How to Plan a Chengdu Tibet Tour

Decide your travel length

Generally, 6~10 are days needed to take a Chengdu Tibet (Lhasa) Tour because these two destinations have too many attractions to visit.

Firstly you will arrive in Chengdu by flight or train. If you get to Chengdu early, you can visit a site in the afternoon, such as Jinsha Museum and Kuangzhai Alley. Then spend a full day exploring the best highlights of Chengdu, including Panda Base, Jinli Street, Wenshu Temple, etc. On the third day, you can visit a small site in the morning if your flight to Lhasa is not hurry.

For the travel in Tibet, you need 2 or 3 days to visit the capital city Lhasa and its surrounding sites such as Namtso Lake and Ganden Monastery. From Lhasa you can extend your trip to further destinations, such as Gyantse(1 day), Shigatse(2 days), Mount Everest(4 days), and Nyingchi(2 days).

☞ 6 Days Classic Chengdu & Lhasa Highlights by Flight

Choices of transportation

There are three transfer choices to Tibet – flight, train and road. Taking flight is the most recommended way because you only have to travel 1334km approximately less than 2.5 hours. There are frequent schedules of flight connecting Chengdu with Tibet. Taking train from Chengdu to Tibet is also a popular way, but you have to spend about 36.5 hours on the 3360km’s train journey between Chengdu and Lhasa. While you have chance to experience the highest railway in the World – Qinghai-Tibet Railway which has amazing landscape. Overland driving from Sichuan to Tibet along the long 318 National Road is not recommended, because it is too long a drive, and the road condition is not good often in rain seasons.

Useful Links: How to get to Tibet from Chengdu | How to Get to Chengdu from Tibet

☞ 7 Days Lifetime Tibet Train Tour from Chengdu

Explore highlights in Chengdu and Tibet

Both Chengdu and Tibet have rich travel resources with different themes. Chengdu is famous for leisure life style, but it is also a historical city with many great cultural sites, such as Wenshu Temple, Jinli Street, Wuhou Temple, etc. Besides, it has the famous Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. .

Tibet has too much to offer. On this vast land, you can get a feast of both cultural and natural sightseeing. There are many word famous influential Tibetan monasteries and palaces, such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Tashilhunpo Monastery, etc. The landscape in Tibet is splendid – pure holy lakes, giant snow mountains, vast grassland, etc.

Useful Links: Chengdu attractions | Tibet attractions

It usually takes 6-7 days to tour Chengdu in Sichuan and Lhasa in Tibet. You can either take a flight (2.5h) to shorten your trip or take a train (36.5h) to help yourself adapt to the high altitude gradually.

While you are in Chengdu, it is recommended to meet the national treasure – Giant Pandas in Chengdu Panda Base in the morning, and then visit the peaceful Wenshu Temple in Chengdu downtown. In the afternoon, have a cup of tea at People’s Park to feel the leisure lifestyle of Chengdu and try some reputed Chengdu snacks in Jinli Old Street.

☞ 2 Days Classic Chengdu Tour

☞ 4 Days Best of Lhasa Tour from Chengdu by Flight

After take a flight or train to Lhasa and a night’s good sleep, you can start your Lhasa exploration from the grandiose Potala Palace and the holiest Jokhang Temple. Then take a walk at the Barkhor Street. The next day, spend a leisure time at the largest Tibetan garden – Norbulingka Park and then watch the famous Buddhist debating in Sera Monastery.

☞ 4 Days Lhasa Essence Tour

☞ 6 Days Classic Chengdu & Lhasa Highlights by Flight

If you have more days, it is highly recommended to extend your tour to Mt. Everest - the highest mountain in the world. On the way, you can pay a visit to holy Yamdrok Lake and you will pass Shigatse and Gyantse where you can see the magnificent Karola Glacier and tome-honored Palcho Monastery.

☞ 9 Days Lhasa Kathmandu Overland Tour from Chengdu

☞ 10 Days Chengdu Lhasa Everest Overland Tour

Travel with China Discovery

China Discovery is a leading comprehensive travel agency in China, providing excellent customized tour packages across China. We have helped thousands of travelers fulfill their dream tour in China. Just tell us your schedule and budget, we can arrange a satisfactory China tour including Chengdu, Lhasa and other popular tourist destinations. It will cover transport, sightseeing, tour guide, local vehicle and driver, accommodation, Chinese Visa application assistance, etc. The length, places to visit, and theme can be customized depending on your individual requirements. You may choose from our most popular Chengdu Tibet tours or contact us to customize a special one!