ll spend three nights soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of Beijing, an intoxicating clutter of history and modern-day ambition. Wander through the atmospheric hutongs, visit the Forbidden City and take a breather from the madness of the city at the Temple of Heavenly Peace. Top off your time in Beijing with a trip along the twisting Great Wall, one of the world’s most staggering sights.

Marvel at the soldiers of the ancient Terracotta Army and wander around the Bell Tower in Xi’an. A modern city with an imperial past, it’s an eye-opening window into Chinese culture. Drenched in history and jam-packed with fascinating places to explore. You’ll spend two nights in China’s past Imperial Capital, soaking up the atmosphere and visiting the impressive Terracotta army.

Colourful, deeply religious and surrounded by the world’s tallest mountain, Lhasa is Tibet’s holy city. At 3600m above sea level, the city lies far away from the modern world and everything that comes with it. Welcome to a mysterious place in a remote and fascinating country. As it will take some time for you to get used to the altitude, it’s important to take it easy.

We’ll arrange a transfer when you arrive and accommodation for 3 nights in the heart of Lhasa. You’ll have plenty of time and freedom to explore this enchanting city on your own. On the third day of this trip you’ll visit the stunning Potala Palace and some of the most beautiful monasteries near Lhasa with a local guide.

Travelling alongside the sacred Brahmaputra River, you’ll drive over a dirt road to Samye where you’ll visit the oldest Buddhist monastery in Tibet. While you walk around you can’t help but let the sacred atmosphere engulf your senses. The next day you’ll travel through mountain passes and look over one of the most sacred lakes in Tibet, the Yamdrok Tso.

In the distance you can often see the first peaks of the Himalayas. After lunch you’ll drive to Gyantse where you’ll visit the Monastery and the huge Kumbum Stupa (meaning house of 100,000 Buddha statues). This is considered to be one of the great architectural wonders of Tibet. Next, you’ll travel through the high plains to Shigatse, here dwells the golden stupa of the fourth Dalai Lama.

When you land in Zhongdian you will be collected once again and transferred to your simple hotel in the city, although some fo the Old town was destroyed during a fire in early 2014 the tradition and culture still remains.

Amble amongst the stone bridges and cobbles of timeless Lijiang, packed with lanterns and teahouses. You’ll spend two nights in Lijiang in a modern hotel and cycle to visit the legendary Dr Ho. Lijiang is certainly no longer a secret, drawing millions of tourists to its maze of cobbled streets every year, however if you get up early to beat the crowds, you could have the place to yourself.

With mouth-watering food and teahouse culture, Chengdu is a winner. You’ll spend 2 nights here, ambling amongst old shops, sampling Sichuan dishes and slowing to the relaxed pace of life. On the second day, you’ll visit the giant pandas that have roamed these parts for 2 million years. Now residents of the ethically run Breeding Research Centre, you’ll be bowled over by their quiet beauty and sheer size.