Chengdu/Tibet - I've only got a week

can do all the places mentioned in Tibet in a week. Start from Shanghai, better fly LXA from Chengdu (easier to get permit and get save on flights), and return via Chengdu after Tibet. here is a draft itinerary for reference: 01. SHA-CTU. O/N Chengdu 02. CTU-LXA, drive Tsetang. O/N Tsetang 03. Tsetang: explore Samye, Yongbulakang, Trandruk etc. 04. Tsetang - Gyantse - Shigatse. 05. Shigatse - Lhasa. 06-07 Lhasa. 08. Fly Shanghai via Chengdu.

cheers

can suggest a contact by whom HSBC Shanghai professionals used before, text him at 13908004450 for details.

Forget about Chengdu in that case and spend all your time in Tibet. You can visit Chengdu any time later, but it'll be hard to go back to Tibet again.

I visited all the places in your post plus Namtso in a week. Samye and Tsetang are time-consuming to visit but not too impressive, but I really liked Gyantse and Namtso, highlights of the trip outside Lhasa. I think your time will be better spent in Namtso and/or Mt. Everest, so you'll see some truly spectacular natural sights, not just temple after temple for a whole week.

If you've only got 7 days, take off one each end (arriving and departing), you wont have much time to see those places. I'd forget going as far as Everest without several days acclimatizing.

Is there a reason that you include Chengdu?
If not, skip it. Any good tour company can arrange to get you your permit wherever you are. You don't need to stop in Chengdu or anyplace else to get to Tibet. You just need to obtain the permit.

Start by contacting some agencies that routinely arrange such trips. The commonly mentioned companies on this travel board include (in alphabetical order)
Sim's Cozy Garden Hostel
SnowLion
Spinn Cafe
Tibetan Connections.

Also consider trying the companies mentioned in this thread: Tibet based agencies

Your biggest problems are likely to be finding others who want to travel during the same time period, with the same itinerary heading back to Lhasa.

Good luck.

Ruth

Note that it s also holiday for all the Chinese people during your proposed time frame which is during the National Holiday. 7 days for Chengdu and Tibet is of course hectic.

I would propose the following itinerary:

Fly to Lhasa from Chengdu on the 3rd Oct (there are many flights from Chengdu-Lhasa daily so it wont be any problem for the air tickets) transfer to Tsedang town not to Lhasa

4th Visit Samye, Yambulakang Palace or any other interesting sites in Tsedang

5th Tsedang--Gyantse 330 km

6th Gyantse-Shigatse 90 km

7th Shigatse-Lhasa 270 km

8th Lhasa sightseeing

9th Depart

Happy & wise travel.

Awesome thanks everyone. I'm sure i was told i needed to go across the border via Chengdu to get the permit cause of the chinese residency visa - is that true or can i just go direct from Shanghai (which seems to make more sense?)

Thanks for the tour company suggestions Ruth!
Looks like there are no pre-arranged tours with spaces so would need to arrange a few people for a private tour - anyone interested in a 7 day trip to tibet leaving Lahsa on 3 October?!

Those companies will only arrange tours to order. They dont arrange a tour then try to get people to fill the places. I'm not sure if Traffic Hotel in Chengdu prearranges tours or does them to order.