Tour Program for Mr. Nick Patel - Final Quotation (13-26 May)

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival / Beijing, Sunday 13-May-2018

• Transfer via: Flight, arranged on your own
  
• Accommodations: The Regent Beijing(5 star), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Upon your arrival at the Beijing airport, your private local guide and driver will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax and recover from jetlag. Or you could visit the local famous Wangfujing Street or Houhai Pub Street.

Note:
Warm Tips: Usually, if you will reach Beijing on 13 May, then there is a big possibility that you need to depart from USA on 12 May as different time zone. Please double check and confirm before finalizing your tour dates. Thanks a lot!

If you reach Beijing in the morning, then you could have enough time to visit some other sights in the afternoon. The tour itinerary can also be adjsuted a little to your flights schedules. It's fleixble!

Given some of your group members are vegetarian, except breakfasts included at hotels and then all the lunches, dinners will be left for your own arrangement so that you could have more choices and flexibilities to try local dishes at least cost. Besides, your local tour guides will be glad to give you some recommendations. You can choose what you like and pay cash directly to the restaurants. It's fleixble & No worries!

Wangfujing Street: It is located in the Dongcheng District of Beijing, is one of the most modern and attractive shopping streets in China. You can get almost all the famous brand products here.

Houhai Pub Street : It is located in center of the Beijing city. It named "sea", while in fact, it is a big artificial lake. During the ancient times, HOUHAI can only be enjoyed by the royalty. And now it has become a very most important place for people to lie fallow. The most famous part of HOUHAI is its taproom. In weekends, you can spend a whole-day long with your friends here for relax. HOUHAI's bars maybe the best taproom in Beijing, and even the best in china. It is a beautiful place deserved a visit.

Day 2 Beijing, Monday 14-May-2018

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: The Regent Beijing(5 star), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Today you will explore the amazing Great Wall (Mutianyu section), Mutianyu Cable car is included. Later, visit the Sacred Road and Chang Tomb.

Great Wall(Mutianyu Section): The most famous symbol of China and one of the world's most remarkable architectural wonders, it was built over 2,000 years ago and stretching about 6,700km.

Mutianyu Cable Car (round way): Round-way cable car of Mutianyu Great Wall included. Chair-lift and Toboggan are also available. If you want to change to any of them, please inform the local guide before he or she purchases the tickets for round-trip cable car for you. Please pay the extra charge in cash to the local guide.

Sacred Road: the path lined with stone statues of animals, mystical beasts and officials who serve the emperor in his afterlife, through which the sitting emperors would go to perform memorial rituals for the ancestors once a year.

Chang Tomb: ChangLing (Chang Tomb) is the largest and best preserved of the 13 Ming Tombs near Beijing. The layout is identical to the tomb of the first Ming emperor in Nanjing and is rather like the Forbidden City in miniature.

Day 3 Beijing, Tuesday 15-May-2018

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: The Regent Beijing(5 star), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: On this day you will first visit Tiananmen Square followed by the magnificent Forbidden City. In the afternoon you will visit the exquisite Summer Palace.

Note:
The Forbidden City closed on each Monday.

Tiananmen Square: It is the largest city square in the world and the spiritual heart of China, where the national flag is raised exactly at sunrise every day.

The Forbidden City: It is located in the center of Beijing, used to be the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties with a history of around 600 years, it is the grandest integral palace complex still remaining in China.

Summer Palace (included boat cruise): Located on the northwestern outskirts of the city, it was an imperial summer resort of the Qing Dynasty. With its perfect layout, magnificent buildings and enchanting landscape, it is the most splendid classical garden in China.

Day 4 Beijing / Lhasa, Wednesday 16-May-2018

• Transfer via: Flight, economy class, arranged by Odyssey Tours(Duration: 4 hours and 35 minutes)
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa (Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Today you will be free until your local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination. Upon your arrival at Gonggar airport, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to the hotel in Lhasa city (1.5-hour drive). After checking in the hotel, rest in the afternoon to get adapted to the high altitude.

Note:
We will book the early morning flight for you from Beijing to Lhasa around 7:30am-12pm. If there is a little adjsutments on the flights schedules by the airlines, I will let you know. Thanks a lot~ After all, we cannot make sure the accurate flights details for the next year. ^^

As you will stay in Tibet at an altitude of 12,000 feet. Please discuss with your doctor medication to alleviate altitude sickness, especially if you are prone to altitude sickness or have not previously been to high altitudes. At this altitude, almost everyone feels some of the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). These symptoms include headache, nausea, loss of appetite, trouble with sleep, and lack of energy. Talk to your doctor about whether the trip to Tibet is advisable for you and if you should obtain a prescription medication, which can help prevent or treat AMS.

Tibet Permits: Tibet Permits, we apply it for you after you got your Chinese entry visa. Please don't mention you will visit Tibet when you apply the visa, otherwise you might encounter some problems on applying for visa.

Day 5 Lhasa, Thursday 17-May-2018

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa (Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Your sightseeing today will include the Lhasa’s cardinal landmark -- Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and flourishing Barkhor Street.

The Jokhang Temple: Located in the center of the old section of Lhasa, built in 647 AD by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, and later extended by successive rulers, it has now become a gigantic architectural complex and it is the spiritual center of Tibet.

The Barkhor Street: A circular street around the Jokhang Temple in the center of the old section of Lhasa, it is the oldest street in a very traditional style in Tibet, where you can enjoy bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for the handicrafts which are rare to be seen elsewhere in the world. Barkhor Street is one of the most important religious paths along which pilgrims walk around Jokhang Temple while turning prayer wheels in their hands through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night.

The Potala Palace: The symbol of Lhasa, perched upon Marpo Ri Hill, 130 meters above the Lhasa Valley, it is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet and one of the most famous architectural works of the world. The construction of it was started in 641 AD and was rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in three years, while the Thirteenth Dalai Lama extended and repaired it into what it is now. As the religious and political centre of old Tibet and the winter residence of Dalai Lamas, the palace witnessed the life of the Dalai Lamas and the important political and religious activities in the past centuries. Potala Palace also houses great amounts of rare cultural relics including the gold hand-written Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from the Chinese emperors and a lot of priceless antiques.

Day 6 Lhasa, Friday 18-May-2018

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa (Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Today we will bring you to the Norbulingka Park, the Sera Monastery and the Drepung Monastery.

Norbulingka Park: Norbulingka means "Jeweled Garden", built in 1751 AD as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama where they handled political affairs and practiced religious activities. Now a large-scale palace complex and garden in Tibetan style covering an area of 40 hectares, the whole park has 370 rooms of different sizes and lawns shaded by green trees and enclosed by various flowers. Before 1959, commoners had no access to this park. Nowadays, on festivals and holidays, the local people in their colorful costumes come here with food and tents to sing and dance overnight.

Sera Monastery: Sera means "Wild Rose Garden" in Tibetan because lush wild rose woods once grew around it, the monastery is one of the three largest monasteries in Tibet. Located at the northern outskirts of Lhasa, it was built in 1419 AD by Jamchen Choje (or Sakyayeshe), one of the eight disciples of Tsong Khapa who was the founder of Gelugpa Sect. Sera Monastery houses three colleges built in 15th and 16th century respectively as well,and it is famous for the "Buddhism Scriptures Debating".

Drepung Monastery: The largest monastery of Gelug Sect in Tibet, standing on the slope of the majestic Mount Gambo Utse, it was built in 1416 AD and the place where each reincarnation of the Dalai Lama received his training. In its heyday, it had more than 10,000 monks, now it is home to about 700 monks.

Day 7 Lhasa / Shigatse, Saturday 19-May-2018

• Transfer via: Private vehicle, arranged by Odyssey Tours
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Qo Mo Lang Zong Tibet Theme Hotel(Deluxe 4 star), Standard Room
• Activities for today: Today's drive is from Lhasa to Gyantse (about 256km, 5.5-hour drive) first, along the way you will visit Yamdrok Lake and a Tibetan family. Tour Palcho Monastery in Gyantse before the drive to Shigatse (about 90km, 1.5-hour drive). Overnight at Shigatse.

Note:
Hotels in Lhasa are different from those ones in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian etc. although they are star-rated similarly. Most hotel staff are local Tibetans, so you could not expect a good English skill of them even in a rated 4 star or 5 star hotel. And the English speaking skill of the staffs or hotel facilities in remote areas like Shigatse, Tingri, etc. would be lower, so please enjoy the beautiful scenery by reducing hotel expectations. Thanks for your kind understand!

Palcho Monastery: Built in 1414 AD, it is unique because three Sects of Buddhism-Sakya, Gedan and Gelug are living harmoniously under one roof. The Palcho Pagoda beside the Monastery has 9 stories, 108 doors and 77 rooms housing some 100,000 statues of Buddha, so it is famed as the "100,000-Buddha Pagoda." The frescoes, statues and sculptures in the monastery are exquisite, succinct and life-like.

Yamdrok Lake: On the old road between Gyanste and Lhasa, dazzling Yamdrok lake can be seen from the summit of the Kamba-la (4794m). The lake lies several hundred metres below the road, and in clear weather is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191m).

Tibetan Family Visiting: Where you will be greeted and warmly welcomed by common Tibetan people in their traditional way and entertained with their typical food.

Day 8 Shigatse / Tingri, Sunday 20-May-2018

• Transfer via: Private vehicle, arranged by Odyssey Tours
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Dingri Zhufeng Hotel(Guest house/Simple), Standard Room
• Activities for today: In the morning, you will visit Tashilumpo Monastery and free market, after the tour in Shigatse, drive to Tingri (245km). Overnight at Tingri.

Tashilumpo Monastery: Built in 1447 AD, the oldest and largest Gelugpa monastery in Tibet, the seat of Banchen Lama, painted in red and white, the buildings in the monastery stand closely together in terraced rows, offering a grand and majestic view. The most amazing image in this monastery is the statue of giant Maitreya (Future Buddha)--the largest one in the world, erected by the 9th Panchen Lama in 1914, it stands 26 meters in height and 275 kg in weight with solid gold, great quantity of precious things such as pearls, turquoises, corals and ambers. The image of the Buddha is kind, generous and vivid.

Tibetan Family Visiting: Where you will be greeted and warmly welcomed by common Tibetan people in their traditional way and entertained with their typical food.

Day 9 Tingri / Shigatse, Monday 21-May-2018

• Transfer via: Private vehicle, arranged by Odyssey Tours
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Qo Mo Lang Zong Tibet Theme Hotel(Deluxe 4 star), Standard Room
• Activities for today: In the morning, enjoying the sunrise from Mt. Everest (if so, you need to get up very early and set out around 5am). Then drive to the Base Camp of Mt. Everest (2.5hrs on raods) for you to take a close look at this great mountain. Spending 1-2 hours at EBC, which depends on your personal physical condition. And you could also enjoy seeing the biggest and the most well perserved glacier--Rongbu glacier if you are lucky enough for the weather. You will be transferred back to Shigatse, usually reaching around 7-8pm, depending on when you back from EBC and the current roads conditions and weather.

Note:
I totally understand that you want to get enough time at EBC, at least 4 to 5 hours at the everest base camp. But according to our previous experience, we suggest you to tour at there 2 hours. As not all of the travellers can adapt to the local climate, especially with blowy and possible difficult breathing in the high altitudes. What's more, we also suggest you to stay overnight in Shigatse instead of Tingri, as the conditions of Shigatse is better.

Our guides and drivers are licensed and professional, experienced to deal with some urgent situations and emergency. At present, the biggest travel bus in Tibet is 29-seat, and we will keep all of your luggage have enough space to put. And if you need oxygen carrier, you could buy it upon arrival under the guide and recommendations of your guide, then pay cash directly.

Ps: Upon your arrival at the Mt. Everest, you need to change to take another environmentally friendly vehicle to EBC. If you are lucky enough for the weather, you will see the beautiful sunrise sights there, as well as enjoy seeing the biggest and the most well perserved glacier--Rongbu glacier.

Mt. Everest(Qomolangma): located in the boundary of China and Nepal,with 8848.13 meters high, it is the tallest mountain in the world. Within 5,000 square kilometers around the mountain, there are 4 peaks over 8,000 meters high and 38 over 7,000 meters.

Day 10 Shigatse / Lhasa, Tuesday 22-May-2018

• Transfer via: Private vehicle, arranged by Odyssey Tours
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa (Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Today you will be driven back to Lhasa (about 6 hours driving) straightly.

Day 11 Lhasa / Xian, Wednesday 23-May-2018

• Transfer via: Flight, economy class, arranged by Odyssey Tours(Duration: 3 hours)
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xian South(Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight to Xian. Upon arriving in Xian, your local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, or step out to discover what this amazing city has to offer.

Note:
We will book the morning flight for you from Lhasa to Xian around 11am-2pm. If there is a little adjsutments on the flights schedules by the airlines, I will let you know. Thanks a lot~ After all, we cannot make sure the accurate flights details for the next year. ^^

Day 12 Xian, Thursday 24-May-2018

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xian South(Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: You will visit the incredible life-size Terracotta Warriors in the morning. After lunch, you will visit the Ancient City Walls and then the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, where you could attend the Calligraphy Class to learn how to write the Chinese character. It would be an unforgettable experience! On the way, you could also watch the Bell and Drum tower from outside (outside view).
• Optional: night show, The Tang Dynasty Dancing Show & The Dumpling Dinner at Shaanxi Opera House USD 51(CNY 338) per person

Terracotta Warriors : Discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well, one of the most significant archeological finds of the 20th century. These 6,000 life-size painted terracotta warriors and horses --individually sculpted from real-life models and arranged in battle formation have been protecting the mausoleum of the first emperor in Chinese history—Emperor QinShihuang since 2,200 years ago.

The Ancient City Walls: It is built during the 14th century on Tang Dynasty foundations, date to the Ming Dynasty. The walls are the largest and best-preserved ancient fortress in the world. There is a gate in each of the four sides, the gate towers built over each gate look lofty and magnificent and form a tight defense engineering system. After the extension, the wall now stands 12 meters (40 feet) tall, 12-14 meters (40-46 feet) wide at the top and 15-18 meters (50-60 feet) thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7KM (8.5 miles) in length with a deep moat surrounding it.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda: It is located in the southern suburb of Xian, about 2 kilometers to the south of the City Wall. It was built between 707–709, during the Tang Dynasty under Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (705–710). It has become a wonderful leisure site for the appreciation of cultural relics, sightseeing and entertainment.

Calligraphy Class at Small Wild Goose Pagoda: The interesting Calligraphy Class is offered in an exhibition house in the Small Wild Goose Pagoda area. Here you can learn broad and profound Chinese calligraphy culture personally. Follow the essentials the teacher says and write down your first calligraphy on your own. The class usually lasts 30 minutes or more bosed on the group time and needs a head of reservation. Outside the class room, there exhibits Chinese traditional paintings, calligraphy and collections of items in the Culture Revolution period, which are also welcome for purchasing.

Day 13 Xian / Huashan / Xian, Friday 25-May-2018

• Transfer via: Private vehicle, arranged by Odyssey Tours
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xian South(Deluxe 5 star ), Deluxe Room
• Activities for today: Today, we will drive to Mt. Huashan (2-3 hours driving-one way, depends on the traffic jam). You will first take a cable car at North Peak up to the starting point and then hike through the north to the middle peaks of Mt. Huashan, one of China's five sacred mountains which is famous for its risks with lofty peaks. The scenic hike lasts 4.5-6 hrs, incl. a simple lunch. After your tour at Mt. Huashan, taking cable up at North Peak down the mountain and drive back to hotel in Xian city.

Mt. Huashan: 120 kilometers away from Xian, one of China's five sacred mountains and the tallest among these five great mountains with an elevation of 2200 meters, Mt. Huashan boasts numerous imposing peaks with sheer precipices and overhanging rocks.

Day 14 Xian / Exit, Saturday 26-May-2018

• Transfer via: Flight, arranged on your own
  
• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities for today: On this day you will be free until your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination.

Quotation