Golden Eagle Luxury Trains is a family-owned British company, headquartered in Altrincham, Cheshire, with more than 30 years of experience operating private luxury rail journeys across Russia, Central Asia, China, Europe, and India. The Tibet and China Rail Discovery is one of the company's most ambitious itineraries, combining the celebrated sights of eastern China with the high-altitude wonders of Tibet. Passengers travel aboard the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express, a private formation carrying up to 76 guests in en-suite cabins with dedicated cabin attendants, two dining cars, a bar-lounge, and an observation car. The journey crosses the Qinghai-Tibet Railway – the world's highest railway, reaching the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 metres (16,640 feet) above sea level.
The Tibet and China Rail Discovery spans 12 days, weaving through some of Asia's most iconic and least-visited landscapes. In China, highlights include sections of the Great Wall, the sand dunes of Dunhuang, and a camel ride to Crescent Lake. The Mogao Caves near Dunhuang – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – hold what is considered the world's largest and most significant collection of Buddhist art. In Urumqi, the Provincial Museum displays extraordinary artefacts and naturally preserved mummies dating back thousands of years. The route also passes through Xining, offering the choice of visiting the ancient Buddhist Kumbum (Ta'er) Monastery.
The Tibetan leg of the journey centres on Lhasa, one of the world's highest capital cities. Guests visit the Potala Palace, the historic winter residence of the Dalai Lamas and a defining landmark of Tibetan culture. Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's former summer palace, provides a quieter, garden-surrounded contrast. The Barkhour market district offers traditional street food, handicrafts, and live folk music, giving a vivid sense of everyday life in the city.
Golden Eagle's journeys are fully all-inclusive. The price covers all on-board accommodation in en-suite cabins, five-star hotel nights, all meals and drinks served with meals, complimentary tea, coffee, and bottled water around the clock, guided off-train excursions with experienced tour leaders, arrival and departure transfers, and all gratuities. An on-board doctor travels with the group – particularly important given the high-altitude sections of the Tibet route. The company has been recognised in Forbes, Conde Nast Traveller, The Times, The Telegraph, and The Guardian for its standards of service.
The Tibet and China Rail Discovery paused after its last departure in April 2019. Golden Eagle Luxury Trains has announced the journey is returning with a revised itinerary. Check the company's official website for current departure dates and availability.
The journey operates aboard the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express, a dedicated private train with up to 76 passenger berths. The formation includes sleeping cars with en-suite facilities, two dining cars, a bar-lounge car, and an observation car.
The route traverses the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest railway line. It reaches its peak at the Tanggula Pass, 5,072 metres (16,640 feet) above sea level. Golden Eagle provides on-board oxygen and carries a doctor for the high-altitude sections of the journey.
The fare is all-inclusive: en-suite cabin accommodation, five-star hotels, all meals, complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks, guided sightseeing excursions, experienced tour leaders, airport transfers, gratuities, and on-board medical services. International flights and visas are not included.
Daytime wear on and off the train is casual. Smart casual attire is expected at dinner. For excursions in Tibet and desert regions, comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing are recommended given the variable temperatures and altitudes involved.
Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Ltd is a privately owned company headquartered in Altrincham, Cheshire, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1989 and has operated luxury private rail journeys for over 30 years.
This brochure is part of the Catalink archive and may no longer be available to order. The information above describes Golden Eagle Luxury Trains and the Tibet and China Rail Discovery itinerary. For current details, visit the company's official website.
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