The Red Dragon and Lhasa

Beijing

Begin your Beijing adventure in style as WildChina arranges private access to the concept store and gallery of Ma Ke's fashion house, Wuyong. • Explore the imposing Forbidden City, where emperors ruled for 500 years • Hike up jingshan and take in a commanding view over the Forbidden City • Weave your way through Beijing's ancient, interwoven hutong alleys • Uncover a treasure trove of Qing Dynasty curios in the Temple Hotel • Peking duck dinner • Enjoy a champagne picnic on the majestic Great Wall, built to protect China's heartland from invaders

Xi'an

Learn the calming art of taichi in a private lesson on Xi'an's ancient city wall • Visit the grand Taoist Temple of the Eight Immortals • View the proudly unflinching Terracotta Warriors • Learn about Xi'an's 1,300 year old Muslim community by visiting the Great Mosque • Walk on a glass walkway above countless terracotta figurines and burial objects in the Hanyang Tombs

Dali

Learn the process of making China's most famous drink in a tea plantation at the foot of the soaring Cang Mountain • Travel back in time by walking around Dali's picturesque old town, a mixture of pagodas, red lanterns and mountains • Join a traditional "Three Course Tea" ceremony with members of the Bai minority • Immerse yourself in the traditional Bai architecture of Xizhou, characterized by ornate gateways and honeycomb patterns • Learn the secrets of making rushan, a local cheese • Hike up Taoist Weibao ("Magnificent Treasure") Mountain, where you will learn to meditate with a Taoist master • Retrace the steps of traders past along the Ancient Tea and Horse Road to a Chinese Muslim village

Lijiang

Continue along the Ancient Tea and Horse Road to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lijiang, taking a break in the historical market town of Shaxi • Explore the small paths and canals that weave through Lijiang's Old Town

Shangri-La

Wander through the gilded pillars and incense-filled rooms of Songzanlin Monastery • Follow the narrow, winding lanes of Shangri-La Old Town pasty white stupas and lively outdoor markets • Continue along the Tea and Horse Caravan Road to ephemeral Napa Lake • Visit an artisan village where local craftsmen knead, fashion, and fire products of black clay • Partake in a festive Tibetan-style farewell dinner

Lhasa

Acclimatize to Lhasa's elevation and spend the day at your leisure • Recommended: follow along the Barkhor pilgrimage route to see prayer wheels being spun, pilgrims prostrating, and hear sutras being chanted

Visit the gilded Jokhang Temple, which attracts a large number of pilgrims due to it being considered the most sacred temple in Tibet • Explore Potala Palace, Tibet's defining religious landmark, a grand masterpiece of white, crimson and gold famed for being the former residence of the Dalai Lama

Be greeted by the phrase "om mani padme hum" as you visit Pabongka Monastery • Hike downhill to Chupsang Nunnery, surrounded by green fields and home to 80 red-robed nuns • Witness monks animatedly debate Buddhist philosophy in the courtyard of Sera Monastery, one of Tibet's top university monasteries • If interested, learn about thangka, a colorful Tibetan Buddhist form of painting, or visit local NGOs

Enjoy a picnic by the freshwater Yamdrok Tso Lake, a holy lake of clear blue surrounded by softly rolling mountains • Optional: visit Ganden Monastery, another great university monastery tucked away on a mountain ridge • Spend the rest of the day at your leisure in Lhasa • Recommended: browse the bustling, multicolored handicraft stalls of Barkhor, where brightly colored beads hang alongside painstakingly crafted silver trinkets