To Lhasa by Train

A Tailor-made Tibet Adventure

DAY 1 Fly to Beijing

Your tailor-made Tibet adventure begins with a direct overnight flight from the UK to Beijing. The flight takes just over ten hours.

DAY 2 To Xining

Today you leave Beijing and head to the Tibetan plateau for the next stage of your tailor-made Tibet Adventure. You will be met at your hotel after breakfast for a transfer back to the airport, and then you have a two-and-a-half-hour flight to Xining in Quinghai Province. You will met at the airport and drive into town to check in to your hotel, and then to visit the Tibetan Culture Museum. After Beijing, the museum is a perfect introduction to the remarkable richness of Tibetan traditions and the particular type of Buddhism that so defines the region.

As the largest city on, and gateway from Han China to, the Tibetan plateau, Xining itself is a fascinating place. The city was a key staging post on the legendary Silk Road, which saw the transfer of goods, ideas and religions from East to West over the centuries. The city's many mosques and Buddhist temples pay testament to that, and a visit this evening to the Night Market will only emphasise the city's exotic nature after Beijing. Wander through between street food stalls with your guide, sampling excellent local delicacies such as beef with chrysanthemums. Some local concoctions might only be for the braver eater. Snow chicken with caterpillar fungus, anyone?

DAY 3 The Train to Lhasa

On the next leg of your tailor-made Tibet adventure, you will move on from the Tibetan plateau to Tibet itself, by taking the overnight train to Lhasa. But first, there is the chance to explore a few more of Xining's high-altitude highlights. First of these is Kumbum Monastery. The monastery was built in 1577 on the spot where Tsongkhapa, founder of yellow hat (Geluppa) Tibetan Buddhism, was born. Your guide will talk you through the monastery's hugely significant architectural innovations and priceless artworks and artefacts, and you will meet some of the many pilgrims and scholars who gravitate here.

Then it's on to visit Dongguan Grand Mosque because while greater Tibet is synonymous with Buddhism, four-fifths of Xining's population is Muslim. Non-Muslims can't enter the prayer hall, but it's still nice to wander around, while learning about the city's Silk Road and Muslim heritage.

This afternoon, stock up on some snacks and head to the station for the overnight train to Lhasa: one of the most memorable train journeys in the world. The journey takes some 21 hours and allows you time to soak up sensational views of the 'roof of the world' as you stare from the window of your private cabin.

DAY 4 A Scenic Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse

Today on your tailor-made Tibet adventure you will be visiting Gyantse, a glimpse of timewarp Tibet, as the town has changed little over the centuries. The drive to Gyantse takes five hours, but through predictably spectacular scenery, including a series of dramatic switchbacks along the road from Lhasa that climbs up to an altitude of 14,500ft. En route you will stop for a picnic lunch besides Lake Yamdrok Tso, dominated by Mount Donang Sangwari (17,400ft), which sits on a peninsula by the lake. The lake - a deeply spiritual place to most Tibetans due to its role in local folklore - is leant an even more dramatic sense thanks to the snow-capped summits of Nojin Gangzang, the highest peak in the Lhagoi Kangri mountain range. Enjoy a leg-stretching walk along the lake shore before jumping back in the car to pass through the Karo La pass and descend into Gyantse itself.

This afternoon is another chance to interact with Tibetan locals as you visit a house in the town to drink yak's milk tea with a local family, conversing through your guide.

DAY 5 To Spiritual Shigatse

It's time for the next leg of your tailor-made Tibet adventure, with a two hour drive from Gyantse to Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet (with a population of around 80,000) and the seat of power for the second-highest ranking Lama in Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama - the Panchen Lama. En route you will stop in at Shalu Monastery, founded in the 11th century but particularly famous for its 14th century abbot, Buton Rinchen Drup, a scholar who played a significant role in the evolution of Tibetan Buddhism. Check out the famous mandala (elegant symmetrical images symbolising connection to the wider universe) painted on the monastery wall.

Enjoy a relaxed afternoon and evening exploring, Shigatse, your home for the next two nights.

DAY 6 Back to Beijing

Sadly your tailor-made Tibet adventure is coming to an end, and this morning you will be driven back to Lhasa, which will take around five or six hours through yet more spectacular mountain scenery. In Lhasa you will head to the airport for your flight to Beijing, which takes roughly six hours, arriving back in the capital late this evening. You will be whisked to your hotel for the night.