Highlights

The price is based on 2 persons in a private tour for 4star hotel

  • Explore the west most city Kashgar of its most interesting corners

  • Marvel Karakul Lake, a high-altitude lake set at the foot of snowcapped Muztagh Ata (7,546m) and Kongur Tagh (7,719m)

  • Picturesque Heavenly Lake and Tianshan Mountain chains

  • Wonder city of Turpan along old Silk Road

  • UNESCO Mogao Grottoes and Ride Camel across the vast desert

  • Explore the splendid Danxia Rainbow Mountain in Zhangye

ITINERARY Close All

Day 1Urumqi Arrival

Welcome to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and the farthest land from any ocean.  It is the heaven of travelers for its beautiful natural scenery, profound cultural deposits and special local customs and practices. Upon arrival, be transferred to the hotel and check in. The rest of day is free at leisure.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Altitude: 918m

Day 2Visit Regional Museum, then flight to Kashgar

After enjoying breakfast, your fascinating day will start this morning. Today our tour guide will bring you to head to Xinjiang Regional Museum. There are many archaeological treasures of the Silk Road and Xinjiang's minority cultures. You will learn about the history of Xinjiang and its peculiar ethnic customs.

Take the flight to Kashgar

Pay a visit to Id Kah Mosque, the largest Mosque in China and the most sacred mosque for the locals to practise their Islamic activities. Continue the visiting to Old Town with the open ceremony of Maxilap show. Come and join the exciting movement in this well-preserved Uighur residential area. Our speciality: Relaxing in the Hundred-years Tea house, taste the local rose tea and nang-bread!

Continue to visit Handicraft street, gathered hundreds of handicraft workshops, which has become a boutique exhibition for handicraft in Kashgar and Central Asia.

Traffic: Car+Flight
Hotel: Overnight in Kashgar
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1289m
  • Xinjiang Regional Museum

  • Old Town

Day 3Drive to Taxkorgan (320 kms), Visit Karakul Lake

Today we will adventure to Taxkorgan, a town in the far west of Xinjiang Province in China, bordering Pakistani, Tajik, and Afghani.This region is commonly known as the main road of the "old Silk Road" the main route leading from China to West Asia.


On the way, you can experience beautiful Karakul Lake where the herds of livestock around the lakeside are reflected in lake Kirghiz herdsmen usually settle down and graze their herds before shuttling you onward to Kashgar.


Stay one night and explore its peculiar folk customs of Tajik nationality. Taste snack and milk tea provided by local herdsman and spend your rest of day at leisure.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Taxkorgan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 3100m
  • Karakul Lake

  • Karakul Lake

Day 4Drive back to Kashgar (320 kms)

Today say farewell to Taxkorgan and return to Kashgar. On the way, you will have stunning views of the great Pamir Plateau and pass by sand dunes, mountains and sandstone valleys.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Kashgar
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1289m

Day 5Visit Sunday Livestock Market, then flight to Urumqi

Today, you will drive to Sunday Bazaar that is combined two section. The covered bazaar sells the clothing, nuts, household goods and many things out of your imagination.The outdoor Animal Bazaar is the first bazaar we visit, where the farmers and buyers arriving by donkey cart, truck, bicycle, horseback, motorbike or on foot, with their animals. It's loud, lively and cheerful as they arrive. It is quite interesting to witness their typical methods of bargin.


In the afternoon, catch the flight to the capital city of Xinjiang- Urumqi. Met and greeted in airport be transferred to hotel. Relax with free time for the rest of the day.

Traffic: Car+Flight
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 918m
  • Sunday Bazaar

  • Sunday Bazaar

Day 6Visit Heavenly Lake (120 kms) then drive to Turpan (200 kms)

Today you will enjoy A FULL DAY tour of the picturesque Heavenly Lake (approximately 1.5hrs), 2000m up in the Tianshan mountain range. which is surrounded by the snow mountains, blooming wildflowers, evergreen pine trees. 40-minute scenic shuttle bus ride that twists though the dramatic mountains. Then you can either walk to the lakeside in 10mins or take the electronic cart. There are 3 options suggested. Boating cruise to take the incredible view of Tianshan Mountain. Trekking along the lake in the fresh air. or you can explore further up to the Maya Mountain by the cable car to enjoy the magnificent view of the Mountains. The lunch in the local Kazakh's yurt is highly recommended. 

In the LATE afternoon, drive to Turpan, passing by the wind power station which is the largest one in Asia spreading at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. Following glimpse of Salt Lake in Dabancheng. We'll be amazed by the historical sites

And oasis land of Turpan.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 819m
  • Heavenly Lake

  • Heavenly Lake

Day 7Turpan City Tour

After breakfast, the good day begins Tuyoq Village which is an ancient oasis-village in the Taklamakan desert. First we drive to the Flaming Mountains and famous for its seedless grapes and a number of ancient Buddhist meditation caves nearby containing frescos. 

Then we make our way to Bezekilik Thousand Buddha Caves which are a complex of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to 14th century between the cities of Turpan and Shanshan (Loulan) at the northeast of the Taklamakan Desert near the ancient ruins of Gaochang in the Mutou Valley. visit The Ruins of Ancient City of Gaochang, which was a political, economic and cultural center of Xinjiang in ancient times. The existing parts of it consist of three parts built in different times. Finally our scenic bus will take you to Astana Tombs, a complex of an ancient tomb where you can see many well- preserved aretifacts including mummies.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 819m
  • Flaming Moutains

  • Bezkilik Thousand Buddha Caves

Day 8Train to Dunhuang, then Visit Echoing-Sand Mountain

Take the morning train to Dunhuang,then we will visit beautiful Crescent Lake & Singing Sand Mountains.The Crescent Lake is an oasis Gobi desert, surrounded by numerous sand dunes, reaching a relative height of 250 meters (820 feet). The Mingsha Shan is so named for the sound of the wind whipping off the dunes. After dinner, we move to Shazhou Night market - bustling Shazhou Night Market. Never miss its tasty snacks, local specialties, and crafts etc.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m
  • Echoing Sand Mountain

  • Shazhou Night Market

Day 9Dunhuang Exploration Tour

Today you will have a chance to visit Yumen Pass ( Jade Gate Pass ), which was once used as one of the west gates out of China during the Han Dynasty. It has been badly damaged by the shifting sands but still highlights the splendour of this magnificent architectural structure.

In the afternoon, you can explore Yardan National Geological Park. Geological Park is famous for its nighttime sounds and vivid rocks in various shapes that look like animals or world-famous attractions. If you want, you can stay there until sunset.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m
  • Yumen Pass

  • Yardan National Geological Park

Day 10Visit Mogao Grottoes, then drive to Jiayuguan (350 kms)

After breakfast, let's visit the world famous Mogao Grottoes, which was designated as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO for its 1600 years accumulated cultural, architectural, and art treasures. There remains 492 cave temple and 45000 square meters of frescos. According to Tang Dynasty records, a monk had witnessed onsite a vision of thousand Buddhas under showers of golden rays. Thus inspired, he started the caves construction work that spanned ten dynasties. Mogao Caves are commonly known as the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. After lunch, we will drive to Jiayuguan

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Jiayuguan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1462m
  • Mogao Grottoes

  • Mogao Grottes

Day 11Jiayuguan City Tour, then Drive to Zhangye (223 kms)

Today we begin our journey to the Jiayuguan Fortress. Standing among vast desert and surrounded by rolling mountains,it looks like a dignified general guarding the grand land. It was constructed with the most integrated defensive system. It was also an important traffic hub along the Silk Road, the oldest worldwide trading route.


Continue the sightseeing to renowned underground gallery Weijin Tombs. There we can enjoy lifelike and succinct wall paintings covering a wide range of subjects including politics, economics, culture, military affairs, folk customs, and science and technology during the Wei and Jin periods (4AD)


After lunch, we will drive 3hrs to the masterpiece of nature Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, which is situated in the north of Qilian mountains with a distance of 40 km from east Zhangye city. You will be marveled by the colorful layers of mountain ridges in the 4hr's adventure to the different platforms.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Zhangye
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1400m
  • Jiayuguan Pass

  • Zhangye Danxia

Day 12Visit Badan Jaran Desert

Full day in Badain Jaran Desert which has the world's highest sand mountains, with the magnificent Mingsha area, scattered Lake oases, endless Shahai springs and mysterious desert temples to name just a few. These peculiar and charming landscapes have made it an ideal place for desert exploration, tourism and photography in recent years. After visiting, we will drive you to hotel for rest.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Badan Jaran
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1200m
  • Badanjaran Desert

  • Badanjaran Desert

Day 13Train to Lanzhou,then flight to Chengdu

After breakfast, we will transfer to train station for high-speed train to Lanzhou. It takes only three hours to complete the 700-kilometer distance on China’s fastest and comfortable bullet train. Upon arrival, meet your Lanzhou guide and visit the Waterwheel Garden. Originated from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the waterwheel is the oldest irrigation tool in Yellow River area of Lanzhou. The Waterwheel Garden is a theme garden exhibiting the waterwheel culture. Here, we could appreciate the waterwheel driven by the flowing water all year round to collect water from the river or cofferdam. 

After visiting, we will transfer you to airport to catch the flight to Chengdu.

Traffic: Train+Flight
Hotel: Overnight in Chengdu
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 500m
  • Waterwheel Garden

  • Waterwheel Garden

Day 14Chengdu City Tour

A tour to Chengdu is not complete without seeing the giant pandas, the city's most famous and popular residents in the world. Pandas are usually more active in the early morning, so arrive at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding at around 8.30 am so that you can see them having breakfast or playing with each other.

After lunch, you will go to visit the Sanxingdui Museum, the only museum dedicated to the lost civilization of the Shu Kingdom (221 - 263). You will gain a unique perspective of the Chinese history by seeing and understanding unearthed relics including countless grotesque bronzes, gold, pottery and jade which date back to 4,500 years ago. The 2.62-metre-tall standing statue, the 1.38-metre-wide bronze mask, and the 3.95-metre-high bronze tree are surely unmissable.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Chengdu
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 500m
  • Enjoy The Cute Giant Pandas

  • Sanxingdui Museum

Day 15Chengdu City Tour, then Departure

Get up early then visit Du Fu's Thatched Roof Cottage and the Wenshu Temple, where you can spend some time sitting in its tea house to enjoy a cup of tea and absorb the special atmosphere of Chengdu.

Then, you will be escorted to the airport for your onward flight.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: No accommodation
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 500m
  • Enjoy The Relax Tea Time In Chengdu With Sightseeing.

  • Wenshu Temple

INCLUDES

  • Private transportation through out the itinerary. SRT will arrange for all travelers to be met on arrival and seen off on departure based on your flight info.

  • Shared accommodations in well located, tourist to superior class hotels include breakfast, service charge and government tax.

  • All entrance fees(shuttle bus) sightseeing; excursions and activities as per the itinerary

  • Domestic flight from Urumqi to Kashgar, Kashgar to Urumqi, Lanzhou to Chengdu

  • 2nd class express train from Turpan to Dunhuang (Liuyuan Station), Zhangye to Lanzhou listed in the itinerary

  • Private friendly and professional English-Speaking guides (French, Italy, Russian, German can be arranged per your request)

  • Visa support letter for you to apply Chinese visa easily.

  • Travel and health insurance when travel with us.

  • 8, A 24/7 helpline while you are traveling.

EXCLUDES

  • International flight arrive in Urumqi and leave from Chengdu not indicated.

  • Food, Lunch or dinner not specified

  • Tips or gratuities for guides and drivers

  • Personal expenses and the other tours or activities not mentioned

TRIP NOTES

  • We will upgrade trains to 1st class where available if book the tour 5 months in advance of departure.

  • There is no problem to travel Silk Road during Ramadan.

  • Complimentary 2 bottles of water each person on daily use.

Transportation

We will use business MPV to luxurious coaches and trains.

Accommodation

All the hotels we selected are 4-5star well-located in the city center with good and proper breakfast for our clients.

Guides

Our guides are very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful. And our group tours will be escorted from SRT.

Climate and Altitude

Generally speaking Mid March—End Oct are the best time to visit Silk Road. And we strongly suggest you come in May, June, October to avoid the heat and crowd. No need to worry about high altitude along the Silk Road. We will prepare Oxygen bags if the package includes Xiahe, Qinghai Lake and Taxkorgan County.

We offer beneficial Cancellation Policy to our customers.