16-Day China Silk Road Tours

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Daily Tour 16 day
Xi'an

Tour Highlights

  • Enjoy stunning sceneries along the Karakorom Highway with Tajik and Kyrgiz people’s cultures.
  • Enjoy the old city, livestock market, grand mausoleum and the rich culture of Kashgar.
  • Enjoy camel ride around the Crescent lake in the Gobi Desert.
  • Admire the most valuable Buddhist Treasure house of Mogao Grottoes in the World.
  • Visit the most influential and the largest Monastery of (yellow hat sect)of Tibetan Buddhism.
  • Enjoy the greatest archaeological discoveries of Terra-Cotta Warriors in China.
  • Admire the oldest Wooden Pagoda and the largest reclining Buddha Temples in China.
  • Enjoy the beauty of nature in Danxia National Geological Park.
  • Visit a unique combination Chinese and Islamic architecture of the Great Mosque of Xi’an.
Day 1, Arrive in Xi’an

Activities: Pick up you from airport and transfer to your Hotel
Details:Our professional, friendly local guide will meet you with experienced driver at the airport and transfer to your hotel. It takes about one hour to your hotel from airport. Rest of the day is your time to explore this ancient city by yourself.
It is said, if you want to see 800 years of China’s history, visit Beijing; if you want to see 3000 years of China’s history, go to Xi’an. The root of Chinese history and culture remains there. It used to be the ancient capital of many dynasties and the starting point of Silk Road of China.

Day 2, Explore Xi’an For Whole Day

Activities: Visit Terra-Cotta Warriors; Bell Tower; Wild Goose Pagoda and Hui Mosque
Details:After breakfast, we start our wonderful one day tour with a visit to Terra-Cotta Warriors which is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. This site is about an hour drive from Xi’an city.
After lunch Visit Bell tower which is located in downtown area. it is a Chinese traditional building and geographical center of the ancient capital, best preserved and largest wooden tower in China.
After an hour here we continue our tour to wild goose Pagoda which is a well preserved ancient holy building for Buddhism.
Finally visit Hui grand mosque located in Hui minority area, construction of the mosque has rich Chinese features combined with Arabic style. It is one of the oldest and largest mosque in China.

Day 3, Xi’an to Lanzhou

Activities: Visit Xi’an city wall and provincial Museum, then catch a flight to Lanzhou
Details:After breakfast first we visit the city wall which is the symbol of Xi’an and the most ancient existing city wall in China until today. We spend a few hours here by walking around or riding bicycle as your like. Then drive to provincial Museum which is a famous first-class museum in China with its outstanding architectural buildings, internal apparatus and exhibits.
Finally take evening flight to Lanzhou. Our local guide and driver will Wait for you at Lanzhou airport and transfer to the hotel. It is 75km from Lanzhou airport to your hotel which takes about 1.5 hour

Day 4, Lanzhou to Xiahe

Activities: Drive to xiahe and visit Bingling temple on the way
Details:Our guide and driver will be expecting you at the hotel lobby to give you an exciting tour today. Start driving to Xiahe, first stop at Liujiaxia small town to visit Bingling Grottos which filled with Buddhist sculptures carved into natural caves and caverns in a canyon along the Yellow River.
So we have to take a boat from Liujiaxia town to Bingling temple which takes about one hour to get there through Liujiaxia Reservoir and we spend about 2 hours to explore the sculptures, carvings and frescoes which are outstanding examples of Buddhist artwork.
Our driver Waits for us at the other side of the Reservoir and drive us to Xiahe through many small beautiful villages.
Upon arrival at Xiahe at about 5:00pm first check into the hotel take a short rest and have dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 5, Xiahe to Lanzhou

Activities: Visit Labrang Monastery, Tibetan family visit and then drive to Lanzhou
Details:Our guide will meet you at the hotel and take you to Labrang Monastery which is the largest, most influential and major monastery of the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The architectural layout follows true Tibetan style, while construction patterns are mixed with Chinese styles.
We spend about 3 hours to explore the monastery and have lunch at a local Tibetan family to learn more about Tibet culture and life.
Then leave for Lanzhou. It takes about 4 hours to drive to Lanzhou and check into your hotel

Day 6, Lanzhou to Zhangye

Activities: Take a bullet train to Zhangye and visit Danxia National Geopark (Rainbow Mountain)
Details:After breakfast drive to Lanzhou railway station take a bullet train to Zhangye and upon arrival our guide and driver will pick up you and then visit Danxia National Geopark (also called rainbow mountain) which is Known for its colorful rock formations, known for the unusual colors of the rocks, smooth, sharp and several hundred meters tall. These are the result of deposits of sandstones and other minerals that occurred over 24 million years. It has been voted by Chinese media as one of the most beautiful landforms in China.
You’ll appreciate the splendid scenery of Danxia landform under the sunset.
After a day of exciting tour check into the hotel booked for you.

Day 7, Zhangye For Another Day

Activities: Visit Giant Buddha Temple, Wooden Pagoda Temple and Mati Temple Grottoes
Details:After breakfast visit Giant Buddha Temple and the Wooden Pagoda Temple in the morning. As a landmark of Zhangye, the Giant Buddha Temple is renowned as the largest indoor reclining Buddha in China. Even a single finger of the Buddha can allow one adult to lie down. It is said that this giant Buddha statue is made in the image of Sakyamuni. Our guide will also introduce other statues and delicate murals in the hall. Numerous scriptures and ancient books are also displayed. In this temple, we will not miss the earth tower and a typical folk residence with traditional carved beams and painted pillars. Stepping out of the Giant Buddha Temple, we will drive to the Wooden Pagoda Temple built with wood and bricks.
After lunch drive one hour to visit the Mati Temple Grottoes. It is said that a heavenly horse once left its hoof print on a rock there and you can still see that print in the temple. It is a unique temple house buildings for both Han Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. Follow the guide to enjoy the Buddha statues carved in the caves and appreciate the painted scriptures of heroes in Tibetan myths.

Day 8, Zhangye to Jiayuguan

Activities: Jiayuguan fort ; Overhanging cliff great wall ;Weijin Ancient Tomb ;
Details:After breakfast we will drive to Jiayuguan, 250km 3Hs; then visit Jiayuguan fort the greatest and the best preserved one along all of the Great Walls in China ;
then drive to Overhanging Cliff great wall the north part of Jiayuguan fort defense system, You can climb up to the top according to your body condition;
Later visit Weijin Ancient Tomb which is well-known as the biggest underground art gallery in the world;
Finally check into your hotel we booked

Day 9, Jiayuguan to Dunhuang

Activities: Drive to Dunhuang and visit Singing Sand dunes and Crescent Moon Lake; Shazhou Night market
Details:After breakfast , drive to Dunhuang which takes about 5 hours and arrive by lunch time.
After lunch visit Singing Sand dunes and Crescent Moon Lake and you will have a chance to ride camel ;it will be a memorable experience .
After dinner we can look around Shazhou Night Market ; we will see different kinds of souvenirs, fruits,local foods and many more..

Day 10, Dunhuang to Turpan

Activities: After breakfast Visit Mogao Grottoes; After lunch fast speed train to Turpan
Details:We spend the whole morning at Mogao Grottoes which were constructed over a millennium ago from the 4th to 14th centuries. The caves are also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves with two distinctions of being one of the most notable grottoes in China as well as the best-preserved treasure house of Buddhist art, sutras, murals and sculptures in the world.
After lunch drive Dunhuang fast speed train station for your journey to Turpan which is about 3:30 hours train ride. Our Turpan local driver/guide will pick up you from Turpan railway station and transfer to your hotel

Day 11, Turpan for whole day

Activities: Visit Idikut (Gaochang) ancient city, Toyuq village, Bizeklik Thousand Buddha caves and Flaming Mountains
Details:After breakfast at the hotel, We start our tour in Turpan with a visit to ancient city of Idikut (Gaochang). The city was first built in the first Century BC and later became capital of the Idikut (Gaochang) Uighur Kingdom of the 8th Century.
We’ll visit the city for about 40 minutes and then Move on to Toyuq village, an old, beautiful and timeless village with a friendly Uighur community. Here we visit several local families and have lunch with a local family at their home. This could be the highlight of your tour of the day.
After lunch we visit Bizeklik Thousand Buddha caves which used to be an important center for Buddhist worshipers under the Xizhou Huigu government of the Idikut (Gaochang) Kingdom.
On the way back to the hotel we will stop at the Flaming Mountain which people claimed to be the hottest and driest on the Silk Road that “flying birds even a thousand miles away dare not to come”.

Day 12, Turpan to Urumqi, Fly Kashgar

Activities: Visit Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city, Karez underground Irrigation system and Emin Minaret. After lunch Drive to Urumqi airport and take evening flight to Kashgar
Details:Following breakfast at the Hotel we start our another wonderful day in Turpan. Our special itinerary today includes sightseeing in Turpan and drive back to Urumqi airport after Lunch.
First we visit Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city which is one of the best preserved ancient cities in China. The ruins of the buildings are divided into temples, civilian dwellings and government offices. Workshops, residential houses and the streets are still visible and time there is a time spent in a long lost world.
After an hour of seeing around the ancient city, we’ll head on to see the world famous Karez irrigation system, unique to this part of the world. The system is considered as one of the three great projects in China with the other two being the Great Wall and the Grand Canal.
Finally visit Emin Sulaiman Minaret which is a magnificent combination of ancient Uighur and Islamic architecture. It is the tallest ancient tower in Xinjiang and the only Islamic ancient minaret in the country. Locals call it “pure tower”. 
After lunch we’ll leave from Turpan to Urumqi airport and take evening flight to Kashgar

Day 13, Kashgar to Tashkorgan

Activities: Drive along the KKH, Stop at Opal Village, Oytagh Kunlunshan Colorful mountain range, Gaz Valley and check point, Bulungkol Valley (white sand mountain), Karakul lake
Details:We set out along the Sino – Pakistan Karakorum Highway, on the Pamir plateau (the roof of the world)visit Karakul Lake (3600m above sea level). The lake sits at the foot of the notorious, Muztagh Ata (7546m) and Gongur (7719m) mountains. ‘Muztagh Ata’ means Father of the Ice Mountain and is one of the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in the world.
Lunch will be at the lake side restaurant as your like.
You can stop along the way at good spots for photos as much as you like or hiking around Karakul lake for a few hours. Our driver and guide never mind for your many stops or spending time for hiking
Arrive Tashkorgan in the late afternoon and stay overnight.

Day 14, Tashkorgan to Kashgar

Activities: Visit Stone Fort, Tajik village, Hike on the Grassland and drive back to Kashgar after lunch
Details:Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county was once an important hub on the old Silk Road. The area borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan  via the Kunjerab Pass and Wahan Corridor.
After breakfast, you’ll have an opportunity to see the town’s ancient Stone Fort – still standing after 2200 years! ‘Tashkurgan’ is a translation of ‘Stone Fort.’ Later Hike on the grassland next to the Stone Fort.
After lunch, drive back to Kashgar and you can make stops along the way if you like.

Day 15, Explore Kashgar City

Activities: Visit Grand mosque, Apak Hoja tomb (which is also called Fragrant Concubine Tomb), Old city walking tours, livestock market, Sunday market and dinner at a local Uighur family
Details:Explore the rich, endless culture of the Uighurs in Kashgar. First visit livestock market which happens on every Sunday and people bring their horses, sheep, goats, camels,cows,bulls,yaks and donkeys to the market for sale. It provides a great opportunity to take photos of the faces of local people, study traditional local market culture, test-drive a donkey or horse or even make its shoes. Like opening a window, today is a real glimpse into a time lost in the annals of the Silk Road’s past and an opportunity not to be missed.
Later move on to Sunday market main Bazaar which is considered one of the largest market in Central Asia. From fluffy sheepskin hats to rugged camel-hide boots, not to mention beads, buttons and buckets of locals. Everything – including plenty of kitchen sinks – is for sale at this fairytale bazaar. It is the best chance to practice your bargaining skills.
After lunch spend some time by the Id Kah mosque, the largest mosque in China and marvel at the intricate architecture of Kashgar’s historic Apak Hoja Tomb which is also known as Fragrant concubine tomb).
We’ll also spend time in the Kashgar Old Town and have some walking tours through some ancient historical parts; Stop at a century-old tea house for a short break and taste local medicinal teas such as those containing rose, saffron, honey and many other ingredients.
Finally conclude our city tour with a dinner at a local family in old city area

Day 16, Kashgar To Your Next Destination

Activities: See you off at Kashgar airport
Details:Today is the last day of your tour with us, so we hope this shouldn’t be the last. We strive to make every day of your time with us the one that you’ll always remember and if you’d like to book some other tours please Contact us for more information

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