8:30am - Meet in Xining (possibly at your hotel or hostel).

9:30am - Drive 2.5 hours (150km) to Qinghai Lake.  At 3260 meters in elevation, this is the largest saltwater lake in China. Stop along the drive to view the high grasslands and Tibetan Prayer flags overlooking the lake.

12:30pm- Enjoy the shores of the high altitude lake.

2:00pm- Drive from the lake to day hike to get a view of the lake below.

4:00pm - Finish the hike and head off to the hotel in Gonghe

6:00pm - Check into hotel, eat dinner

7:30pm - Watch the stars and talk about history and stories of the area as well as the nomadic culture around us and it’s dependence on the yak.

9:30pm - Sleep in hotel in Gonghe

8:30am - Eat breakfast at hotel in Gonghe

9:00am - Drive 2.5 hours  (134km) to Serdzong Monastery

12:30pm - Lunch in Xinghai at 3,300 meters

1:00pm - Depart to drive through beautiful canyons and high altitude grasslands

2:00pm - Arrive Serdzong Monastery, day hike to 4,000 meter viewpoints along high walled cliff faces overlooking the monastery and the nearby nomad village.  At the end of the hike explore this remote monastery.

5:30pm - In the afternoon, drive back to Xinghai

6:30pm - Arrive in hotel in Xinghai, eat dinner

9:00pm - Sleep in hotel in Xinghai

NOTE:  In the summer there is an option to sleep in a Tibetan nomad tent in the high grasslands near Serdzong Monastery if you would like to experience authentic Tibetan food and culture in a very indigenous way.  Please contact us and let us know if you would rather sleep in this option rather than in a hotel.

8:30am - Eat breakfast in hotel

9:00am - In the morning, drive back to Xining 4.5 hours (265km) to reach Kumbum Monastery

2:00pm- Explore the labyrinthine alleys of Kumbum Monastery to find out what life as a monk is really like. Kumbum is the birthplace of Tsongkapa, the great reformer of Buddhism who founded the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism

6:00 pm - Arrive in Xining for dinner. Tour Officially ends.

Please let us know if you would like us to schedule you a nice Tibetan style dinner in Xining or need help with your lodging in Xining.