11-Day Xinjiang Tours (Camping in the Desert)

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Daily Tour 11 day
Kashgar

Tour Highlights

  • Experience the live ancient Tuyuk Village with a lunch at a local house.
  • Visit the picturesque scenery of Heavenly Lake at the Tianshan Mountains.
  • Explore the ancient city of Jiaohe, which was built by dug down the ground.
  • Admire the natural sceneries, lakes and the great mountains along the KKH.
  • Explore the culture, history and see the real life of Kashgar in the Old City.
  • Visit the traditional hand made Silk factory.
  • Admire the world famous Buddha paintings of Bizeklik Thousand Caves
Day 1, Tash Rabat to Kashgar

Activities: Start your tour from Tash Rabat after breakfast and arrive in Kashgar later in the afternoon through Torugart pass
Details:Our Kyrgyz driver will pick up you from your Hotel at Tash Rabat after breakfast and drive to Torugart pass which is about 3-4 hours driving.
Our Chinese guide and driver from Kashgar will be at Torugart pass at about 1:30-2:00pm Beijing time (11:30-12:00 Kyrgyz time) to meet you and transfer to Kashgar city. Total distance is 170kms.
First stop at Topa Immigration and Customs Office which is 110kms from the border , it is about 2:00 hours.
Then drive to Kashgar which is another about 1:30 hours.
So arrive Kashgar at about 6:00pm Beijing time (official time all over China)

Day 2, 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 3, Kashgar to Tashkorgan

Activities: Drive along the KKH, Stop at Opal Village, Oytagh Kunlun 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 4, 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 5, Kashgar to Hotan

Activities: Drive along the Southern Silk Road, stop in Yarkant for sightseeing
Details:We set out from Kashgar after breakfast, first stop at Yarkand for a few hours to enjoy local culture and do some sightseeing. visit the Golden Mosque (built in 1533) and its graveyard which includes several hundred-year-old tombs. Yarkand was once capital of many ancient Uighur Kingdoms and an important station on the old Silk Road. It has more than 2000 years of history.
After Yarkand we’ll continue to Hotan and arrive by dinner time
Stay overnight in Hotan

Day 6, Hotan to Desert Trekking

Activities: Visit Grand Bazaar and drive to desert, once arrive in Desert pack up camels and start trekking on camels.
Details:Our tour guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 8:00am local time and drive to Grand bazaar to see around and to do some shopping for desert camp. then drive out into the Taklimakan Desert to give you a chance to experience the adventure life of the Caravans in the Taklimakan desert several Thousand years ago.
Upon arrival in the desert , we pack up everything on camels and begin trekking. You’ll enjoy beautiful endless high sand dunes during the trek.
Before sunset select a place with high sand dunes and our guide will make desert kebabs for you as shooting stars light the sky and the desert welcomes you to rest.
You never feel it is already midnight as you are listening the very interesting adventure life stories of Our camel man in the desert.

Day 7, Desert to Hotan, fly to Urumqi

Activities: Pack up camels and out of the desert, then drive to Hotan city and catch evening flight to Urumqi
Details:After breakfast, pack up everything on the same camels and come out of the desert where our driver awaits to escort you back to a hotel for a short break. A shower in the hotel is always nice to rid of 2 days of sands and grits, but the experience and memories will remain forever.
Drive to airport for the flight to Urumqi and Our different guide and driver will pick up you from Urumqi airport and transfer to your Hotel.

Day 8, Urumqi to Heavenly Lake

Activities: After breakfast drive to Heavenly lake and spend whole day around lake.
Details:Our guide and driver will see you at the hotel lobby and Leave for Heavenly Lake after breakfast which is 115 kms (71 Miles) over two hours by vehicle. This beautiful and crystal-clear waters of Heavenly Lake is guarded by the Tianshan mountains.
Once you are at the like, you will have free time to roam around the lake, simply trekking up the mountainsthrough the various valleys, go for boating or take cable car (own expense)up to the topof the mountain for full scenery of the lake.
spend the night at a local family yurt by the lake.

Day 9, Heavenly Lake to Turapn

Activities: After local breakfast at Kazak Yurt, drive to Turapn and visit Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city
Details:Not many tourists spend a night at the lake, it is quiet and not touristy in the morning. Also,enjoy the sunshine in the early morning.
After local Kazak style breakfast at the yurt, you will have chance to hike around the lake for a few hours before it gets crowded.  
Whenever you are ready, drive to Turpan which takes about 4 hours. Once you arrive Turpan, first 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. 
Then check into your hotel for overnight

Day 10, Turpan For Whole Day

Activities: Visit Bezeklik Thousand Buddha caves, Tuyuq village, Karez underground Irrigations system and Emin Minaret
Details:After breakfast drive to Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves which used to be an important center for Buddhist worshipers under the Xizhou Huigu government of the Idikut (Gaochang) Kingdom. In these caves, people created works of art depicting daily life and religion. The region has experienced changes in rules, invasions and immigrations, so people from different cultures left different artworks here.
Then Move on to Toyup 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 in their home. This could be the highlight of your tour today. 
After lunch drive to see the world famous Karez Underground 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. 
Then visit Emin Suliman 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.” 

On the way back stop on the roadside for taking photos of Flaming Mountain which people claimed to be the hottest and driest along the silk road that “flying birds even a thousand miles away dare not to come”.

Day 11, Turpan to Urumqi Airport

Activities: After Breakfast drive to Urumqi airport and depart
Details:After Breakfast drive to Urumqi airport for your flight to your next destination which is 200Kms and takes about 3-4 hours.

Day 12,

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Day 13,

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