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18-Day Cycling Tour from Golmud to Lhasa

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Overview

Tour Type: Private Tour: Flexible Travel Date & Travel Routes
Guide & Driver: Chinese-English-speaking guide & air-conditioned
  • Enjoy the breathtaking scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway
  • Admire the pearl on the roof of the world - Potala Palace
  • See Tibet’s snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, holy lakes, wild donkeys and yaks
  • Visit two of Tibet's greatest monasteries – the Drepung and Sera Monasteries

Itinerary Day by Day

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Day1  Day1-Day3:Golmud - Kunlun Mountains Pass (160 kilometers)

We will begin our biking journey as we cycle from Golmud to our first high pass, the Kunlun Mountain Pass (elevation 4767 meters). This 160-kilometer part of your tour will take around 3 to 5 days, as the road conditions are tough with many uphill slopes.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day2  Day 4- Day5:Kunlun Mountains Pass - Wudaoliang (109 kilometers)

This part of our biking tour covers around 109 kilometers and 1 to 2 days should be enough as the road conditions are much better in this area. You won't want to miss the roadside hot springs when riding through the Nachitai Area. The pure, unspoiled water of the hot springs there is really well worth trying. There are comfortable hotels In Wudaoliang, providing us with a good chance to rest and relax here on the 5th night of our journey.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day3  Wudaoliang - Tuotuo River (150 kilometers)

With an average altitude of around 5000 meters, this part of our biking journey will also be an arduous one. A rough highland climate dominates this area with bitter cold at night and often-strong winds during the daytime due to the topography of the area.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day4  Tuotuo River – Yanshiping (91 kilometers)

Today's journey takes us once again through beautiful mountain scenery as we head from Yanshiping through the Tangula Mountain Pass and stay overnight in Toudaoban.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day5  Yanshiping - Tanggula Mountain Pass (100 kilometers)

Today's journey takes us once again through beautiful mountain scenery as we head from Yanshiping through the Tangula Mountain Pass and stay overnight in Toudaoban.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day6  Toudaoban - Amdo (70 kilometers)

This section of our biking trip is mainly off-road, but the good news is that the scenery just gets progressively more beautiful as we continue on.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day7  Day10-Day11:Amdo - Nagqu (138 kilometers)

Continue your journey on to Nagqu, an important town that serves as a hub of Northern Tibet. On this two-day section of your trip, you will cross the Qiangtang prairie, where you will enjoy a magnificent pastoral view with herds of sheep and Tibetan yaks grazing against the backdrop of seemingly endless green grassland.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day8  Day 12- Day13:

Scenery along this section is fantastic with snow-capped mountains, vast green grasslands, and flocks of sheep. You can either cycle into Namtso Lake, which will take 2 days, or you take the jeep if you just want to make a day trip. Either way, we will need to travel through the Lichen Pass at an elevation of 5190 meters, which will give us a breathtaking view over Namtso Lake. Namtso Lake is one of the three holy lakes of Tibet, and it is also the world's highest altitude salt lake. We can spend the night along the lakeshore to completely immerse ourselves in our beautiful surroundings.

Accommodation:Nagqu - Namtso Lake (146 kilometers)

Day9  Namtso - Yangpachen (123 kilometers)

While enjoying the beautifully clear morning at the lakeshore, you can trek along the shoreline to Tashi Dor Island to explore the meditation caves. After a morning of exploration, we'll begin the journey back to Lhasa with a bike ride over the Lagangla Pass to Yangpachen. Along the way we'll have a view of the Nyenchen Thanglha mountain range, reaching Yangpachen around 4 or 5 p.m. Yangpachen is famous for its geothermal power station and the nearby hot spring, where we can relax in the natural hot spring before retiring for the night.

Accommodation:Camping or Guesthouse

Day10  Yangpachen - Lhasa (75 kilometers)

Today we will start off with the fantastic Potala Palace, which historically served as the winter home of the Dalai Lama. It was first used in the 7th century by the 33rd king of Tibet. The most valuable collections in the Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of the former Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet. After lunch, we will move on to the Jokhang Temple, which was also founded in 647 A.D. by the 33rd great king of Tibet to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni as he was at the age of twelve – this is perhaps the most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism. Around the temple is Barkhor Street where you can perform the “Kora” (a religious circuit around a sacred building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals. The Barkhor market is also a great place to pick up locally made handicrafts and souvenirs.

Accommodation:Overnight at Lhasa 4-Star hotel

Day11  D16-Lhasa sightseeing - Potola Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor
Today we will start off with the fantastic Potala Palace, which historically served as the winter home of the Dalai Lama. It was first used in the 7th century by the 33rd king of Tibet. The most valuable collections in the Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of the former Dalai Lamas and the meditation cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet. After lunch, we will move on to the Jokhang Temple, which was also founded in 647 A.D. by the 33rd great king of Tibet to promote the Buddhist religion. Inside you can see the statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni as he was at the age of twelve - this is perhaps the most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism. Around the temple is Barkhor Street where you can perform the "Kora" (a religious circuit around a sacred building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals. The Barkhor market is also a great place to pick up locally made handicrafts and souvenirs.

Accommodation:Overnight at Lhasa 3-Star hotel

Day12  D17- Lhasa sightseeing - Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka Park

This morning we will visit the Drepung Monastery - one of the great three Gelug monasteries of Tibet. Founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge, on Tosngkhapa's main disciples, the Drepung Monastery is home of Ganden Palace, which formerly served as the Dalai Lama's palace before later moving on to the Potala Palace. In the afternoon we will move on to see another of the great three of the Gelug monasteries in Tibet - the Sera Monastery. Founded in 1419 by another main disciple of Tsongkhapa, Jamchen Chojey, the main attraction of this monastery is the lively scene of the monks debating Buddhist scriptures in the courtyard behind the monastery in the afternoon. You will finish today's activity after we visit Norbulingka Park, which served as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama and later became a governmental administration center. Here you will have the opportunity to see how the Dalai Lama studied Buddhist scriptures and touched the lives of the local Tibetan people.

Accommodation:Overnight at Lhasa 3-Star hotel

Day13  D18-Transfer to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or Train Station - Depart from Lhasa

Your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel to escort you back to Lhasa Gonggar Airport for your departing flight or to the Lhasa train station for your departing train as you finish your Tibetan adventure.

Accommodation:

What's Included

All necessary Tibet Travel Permit. (Including Tibet Entry Permit, Alien Travel Permit, Boarder Pass
Private professional English-Speaking local tour guide
Licensed Vehicle with experienced driver
Airport (or train)pick up and drop off
Accommodation listed in the itinerary
Breakfast provided by the hotel
Tourists Accident/Casualty Insurance
A container of Oxygen for emergency use
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Lodging and meal allowance to the guide & driver
Reservation fee for visiting Potala Palace
2 bottles of drinking water per person per day
Meals not specified in the itinerary (All lunches & dinners)
All Entrance tickets to the sightseeing places
Flight/Trian tickets in and out of Tibet
Personal expenses such as laundry, drink, fax, telephone call, optional tour activities, etc.
Any losses incurred from the force majeure factor like government control, natural disaster etc.
Tips to the guide & driver ( Tips is not required but expected)
Single room supplement

Additional Info

Alterations of Itineraries

The travel date, service items, itinerary and number of visitors, visitors’ ID information, etc. can be modified free of charge 30 days or more before the trip. If the visitor needs to make a second modification, an additional service fee of 5% of the deposit will be charged. Every time the content of the travel contract is modified, the company reserves the right to re-quote.

Cancellation Policy

Once the deposit is paid, your trip is confirmed. If you need to change or cancel your itinerary, please contact your travel consultant by email, phone, instant messenger, etc. There will be a charge for Cancellation or modification. The policy is as follows:

1. Notice of trip cancellation due to personal reasons before the trip starts
Cancellation 30 days or more before the trip starts, 10% penalty of the deposit.
Cancellation 29-15 days before the trip starts, 20% penalty of the deposit.
Cancellation 14-7 days before the trip starts, 30% penalty of the deposit.
Cancellation 6-2 days before the trip starts, 50% penalty of the deposit.
Cancellation within 48 hours prior to the trip starts, no refund of your deposit.

2. Trip cancellation due to irresistible factors before the trip starts

If you have to cancel the itinerary due to irresistible reasons such as traffic, weather, politics, etc., the deposit will be fully refunded by the company (for loss related to air ticket/train ticket, please take reference of the first item).

Reviews

 DaisyPurple
Travel Date:September 18, 2019

We booked the tour with Asia Odyssey after surveying few tour companies as it’s the cheapest among those with excellent reviews. Amy was the agent that contacted us and keep updating of our Tibet visa applications and train tickets arrangement. She is really helpful. She even came to our hotel in Chengdu in order to pass the physical train ticket to us despite we were staying nearby airport, yet she did not ask for any tips or car fare from us. Upon arriving at Lhasa, Amy still cared for us if we have any altitude sickness. She provided all the information we needed to know and get us into contact with the tour guide in Lhasa as well. The tour is superb. We viewed the Mount Everest from far during sunset and sun rise. It’s a lifetime experience never to be missed. Also, the tour guide 大海哥 is very responsible and fun, he make our hectic journey a full of fun, yet with lots of information regarding the history of Lhasa, Monasteries, Potala Palace and many more...The driver is steady, his driving skill is superb The journey to EBC is super winding yet no one had any car sickness Upon leaving Lhasa, Amy still followed up with us and we thank her well.

 Mary C
Travel Date:July 6, 2019

We worked with Shirley to build an itinerary of cycling through Tibet to EBC. She was incredibly helpful and responsive. She designed a trip that met our requests and exceeded our expectations. She worked with our tour members who would be traveling from North America and China to make sure we were all set with plenty of time to get visas and permits.

Our trip was 10 days in Tibet, with a rest and sightseeing day in Lhasa (Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple). Our amazing guide Phuntsok handled travel, permit, and hotel logistics with expertise and flexibility. He was a 5-star guide in every way- making sure we had everything we wanted and needed, giving cultural + historical context to the sights we saw, and having lots of fun with us.

We had 2 drivers (the van and a truck for our bikes) who were both very helpful, friendly, and good company.

We were worried it would get into rain season while we were there - instead we had beautiful, sunny days 9.5 out of our 10 days.

Thank you to all at Tibet Odyssey Tours for a trip we will remember for a lifetime.

 thewhalecat3
Travel Date:July 20, 2019

This trip has been part of our family’s bragging card at get togethers and parties ever since we stepped foot out of Tibet. But it would have not been without the preparation and help from Xiao Yu, our tour planner from Chengdu. In addition our tour guide Julia was extremely informative and a joy to be around for those 8 days. The hotels were extremely nice and the places along the way were magnificent. Our family felt very welcomed to the area and we enjoyed the endless insight into the beautiful culture and religion (It helped out the person taking world history next year in our family). We would definitely recommend this trip to other family and friends as it is worth every single petty bit of the high elevation fatigue.

 Dale Roberts
Travel Date:April 15th 2018

Most of the people go to Tibet for spiritual enlightenment. I don’t see myself a purser of religion. But when I stood in front of Jokhang Temple, watching the numerous pilgrims. I was shocked than I would have imagined. Tibet is a wonderful place from local people to the natural resource. What makes this trip extradinary is our excellent guide. He accompanied us wherever we want to and showed us local spots off the beaten track. He is pretty good at English, always shared interesting stories. I learned a few Tibetan phrases from him. The hotel arranged by our agency is well located. We were able to walk around and found local restaurant easily. Anyway, great experience

 YairM79
Travel Date:September 30, 2019

Last week we (4 of us) traveled to Tibet one way by train and return by flight.

Upon arrival to Lhasa a tour guide Mr. Chimpel waited for us in the train station and took us to the hotel.

A first class hotel big rooms very clean and best restaurants.

The guide made a plan for the 3 days tour including all relevant sites of Lhasa and out of town.

He's very knowledgeable and I feel like being in a class.

At the end we (all the four of us) were very grateful to Amy who arrange all and our travel agency Asia Odyssey Travel.

I will definitely recommend your office to any friend who will want to visit Tibet

Best wishes.

 Getshulma
Travel Date:April 05th 2018

I was fully in love with Tibet. Truly unique. breathtaking, wonderful and yet once-in-a-lifetime experience. I was hoping I could stay longer to see the ancient city, Yamdrok Lake is the most beautiful lake I have ever saw.We managed to see as much as we can. Thanks to Claire who was very helpful to organize everything.