( Tibet : Lama )

Day 1/Arrive in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Pick up from the airport and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 A.D., which was originally the platform to offer sacrifices to Heaven during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The buildings and parklands reflect an ancient Chinese thought of "the Heaven is round and the earth is square". (D)

Day 2/Beijing
Begin the day's activity with a visit to Tian'anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. Tian'anmen was built in 1417 and served as the entrance gate to the Imperial Palace. Move on to visit the Imperial Palace, well-known as Forbidden City which is the large scale construction of the palace extended from 1406 to 1420. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. 24 emperors lived and ruled China from here. In the afternoon, visit the enchanting Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. As a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, it integrates the natural landscape of hills and open water with manmade features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. Enjoy a Peking Duck for dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 3/Beijing
Today's highlight is the visit to the Great Wall, one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" and a symbol of Chinese civilization. Then, drive to visit the statue-lined Shenlu (Spirit Road) leading to the Ming Tombs, here you can see some marvelous stone sculptures. The Ming Tombs area is for 13 deceased emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Visit the Changling Tomb which is the largest of the 13 as you can imagine it is quite impressive. (B,L,D)

Day 4/Beijing-Lhasa
After a relaxed breakfast at hotel this morning, you will walk through some old "Hutongs", lanes or alleys formed by lines of Siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard).  Then, you will visit the Yonghe Lama Temple, the largest and most perfectly preserved Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple outside Tibet. It was built in 1649 as the residence of Prince Yong of Qing Dynasty, and was converted to a temple after he became Emperor moving to Forbidden City. Pay a visit Pearl Factory and Silk Factory. Transfer to Beijing West Railway Station, and take train to Lhasa. (B,L,D)

Day 5/on the train
On the train. (no meal)

Day 6/Arrrive in Lhasa
Arrive in Lhasa in evening, rightly one of the most featured and dreamt-about cities in the world, not only limited accessibility for its remoteness and its high altitude at 3,650 meters, but also the mysterious Tibetan religion. In Tibetan, Lhasa means the Holy Land or the Buddha Land. Pick up from the railway station and transfer to the Hotel on arrival. Rest and acclimatize yourself to the local time and altitude. (No meal)

Day 7/Lhasa
The first day of sightseeing starts from Lhasa's cardinal landmark- Potala Palace, a structure of massive portions. Its towering image has already appeared on various occasions, but your first sight of the Potala will still be an awe-inspiring moment. It takes at least a good 2-hour to visit those rooms, halls and chapels. Some 2km to the east of the Potala is the most revered religious structure and the holiest temple in Tibet - Jokhang Temple. Bustling with worshippers and redolent with mystery, the Jokhang is an unrivalled experience. The quadrangle of streets surrounding the Jokhang is the Barkhor Market - Lhasa's most interesting pilgrimage circuit. This area of the Old Town is both the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the main commercial district for Tibetans. The rest of day is free. (B,L,D)

Day 8/Lhasa
Sightsee of the Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka in Lhasa. Drepung Monastery, the largest and richest monastery in Tibet, was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa under the patronage of a noble family and later enlarged by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Nowadays it stands as Tibet's most important and largest monastic university in Tibet. Norbulingka Park (Treasure Garden) was built in the 1740s during the reign of the seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was renovated and enlarged and became the Dalai Lama's Summer Palace. Sera Monastery is located a few miles to the north of Lhasa, is one of the three largest monasteries. (B,L,D)

Day 9/Lhasa-Yambajing-Lhasa
Today's highlight is to appreciate the Northern Tibet pastoral land & hot spring area --- Yambajing. The "Yambajing" thermal spring, which is located 120 km in the north of Lhasa. (The hot spring fare is on the guests' side) On the way, you will be greeted with the spectacular scene of vast Northern Tibet Grassland. Drive back Lhasa for overnight. (B,L,D)

Day10/Lhasa-Xi'an
Transfer to the airport, and fly to Xi'an. Xi'an, with a history of 3100 years, is just like living history book. Moving around this old city is like going through thousands of years back in time. Pick up on arrival and transfer to the hotel. As regards the number of dynasties and span of time, Xi'an served as an ancient capital beyond compare. The rest time is free.  (B)

Day11/Xi'an
Begin the day's activity with an once-in-a-lifetime viewing of the extraordinary Terracotta Warriors and Horses, 2,200-year-old underground army of he first feudal Emperor, Qin Shihuang. Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. Stop to visit a mountain village on the back way. Then, visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda (not climb up) which was built in 652 A.D. It contains a large volume of Buddhist scriptures which were obtained from India by the eminent monk of Xuanzang. Enjoy a characteristic Dumpling Dinner in local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Day12/Xi'an
Climb the ancient City Wall, actually built on the fortifications of Tang Forbidden City, standing 12 meters high, 12-14 meters across the top, 15-18 meters thick at the bottom, 13.7 meter in length with a deep moat surrounding it. It is the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Then, visit Forest of Steles Museum, with 900 years of history, it 3,000 pieces of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Move on to visit the Great Mosque, built primarily in the Ming Dynasty when Chinese architectural elements were synthesized into mosque architecture, and it is the largest and best-preserved one of the early mosques of China. (B,L,D)

Day13/Xi'an-Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai, known as "Paris in the East". Visit the Bund, at the west shore of the Huangpu River, the splendid row of early 20th century Europe buildings remains the quintessential Shanghai sight. Pay a visit to Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden, which was specially built for Pan's parents as a place to enjoy themselves a tranquil and happy time in their old age. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters are unique characteristic. And also take a walk through Chenghuangmiao (known as Yuyuan Garden Market) built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. It filled with antique markets and specialty stores. Enjoy a fabulous Acrobatic Show in the evening. (B,L,D)

Day14/Shanghai
This morning, you will visit Shanghai Museum, a leading attraction of the city since it opened in 1994, containing some priceless collections of paintings, porcelains and bronzes. Then, move on to visit Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral), Shanghai's great cathedral, opened by the Jesuits who'd had a church here as early as 1608 (today's structure dates to 1910). Proceed to visit Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1882 to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The two precious jade Buddha statues, one sitting Buddha and one Recumbent Buddha, are carved with whole white jade. Some free time is for you to explore the city. (B,L,D)

Day15/Depart from Shanghai 
Transfer to the airport and board on your homebound flight. TOUR ENDS! (B)