Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to incredible People’s Republic of China - the name alone makes you want to get packing. It's going places, so jump aboard, go along for the ride and see where it is headed.

Arrive in Beijing, the capital city, one of the most cosmopolitan cities today. Constantly reimagining itself as it races towards the future, yet inextricably linked to its glorious, notorious past, Beijing is as compelling as it is complex.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Beijing Capital International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Arrive at the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Stop–start capital since the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Beijing is one of China’s true ancient citadels. It is also an aspiring, confident and modern city that seems assured of its destiny to rule over China ad infinitum.

Ancient Civilisations| Imperial Delights | Acrobats & Artists | Food Heaven

Few places on earth can match the extraordinary historical panorama on display in Beijing. There are 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in this city alone (just one less than the whole of Egypt). At its heart is the magnificent Forbidden City, a royal palace on a scale like no other. Beijing is also home to sublime temples that aspire to cosmological perfection, while the city centre is criss-crossed by enchanting hútòng: ancient alleyways that teem with life today, as they did hundreds of years ago. And, to cap it all, the awe-inspiring Great Wall snakes its way across the hills north of town.

A vast and symmetrical metropolis, Beijing is the orderly seat of the communist political power in China, so its architecture traces each & every mood swing from 1949 to the present, from felled hutong (narrow alleys) to huge underground bomb shelters scooped out during the paranoid 1970s. One moment you are sizing up a blank Soviet-style monument, the next you spot a vast, shimmering tower rising up from the footprint of a vanished temple.

It is not just the ancient architecture that wows tourists. Beijing is also home to some of the world's most innovative modern buildings. The world's leading architects clamber for the chance to make their mark on this global powerhouse & jaw-dropping structures such as the CCTV Building, Galaxy Soho, the NCPA concert hall & the Olympic Stadium are clear signs that Beijing is not shy about proclaiming its status as China’s capital. Like the temples & palaces of the ancient past, and the imposing socialist realist monuments of the 1950s, these latest additions are built on a scale that screams, ‘Look at me!’

History may have been trampled in Beijing over the past half century, but there is still much more substance here than in China’s other dynastic capitals. You just need to do a bit of hunting & patient exploration to find the historical narrative. It is also essential to sift the genuine from the fake: some of Beijing once illustrious past has been fitfully resurrected in the trompe-l’oeil of rebuilt monuments. Colossal flyovers & multilane boulevards heave with more than three million cars but ample pockets of historical charm survive. It is the city’s epic imperial grandeur, however, that is truly awe-inspiring. And for all its diligence & gusto, Beijing dispenses with the persistent pace of Shanghai or Hong Kong & locals instead find time to sit out front, play chess & watch the world go by.

Beijing isn’t just the political centre of China - it is the cultural heart of the country too. The nation’s top artists, writers, movie-makers & musicians converge here, making this the place to take the pulse of China’s ever-evolving cultural scene. With top-class museums, galleries galore & an increasing number of music venues, there is enough to keep you busy day & night. Beijing is also the centre for the traditional Chinese performing arts. Whether it is the mystique of Peking opera, tumbling acrobats or the graceful lines of Chinese classical dance that entrances you, the capital has it & more.

Food is an obsession for the Chinese & the dazzling array of different dishes you will encounter in Beijing reflects the sheer joy locals take in eating. Dining out is the main social activity; it is in restaurants that Beijingers party with friends, romance each other, hold family reunions & do business, and the sheer variety of places to eat here is mind-boggling. Menus will have you salivating over succulent Peking duck, delicious dumplings & chewy noodles, but there is food from every corner of China (& beyond) to be sampled too. From fiery Sìchuanese to Turkic-inspired Uyghur cuisine, Beijing's 60,000-plus restaurants cover every base.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.      

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 09:00 am & embark on an exciting full day 8 hour sightseeing of the city.

Start with a visit to the Forbidden City & its Imperial Palace complex, once the home of China’s great emperors. Nearby is the ‘famous’ 100-acre Tian-an men Square, the largest public square in the world.

Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant in the vicinity.

Continue to the former Summer Palace, a complex of pavilions, temples & galleries set among beautifully landscaped grounds, situated besides Kunming Lake. Enjoy a cruise on shimmering waters of the lake.

Move on to see the iconic Pandas Garden in the Beijing Zoo. It has been breeding the largest numbers of Pandas as an institution away from the normal habitat areas & along with other Panda Sanctuaries, has been designated as a UNESCO site.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 08:00 am & continue on another full day 8 hour tour.

Today’s sightseeing commences with a visit to the iconic “Beijing 2008 Olympic Centre” – the Bird’s Nest & the Water Cube, which played host to many spectacular events. Enjoy the architecture from the outside & stroll around the complex to click photos.

Continue on to the Great Wall of China, that once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Many dynasties in Chinese history actively built the Wall. Among many historical ruins of the Great Wall in Beijing, the section  built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) is the most often seen & best preserved, running over 373 miles & containing about 827 city wall platforms, 71 passes & countless towers. The famous Great Wall sections include the Badaling, Huanghuacheng, Mutianyu, Jiankou, Gubeikou, Jinshanling & Simatai. The strong, primitive walls enhance the beauty of the wilderness.

Reach a village in the Badaling section where the Great Wall is well preserved & walk along the ramparts to enjoy a breathtaking view of the sweeping vistas of this mammoth fortress. It is famous for its deep-rooted culture, magnificent sights & complete military facilities - the essence of the Great Wall. You may find many pictures of it in magazines & guide books and printed on stamps. Badaling, being one of the more popular section of the Great Wall, it is crowded with visitors especially during holidays.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Take a leisurely walk down the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs and marvel at the impressive hand-carved stone statues. Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial & integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural & historic value. The layout & arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures. Only the Changling & Dingling tombs are open to the public.

The complex was originally built as Changling, the tomb of Emperor Zhu Di & his empresses. This is the most magnificent of the tombs. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling. The chief of the Ming Tombs, it is the largest & most well preserved. The total internal area of the main building is 1956 square meters. There are 32 huge posts, the largest of which measures about 14 meters in height. It entombs Emperor Zhudi, the fourth son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.

A must see site within the complex is the Ling'en Palace.   It is unique as the only palace, covering about 2086 square meters, made of camphor wood. The ceiling is colorfully painted & supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor was decorated with gold bricks.

Unlike Changling, Dingling is underground & about 27 meters deep. It is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the 13^th emperor who occupied the throne for the longest period during the Ming Dynasty & his two empresses. The main features are the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower, Baocheng & the Underground Palace, which was unearthed between 1956 & 1958. The entire palace is made of stone. The Soul Tower is symbolic of the whole of Dingling & it forms the entrance to the underground chambers. The yellow glazed tiles; eaves, archway, rafters & columns are all sculptured from stone & colorfully painted. The entire construction is stable & beautiful!

Return to the hotel to relax.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, you will be met by a Journeys rep who will transfer you to Terminal? - Beijing Capital International Airport for your flight to Xiling.

On arrival, as you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Xining Caojiabao International Airport, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Referred to as China's summer resort capital, Xining - the capital of Qinghai Province, is located on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau & the upper reaches of Huangshui River. It is a good base from which to dive into the surrounding sights and on to the more remote regions of Qīnghai & Tibet via the Qīnghai - Tibet Railway. Until now, it boasts the only road by which to enter the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

It is the political, economic, scientific, technological, cultural & traffic center of Qinghai Province. The activities of human beings in this region can be traced to 2,100 years ago. During the Western & Eastern Han Dynasties, owing to its developing agriculture, Xining was paid more attention due to its economic & martial significance.  As well as being the important hinge between the central plains and the western part of China in ancient time, Xining was the most common passing channel of the famous Silk Road.

It is also a wonderful place to explore the province’s varied cultures - Muslim (Huí, Salar & Uyghur), Tibetan & Han Chinese - especially, the rich culinary mix that these groups bring together.

Check-in at the hotel & relax for a while.

Afternoon around 02.00 pm, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby & proceed on a 4 hour tour of the city.

Visit the UNESCO listed Taer Lamasery.

Located in the southwest part of Xining City, the Taer Monastery (Kumbum Monastery) is one of six famous monasteries for monks & for followers of the Gelugpa Sect (also called Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism). In order to commemorate Tsong Khapa (1357-1419), founder of the Yellow Hat Sect, the Taer Monastery was built in 1577, more than 150 years after his death. Now it is considered a sacred place in China.

In the Tibetan language, Taer Monastery is called 'gongben', which means '10,000 figures of Buddha'. During its long 400 years of history, it has gradually become a place of interest for its distinct ethnic color & native style. The complex covers more than 144 thousand square meters (about 36 acres) surrounded by mountains. You can marvel at the sheer size. It comprises of a group of fine buildings in a combination of both the Han & Tibetan styles of architecture, situated on the mountain slopes & has 9,300 rooms & 52 halls. It has lofty temples & halls rising one upon another. The palace buildings, Buddhist halls, sleeping quarters, as well as the courtyards echo each other & thus enhance the beauty of the whole area.

Among so many buildings, the Great Hall of the Golden Roof &d the Great Hall of Meditation are the main parts, situated in the center core building in the middle of the monastery. Its colorful gates, which are different in length, are carved into various flower patterns & painted with multifarious fresh colors. The surface of the walls are covered with green ceramic tiles & embedded with countless pearls, agates & gems, making the hall sparkle.

Inside the hall, there is a silver tower built to commemorate Tsong Khapa. This tower is also embedded with many kinds of jewels & wrapped with ten layers of pure white Hada (raw silk fabric presented to exalted guests to express purity, honesty and respect) to show its grandness. In front of the Tower, golden & silver lights and old flasks are displayed with more than 5,000 small golden figures of Buddha surrounding them, which enhance the stateliness of the Tsong Khapa's statue in the shrine. In the ark behind the hall, the treasures considered very precious relics of the Sect, are stored. The Monastery is rich in fascinating arts. The famous butter sculptures, the barbolas, and the murals are considered to be the three most unique arts of superb craftsmanship.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure for independent explorations or to relax in the hotel.

Morning, Check-out out from the hotel, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby & embark on another round of exploration.

Visit the Qinghai Provincial Museum which showcases exhibits & artifacts stretching over a vast period of time, from the relatively modern history of the famed Silk Road to the Stone Age (6,000 years ago). It was formally established in 1986 & was reorganised in 2001. It has a collection of 10,000 pieces of cultural relics including pottery, stoneware, bone ware, ancient coins, silks, folks dress, calligraphies & paintings. The periods span from the Stone to Modern Times.

The Museum building used to be residence of Ma Bufang, a local warlord of Qinghai.
At present the Museum, covering an area of 30,000 square meters with a floor space of 6,000 square meters, is one of the protected historical sites. It is a good place for those curious about Qinghai’s history & ethnic relationships.

Lunch in a traditional restaurant.

Move on to see the Dongguan Mosque in Xining City, which is the biggest mosque in Qinghai Province. It was built in 1380 & boasts a history of more than 600 years. The Mosque is not only famous for its magnificent architecture but also as a religious education center & as one of the highest learning institution of Islam.

Covering an area of 11,940 square meters, Dongguan Mosque was built on a grand scale. Its style combines both Chinese traditional architectural art & Islamic architectural features.

You will notice the elegant arched door on which is written 'Dongguan Mosque'. On either side of the front door stands the Xuanli Lou (Xuanli Pavilion), the special place from where the Imams invite people to pray. It is 8 meters high, & consists of three floors which are hexagonal in shape. There is a square with an area of some 30,000 square meters. The resplendent & magnificent prayer hall is the main building in Dongguan Mosque and can hold more than 3,000 people at prayer at the same time. It covers an area of 1,136 square meters (about 0.3 acres).

Since the Mosque was built, it has become an important place of worship and assembly for Muslims. When Islam's important festivals come round, tens of thousands of the Prophet's followers from every corner, come to participate in ceremonies & religious activities.

In time, you will be transferred to the Train Station to board the train to Lhasa.

The Tibet Railway runs 1,956 kilometers from Xining to Lhasa & is the world's longest railroad built atop a plateau. The Golmud-Lhasa section extends 1,142 kilometers, with the highest elevation being some 5,072 meters above sea level at Tanggula Range, making it the highest railway in the world. While on train, enjoy the scenery of jagged mountain peaks caped in ice & the permanently frozen Tibetan Plateau.

You will be called to get up early to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Sunrise. You will never get a chance again to click ‘out of this world’ pictures. The Sun is fiery red and the sky beneath the sun is in orange & above the Sun is deep blue colour.  All the surrounding ground is still in the dark. A freak of nature.

The train traverses through the legendary Kunlun Mountain and the Jade Peak at an altitude of 6178 meters. Kunlun Mountain is always snow-capped & in Chinese belief, it is the living place of all the celestial kings & it is also looked upon as the ancestor of many mountains in the Mid Asia. The Train takes hours along the snow-caped peaks & iced field.

During journey, you will see a kaleidoscope of colors & enchanting sights including:

·      The fairyland Hoh Xil (Kekexili), literally meaning 'fair maiden' in Mongolian, is located in the northwest of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, between the great Tanggula Mountain & Kunlun Mountain. It is the largest uninhabited area in China, being the third in the world & also the last virgin land on the earth. The land is at a high altitude of over 5,000m on average, without any shield in the surrounding, experiencing the chill & strong wind all the year round. Due to the atrocious weather, the area is not fit for human habitation, whereas, it becomes the paradise of hardy wild animals. Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve is one of the largest & richest nature reserves in China. There are a total of over 230 species of wild animals here, many of which are under the national key protection. Tibetan antelopes, called 'Pride of Hoh Xil', are a special species of China, being the first-class national protected animals & also the endangered ones that are prohibited to trade by the international law. For the protection of wild animals in Hoh Xil, the Tibet Railway is built on the bridge 3 - 4 m. (10 - 13 ft.) high, while special passages for the wild animals are channeled under the bridge according to their migration habits.

·         Cuona Lake is located within Amdo County not far away from Amdo Railway Station. It is the nearest lake to the Railway track, with a distance of less than 100m. (328 ft.) at the closest point. The lake covers an area of about 400 sq km. (100 thousand acres). It is the source lake of Nu River, which is confluence for all the streams & rivers of the southern Tanggula Mountain. Being about 4,650 m. (15,256 ft.) above the sea level, the lake is also the highest fresh water lake in the world. Local Tibetans worship it as the 'Holy Lake', every year of dragon on the Tibetan Calendar, thousands of pilgrims will trek here to pray for good fortune.

Looking out from the train, you will probably be magnetized when sighting the picturesque Cuona Lake. The lake just looks like a bluish mirror reflecting the surrounding high mountains in the water. There are also waterfowls playing in the lake and herds of cattle & sheep running in the grassland around it, which add much lively color to the lake. Just imagine how fascinating the lake would be when being further illuminated by the blue sky, white clouds & extensive grassland.

About 20 m. (66 ft.) east of the lake stands the Cuona Lake Sightseeing Station, which is a good platform to view the lake scenery.

·        Literally meaning 'a selected good place' in Tibetan, Damxung County is renowned as the miniature of the fertile Qiangtang Grassland. It is located at the junction of North Tibet & South Tibet, about 160 km away from Lhasa, and 70 km away from Namtso Lake. The county is within the prefecture of Lhasa City & always considered as the northern gateway to the city. Damxung County is at an average altitude of 4,300 m. (14,108 ft.), covering an area of about 12,000 sq km (3 million acres). More than 40,000 people inhabit the area, including the Tibetan majority, and Mongolian, Hui, Han among others. It has abundant natural resources of wild animals & medicinal plants. Damxung is the only county focusing on animal husbandry in Lhasa, and one of the provision bases of meat products for the city. The county also contains some well-known tourist attractions, such as the largest geothermic station of China - Yampachen, the main peak of Mt. Nyainqentangla - Geladandong Peak & heavenly Namtso Lake,  which can all see seen from the Tibet trains.

Reach Lhasa Station in the evening.

On arrival, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Check-in at the hotel. Relax to get acclimatized to the high altitude.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & proceed for a tour of the Palaces & Monasteries.

First stop will be at Norbulingka.

Norbulingka, meaning 'Treasure Park' in Tibetan, is situated in the western suburb of Lhasa City, at the bank of the Kyichu River. Norbulingka consists of several palace complexes, such as the Kelsang Potrang, Tsokyil Potrang, Golden Linka & Takten Migyur Potrang. Each palace complex is divided into three sections - the palace section, the section in front of the palaces & the woods. The accompanying garden covers an area of 360,000 square meters (about 430,000 square yards) & is the biggest man-made garden in Tibet Autonomous Region.

Construction began in the 1740s. The area used to be wasteland with wild animals, weeds & scrub which the Seventh Dalai Lama liked & often visited, and, as a result, the Qing magistrate had a palace built for him. Years later, Kelsang Potrang was built by order of the Seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was used as the Summer Palace for successive Lamas, where they solved the political problems & held festive celebrations. After a series of expansions & renovations, the appearance was improved with potrangs, pavilions, gardens & woods. The UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site listed Norbulingka both reflects the ethnical, religious features of the Tibetan people & embodies the architecture style of inland China.

Post Lunch, continue on to another iconic UNESCO listed site Potala Palace, composed of 2 parts, the Red Palace as the center & the White Palace as the two wings.

Situated on the Red Hill of central Lhasa, Potala Palace is the highest ancient palace in the world, reaching 3,767.19m (12,359.55ft) at the top most point. Potala named after a holy hill in South India is a Sanskrit word meaning "Abode of the Avalokite Vara (Buddha of Mercy)." Legend has it that in the 7^th century, to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty (618B.C. - 907B.C.) of China, the then Tibet King Songtsen Gampo built a 9 storey palace with a thousand rooms up on the Red Hill & named it Potala. Later, with the collapse of the Songtsen Gampo Dynasty, the ancient palace was almost destroyed in wars. What we see at present is the architecture of the Qing Dynasty (1644B.C. - 1911B.C.) & the continuous expansion since the 17^th century.

The Red Palace or Potrang Marpo is the highest part in central Potala Palace that is completely devoted to religious study and Buddhist prayer. It was painted to red to represent stateliness & power. It consists of a complicated layout of different halls, chapels & libraries on many levels with an array of smaller galleries & winding passages: The Great West Hall, Dharma Cave, The Saint's Chapel, The Tomb of the 13^th Dalai Lama and etc. The 725 sq meters (about 7,804 sq ft) Great West Hall is the largest hall of Potala Palace, with beautiful murals painted on its inner walls. Around the Great West Hall are three chapels, the east chapel, the north chapel as well as the south chapel. The Dharma Cave & the Saint's Chapel are the only two remaining constructions of the 7^th century with the statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng & Princess Bhrikuti inside. 

The White Palace or Potrang Karpo once served as the office building of Tibet local government & today makes up the living quarters of Dalai Lama. The wall of the palace was painted to white to convey peace & quiet. The Great East Hall on the fourth floor, occupying a space of 717 sq meters (about 7,718 sq ft), was the site for momentous religious & political events. The 5^th & 6^th floors are used as the living quarters & offices of regents while the 7^th floor, the top one, is the living quarters of Dalai Lama consisting of two palaces named the East Chamber of Sunshine & the West Chamber of Sunshine due to the plentiful sunshine.

Potala Palace has other annexes including the School of Buddhist Logic, the seminary, the printing House, gardens, courtyards & even a jail. For more than 300 years, Potala Palace has treasured many culture relics such as murals, stupas, statues, thangkas &  rare sutras.

Return to the hotel.

Relax & freshen up. Later enjoy a Tibetan Cultural Show accompanied by Dinner.

Come back to the hotel.

Morning, continue the tour of the Monasteries.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed Jokhang Temple located in central Lhasa. With an area of 25,100 square meters (about 6 acres), it is the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Pilgrims.

King Songtsem Gampo (617 - 650, the 33^rd king of Tibet) was the leader of the Tubo (or Tibetan) Kingdom. He actively promoted Buddhism in Tibet & under his reign, Tibet achieved great progress in social innovation & realized the integration of Tibet for the first time. In order to promote friendly relationships with the neighboring countries, he successively married Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal & Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty. When the two wives arrived in Tibet, each brought a statue of Jowo Sakyamuni. During this time, most people lived in tents & there were few palaces. To house the Buddha brought by Princess Wen Cheng, King Songtsem Gampo constructed the Little Jokhang. Jealous of her, Princess Bhrikuti asked Gampo to build a Jokhang for her as well. Therefore, in 647 the giant complex was built.

The Temple was built on the former site of a lake. According to the legend, the lake site was chosen after many failed attempts to build a temple in the region. Prior to this, every time a temple was built, it would collapse. Confused by this phenomenon, Princess Bhrikuti turned to Wen Cheng for help. Being a learned woman, Wen Cheng told the Princess that the geography of Tibet was very much like a hag, with the lake at the heart. In order to build the temple, Wen Cheng advised they must demolish the hag by filling & leveling the lake using 1,000 goats to carry soil from a mountain far away. When the temple was done, it was called Ra-Sa-Vphrul-Snang ('ra' meaning goat and 'sa' meaning earth in Tibetan) to commemorate those goats.

Whether the legend is true or not, this temple brought Buddhism into Tibet & became an inseparable part of Tibetan history & culture. The city of Ra-Sa grew around the temple & over time, become known as Lhasa, a holy land

Next we go the main shopping area.

For tourists, Barkhor Street is a magical place showing the original outlook of Lhasa. The street was paved by hand-polished stone boards. Though it is not broad, it accommodates thousands of tourists every day. Varied shops stand on both sides of the street & thousands of floating stands are on every corner. Most of them offer the prayer wheels, long-sleeve 'chuba' (the Tibetan people's traditional clothes), Tibetan knives & some religious articles for sale.

Some shops sell 'Thangka' (the Tibetan scroll painting), which is a unique art of Tibet with the themes of religion, history, literature, science & customs. Surprisingly, there are some articles from India & Nepal in this street as well. Barkhor Street is a place full of religious atmosphere & a world of exotic articles.

Lunch in a nearby restaurant.

Later, proceed to visit the Sera Monastery at the foot of Tatipu Hill, located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. It is one of three famous monasteries in Lhasa along with the Drepung  & the Ganden Monasteries.  The Sera Monastery is dedicated to the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Tsong Khapa. Jamchen Chojey, one of Tsong Khapa's disciples built the monastery in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The monastery was named Sera which means wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built.

The monastery is magnificent and covers an area of 114,946 square meters (28 acres). Its main buildings are the Coqen Hall, Zhacang (college) and Kamcun (dormitory). Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth & unparalleled murals can be found in these halls. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here & these employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa's other famous monasteries.

Return to the hotel.

Evening at leisure.

Morning, you would be transferred to Lhasa Gonggar Airport for your flight to Chengdu.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Chengdu is no great draw when it comes to major tourist sites - pandas excepted, of course - but many visitors find its laid-back pace & diversity of cultural scenes unexpectedly engaging.

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province, which is known as the "Heavenly State" (Tian Fu Zhi Guo). Being the natural habitat of cute giant pandas, Chengdu is located in the west of Sichuan Basin & in the center of Chengdu Plain. It covers a total area of 12.3 thousand square kilometres (4,749 square miles) with a population of over 11 million.

It could be its relaxing teahouse culture, with favourite local institutions serving the same brews across generations. Maybe it is the lively nightlife, with a strong showing of local partiers bolstered by large student & expat populations that gather at craft beer bars & super-hip clubs. It might be the food: famous for heat, history & variety even in the cuisine-rich cultures of China & very much a point of pride. It is, after all, UNESCO World Heritage Site listed first-ever City of Gastronomy. But who can say for sure?

Check-in at the hotel & relax.

Later in the afternoon at 02.00 pm, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a 3 hour  excursion to Dujiangyan the Ancient Dam / Magic Water Control System - a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

In China, Chengdu is always praised as the Tian Fu Zhi Guo, which means 'Nature's Storehouse'. Over 2,200 years ago, the city was threatened by the frequent floods caused by flooding of the Minjiang River (a tributary of the Yangtze). Li Bing, a local official of Sichuan Province at that time, together with his son, decided to construct an irrigation system on the Minjiang River to prevent flooding.

After a lengthy study & a lot of hard work by the local people, the great Dujiangyan Irrigation Project was completed. Since then, the Chengdu Plain has been free of flooding & the people have been living peacefully & affluently. Now, the project is honored as the 'Treasure of Sichuan', which still plays a crucial role in draining off floodwater, irrigating farms & providing water resources for more than 50 cities in the province.

Dujiangyan is the oldest & only surviving no-dam irrigation system in the world & a wonder in the development of Chinese science. The project consists of three important parts, namely Yuzui, Feishayan & Baopingkou scientifically designed to automatically control the water flow of the rivers from the mountains to the plains throughout the year.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Today’s highlight is the visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Center where you will see this lovely creature up close and learn about its habitat & evolution.

Drive to Wolong Panda Reserve in the east of Mt. Qionglai,-3 hour drive from Chengdu - a comprehensive state natural reserve of 200,000 hectares (494,200 acres). Begun in 1963, Wolong National Natural Reserve is the earliest, largest & best-known panda reserve in China. It was placed on UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve Network, in 1980.

Sixty-seven captive pandas are among 150 pandas in Wolong Panda Reserve managed by the China Conservation & Research Centre for the Giant Panda.  Hi-tech is commonplace in the Research Center, which is a world leader in propagating the panda species. Tourists can take pictures with mice-like panda babies.

Wildlife observation spots opened in Wolong National Natural Reserve attract explorers, tourists, animal-lovers as well as scientists. Occasionally wild pandas may show up in the Reserve.

Reputed as bio-gene bank both at home and abroad, Wolong National Natural Reserve is home not only to the giant pandas but also to rare & endangered animals such as red panda, golden monkey, white-lipped deer (Cervus albirostris), gnu (wildebeest)  & precious plants like yew & beech.

Other major places of interests in Wolong Panda Reserve include: Animal & Plant Specimen Museum with 2170 specimens of local plants, 225 bird specimen, 56 specimens of wild beasts, 700 for insects & 17 for amphibious reptiles.

After Lunch, we visit another UNESCO listed site - the Sanxingdui Museum.

Sanxingdui Museum is located in Northeast of Sanxingdui archeological site, west of the famous cultural city of Guanghan, on the bank of Jian River (commonly called Yazi River), 40 kilometers (about 24.9 miles) north of Chengdu City. Covering an exhibition area of 4,000 square meters (nearly 1 acre), & opened in October 1997, this is a modern archeological museum with excellent facilities. The cultural relics in the museum were mostly unearthed from the Sanxingdui site. In order to know about the museum we should know more about the Sanxingdui site.

Sanxingdui is a cultural relic of the ancient Shu (Sichuan). It is an important archeological discovery which changed the people's understanding of ancient history & culture. The Museum is divided into four sections, displaying more than 1000 pieces of cultural relics from Sanxingdui Relic & the two sacrificial pits of Shang Period, including gold plate, bronze ware, jade articles, pottery & ivory. Each of the four sections has its own theme. The exhibition in the main hall is a complex display of jade articles, gold plate & pottery, with the old Exhibition Hall specializing in bronze wares.

Sanxingdui Relic is the spiritual homeland of the ancient Shu people & the Sanxingdui Museum is the place for modern people to meet the ancient Shu.

If time permits, you will also visit a local Tea House.

Return to the hotel to relax. Or, walk around on your own.

Overnight.   B L D

Morning, you would be transferred to Terminal? - Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport for your flight to Shanghai.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Shanghai Pudong International Airport  Airport, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Shanghai - few world cities evoke so much history, excess, glamour, mystique & exotic promise in name alone.

Beijing often hogs the limelight as China’s cultural nexus, but for what is essentially a town of wheelers & dealers, Shanghai is surprisingly creative with many .exciting Art Galleries offering a window onto contemporary Chinese concerns, while nightlife options have exploded. Acrobatics shows are always a favourite & you might grab the chance to catch some Chinese opera.

One of the main highlights that will linger in visitors' mind is the Shanghai's gorgeous night scene. As night descends the entire city is lit up by colorful lights. In addition to its modernization, the city's multicultural flair endows it with a unique glamour.

As China's largest & richest city, Shanghai oozes an atmosphere of vitality and rival New York & Paris in terms of modernity.

The city is home to the world's second-tallest tower & a host of other neck-craning modern architectural wonders. But Beyond the crisply cool veneer of the modern city typified by Pudong, there is a treasure trove of architectural styles. The city's period of greatest cosmopolitan excess - the 1920s & 1930s - left the city with pristine examples of art deco buildings. And there is more: from Jesuit cathedrals, Jewish synagogues & Buddhist temples to home-grown longtang laneway and shíkumen housing, Shanghai’s architectural heritage is like nowhere else.

Retail therapy is one way of spending ‘new’ money & the Shanghainese aren't called 'little capitalists' by the rest of China for nothing, especially at the luxury end of things. But it is not all Prada, Gucci & Burberry. There are pop-up boutiques, bustling markets, cool vintage shops & young designer outlets. Beyond clothing, you have a wide choice, whether you are in the market for antiques, ceramics, art, Tibetan jewellery…whatever is on your shopping list.

Food is the hub of Chinese social life. It’s over a meal that people catch up with friends, celebrate & clinch business deals, and spend hard-earned cash. In previous years, international food confined to the dining rooms of 'exclusive' hotels. Today, the mouth-watering restaurant scene is varied, exciting and up-to-the-minute, and Shanghai now has its own Michelin dining guide - proving just how far the city has come.

Shanghai's rollercoaster back story is as decadent as it is debauched, but these days there is a palpable energy & confidence that this is a city on the rise…yet again. Here, one finds the perfect blend of cultures, modern & traditional and western & oriental.

Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or if there is time, perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 09:00 am & embark on an exciting full day 8 hour sightseeing of this magical city.

Enormous Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country's biggest city & a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises Pudong’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yuyuan Garden has traditional pavilions, towers & ponds.

Start with a visit to Old Downtown & classical Yu Garden.

Old Downtown has many narrow zigzag lanes, small squares, fish pond and pavilion linked by stone bridges. A draw for the locals & visitors alike, it has many popular bars, restaurants, tea houses & souvenir shops. .

The UNESCO world Heritage listed site - Yu Garden, built 400 years ago, is a famous ancient private garden built in the Ming & Qing dynasties. Owing to its ingenious design, zigzag layout of pavilions, chambers & towers, opera stage, elegant rocks and bridges on the mirroring lakes and moats, it has become a real museum of Chinese ancient architecture. The vivid brick-carving figures of warlords & warriors, unique animals standing on the roofs of ancient buildings and the huge dragons decorating the range of walls makes it very unique.

Visit the Shanghai Museum, located in the center of Shanghai in People's Square.

It is a large depository of ancient Chinese art. The attractions here include enormous finest stone sculptures, bronze-ware, porcelain, calligraphic works, Chinese paintings & ancient furniture. The museum style & presentation surround visitors with artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom & philosophy. The exterior design of the round dome & the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven & a square land.

The Museum is divided into eleven Galleries & three Exhibition Halls. The eleven Galleries cover most of the major categories of Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming & Qing Furniture, Seals & Minority Nationalities.

The bronze ware of the Shang & Zhou dynasties contribute to our understanding of ancient civilization. The over 400 pieces of exquisite bronze wares cover the history of ancient Chinese bronze art.

The ancient ceramics collection is a special Shanghai Museum treasure. Among the more than 500 pieces are artwork from various dynasties, such as painted & gray pottery from the Neolithic age, primitive celadon from the Shang, Zhou & Warring States, mature celadon from the East Han Dynasty, the well-known tri-colored glazed pottery from the Tang Dynasty, blue, white & black glazed as well as painted porcelain from the Song, Jin & Liao & the brilliant works from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, the center of the industry during the Yuan, Ming & Qing dynasties.

Chinese paintings & calligraphy have profound traditions and unique national styles. Masterpieces from different periods & genres are featured.

The Gallery of Chinese Ancient Sculpture focuses mainly on Buddhist sculptures. Jade in ancient China was both decoration and the symbol of wealth & power. It was further personified to symbolize perfect morality. The elegance of jade wares glows through its crystal colors & vivid patterns.

The Ming & Qing dynasties witnessed the heyday of Chinese furniture. The Gallery shows a refined garden-like residence of that time. Even a simple chair demonstrates Chinese culture & etiquette.

First of its kind, the Gallery of Chinese Seals, reflects the importance of seals in history from the Western Zhou to the end of the Qing Dynasty.

After the Museum tour, stroll around in the People Square before driving back to the hotel.

If time permits, you will also visit a Carpet Factory enroute.

Come back to the hotel.

Evening at 06.00 pm, you will be met by a Journeys Rep & transferred to a venue to enjoy the famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show & dinner afterwards.

A tradition dating back to the Qin Dynasty, acrobatic shows are the Chinese equivalent of Cirque du Soleil, with dangerous stunts, magic, comedy, theater & Chinese acrobatic arts - one of the oldest performing arts with the basic skills of handsprings, somersaults, waist & leg flexibility, and headstands.

The evening begins with an astounding performance by the Shanghai Acrobatics School & Troupe, one of the oldest acrobatic troupes in China.  You will enjoy juggling (one of the traditional elements of Chinese acrobatics, as well as of western circus arts), diabolo or Chinese yo-yo. You will see the plates spinning, leg & foot juggle, rolling cups & contortion, poles climb, bungee jump, rolling hoops dives, trapeze, bicycle feats & much more.

The core members of the troupe have been professionally trained in China from as young as six years old & each had a minimum of twenty-year experience. They have performed for many foreigners from all over the world & have gained international acclaim.  While maintaining a traditional flavor, the performance is modern with ‘extreme’ feats guaranteed to keep you at the edge of your seat.

After the 70 minute show, drive through the city for fabulous views of Shanghai at night.

See how this busy metropolis mixes ancient and modern at attractions like People’s Square, the city lights along the Bund & the former French Concession District.

You will be transferred back to the hotel.

Or, if you want to explore independently, you can be dropped off at Xin Tian Di, a trendy neighborhood boasting boutiques, pubs & restaurants where you can relax & enjoy the Shanghai nightlife (you will have to reach the hotel on your own).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08:00 am & embark on a full day 8 hour excursion to China’s Venice, another unchanged face of Shanghai just outside the city.

Located in a suburb of Shanghai city, Zhujiajiao is an ancient water town well-known throughout the country, with a history of more than 1700 years.

Covering an area of 47 square kilometers, the little fan-shaped town glimmers like a bright pearl in the landscape of lakes & mountains. Endowed with another elegant name - 'Pearl Stream' - this little town is the best-preserved among the four ancient towns in Shanghai. Unique old bridges across bubbling streams, small rivers shaded by willow trees & houses with courtyards attached, all transport people who have been living amidst the bustle & hustle of the modern big city to a brand-new world full of antiquity, leisure & tranquillity.

It is said that to visit Zhujiajaio without seeing the bridges means that you have not really been to Zhujiajiao at all! The ancient Bridges in the town were built during Ming & Qing Dynasties. The old town is thoroughly connected by 36 delicate spans in different shapes and styles, from wooden to stone to marble. Fangsheng Bridge (Setting-fish-free Bridge), built in 1571 is the longest, largest & tallest stone bridge, with five openings both in Zhujiajiao and in the Shanghai region. Lang Bridge (Veranda Bridge), also named Huimin Bridge, is the only wooden bridge & the most featured span in this town. It has wooden bars on the two sides & upturned eaves above, just like a narrow corridor.

In the town, there is the North Street, an ancient street filled with representative ancient buildings from the Ming & Qing Dynasties, attracting great numbers of tourists. Only one kilometer long, the whole street is at once primitively simple, yet very elegant. Strolling on this ancient thoroughfare & appreciating the historic buildings, long-established stores & old bridges as well as the many narrow lanes is another enjoyment.

Zhujiajiao boasts imposing gardens as well as ancient dwellings built during the Ming & Qing Dynasties. Among the ancient architecture, Ke Zhi Yuan is the largest manor garden in the town. The garden is commonly named 'Ma Family Garden' after a former host named Ma Wenqin. Located in Xijin Street in the northern part of town, Ke Zhi Yuan features beautiful sightseeing, quiet & secluded surroundings. It consists mainly of three parts, including a hall area, an artificial hill area & a garden area.  In the artificial hill area, there is magnificent symbolic architecture - a foursquare five-story building, on the top of which stands a diametric pavilion named 'Moon View Pavilion.' This building is considered the tallest architecture in the town.

Lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Drive on to the Jade Buddha Temple which is a good place to experience the peaceful & transcendent. Located in the western part of Shanghai, the venerable & famous Buddhist temple was built in 1882 to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the jade Buddha statues were saved & a new temple was built on the present site in 1928.

The two precious jade Buddhist statues are not only rare cultural relics but also porcelain artworks. Both the Sitting Buddha & the Recumbent Buddha are carved with whole white jade. The sparkling & crystal-clear white jade gives the Buddhas the beauty of sanctity & make them more vivid. The Sitting Buddha is 190 centimeters high and encrusted by the agate & the emerald, portraying the Buddha at the moment of his meditation & enlightenment. The Recumbent Buddha is 96 centimeters long, lying on the right side with the right hand supporting the head and the left hand placing on the left leg, this shape is called the 'lucky repose'. The sedate face shows the peaceful mood of Sakyamuni when he left this world.

 In the temple, there is also another Recumbent Buddha which is four meters long & was brought from Singapore by the tenth abbot of the temple in 1989. Furthermore, there are many other ancient paintings & Buddhist scriptures distributed in the different halls of the temple.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or if there is time, perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Finally, the mystical experience comes to an end and it is time to say good-bye.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, you are allowed to use the hotel facilities and leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Shanghai Pudong International Airport, for the flight back home.  B

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