A journey worth looking closer at.
Welcome to Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, where imperial landmarks and the prospect of the Tibetan plateau set the tone for the journey ahead. Your arranged airport pickup brings you to the hotel for check-in and rest. There is no scheduled sightseeing today, leaving the arrival experience comfortably focused on settling in.
Take the remainder of the day at your own pace after the flight. Tomorrow begins the exploration of Beijing's palaces and older neighborhoods; for now, enjoy a quiet transition into the trip. Meals are not specified for the arrival day.
Palaces and hutongs
Enter the world of imperial Beijing with a visit to the Forbidden City. Broad courtyards, ceremonial spaces and successive palace buildings create a powerful sense of scale, while details of roofs, gateways and surfaces reward a closer look. Move through the complex with your guide and let the progression of spaces reveal the character of the former imperial setting.
Then exchange monumental architecture for the smaller scale of Beijing's hutongs on a rickshaw ride. Narrower lanes and closely gathered buildings offer a different perspective on the city, bringing the day's story from palace grandeur toward neighborhood life. Breakfast and lunch are included; dinner is independently arranged before another night at the Beijing hotel.
The Great Wall
Today brings the Great Wall into view, its long sweep across the mountain landscape offering one of the journey's defining scenes. During the visit, appreciate both the wall's scale and its relationship with the ridges around it. Take in the changing angles and stonework without assuming that the most memorable view must be the most distant one. The specific section visited follows the confirmed local arrangements.
Back in Beijing, pause for an exterior photo stop at the Bird's Nest. Its striking contemporary form provides a vivid contrast with the wall's historic silhouette, placing two very different expressions of the city within a single day. Breakfast and lunch are included, followed by a further overnight stay in Beijing.
Temple of Heaven and flight to Lhasa
Begin with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, where the composition of buildings and ceremonial surroundings adds another perspective to Beijing's historic landscape. The visit forms a considered farewell to the capital before the journey turns toward Tibet. Notice the balance of architectural forms and open space, a different mood from yesterday's mountain setting.
Continue to the airport for the flight to Lhasa, then transfer to the hotel for rest. On arrival at higher altitude, keep the evening unhurried rather than adding further sightseeing. Breakfast and lunch are listed for today. The domestic airfare, Tibet eligibility and permit arrangements will be confirmed by Gala Holidays before the booking is finalized.
Lhasa’s living traditions
Discover Lhasa through a combination of streets, sacred architecture and garden surroundings. A walk along Barkhor Street introduces the setting around one of the city's most distinctive historic areas, while the visit to Jokhang Temple brings the focus to a central place in Lhasa's spiritual landscape. Allow the details of the buildings and the atmosphere of the surroundings to shape your impressions.
Continue to Norbulingka, where gardens and architecture offer a gentler counterpoint to the streets visited earlier. Together, the day's stops reveal different facets of the city rather than a single image of Tibet. Guided visits follow local arrangements; breakfast and lunch are included, with another night at the Lhasa hotel.
Potala Palace and Sera Monastery
Visit the Potala Palace, whose commanding presence gives Lhasa one of its most recognizable silhouettes. As you explore according to the scheduled admission arrangements, appreciate the building's scale, layered forms and relationship to the city around it. The palace is a major focus of the day, best approached with time to observe its details as well as its overall grandeur.
Continue to Sera Monastery for another perspective on the city's religious and architectural heritage. Its setting creates a complementary chapter to the palace visit, deepening the journey's encounter with Lhasa. Specific ceremonies or activities are not guaranteed. Breakfast and lunch are included, and the evening returns you to the same hotel.
Across the plateau to Shigatse
Leave Lhasa by road for Shigatse, travelling through a highland landscape that gives today's journey much of its character. The route visits Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, where the water and surrounding terrain create a broad, open scene. Pause to appreciate the lake's contours and the way changing light can alter the color and mood of the view.
Continue by way of the Karola Glacier, adding a striking contrast of ice and mountain to the day's scenery. This is a travel day as well as a sightseeing day, with the road itself linking successive plateau impressions. Arrive in Shigatse and check into the hotel for the night. Breakfast and lunch are included.
Tashilhunpo and return to Lhasa
Begin the day with a visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. Its buildings and ceremonial surroundings provide another substantial encounter with the religious heritage of Tibet, extending the story introduced in Lhasa. Take time to notice the relationship between the architectural details and the larger monastery setting, rather than seeing the visit simply as another landmark.
After the visit, return overland to Lhasa. The road journey retraces the connection between these two cities, giving the landscape a final role in this part of the itinerary before the next day's flight to Chengdu. Settle back into the Lhasa hotel for the evening. Breakfast and lunch are included; no additional sightseeing stops are promised along the return route.
Flight to Chengdu
Fly from Lhasa to Chengdu, closing the Tibetan chapter and returning to Sichuan. After arrival, transfer to the hotel and take time to rest. The contrast between plateau travel and the next stage of the journey is best enjoyed without rushing straight into another sightseeing program.
Today is arranged around the flight and hotel transfer. Tomorrow brings Chengdu's panda base, Wuhou Shrine and Jinli Street into focus, while this evening remains free for settling in. Breakfast and lunch are listed. Gala Holidays will confirm the domestic flight arrangements and applicable airfare before booking.
Pandas and old Chengdu
Begin with Chengdu's panda base, where the unmistakable black-and-white residents provide a warm and engaging introduction to the city. Enjoy observing their behavior and the green surroundings before moving from wildlife to cultural heritage at the Wuhou Shrine Museum. The museum adds a historical dimension to a day that deliberately brings together several aspects of Chengdu.
Continue to Jinli Street, where the traditional-style streetscape offers a more intimate setting for taking in the city's atmosphere. Look at the buildings, pause along the lanes and let the transition from panda country to shrine and street unfold naturally. Breakfast and lunch are included. Return to the same Chengdu hotel, with dinner at your own arrangement.
Dujiangyan’s ingenious waterways
Travel into the scenery of Dujiangyan, where the ancient irrigation system places water at the center of the day's story. This is an opportunity to see engineering as part of a landscape rather than as an isolated structure: the flow of the river, the arrangement of the works and the surrounding scenery belong together.
Explore the listed scenic area and appreciate the ingenuity behind a system that continues to define the identity of the place. The visit brings a different rhythm to the journey after the cities, monasteries and mountain roads of previous days, with the movement of water replacing the bustle of streets. Return to Chengdu for another overnight stay. Breakfast and lunch are included.
Flight to Shanghai
Leave Chengdu for Shanghai by air, exchanging Sichuan's slower rhythm for the final city of the journey. Upon arrival, your arranged transfer takes you to the hotel, where there is time to rest and settle in before tomorrow's full day of sightseeing.
No additional sightseeing is scheduled today. The focus is on the flight and a comfortable arrival, leaving the Bund, Yu Garden and the city's skyline for the following day. Breakfast and lunch are listed. The domestic flight arrangements and applicable airfare will be confirmed before booking.
Old gardens, modern skyline
Explore Shanghai through three contrasting settings. Begin with Yu Garden, where classical garden design draws attention to smaller scenes, shifting viewpoints and carefully composed spaces. The visit offers a quiet visual language before the day opens out to the much broader scale of the riverfront.
Continue to the Bund and take in Shanghai's urban panorama along the Huangpu. The day also includes an exterior view of the Oriental Pearl Tower, a distinctive element of the modern skyline; admission to the tower is not included in this stop. From enclosed garden compositions to wide river views and contemporary forms, the day's itinerary creates a fitting finale to a journey through many different Chinese landscapes. Breakfast and lunch are included.
Farewell from Shanghai
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for departure from Shanghai. The day's arrangements center on your confirmed flight and the airport transfer; no further sightseeing or hotel stay is included. Allow the last part of the journey to unfold at an easy pace as the city recedes behind you.
Fourteen days have connected Beijing's imperial heritage, Tibet's plateau and monasteries, Chengdu's pandas and waterways, and Shanghai's garden-and-riverfront contrast. The tour concludes at the airport, with onward travel according to your individual booking.
Your Day 1 arrival dates.
2026
October
November
December
2027
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
These are the listed arrival dates. Availability, operation and the final fare are subject to confirmation. Choosing a date does not confirm a booking.
Your journey, clearly priced.
All amounts are in USD. Adult tour prices are per person based on double occupancy. Tips and service are separately listed; please confirm the complete payable total before booking.
| Fare item | Low season · Nov 15–Mar 29 | Mid season · Mar 30–Jun 30 / Sep 1–Nov 14 | High season · Jul 1–Aug 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult tour fee, per person sharing | US$2,998 | US$3,098 | US$3,248 |
| Aged 12 or under, with bed | US$2,998 | US$3,098 | US$3,248 |
| Aged 12 or under, no bed and no breakfast | US$1,998 | US$2,098 | US$2,248 |
| Single supplement | US$720 | US$810 | US$870 |
| Tips & service fee, per person | US$230 | US$230 | US$230 |
| Pre/post-tour hotel, per room per night | US$118 | US$118 | US$118 |
| Extra transfer, per person per trip; minimum two people | US$30 | US$30 | US$30 |
Cancellation schedule
- More than 30 days prior to departure: No charge.
- 20–29 days (inclusive) prior to departure: 20% of total tour cost.
- 8–19 days (inclusive) prior to departure: 40% of total tour cost.
- 1–7 days (inclusive) prior to departure: 60% of total tour cost.
- On the departure date: 100% of total tour cost.
The cancellation table does not specify exactly 30 days before departure; request the applicable written term before payment.
What to expect along the way.
Included in the tour fare
- Accommodation at named hotels or similar, according to the daily itinerary.
- Admission tickets for the listed attractions.
- Listed touring vehicle services and meals.
- Tour guide service in Chinese or English for guided touring; no guide on private airport/station transfers or high-speed rail.
- Travel-agency liability insurance is listed for this itinerary; confirm coverage. It is not personal medical or trip cancellation coverage.
- One bottle of water per traveler per day.
- Second-class train tickets are mentioned among the listed services, but no train segment appears in the daily route; Gala Holidays will confirm whether this item applies.
Excluded or separately payable
- Any item not listed as included is at the traveler's own expense.
- The separately listed USD 230 per person tips and service fee is additional to the base tour fee.
- Sichuan Opera face-changing performance is optional, CNY 280 per person.
- The listed services do not specify whether the three domestic flights or any required Tibet permit are included. These items require confirmation and are not represented as included or excluded here.
Optional experiences
- Sichuan Opera face-changing show — CNY 280 per person.
Good to know before booking
- This itinerary calls for three domestic flights: Beijing–Lhasa, Lhasa–Chengdu, and Chengdu–Shanghai. The listed services mention high-speed train tickets but do not explicitly include flights; Gala Holidays will check the payable airfare and full price before confirming a booking.
- The listed services do not describe Tibet entry permits, documents or their arrangements; eligibility and any permit services must be confirmed individually before booking. Please discuss altitude suitability and travel needs before paying.
- The Oriental Pearl Tower on Day 13 is an exterior viewing/photo stop only; no tower admission is promised.
- No compulsory shopping and a minimum of two travelers are listed; space, permits, flights and local arrangements require reconfirmation.
- No guide service is provided on private airport/station transfers or high-speed rail journeys. No high-speed train segment is shown in this itinerary.
- The tour operator reserves the right to adjust itinerary, hotels and meals according to actual arrangements.
- The published season table gives no price category for August 31; obtain a specific quotation before booking that date.
- The published cancellation schedule has no rule for exactly 30 days before departure; request clarification before payment.
- The online form is a request for information/registration; it does not confirm a reservation.