• Pick up from Diqing Shangri-La Airport (25 mins drive).
• Check into Songtsam Linka Shangri-La and relax with welcome drinks and local snacks, acclimatize to the altitude.
• Have welcome dinner at Songtsam Linka Shangri-La.

• When wake up in the morning, enjoy your breakfast in the Chumekhar Tea House, which overlooked Lamuyamtso Lake. Listen to the guide telling the story of Xiaojiezi Village. Then, sip a cup of sweet tea, forming one of the impressions of Lhasa. Many people in Xiaojiezi Village have gone on pilgrimages to Lhasa, and it is the sweet tea carries the memories.
• Then visit the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province and sometimes referred to as the “Little Potala Palace”’. Located 15-minutes’ walk from the hotel, it is also the most important monastery in southwest China. Accompanied by the guide’s insightful narration, immerse yourself in the breathtaking religious ambiance and exquisite Tibetan artistry of Songzanlin Monastery. Discover the profound cultural heritage of this sacred land, experience the sublime power of faith, and gain a deeper understanding of Tibetan wisdom and worldview.
• Have lunch at Songtsam Linka Shangri-La.
• After lunch, depart for Benzilan, stop off at Dongzhulin Monastery, which overlooks the beautiful Jinsha River (upper stretches of the Yangtze River). It is not that well known but has become popular with the local Tibetans. (2-hour drive)
• Check-in at Songtsam Lodge Benzilan, take a short break, and spend a peaceful afternoon. (20-min drive)
• Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Benzilan.

• After breakfast, start Niding Forest Hike & Picnic. 30-minute drive to Niding, where the landscape transforms dramatically from a cactus-studded arid valley to lush temperate mixed coniferous-broad leaf forests. This section of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road boasts some of the most breathtaking scenery, offering picturesque views year round. Follow the mountain streams as you wander through this paradise, encountering wildflowers, mushrooms, birds, and cascading waterfalls along the way.

The duration and route of the hike can be arranged based on the guests' physical strength.

• Have an outdoor picnic in the forest.

If the original lunch arrangement is disrupted due to weather or other force majeure factors, it will be replaced with lunch at the hotel.

• In the afternoon, depart for Meili (2-hour drive).
• Arrive in Meili and check into Songtsam Lodge Meili.
• After a short rest, visit a local Tibetan home in Gujiunong Village. Explore the traditional Tibetan-style architecture and gain insight into their daily life. Enjoy freshly made yak butter tea, learn how to knead tsampa by hand, and use time-honored woodblock printing techniques to imprint the prayer flags. (3-5 mins walk)
• Have dinner at Songtsam lodge Meili.

• Get up early and expect the Snow Mountain of Sunshine. Early in the morning, if you are woken up by the telephone ringing, it is to tell you that "Snow Mountain of Sunshine" has appeared! Then the curtains are lifted and the Sunshine rises above the top of Mt. Kawagebo (weather permitting).
• After breakfast, visit Feilaisi Temple (30-min drive), join a Sang offering, which faces Meili Snow, and you can hang the Tibetan prayer flags you made the day before here to pray for blessings. 
• After breakfast, journey through dramatic landscapes where the 6,740m peak and the 2,200m Lancang River valley appear in one stunning view. Cross between snow mountains and deep gorges, passing from Yunnan into Tibet. Around noon, arrive at the ancient Yanjing Salt Field on the Yunnan -- Tibet border. (3-hour drive)
• Have lunch at the local restaurant, savor the local specialty - Yanjing 'Jia Jia' noodles.
• Visit the thousand-year-old salt fields, where traditional methods have been used for over 1,300 years, now a UNESCO-listed cultural site. Uniquely, red and white salt are produced on opposite banks of the same river. Then continue the journey past snow mountains and the Lancang River, crossing Hongla and Lawu passes, and arrive at Rumei. Check in at Songtsam Lodge Rumei. (3.5-hour drive)
• Have dinner at Songtsam lodge Rumei.

• After breakfast, you can choose your destination based on personal preferences:

Option 1: Niguo Temple (3 hour drive)
"Niguo" means "the crown of sacred mountains" in Tibetan. Founded by Lama Jizun Quzha Gyatso, Niguo Temple has a history of over 200 years. It is home to thousands of national first and second-class protected wild animals such as bharals, snowcocks, blood pheasants, and white-eared pheasants, which live in harmony with local monks and nuns. Every day, the monks and nuns feed them with salt (from the ancient salt pans of Yanjing), highland barley, and other foods, making it a fairyland where humans and animals coexist harmoniously. Niguo Temple can be regarded as a spiritual paradise—a realm of purity and simplicity, as well as an auspicious place for Buddhist practice.

Suitable for: Those who appreciate the symbiosis of humans, nature, and animals, and are interested in Tibetan culture.

Option 2: Maiba Pasture Nomadic Village (1-hour drive)
Visit local pastures and experience the traditional life of Tibetan herdsmen in Maiba Pasture. Inside a black yak-hair tent, savor butter tea while listening to the guide
talk about the thousand-year-old nomadic tradition of local herdsmen, who "follow water and grass to settle." A magnificent and colorful picture of Maiba Pasture unfolds before your eyes: alpine meadows, crimson land, and winding streams interweave beautifully.

Suitable for: Those who love pasture scenery and wish to immerse themselves in Tibetan herdsmen's life.

• Niguo Temple: Packed lunch.

        Maiba Pasture: Lunch at a local herdsman’s home.

• Return to the lodge in the afternoon, relax, and enjoy afternoon tea.
• Have dinner at Songtsam lodge Rumei.

• After breakfast depart for Ranwu.

Today’s drive is the dramatic shifts in landscape and altitude will take you through four seasons in a single  day. We'll cross the famed Jueba Mountain and Dongda        Mountain Pass, reaching the highest altitude point of our entire trip.(4-hour drive)

• Have lunch at Bangda local restaurant.
• Continue the journey through dramatic elevation changes as we cross Yela Mountain Pass and descend the famed "72 Bends" to the roaring Nujiang River. Traverse the depths of the Nujiang Grand Canyon, climb over Anjiula Mountain, and arrive at the secluded village of Laigu by Ranwu Lake -- a Tibetan settlement nestled at the foot of glaciers, home to the exclusive Songtsam Lodge Laigu. (5-hour drive)
• Dinner at Songtsam Lodge Laigu. If the night skies are clear, simply look up to being embraced by a breathtaking canopy of stars.

• Experience the magnificent sunrise on the lodge’s terrace in the morning (weather permitting).
• After breakfast head to Duosong Tso, a holy and secret lake without any tourists, to witness the pristine forest, blue lake, and snow-capped mountains. (40-min drive)
• Have lunch at Songtsam Lodge Laigu.
• After lunch drive to the mirror-like Rawu Lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Known for its tranquil and colorful water, the lake turns to dark blue or turquoise in accordance with the seasonal changes.(1 hour drive)
• Continue driving along the Parlung Tsangpo River, winding through the world's third-largest canyon. Check in at Songtsam Lodge Bome. (3-hour drive)
• Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Bome.

• After breakfast, hike into the Gangyun Spruce Forest, which is listed among "China's Top 10 Most Beautiful Primeval Forests". Breathe in nature's symphony in this woodland that captivates geographers and botanists alike. (15-min drive)
• Have picnic lunch at the Gang Village.

Picnics will not be available from November to the day before the Peach Blossom Festival in the following year, and will be replaced with boxed lunches or hotel lunches.

• In the afternoon, enjoy a foot bath with Tibetan medicine in your room. In high-altitude areas, a foot bath can promote blood circulation, increase oxygen supply, thereby alleviating the symptoms of altitude sickness. At the same time, it effectively relaxes the tense and sore muscles of the feet during travel, promotes the metabolism of the skin epidermis, nourishes and relaxes the body and mind, and dispels cold and fatigue.
• Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Bome.

• Depart from Bome and journey towards Songtsam Linka Basomtso (2-hour drive), with a stop at Zhaxigang Village along the way. "Zhaxigang" means "Land of Auspiciousness" in Tibetan. Stroll along the village paths, gazing upon the majestic silhouette of 7,294-meter Mount Jialabailei in the distance.
• Lunch at a Songtsam-partnered restaurant; in Lulang, savor the famed Lulang Stone Pot Chicken -- one of Nyingchi’s most celebrated culinary specialties.
• Afterwards cross the Sela Pass, traveling along the Yarlung Tsangpo and Nyang Rivers through picturesque landscapes of mountains and waterways, enjoying the ever-changing Tibetan scenery from your window. (4.5-hour drive)
• Check into Songtsam Linka Basomtso.
• Have dinner at Songtsam Linka Basomtso.

• After breakfast, join the morning meditation and embark on a journey of physical and mental cultivation with Songtsam. During the meditation, explore your inner self and discover happiness, allowing your body and mind to deeply decompress and fully relax.
• Follow the guide to the starting point of the lake-circling hike by car. Upon arrival, walk slowly along the path by the lake, wandering through the oak forests all the way. The azure lake water accompanies you throughout the journey, appearing and disappearing intermittently between the dense branches and twigs. If the weather is fine, you can also see the snow-capped mountains reflected in the lake. Occasionally, you may encounter local people who are circling the lake and praying. After the hike, take a boat back to the hotel. (20-min drive)
• Have lunch at Songtsam Linka Basomtso.
• You can take home the Tibetan incense you made with your own hands that can deeply experience the essence of Tibetan culture and enjoy a peaceful and joyful period of time. For thousands of years, Tibetan people have been guarding the unique scent of Tibetan incense with their strong hands and devout hearts. Tibetan incense originates from the daily ritual of "Sang Offering". When this natural fragrance floats over the snow-covered plateau, people believe that their prayers have been heard by the gods. Over time, this fragrance—capable of purifying negativity and warding off evil—gradually integrated into the daily home life of local people. It was used for disinfection, removing odors and repelling mosquitoes, thus giving shape to the early form of Tibetan incense.
• Have dinner at Songtsam Linka Basomtso.

• After breakfast, continue the journey to Lhasa.The outside views gradually transforms from mountain forests to villages and towns along the Lhasa River Valley. Finally, arrive in the holy city of Lhasa and check in at Songtsam Linka Lhasa. (5-hour drive)
• Have lunch at Songtsam Linka Lhasa.
• The slow-paced life of Lhasa easily infects every visitor. The lunch break here is particularly long, and sunbathing and drinking sweet tea are beloved pastimes shared by all locals. Songtsam skillfully brings this laid-back atmosphere into the hotel, creating a dedicated afternoon tea space in the lobby. Even local guests often come here to reminisce about the old afternoons on Barkhor Street. Here, you can savor sweet tea slowly and enjoy pastries and fruits; on selected dates, a band will be in residence, performing traditional Tibetan songs and dances to honor this leisurely way of life.
• Have dinner at Songtsam Linka Lhasa.

Whether you are visiting Lhasa for the first time or seeking a deeper understanding of this sacred land, you will find a direction for your walk here. Today, follow in the footsteps of Songtsam’s travel guide to embark on a Citywalk around the ancient city of  Lhasa — you can explore the historical culture carried by the city, feel the daily life and warmth of local Lhasa residents, and learn how Tibetan people in Lhasa spend each day and approach life and things.This walking experience will show you a different Lhasa and a different culture: immerse yourself in Tibetan style in a sweet tea house, stroll leisurely on Barkhor Street, soak up the sun in the ancient city, wander around Chomsigkang Market, and step into the most traditional Tibetan ancient courtyard for a sincere conversation with local people.

• In the morning visit the magnificent Potala Palace. Built in the 6th century, it is the iconic heart of Tibetan Buddhism and the highest palace in the world.  (30 mins drive)
• Have lunch at Songtsam Linka Lhasa.
• In the afternoon visit Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan pilgrims. During both day and night you will witness lots of pilgrims praying in front of the temple.  (20 mins drive)
• Afterwards go to Barkhor Street to experience the most vibrant bazaar in Lhasa. A popular circumambulation for pilgrims it is seen as “a saint road” in the eyes of the Tibetan people. Here you can feel the local spiritual belief from pilgrims with different dresses and dialects from all over Tibet who pray devoutly along this street.
• Have farewell dinner at Songtsam Linka Lhasa.

• After breakfast, transfer to Lhasa Gonggar Airport (1 hour drive).