China & Tibet | Roof of the World
 Monks in Lhasa, debating |
|
11 days / 10 nights
| Location | Nights |
| Lijiang | 2 |
| Shangri-La | 3 |
| Tsedang | 2 |
| Lhasa | 3 |
Day 01 Arrive Lijiang (2,400m)
Arrive into Yunnan’s provincial capital to a private A&K welcome before settling into your luxury villa.
Banyan Tree Lijiang (Garden Villa)
Day 02 Design your Day Lijiang
A city as full of cultural surprises and architectural wonders as Lijiang takes time to explore. Choose one of the following half day activities: explore the old town on foot, strolling the cobbled streets, crossing ancient timber footbridges over the network of spring-fed canals and then on to the Wangulou Pagoda, said to be the highest timber pagoda in China; explore the typical Naxi villages of Baisha and Longquan; or visit the village of renowned Austro-American botanist Dr. Joseph Rock, an expert in the flora, people and languages of southwest China. This evening attend a traditional dance show (B,L).
Banyan Tree Lijiang (Garden Villa)
Day 03 Lijiang-Shangri-La (3,300m)
Journey overland to Shangri-La (formerly Zhongdian) on the Yunnan-Tibet Highway with a stop at the ‘First Bend’ in the Yangzi River, a major landmark for all Chinese. Visit Shigu Village with its large stone drum memorial and the dramatic Tiger Leaping Gorge for a short hike to see the Yangzi River roaring 4,000m below on the gorge floor. Continue to Ringha and your exquisite lodgings (B,L).
Banyan Tree Ringha (Tibetan Suite)
Day 04 Shangri-La
Spend the morning visiting the Songzangling Monastery, the largest in Yunnan with a special visit to the Protector Temple. Next stop the central market and the Old Town before taking tea with a traditional Tibetan family. Your guide will assist with any required interpretation as you experience Yunnan culture first hand (B,L).
Banyan Tree Ringha (Tibetan Suite)
Day 05 Ringha
A day at this beautiful mountain lodge designed in the style of Tibetan farmhouses. The tiny village is located amidst rolling meadows and there is much to occupy yourself here. There is a visit to the Napa Hai Forest Reserve, the Nishi black pottery village, a visit to the Scenic Moon Crescent Gorge and the Marriage of the Waters. A traditional Tibetan hot pot dinner is in store tonight and afterwards see the locals dancing in the square (B,L,D).
Banyan Tree Ringha (Tibetan Suite)
Day 06 Shangri-La-Tsedang (3,550m)
A flight this morning from Zhongdian to Lhasa before a drive overland to Tsedang, situated on the Brahmaputra River and regarded as Tibet’s cradle of civilisation (B,L,D).
Tsedang Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Day 07 Tsedang
Join devout Buddhist pilgrims as you cross the Brahmaputra River by traditional wooden boats to Samye Monastery, the oldest of all Tibet’s monasteries, and in the afternoon the Yumbulagang Fort perched precariously on a hilltop south of Tsedang (B,L,D).
Tsedang Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Day 08 Tsedang-Lhasa (3,600m)
Driving overland this morning stop en route to view 11th century Buddhist rock carvings before reaching the Tibetan capital and your hotel. This afternoon visit Norbulingka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, and the incorporated Tibetan Museum (B,L).
Four Points by Sheraton Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Days 09 & 10 Lhasa
Two days to explore this surprising city. At its heart the Potala Palace, formerly the Dalai Lama’s winter residence and seat of Tibetan government. Meet Tibetan nuns in the Ani Tsangku Nunnery before wandering through the old streets of the Tibetan Quarter to the Barkhor Bazaar and Jokhang Temple. A&K arranges privileged access to a monk’s residence at the historic Drepung Monastery, once home to over 10,000 monks and the opportunity to see monks in heavy discussion at Sera Monastery. Complete the Tibetan experience with a chance to taste regional cuisine when you visit a local farmhouse (B,L).
Four Points by Sheraton Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Day 11 Depart Lhasa
Transfer airport for departure flight (B).
Tsangku Nunnery
Visit the Ani Tsangku nunnery in Lhasa and meet the residents. Your guide will act as an interpreter and enlighten you on day-to-day life as a Tibetan nun.
Braille without Borders
Don’t miss the remarkable work of Sabriye Tenberken, founder of this inspirational NGO in Lhasa. Blind from childhood she earned a doctorate in Tibetan language and culture in Germany and developed a Braille script that she brought to Tibet to start her work. The organisation aims to empower blind people in Tibet so they are able to set up projects and schools for others similarly afflicted.
