Start your morning with breakfast at Chumekhar Tea House, overlooking Lamuyamtso Lake, while your guide shares the story of Xiaojiezi Village. Savor a cup of sweet tea, a cherished taste that carries the memories of local pilgrims. Then, visit Songzanlin Monastery, Yunnan’s largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, known as the “Little Potala Palace,” and explore its rich culture and intricate artistry with your guide.

After lunch at Songtsam Linka Shangri-La, drive to Benzilan, stopping at Dongzhulin Monastery above the Jinsha River. Check in at Songtsam Lodge Benzilan, relax in the afternoon, and enjoy dinner at the lodge.

After breakfast, set out for the Niding Forest Hike & Picnic, a scenic 30-minute drive away. Watch the landscape transform from arid valleys dotted with cacti to lush temperate forests along this stretch of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Wander alongside mountain streams, spotting wildflowers, mushrooms, birds, and waterfalls, with the hike tailored to your pace. Enjoy an outdoor picnic in the forest—or, if the weather interferes, lunch will be served at the hotel.

In the afternoon, journey to Meili (about two hours) and check in at Songtsam Lodge Meili. After a short rest, visit a local Tibetan home in Gujiunong Village, discover traditional architecture, sip yak butter tea, knead tsampa by hand, and try woodblock printing on prayer flags before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Wake up early and await the “Snow Mountain of Sunshine.” If a morning phone call reaches you, it signals that sunlight has touched the peak of Mt. Kawagebo. Open the curtains to see the sun illuminate the snow-capped summit (weather permitting). After breakfast, drive 30 minutes to Feilaisi Temple to participate in a Sang offering facing Meili Snow, and hang the Tibetan prayer flags you made the day before for blessings.

Continue through breathtaking landscapes where the 6,740m peak towers above the 2,200m Lancang River valley, crossing from Yunnan into Tibet. Around noon, visit the ancient Yanjing Salt Fields and enjoy Yanjing “Jia Jia” noodles for lunch. Explore this UNESCO-listed site, where traditional methods have produced red and white salt for over 1,300 years. The journey continues past snow mountains and the Lancang River, crossing Hongla and Lawu passes, before arriving at Songtsam Lodge Rumei for check-in and dinner.

After breakfast, choose your adventure. Visit Niguo Temple, a three-hour drive away, known as the “crown of sacred mountains.” Founded over 200 years ago, it is home to protected animals like bharals and snowcocks, living peacefully alongside monks and nuns, creating a spiritual paradise of purity and simplicity.

Alternatively, explore Maiba Pasture Nomadic Village, just an hour away, and experience the traditional life of Tibetan herdsmen, savor butter tea in a yak-hair tent, and enjoy the sweeping alpine meadows and winding streams. Lunch is either a packed meal at Niguo Temple or at a local herdsman’s home in Maiba. Return to the lodge in the afternoon for tea and relaxation, and conclude the day with dinner at Songtsam Lodge Rumei.

After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive to Ranwu, experiencing landscapes that shift dramatically with each altitude change, as if passing through all four seasons in a day. Cross Jueba Mountain and Dongda Pass, the highest point of your journey, before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant in Bangda.

Continue over Yela Mountain Pass, descend the famous “72 Bends” to the Nujiang River, and traverse the majestic Nujiang Grand Canyon. Arrive at Laigu, a hidden Tibetan village by Ranwu Lake, and check in at the exclusive Songtsam Lodge Laigu. Dinner is served at the lodge, with clear skies offering a canopy of stars overhead.

Begin the morning with a magnificent sunrise on the lodge terrace (weather permitting). After breakfast, drive 40 minutes to Duosong Tso, a secluded holy lake, to experience its pristine forest, blue waters, and snow-capped mountains. Return to Songtsam Lodge Laigu for lunch, then continue to the mirror-like Rawu Lake, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, where its tranquil waters shift from turquoise to deep blue with the seasons (1-hour drive).

The journey continues along the Parlung Tsangpo River, winding through the world’s third-largest canyon, before arriving at Songtsam Lodge Bome for check-in and dinner.

After breakfast, take a short 15-minute drive to hike through the Gangyun Spruce Forest, one of China’s “Top 10 Most Beautiful Primeval Forests,” where pristine woodland landscapes captivate both geographers and botanists. Enjoy a picnic lunch in Gang Village, though during winter months it may be replaced with a boxed or hotel lunch.

In the afternoon, return to the lodge and unwind with a Tibetan medicinal foot bath in your room, known to improve circulation, ease altitude discomfort, and relax tired muscles. End the day with dinner at Songtsam Lodge Bome.

Depart from Bome and journey to Songtsam Linka Basomtso (about a 2-hour drive), stopping along the way at Zhaxigang Village, whose name means “Land of Auspiciousness.” Stroll through the village and admire distant views of Mount Jialabailei rising on the horizon. Continue to Lulang for lunch at a Songtsam-partnered restaurant, where you can savor the famous Lulang Stone Pot Chicken, a local specialty of Nyingchi.

In the afternoon, cross Sela Pass and travel along the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyang Rivers, taking in the ever-changing landscapes of mountains and waterways (approximately 4.5 hours). Upon arrival, check in at Songtsam Linka Basomtso and enjoy dinner at the lodge.

After breakfast, begin the day with a morning meditation session, allowing both body and mind to relax and reconnect. Then, follow your guide to the starting point of a lake-circling hike. Walk at a gentle pace along the lakeside path, passing through oak forests as glimpses of azure water appear between the trees, with snow-capped mountains reflected on clear days. Along the way, you may encounter locals quietly circling the lake in prayer.

After the hike, return to the hotel by boat. Enjoy lunch at Songtsam Linka Basomtso, and later take home the Tibetan incense you crafted yourself—an ancient tradition rooted in the “Sang Offering,” believed to carry prayers to the gods while purifying and protecting daily life. Conclude the day with dinner at the lodge.

After breakfast, continue your journey to Lhasa as the scenery gradually shifts from mountain forests to villages and towns along the Lhasa River Valley. Upon arrival in the holy city, check in at Songtsam Linka Lhasa and enjoy lunch at the lodge.

In the afternoon, embrace the city’s slow-paced lifestyle—where sunbathing and sipping sweet tea are cherished daily rituals. Relax in the hotel’s dedicated afternoon tea space, savoring tea, pastries, and fruits, while occasionally enjoying traditional Tibetan music and dance performances. Conclude the day with dinner at Songtsam Linka Lhasa.

Whether it is your first visit to Lhasa or a deeper exploration of this sacred city, today’s Citywalk offers a meaningful way to connect with its culture and daily life. Follow your guide through the ancient streets to discover Lhasa’s history, observe local traditions, and experience the rhythm of Tibetan life—visiting tea houses, strolling along Barkhor Street, and exploring traditional markets and courtyards.

In the morning, visit the magnificent Potala Palace, the iconic heart of Tibetan Buddhism. After lunch at Songtsam Linka Lhasa, continue to Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet, where pilgrims gather in devotion. Then wander through Barkhor Street, a vibrant bazaar and sacred pilgrimage route, before concluding the day with a farewell dinner at the lodge.

After breakfast, enjoy a seamless private transfer to Lhasa Gonggar Airport—bringing your extraordinary journey through Yunnan and Tibet to a graceful close.