6-Day Chengdu to Lhasa Tour: Pandas, Potala Palace & Yamdrok Lake

Arrival in Chengdu · Airport Pick-up & Hotel Check-in

Welcome to Chengdu. Your private guide and driver will meet you at arrivals outside customs and escort you to your downtown hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free to rest or begin exploring Chengdu’s famous food scene — ask your guide for local recommendations and hidden gems if you want to sample authentic Sichuan snacks and street food.

Suggested first meal (own expense): Luo Er Hot Pot — a retro, 1980s-style hot pot spot serving classic Sichuan ingredients (pork slices, dried tofu, bamboo shoots, chili-coated beef) and playful beverages (novelty beer serves, chilled water-chestnut drinks).
Average cost: ~CNY 110 / USD 16
Address: No.34 Yinghuasi Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu

Meals: None

Accommodation: Hotels will be arranged according to demand (Holiday Inn Chengdu Oriental Plaza 4★ or Grand Hyatt Chengdu 5★)

Chengdu City Tour: Pandas, Kuanzhai Alley & Sichuan Cuisine Museum

Morning – Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Visit during the pandas’ most active hours to watch adults and cubs in a near-natural setting. The base emphasizes conservation and breeding; highlights include outdoor feeding, the panda kitchen, a bamboo exhibit, the maternity/delivery area, and many famous resident pandas.

Midday – Kuanzhai Alley
Stroll through three parallel historic alleys that preserve late-Qing architecture and now host teahouses, craft shops, and street food stalls. It’s a great place to try local snacks at lunchtime and experience Chengdu’s relaxed café and teahouse culture.

Afternoon – Sichuan Cuisine Museum
Explore the history of Sichuan cooking (including when chilies arrived from the Americas) and view historic dining ware such as Qing-Dynasty porcelain. Optional paid cooking classes are available where you can don a chef’s uniform and prepare three classic Sichuan dishes under instructor guidance (advance booking required).

Meals: Customized to your needs

Accommodation: Hotels will be arranged according to demand (Holiday Inn Chengdu Oriental Plaza 4★ or Grand Hyatt Chengdu 5★)

Panda

The Wide Alley

Sichuan Cuisine Museum





Flight Chengdu → Lhasa · Lhasa Airport Pick-up

Your guide will transfer you to Chengdu airport for a ~2.5-hour flight to Lhasa (simple in-flight lunch may be served; bring snacks if you prefer). Arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport in the afternoon – local guide and driver will meet you and transfer you to the hotel. During the transfer your guide will brief you on the itinerary and give practical high-altitude acclimatization advice.

High-altitude tips (brief):

• Avoid hot baths, alcohol, and late nights on arrival day.
• Move slowly; avoid strenuous exertion and stair climbing.
• Eat small, frequent, carbohydrate-rich meals; drink 2–3 liters of water daily.
• Stay calm; anxiety can worsen symptoms.
• If severe symptoms appear, portable oxygen or doctor-prescribed meds may be needed.

Meals: Customized to your needs

Accommodation: Hotels will be arranged according to demand

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport

Tourist Photos of the Potala Palace in Lhasa





Lhasa Full-day: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor & Norbulingka

Potala Palace – The former winter palace of the Dalai Lamas (UNESCO World Heritage). Admire the monumental dzong-style architecture and the Red Palace chapel complex that houses stupas, thangkas, statues, and precious relics. A climb to the upper levels rewards you with panoramic views over Lhasa.

Jokhang Temple – Lhasa’s most sacred Buddhist temple; home to the revered 12-year-old Sakyamuni statue. Observe pilgrims circumambulating (kora) and the devotional atmosphere filled with incense.

Barkhor Street – The lively market and circumambulatory circuit around Jokhang Temple; an excellent place to browse Tibetan handicrafts, textiles, and cultural souvenirs.

Norbulingka – The Dalai Lamas’ historical summer palace and gardens. Stroll the landscaped grounds, ponds, and smaller temple buildings.

Meals: Customized to your needs

Accommodation: Hotels will be arranged according to demand

Jokhang Temple

Potala Palace

Barkhor Street





Lhasa & Yamdrok Yumtso Lake Day Trip· Sera Monastery Debate

Morning – Drive to Yamdrok Yumtso Lake (~3.5-hour round trip depending on stops)
Yamdrok Yumtso (Yamdrok Lake) is one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes. From a high overlook you’ll see the lake’s intense turquoise waters framed by mountains – a spectacular landscape for photography. Respect local customs: keep distance from mani piles and prayer flags, and walk clockwise if you circumambulate.

Afternoon – Return to Lhasa & visit Sera Monastery
Sera is one of the “Great Three” Gelug monasteries. Visit the Great Assembly Hall and the Hayagriva shrine. If timing allows (typically around 3:00 pm, Monday–Saturday), watch the lively monk debates in the courtyard – a dynamic and theatrical method monks use to test doctrinal understanding.

Practical note: Kangbala Mountain along the route is nearly 4,990 m / 16,370 ft – wear layers, protect against strong sun and wind, and avoid strenuous activity.

Meals: Customized to your needs

Accommodation: Hotels will be arranged according to demand

Yamdrok Lake

Yamdrok Lake

Sera Monks Debate





Ani Tsangkung Nunnery Visit & Departure

Begin the day with a visit to Ani Tsangkung Nunnery, a quiet, ancient nunnery tucked near Barkhor Street – a peaceful counterpoint to the bustling Jokhang area. After the visit your guide and driver will transfer you to Lhasa airport or railway station for your onward journey. Services conclude upon drop-off.

Travel note: International direct flights to/from Lhasa are limited; common transfer hubs include Chengdu (CTU), Chongqing (CKG), and Kunming (KMG). The Lhasa–Chengdu overnight train (~36 hours) runs every other day and provides scenic rail travel between Tibet and Sichuan.

Meals: Customized to your needs

Accommodation: /