If you are looking for a run in the mill holiday with some barbecue and parties thrown in, then Tibet is definitely not a suitable location for you!
However, if you are excited about exploring the Snow-covered peaks, the unique landscapes, the valleys, and mountain passes, then Tibet will win hands down. If you are worried about the high altitude, you can always acclimatize with a Tibet train tour before hitting the road for a trek!
The Tibet train tour starts from the Qinghai plateau and the Jangthang plateau, to get you first acclimatized with the rarified air above. This train ride, however, qualifies as unlike any you have taken in your lifetime, and the reason is not just because of the altitude at which it runs. Let us explore the various train ride tours in Tibet, and which one would be the best to take on a first trip to the country.
Starting from Xining
Xining is one of the largest cities of the Tibetan plateau and is in the western china province of Qinghai. When you book a Tibet train tour with a local tour operator, you will be met at the airport of Xining to transfer you to the west train station of Xining. From here, and till the tie you reach the ancient city of Lhasa, your eyes will endure an assault of such beauty and tranquility to make the whole effort worthwhile.
The train from Xining takes you on what one can call as the World’s highest train ride. The scenic route will go through the Qinghai lake and the grasslands surrounding them. One also gets to visit the Nyenchen Thangla mountain range and the other beauties surrounding the whole landscape. The feeling one gets when the train finally enters Lhasa cannot be described in mere words. Even if you have done your homework, and have studied all about the Potala Palace, the abode of Dalai Lama, the first view of the Palace will still leave you spellbound. Nothing can match the beauty and the serene existence of this great Palace in the highest altitude, standing tall through its history. The ride takes about 23 hours, by which time your body will be slowly adjusted to the altitude. Not stopping at Lhasa, here the tour agency will take you on a trip inside the city, the train will proceed through other glories of Tibet, such as the Yarlung valley and the Samye monastery. From Gyantse to Shigatse and some temples in between, the whole train journey will get you through some of the fascinating places in Tibet.
Amdo Train Tour
If you are someone who is culturally inclined and would love to journey along Tibet to visit some of the famous monasteries, then you are in for a surprise with this tour. The Tibet train tours to Amdo and Kham monasteries starts at Lanzhou. This 13-day tour will enchant you with several phenomenal moments and spots along the way. There are monasteries, nomad camps, villages and lakes galore to leave you spell-bound along the way. Since, 13 days is a huge time to spend on rails, the overnight stays are arranged in good hotels in each city, making your trip all the more comfortable.
A trip to Everest and Beyond
When you are in Tibet, how can you miss the Mount Everest? The interesting point to note here is that one can travel to the Everest base camp and beyond in train from the Xining airport. While you will come across several momentous occasions along the way and gaze around in wonder, the train will slowly inch towards your first view of Lhasa city and the Potala Palace. The feeling that comes to you when you first sight that great Potala Palace is just inexplicable.
While every train journey or the Tibet Train tour is designed to give you the best possible sights in Tibet, the choice of picking one entirely depends upon the individuals. You can fix on one train tour that will take you to the place you want to visit the most or rather, a journey which you would love to make once in a lifetime.
