14-Day From Xi’an to Kashgar Tours

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Daily Tour 14 day
Xi'an

Tour Highlights

  • Enjoy horse or camel ride at the Karakul Lake with splendid views of snowcapped mountains.
  • Discover hand made silk textiles, carpets, papers and unique Jades of Hotan.
  • Experience a journey through middle of the longest desert highway in the World.
  • Visit Karez underground irrigation channels one of the three Great Projects in China.
  • Visit mysterious Crescent Lake in the middle of Gobi Desert.
  • Admire the most valuable Buddhist Treasure house of Mogao Grottoes in the World.
  • Enjoy the greatest archaeological discoveries of Terra-Cotta Warriors in China.
  • Explore the culture, history and see the real life of Kashgar in the Old City.
  • Admire the earliest Buddha paintings of Kizil thousand caves in China.
  • Enjoy ancient cities perspectives by walking in the streets of Jaohe and Gaochang.
Day 1, Arrive in Xi’an

Hotel:Chenggong International Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
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

Hotel:Chenggong International Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
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 Dunhuang

Hotel:Jinlong Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Visit Xi’an City Wall and fly Dunhuang after lunch
Details:Our guide and driver will Wait for you in the hotel lobby and take you to Xi’an City Wall which is the symbol of Xi’an and the most ancient existing city wall in China until today. We enjoy the Wall for a few hours by walking around or riding bicycle as your like.
After lunch drive to Xi’an airport for your flight to Dunhuang. Our local guide and driver see you at Dunhaung airport and transfer to your Hotel which is an hour drive from the airport.

Day 4, Dunhuang to Turpan

Hotel:Jinxiu Jinhua Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: After breakfast visit the World heritage Mogao Grottoes, the echoing-sand dunes of the Ming Shan Mountains, Crescent Lake and Dunhuang Museum , then take overnight train to Turpan
Details:After breakfast spend the whole morning at World heritage famous 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 to Dunhuang Museum which exhibits relics excavated from the local area, including papers and coins. The museum is also home to an excellent reconstruction of the Great Wall during the Han Dynasty.
Later Ride Camels, High Sand Dune Sliding (own expense) or simply walking around the sand by the mysterious Crescent Lake which no-one can explain the formation of such a geological oddity. the trip would be a great experience. If you like you can stay till sunset and back to thehotel later.
At the end, Take overnight soft sleeper train to Turpan

Day 5, Turpan for whole day

Hotel:Jinxiu Jinhua Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
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 6, Turpan to korla

Hotel:Jinfeng Hotel
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Visit Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city, Karez underground Irrigations system and Emin Minaret. Drive to Korla after lunch
Details:Following the breakfast at the Hotel we start our wonderful day in Turpan. Our special itinerary today includes sightseeing in Turpan and drive to Korla 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.
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.”
After lunch we’ll leave from Turpan to korla. the distance is about 400km to Korla and it takes about 6 hours by car. Arrive Korla in the evening and stay overnight

Day 7, Korla to Kucha (Kuqa)

Hotel:Kucha grand Hotel (5 star building)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Drive to Kucha (Kuqa) and visit Kucha old city , Grand Mosque, Bazar , Subash ancient city and Kizil Kagha Beacon tower
Details:Leave for Kucha after breakfast and arrive by noon. After lunch we’ll spend time at Kucha old city area which has a lovely community of friendly Uighur people. The Kucha’s grand mosque is located in old city area and the mosque was built in the 17th Century and roof of the mosque was constructed with 300,000 eggs, cement and bricks.
Then we’ll visit the Ancient City of Subash dating from the 2nd -3rd Centuries as well as the ancient Kizil Kagha Beacon Tower which was once an ancient military outpost.

Day 8, Kucha (Kuqa) to Aksu

Hotel:Aksu Dongfang International Hotel (4*)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Visit Tianshan Grand Canyon and Kizil Thousand Buddha caves, then drive to Aksu
Details:After breakfast, Drive to Tianshan mysterious Grand Canyon which is about little more than an hour drive from the Hotel. The canyon is attractive not only for its colors but also the shape of the mountains there. Today, Tianshan Great Canyon is regarded as one of the ten most beautiful Crayons in China.
We spend about two hours hiking in the Canyon and then drive to Kizil Thousand Buddha caves which sit high on the cliffs over the Northern bank of the Muzat River, 75km (46miles) from Kucha city. It is one of the earliest treasure troves of Buddhist art as well as one of the four largest cave systems in China. In fact the caves were in use one century before the famous Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang。
Then keep driving to Aksu and arrive by dinner time.

Day 9, Aksu to Hotan

Hotel:Yudu Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Drive through second largest shifting sand desert Taklimakan
Details:An early start today as we set out for Hotan after breakfast and driving into the desert highway. This desert highway was built from 2005 to 2007 and opened in 2008. Today we drive about 200km through local villages and 420kms on desert highway.
You’ll love the drive with outstanding scenery of Sand dunes and we can stop whenever you like for photos, walking around or have fun.
The word ‘Taklimakan’ means Sea of Death: “once you come in you can never go back”, This will certainly be an unforgettable part of your trip. We arrive Hotan in the afternoon and check into the Hotel.

Day 10, Hotan For Whole Day

Hotel:Yudu Hotel (3*)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Grand Market, Silk Fabric, Jade River, Carpet factory, Hotan museum and Night Market
Details:After breakfast, visit Hotan grand Bazaar for a few hours; Then drive to Traditional Silk Fabric where you can see how to get the silk and weave into cloth by the traditional way. later also visit Carpet weaving workshop where you can see how beautiful Hotan carpets weaved by hand. Silk, Carpet and Jade, all of these three products are very indigenous to this area of Xinjiang and famous along the Silk Road of Central Asia for thousands of years.
In the afternoon visit Hotan Museum which houses some impressive cultural relics unearthed from Ancient Cities in the Taklamakan desert as well as Mummies from Ancient tombs near Hotan.
In the evening, walk around Hotan Night Market where you will experience some most authentic Xinjiang cuisine including Roast goose eggs, Goat soup, yogurt dumplings, Pumpkin dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, Many different kind of Kebabs, Fruits and pigeon soup.
There are more than 260 stalls where you can choose what you like as well as enjoy local dance performance
Options Activities: if you want to ride camel in Taklamakan Desert, we can arrange it if you let us know in advance. It is on your own expenses.

Day 11, Hotan to Kashgar

Hotel:Qinibagh Hotel (4*)
Meals:B,L,D
Activities: Drive to Kashgar along the Jade Road and stop in Kaghilik and Yarkant and towns for local sight-seeing
Details:Leave for Kashgar early in the morning. Stop at Yarkand for lunch and a few hours to enjoy the local culture and do some sightseeing.
Yarkand became important city in ancient times and was an important station on the old Silk Road. It has more than 2000 years of history.
Arrive Kashgar in the evening and check into the Hotel

Day 12, Day Trip to Karakul Lake

Hotel:Qinibagh Hotel (4*)
Meals:B,L,D
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 and local Kyrgyz family visit.
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 Mountains and is one the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in the world. Return by late afternoon to Kashgar.

Day 13, Explore Kashgar City

Hotel:Qinibagh Hotel (4*)
Meals:B,L,D
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 14, Kashgar To Your Next Destination

Hotel:
Meals:B,L,D
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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