10 Days China Silk Road Tour

Transportation:Bus/Car

Activities:Since Torgat Pass is not for third country citizens, we will arrange permit, and send it with our guide and driver to pick you up from country gate. Our guide and driver will be at the country gate around noon time. Once you arrive, they will pick you up and bring you to Kashgar. Night will be spent in Kashgar.

Accommodation:

Attractions: Apak Hoja Tomb, Id Kah Mosque, Handcraft Street, Taklamakan Desert

Transportation: Bus/Car

Activities: Our tour in Kashgar city starts after your breakfast. We start our tour by visiting Apak Hoja Tomb which is located in the northeast of Kashgar city. Legend has it that seventy-two persons in five generations of the Hoja family are buried in the tomb. The legend goes that among the Hoja descendants buried here, a lady named Iparhan was one of the concubines of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong. Id Kah Mosque is a grand Islamic structure located in the  center of Kashgar city. It was first built in 1442 AD, extended and renovated time and again through the ages, finally reaching its present shape and size. The mosque is the largest in all China with covering an area of 16,800 square meters. The Handicraft Street is located next to the Id Kah Mosque and provides a place where tourists can see traditional Uyghur craftsmen engaged in making different types of articles for special and daily use. After our city tour at noon, we head to Dawakul section of Taklamakan Desert. Upon our arrival to Davakul, we will ride camel to enter the desert for camping overnight. Night will be spent in desert.

Accommodation:Camping in Taklamakan Desert in Davakul Lake

Attraction: Sunday Market, Old Town

Transportation: Bus/Car, Flight

Activities: We will take our breakfast at the desert then continue our trekking on camel back. Depending on your interest to the desert, you can decide how long and how far you want to do your trekking. Afterwards, we will return to Kashgar then visit Kashgar’s Sunday Market  which is the biggest market in Xinjiang. As early as two thousand years ago, it was the collecting and distributing center for trade. Nowadays, it has become even busier. Various special local products, handicrafts, articles of daily use, fruits and vegetables as well as all kinds of domestic animals can be found here. Kashgar Old Town is located in center of the city. The inhabitants of the Old Town are Uyghur’s whose ancestors have been living there since the city was established two thousand years ago. By walking through narrow streets and visiting the families there, you can learn about Uyghur culture and custom. After the tour, our guide and driver will see you off at Kashgar Airport to your flight to Urumqi. You will meet with your guide and driver in Urumqi Airport then transfer you to your comfort hotel.

Accommodation:

Attractions: Xinjiang Museum, Jiaohe Ancient City, Karez Underground Water System, Emin Minerat

Transportation: Bus/Car

Activities: After our breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Xinjiang Museum which serves as the archaeological and history research center of the region. The museum is famous as the home of the thousands year old Europoid mummies discovered in the deserts of southern Xinjiang at the end of the last century. After Xinjiang Museum, we will head to Turpan. Upon our arrival to Turpan, we will check in to our hotel, after quick refresh then start our tour. Jiaohe Ancient City is known as Yarghul Ancient City in Uyghur language. It was first the capital of the State of South Cheshi which was the one of the thirty six states in the Western Region. The Jiaohe Ancient City was bordered by rivers flowing by, hence the name of ‘Jiaohe’ or ‘the city of joining rivers’. Turpan owes its existence the Karez System an underground gravity irrigation system developed by the Uyghur’s over centuries. Karez is composed of a series of wells along the snow-covered mountains and linking underground channels that use slopes and gravity to bring water to the surface. There are around 1600 Karez Systems in Xinjiang and length of the Karez in Turpan is around 5000 km. Emin Minaret (Tower) or Turpan Tower was built in 1778 AD by Suleman, the Aqimu Boke, in memory of his father. There are 77 spiral steps up to the top. Night will be spent in Turpan.

Accommodation:

Attractions: Gaochang Ancient City, Tuyuk Village, Astana – Karakhoja Tombs, Flaming Mountain

Transportation: Bus/Car, Train

Activities: We start our Turpan tour by visiting Gaochang Ancient City which is located 50 km southeast of Turpan. The city was built as a garrison town in the first century BC and developed into one of the key points along the Silk Road. The town was known as Kocho and ruled a wide area. In the 14th century however, it was abandoned after continued warfare between the Mongols and the Uyghurs.The remains of the city still testify as to its past glory, with courtyards, Buddhist temples and pagodas scattered over 10000 square m in area. Tuyuk Village is one of the oldest Uyghur settlements in Xinjiang. In this village, we can see how the local Uyghur’s living in this village, visit their house in order to get general idea about their life style. You can also have your lunch in a Uyghur family in the village if you want to but need to arrange it in advance. Astana – Karakhoja Tombs is a public cemetery of the Ancient Gaochang Kingdom. Archaeologist excavated many tombs and found mummies, ancient books, paintings, pottery, clay figures, wood works,  old and stone wares, ancient coins, cotton and silk textiles in great value. Flaming Mountains stretch 100 km from east to west and are about 10 km wide. In the summer, temperatures go as high as 80 C and the airflow shimmers above the mountains like a fire. After the trip, you will take overnight train to Turpan.

Accommodation: Overnight Train

Attraction: Mogao Caves, Crescent Lake, Echoing-Sand Mountain, Shazhou Market

Transportation: Bus/Car

Activities: Upon our arrival to Dunhuang in the morning, Our guide and driver will pick us up from Dunhuang Railway Station and transfer us to our hotel for quick refresh. after the breakfast, we start our tour by visiting Mogao Caves which is the world’s largest and best-preserved treasure house of Buddhist scriptures, murals and architectural design. Dating from 366 AD, 492 caves have survived, of which 30 are open to the public. Early in the last century, a Taoist monk named Wang Yuanlu discovered a walled up cave in the grottoes containing thousands of manuscripts dating from 406 to 1002 AD. Crescent Lake, an amazingly blue colored lake sandwich between two huge sand dunes in the desert. The Echoing-Sand Mountain gets its name from the sounds produced by the wind, ranging from a roar during strong winds to sweet musical sounds during a light breeze. In the afternoon, we will visit Shazhou Market which is one of the best places in Dunhuang to buy local specialty, try local fruits and foods. Night will in Dunhuang.

Attractions: Han Great Wall, Yumen Pass

Transportation: Bus/Car, Flight

Activities: After our breakfast, we will visit the Yumen Pass which is located 80 km Northwest of Dunhuang. It used to be the pass the Caravan’s on Ancient Silk Road in 2000 years back used to pass. The Han Great Wall is situated 5 km west of Yumen Pass. It was built by Han Wudi as a defense wall against Western Region. It is considered one of the oldest sections of Great Wall. After the trip, you will be transferred to Dunhuang Airport to your flight to Xi’an. Upon your arrival to Xi’an, our guide will greet you then transfer you to your comfort hotel. Night will be spent in Xi’an.

Attractions: Terra Cotta Army, Xi’an Grand Mosque, Drum Tower, Bell Tower

Transportation: Bus/Car

Activities: Our tour for the day starts by visiting the Terra Cotta Army which was accidently discovered by local farmers while they were drilling for water near the tomb of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Since 1974, more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses have been uncovered from the site. Recent scientific work at the site has shown high levels of mercury in the soil adding credence to the historical account. Xi’an Grand Mosque is one of the oldest and most renowned mosques in China. It was first built in the Tang Dynasty (685-762AD), and is still used by Hui Muslims. Unlike most mosques in Middle Eastern or Arab countries, the Great Mosque of Xi’an is completely Chinese in its construction and architectural style having neither domes nor traditional-style minarets. The Bell Tower is a symbol of Xi’an and one of the grandest of its kind in China. It was built in 1384 AD during the early Ming dynasty and contains several large bronze-bells cast several centuries earlier during the Tang Dynasty. Drum Tower is located northwest of the Bell Tower and built in 1380 AD. In contrast to the Bell Tower, whose bell was struck at dawn, the Drum Tower’s drum was beaten at sunset to indicate the end of the day.

Attractions: Xi’an City Wall, Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Transportation: Bus/Car

Activities: Our tour starts by visiting the Xi’an City Wall which is one of the oldest and best preserved city walls in China. The existing wall was built by the Ming dynasty in the 14th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City. The wall is 13.7 km long, 12m high and 15-18 m thick at the base. Afterwards, Shaanxi History Museum which has more than 370,000 exhibits on display within its Tang Dynasty style halls. Most striking are the over 400 pieces of murals from the tombs of royalty and nobles of the Tang Dynasty, depicting their life and daily pursuits. Exquisite bronze mirrors, porcelain and textiles also remind us of the sophistication and luxury attained by the Han and Tang courts. Big Wild Goose Pagoda is seven storied and 64 meters high. It was built in 652 AD to house Buddhist scriptures that were brought back by the famous Buddhist monk, Xuan Zang during his 17 year pilgrimage to India. Night will be spent in Xi’an.

Attractions:

Transportation: Bus/Car, Flight

Activities: After your breakfast at the hotel, our guide and driver will take you to Xi’an Shenyang International Airport to see you off for your next destination. Our service will ends after our guide assist you with your checking in for your flight.