You will be taken from the hotel to the Beijing Airport for the flight to Lhasa’s Gongar Airport. Your flight arrives in the early afternoon and you will be greeted by your Tibetan guide. Your guide will welcome you with a khada. A khada is a white scarf which is the Tibetan traditional way to wish you good luck. The drive from the airport to Lhasa is 100kM. On the way you make a stop to visit a Tibetan school. Another stop will be made to see the stone Giant Buddha. The elevation of Lhasa is 3658 meters (12,000 feet.) After getting settled in your hotel you will enjoy dinner at a local Tibetan restaurant. The evening can be spent acclimating to the altitude or you are free to explore the city.
Accommodation: Three-star hotel.

Today you will be guided through the Potala Palace, the highest palace in the world and the former residence of the Dalai Lama. Your guide will explain the details of the palace and the history of Buddhism. At the top the palace (called the golden roof), you will have a bird’s-eye view of the whole of Lhasa. In the distance are undulating mountain ranges, the beautiful Lhasa River, tracts of fields, tree-shaded villages and the glistening Jokhang Temple. You will visit the Yokhang Temple after lunch. The temple was first built during the period of Sontsan Gambo in the 7th century. You’ll find that many pilgrims pray before the monastery and you may be present for a ceremony within the temple. Later you will have free time to look around or shop at the Barkhor Market near Jokhang Temple. The day will be completed with a visit to a local family. The visit will give you a feel for the real Tibetan’s lifestyle and culture. Dinner this evening is in a local restaurant. Accommodation: Three-star hotel.

This morning you will be driven over Ganbala Pass and past beautiful Yamdrok Tso (Turquiose Lake) on the road to Gyantse. The drive is around 280kM and travels over several high passes. At Gyantse, you tour the Palkhor Monastery which contains the Kumbu Pagoda.

Gyantse is at an elevation of 4040M (13,250 feet.) After a leisurely tour of the monastery, you continue on to Shigatse for the evening. If you arrive with sufficient time (and energy), you may visit the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery home of the Panchen Lama. Shigatse is a 600 year old city. Accommodation: 2 star hotel.

The drive from Shigatse to Old TIngri is 240kM. Your guide will do the necessary preparations for the trek to Everest Base Camp hiring either yaks or horse carts. You will have good views of Mt. Everest (highest), Makalu (5^th highest), Gyan Kung, Cho Oyu (6^th highest.) Here you will finalize your preparation for the trek to Everest Base Camp, hire yak men and yaks there today.
Accommodation: Guest house.

The elevation of Tsojan Village is 4500m and 4–6 hours of trekking is needed. The trek begins in Old Tingri and you pass through Lunja as you head south towards Everest in the distance. The high flat plain typical of Tibet allows for gradual elevation gains during the day. A water-powered barley mill is passed along the way.
Accommodation: Tents.

The elevation of Lama La Pass is 5100m and you will need 4-6 hours for trekking. As you continue up the valley. Everest disappears behind the mountains and as the trail turns to the southeast and begins to climb to the pass.
Accommodation: Tents.

On this third day of trekking, you will continue along the way towards the main road. The village of Zemukh is one of the highest occupied villages in the world. The elevation drops only slightly as we approach the main road. We will camp in the high valley near Zemukh as we continue towards Rongbuk.
Accommodation: Tents.

Today you will connect with the main road and continue on to the Rongbuk Monastery. The trek will take 4-6 hours. Rongbuk is a small village with the monastery, a guesthouse, and some accommodations for villagers. Everest dominates the southern view at the end of the valley. This location provides terrific sunsets and sunrises on Everest.
Accommodation: Tents.

Everest Base Camp to Lhatse.

From Rongbuk you will take a local horse cart to Everest Base Camp. We will arrive at Everest Base Camp in the morning and be face-to-face with Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for Everest.) Relax enjoying the spectacular view or stop by one of the local support tents for a cup of tea.

You will return from Everest Base Camp and rejoin your local vehicle for the return drive to Lhatse where you arrive in the evening to spend the night.
Accommodation: Guest house.

Today is a long driving day. The distance to Lhasa is about 500km and will require about 9hours hours driving through spectacular scenery. You will spend the night in Lhasa.
Accommodation: 3-star hotel.

This morning you will be transferred to the train station to board the new Beijing-Lhasa Express Train to embark on the world's newest, highest and most spectacular train journey. Your ride aboard the train will be in first class (referred to by the Chinese as "Soft Class"). Accommodations are in 4 bunk private sleeping compartments.

Same as day 11

After arrival in Chengdu in the morning you will be driven to the mountains that form the border of the Sichuan Basin and the Tibetan Plateau. Our destination is Bifengxia where onto the Giant Panda Bear Research Center is located. You will arrive at noon and check into the Bifengxia Panda Hotel. After lunch you attend a lecture given by one of the directors of the center to learn about the role of the Bifengxia Reserve. Bifengxia became important after the earthquake on May 12, 2008 destroyed the Panda Reserve in Wolong. After the lecture you will receive your uniforms which are your passport to go in and out of the research facility as many times as you please, and meet your "Masters" (the keepers at the Center). The Masters are the staff from Wolong which were moved along with most of the pandas to Bifengxia. Some of your chores will be to help sweep and clean the panda bins, take bamboo to the hillsides behind the bins, and best of all feed the pandas. They are gentle creatures and will take a slice of apple from your hand without ever touching it. After a job well done, there is time to relax and take pictures before dinner.

Today will be a full day of volunteer work at the center. While volunteering you will have time to visit the Bifenxia Wildlife Preserve where other rare animals live to be studies and the large Nature Garden.

Today is another full day of volunteer work.

this will be your last day of volunteer work. At the end of the afternoon session you have the special privilege to play with the young pandas in the panda kindergarten. In the evening a "thank you" dinner with your Masters will take place where you will receive a certificate for having been a volunteer from the Center's director.

After breakfast there is time to go back to the pandas to take pictures and say goodbye to your pandas. You will leave Bifengxia at mid-morning and return to Chengdu. In the evening you will enjoy a Sichuan Hot Pot dinner, a specialty of this region.

This morning transfer to the airport to fly to Shanghai, China's largest city with a population of 17 million people. After arrival in Shanghai you will be met by your local guide. After depositing your luggage at the bus you will take the world's fastest train (up to 430 km an hour) to the city. After a stop for lunch you will visit the Shanghai Museum and the Bund, the glamorous waterfront boulevard dating to Shanghai's heyday when it was the European financial hub of China. In the evening a typical Shanghai Dim Sum dinner is on the itinerary.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to USA.

Check with us if you would like to extend your stay in Shanghai.