Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. Your guide will meet you at Beijing Capital International Airport and transfer you to your hotel. The evening is free for you to explore the lively Wangfujing Street, where you can taste authentic Beijing snacks such as candied hawthorn and Beijing yogurt. Take a gentle stroll to acclimate yourself to the time zone and city atmosphere.

Morning visit to Tiananmen Square, the world's largest city square, followed by the magnificent Forbidden City. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty, contains over 9,000 rooms spread across 72 hectares. In the afternoon drive 1.5 hours north to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, one of the best-preserved sections with watchtowers dating from the Ming Dynasty. Take the cable car up for spectacular views of the wall snaking across the rugged mountain ridges like a dragon.

Take the high-speed train from Beijing West Station to Xian, a comfortable 5-hour journey through the farmlands and mountains of central China at speeds up to 300 km/h. Upon arrival visit the lively Muslim Quarter with its centuries-old Grand Mosque and bustling street food stalls offering local specialties like yangrou paomo lamb soup with bread and biangbiang noodles.

Visit the world-famous Terracotta Warriors Museum, one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. See the life-sized army of over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses built to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. Each soldier has unique facial features and expressions. In the afternoon explore the Ancient City Wall by bicycle, a 14-kilometer ride atop the best-preserved city wall in China dating to the Ming Dynasty.

Board the legendary Qinghai-Tibet Railway at Xian Station in the early evening. Settle into your comfortable soft sleeper compartment with four berths. The train features large observation windows, individual oxygen supply, and a dining car serving Chinese and Tibetan dishes. Watch the landscape gradually change from the urban sprawl of Xian to the vast grasslands of Gansu and Qinghai provinces as darkness falls.

A full day aboard the train crossing the Tibetan Plateau, the highest railway in the world. The train passes through Xining and begins its dramatic climb toward Lhasa. Cross the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 meters, the highest point on the railway. From your window you can spot wild Tibetan yaks with their long shaggy coats, Tibetan antelopes with their elegant horns, and the wild kiang Tibetan wild asses roaming the vast grasslands. Oxygen is continuously supplied in all compartments.

Arrive at Lhasa Railway Station in the afternoon, greeted by the brilliant blue skies of Tibet. Your guide and driver will be waiting at the station with a warm white scarf and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is devoted to rest and gradual acclimatization to the altitude of 3,650 meters. Stay well hydrated with warm Tibetan tea and avoid alcohol and strenuous activity on your first day.

Full day exploring Lhasa's most iconic sites. In the morning climb the 13-story Potala Palace, the magnificent winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site built on Red Hill. The palace complex comprises over 1,000 rooms filled with precious murals, thangkas, and jeweled stupas containing the remains of past Dalai Lamas. Afternoon visit to Jokhang Temple, the holiest shrine in Tibet constructed in 647 AD, housing the sacred Jowo Shakyamuni statue. Walk the Barkhor kora circuit with pilgrims.

Visit Drepung Monastery, once the world's largest monastery housing up to 10,000 monks, with its white-washed buildings cascading down the mountainside like a giant white conch shell. Explore the main assembly hall Ganden Phodrang and the sacred tombs. In the afternoon visit Sera Monastery to witness the famous monks debating session from 3-5 PM, where monks engage in lively philosophical debates with dramatic hand-clapping gestures. The sound of their debates echoes through the pebble courtyard.

Scenic drive south from Lhasa crossing the Karo La Pass at 5,010 meters with spectacular views of the snow-capped Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range. Stop at the stunning turquoise Yamdrok Lake, one of Tibet's three holy lakes, which stretches for 72 kilometers across the valley with its irregular shape resembling a coral branch. Continue past the Karola Glacier to Gyantse to visit the magnificent Kumbum Stupa with its 108 chapels. Arrive in Shigatse at 3,900 meters.

Visit Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, the seat of the Panchen Lama, founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. The monastery features the world's largest gilded statue of Maitreya Buddha standing 26 meters tall, cast from 115 tons of brass and gold. After the visit begin the return drive to Lhasa along the Yarlung Tsangpo River valley with its dramatic cliffs and traditional farming villages. Arrive in Lhasa by late afternoon.

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will transfer you to Lhasa Gonggar Airport for your departure flight. As you leave the Roof of the World, carry with you the memories of ancient civilizations from the Great Wall to the Potala Palace, the Terracotta Warriors to the sacred lakes of Tibet. Tashi Delek and we hope to welcome you back to explore more of Tibet!