A Laid-back Tibet Journey: Starting in Beijing, Ending in Xi'an

1) Clothing: Tibet has chilly mornings/evenings and hot middays. Areas around Lhasa can be even colder at times. So pack both thin and thick layers. For a 7–10 day trip, a windbreaker/rain jacket is a must, along with a warm coat or light down jacket, one or two hoodies, a T‑shirt, thick leggings, jeans, sweatpants, pajamas, a box of disposable underwear (laundry never dries well), plus socks and underwear as you like, and an extra pair of shoes.

2) Food: Keep it casual – eat wherever you go. (Lhasa doesn’t have many street snacks, so just eat when you’re hungry; no need to hunt for specific places.)

3) Accommodation: Four nights in Lhasa (about 210 yuan/night; we booked a family room for three, splitting the cost made it very reasonable). One night in Nyingchi (included in the tour price).

4) Transportation: Getting there → train (Shenyang to Beijing 206 yuan, Beijing to Lhasa 720 yuan); returning → flight (Lhasa to Xi’an to Shenyang, airfare 1155 yuan).

Important: Start taking Rhodiola rosea (capsules, granules, or liquid; personally I suggest the liquid — convenient and affordable) 7–10 days in advance. Note: avoid taking it during your period. Also pack some medicines: altitude sickness often causes headaches, so bring painkillers like ibuprofen; you might catch a cold, so prepare paracetamol or cold capsules; bring vitamin C effervescent tablets or American ginseng slices to make a restorative tea; and carry some sweets like Snickers, chocolate, milk candies... glucose boosts energy.

1. Bring chewing gum — it keeps your breath fresh when you can’t brush your teeth conveniently.

2. You don’t need to prepare oxygen in advance; you can’t take it through train and flight security, and both the train and plane supply oxygen anyway, so don’t worry. Pharmacies in Lhasa sell oxygen at low prices — around 25–35 yuan per canister.

3. Sunscreen is a must.

4. Bring lip balm and face masks. Tibet is very dry, and lips peel easily.

5. Carry a 50-yuan note (for that perfect Potala Palace photo).

6. Bring an insulated water bottle. It’s cold, and almost every stop lets you fill up with hot water — super convenient.

7. Pack two hats — you shouldn’t wash your hair in the first couple of days in Lhasa. A little trick: if you dislike wearing hats, bring some body powder/talcum powder; pat it into your hair to absorb oil — works wonders.

8. Nyingchi, Namtso and Yamdrok Lake all require driving from Lhasa. Since we travelled independently, we organized group tours in advance (you can contact multiple local hotels in Lhasa, they can all hook you up with one‑day or two‑day tours, usually 10–15 people per vehicle, and you can negotiate prices or get referrals to small groups and compare).

In the end, the two‑day Nyingchi tour cost 760 yuan/pkg (meals and accommodation included), the one‑day Yamdrok Lake tour cost 138 yuan (meal and one oxygen canister included), and the one‑day Namtso tour cost 220 yuan (meals not included).

9. You can buy insurance on little apps — lots of types, accident insurance, flight insurance, just for peace of mind. Our insurance cost 18 yuan per person.

Biu biu biu~~~~~ The wonderful journey begins. First, enjoy a beautiful photo and have a sneak peek!

From Shenyang to Beijing, a day trip to the Old Summer Palace with my old friend A’nan.

A sneaky shot of A’nan’s eldest’s toy (a corner of the windowsill).

Ding ding ding, we’ve arrived at the Old Summer Palace. Entry 25 yuan.

We walked through a really fun maze.

Posed and pretend-candid… hehe,

PS: Many thanks to A’nan for the warm hospitality — eating lamb spine hotpot was such a joy!

At 8 p.m. Beijing West Railway Station, I met my travel buddies. My two‑day‑and‑two‑night journey began.

Train sightseeing, let’s go!

The pancake in my luggage swelled up from the altitude — hilarious, puffing bigger and bigger.

Train‑side scenery timetable, for reference only. There are train attendants selling souvenir tickets and things like that, and they’ll have this timetable too.

Generally after Golmud oxygen supply starts. Keep that in mind, and if you feel unwell always let the train attendant know right away.

Arrived in Lhasa at noon. Stayed at GreenTree Inn Hotel (Potala Palace branch — very close to the Potala, walkable). Rested, adjusted, ate a little. Remember: absolutely no bathing or hair washing.

Lhasa Railway Station is extremely strict, with guards posted. You’re not allowed to get close. I even wondered how people board the train there, haha.

After leaving the station, you can take a bus for 1 yuan to the hotel, but we were too tired and had luggage, so we opted for a taxi. I’d done my research — taxis in Lhasa aren’t expensive. About a 20‑minute drive to the hotel, I expected 15–30 yuan. The first taxi asked for a wildly inflated price, but don’t rush — you can slowly look around, there are two roads of taxis nearby. Finally we paid 30 yuan to the hotel. Heck yeah!

Two‑day Nyingchi tour, overnight in Nyingchi (because Nyingchi sits lower than Lhasa, it’s fine to go there first and adapt gradually).

Stayed in Nyingchi, ate stone‑pot chicken. I highly, highly recommend visiting Nyingchi — it’s so overwhelmingly beautiful, beyond words, and pictures can’t capture all its beauty. It’s just amazing.

Visited the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, explored Basum Lake, stayed in Sosun Village, and saw Mount Namjagbarwa (the Shy Maiden Peak).

Views along the way, green lake water.

Clouds so brilliantly white, it felt like you could reach out and touch them.

Highway 318 from the passenger‑seat view.

Landscapes en route — every random shot looks like a cinematic blockbuster.

When it was warm, we could even wear a little T‑shirt, capturing a beautiful back‑view shot.

With my childhood friend — doesn’t it give off an innocent childhood sweethearts vibe? Too bad my childhood friend isn’t a male bestie, haha. I absolutely love these two photos; big thanks to our photographer (Sister Dongmei) — hearts!

After sightseeing, we continued advancing toward Nyingchi.

The weather honestly changed in a flash — sunny and breezy in the morning, then hail in the afternoon. So surreal! Lucky I’m from Northeast China and have seen my share of weather; hail is nothing new. Still, driving in that weather was scary; even from the passenger seat I could barely see the road.

We had planned to watch the sunset, but due to the weather it looked impossible, so we ate first. The group meal was decent — ten dishes and one soup. The hotel was a standard clean room; the exterior also felt very nice.

After the meal, unexpectedly the rain cleared and the sky brightened. We happily went to watch the sunset after all. Gorgeous — a completely natural effect, no Photoshop needed.

We even saw Mount Namjagbarwa! So lucky. The peak, like Heavenly Lake, isn’t visible every day — it’s all about fate. That’s why it’s also called the Shy Maiden Peak (it looks like a reclining woman).

Still touring Nyingchi, then back to Lhasa, staying at GreenTree Inn.

First, a group photo of our little gang.

People inside the scenery, others photographing the scenery, and I’m photographing the people inside the scenery. (What a poetic line, right?)

Mila Mountain Tunnel, elevation 4752 meters. Excellent!

Because I still had a touch of altitude sickness, we chose a one‑day Yamdrok Lake trip first (elevation 4441 meters), taking in the graceful scenery. Here you can wear brighter colors; they look great in photos. Overnight at GreenTree Inn.

We got back early, so we had a feast — 185 yuan.

After the great meal, a night stroll around the Potala Palace.

Namtso one‑day trip, enjoying the vast, majestic scenery. The elevation here is a bit higher — a good challenge. Stay at GreenTree Inn, and then you need to reserve Potala Palace tickets for the next day. (Friendly tip: This is glacier territory, the coldest spot, so definitely bring enough warm clothes. If you don’t have thick clothes, rent them in advance.)

Look — it’s all ice, so so cold, and the wind is fierce.

Look at the yaks — you can take photos riding them (10–30+ yuan).

A serendipitous ray of sunlight, so beautiful.

Check‑in at 5190 meters. By then I could barely speak; I had no energy left. One of the very few times in my life I’ve spoken softly, haha.

Mountain roads, so treacherous.

That evening, book your Potala Palace tickets in advance. It’s still the off‑season — only 100 yuan. In May it becomes high season and tickets jump to 200 yuan, so I suggest travelling in late April. Prices haven’t risen yet, you can still catch the last of the peach blossoms, and the weather is nice.

Back at the hotel, we couldn’t sit still and went ahead to visit Barkhor Street (you need to go through security; entry basically stops around 8:30 p.m.). We ate a big meal at the legendary restaurant Makye Ame, spending 345 yuan.

In the morning we checked out and stored our luggage. Visited the Potala Palace in the morning, then in the afternoon strolled Barkhor Street shopping for speciality gifts and unique local products. Around four we picked up our luggage and headed to the airport for the return trip. That night we stayed in Xi’an; if you have energy and time, you can head into town for some street food.

Potala Palace tickets — you can bring some small change to offer and pray to the monks inside the palace. Security won’t let you bring oxygen or bottled water, but the checks aren’t super strict. Next, I’m storming the Potala in my eye‑catching orange SpongeBob outfit, haha.

My smile is so bright, doesn’t it give you a warm feeling?

This sunbeam is so perfectly placed — I chose this spot! Look at my 1.8‑meter‑long legs. My little orange outfit is so dazzling, it pairs perfectly with the white walls. Yangzi said, “If you get lost, I can spot you right away.”

There’s money tucked into the wall cracks — lots and lots. I also really like this photo, it reminds me of peeking into wall cracks as a kid.

Now the 50‑yuan note’s purpose is revealed (by the way, you’ll need a phone without autofocus for this).

Barkhor Street · Jieyou Grocery — they sell camel bells there.

Local Tibetan meal: 262 yuan.

Special Tibetan fragrant pig — so delicious, 68 yuan a portion.

Tsamba (this is definitely an acquired taste — dry, you can tell from the shape it’s hand‑formed, and the flavour is… unusual), 33 yuan a portion.

Also, a delicious dry‑pot potato slice dish with rice. I was too hungry and didn’t get a photo.

Strolling and munching — Tibetan yogurt, topped with highland barley (tastes like popcorn, 15 yuan a bottle).

Passed by Jokhang Temple (didn’t get to visit due to time, but I heard the monks’ debate sessions are fascinating; tickets are only a few dozen yuan, very cheap).

Trendy A Diao milk tea, right beside Jokhang Temple, around 26 yuan a cup.

Arrived in Xi’an by night, took the hotel shuttle bus and stayed at a free hotel provided with the flight (you need to prebook on their public WeChat account, and the airport meal is also complimentary). Then we snuck into the city to have fun at midnight.

Does this have a ghost‑movie vibe?

On the 25th we flew back to Shenyang, ending this delightful trip.

The perfect end to a perfect day.

We set out cheerfully and returned cheerfully. A brief journey wrapped up beautifully; looking forward to the next serendipitous adventure.