Our guide will pick you up outside the customs at Capital Airport and then transfer you to downtown area for the hotel registration. The remaining time of the day is free for you.

Meals: No meals, advice freely available

You will come to the city center to visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City this morning. As the largest city square in the world, Tiananmen Square is surrounded by many magnificent and important constructions. To the north, you could find the splendid Forbidden City, the palaces of which were built layer upon layer. Besides these top royal buildings in classical Chinese architectural style, there are also many priceless historical collections exhibited in this largest imperial palace complex. 

Then to avoid the mass-produced food at the cheap tourist eateries arranged by most agencies, we will serve you an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a very nice restaurant, where you will taste the authentic Chinese food. 

This afternoon will be spent touring around the Summer Palace, the existing largest royal park. Different from the solemn Forbidden City, the park inclines to be more enjoyable by focusing on charming and peculiar natural scenery.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

The private car will drive you to Badaling Great Wall in one hour this morning. Constructed 600 years ago, Badaling is the best-preserved and firstly opened section of the Great Wall. You could challenge the steep wall lying on the up-and-down mountains on foot, or by taking a cable car (cable car fare is not included). 

In the afternoon, you will get back to downtown area and visit the Temple of Heaven. Because ancient Chinese believed that the heaven was round and the earth square, this imperial temple was constructed with a semicircular northern end and a rectangular southern end, representing the connection of heaven and earth. While driving back to the hotel, you will see the two outstanding buildings of Beijing Olympic Games, the Bird's Nest (National Stadium) and the Water Cube (National Aquatics Centre).

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

A morning flight will take you from Beijing to Lhasa, where the altitude is 3,650 meters above sea level. Our guide will be expecting you outside the baggage claim area of the airport and then transfer you to the well-located hotel. After the hotel registration, it is suggested that you have a rest at the hotel to acclimatize yourself to the high altitude. Neither of bath and vigorous activities is suggested upon arrival on the first day.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Today's first stop is Tibet Museum, where a large number of cultural relics show the glorious history and unique culture of the region. After having lunch, continue to the Sera Monastery. As one of the three largest monasteries of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in China, the Sera Monastery houses many precious Buddhist statues, sutras, murals as well as gold and silver wares. Today's last stop is the Norbulingka Park which was the summer resort for the Dalai Lamas. Now it has become a complex park with ancient buildings, gardens and natural landscape.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

It will be a memorable experience to the magnificent Potala Palace in the morning. Initially built in the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty, it is a cluster of palaces built in castle style. After the reconstruction in the 17th century, the Potala Palace has become the residence of Dalai Lamas and the political and religious center of Tibet. 

After enjoy a delicious lunch, proceed to the Jokhang Temple. With a history of over 1,350 years, the temple houses many valuable historical items, reflecting the history and culture of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the good relationship between Han and Tibetan people since the Tang Dynasty. From the temple, you could walk to the bustling Barkhor Street which is congested with unique stores selling local featured handicrafts. Today's private schedule will come to an end after visiting the Tibetan Traditional Medicine Hospital. As the biggest Tibetan traditional hospital, it is the center for treatment, training, research and production of Tibetan medicines. You can also learn the development of Tibetan Medicine here.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to the railway station and you will take the soft sleeper train to Xian. The train journey will take you about 33 hours and there is only a limited choice of food on the train, so we kindly suggest you prepare some fast food and snacks in advance for your lunch and dinner. Riding the railway at the highest elevation in the world should bring much excitement and wonder to your trip. This is truely worth all the effort to take the train.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

The whole train journey from Lhasa to Xian will pass by Nakchu, Golmud, Xining and Lanzhou. It will arrive at your final destination in the evening. Our local guide will meet you at the railway station and transfer you to the hotel. Hope you will have a good rest tonight.

Meals: No meals

Your private Xian excursion starts from the well-known Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, which is regarded as the world's eighth wonder. The lifelike warriors and horses are orderly arranged in battle formations, revealing the mighty forces of the Qin Dynasty about 2,200 years ago.  

In the afternoon, the trip will be extended to the Buddhist Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Shaanxi Provincial History Museum. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

The ancient Xian City was surrounded by a square City Wall and the moat 600 years ago. You will climb up the wall to have a leisurely stroll this morning. Different from the steep Great Wall, the City Wall is flat enough on the top. 

Later, pay a visit to a local family to know about the local people's life and a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) will be arranged in the home of the family that you visit, to taste the authentic home cooked Chinese dishes. Our specially arranged Chinese food cooking class in the family visit welcomes you to participate. 

Afterwards, continue your sightseeing to the Great Mosque. Then your guide will transfer you to the airport and help you board the flight.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch