Highlights

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

  • Explore Terracotta Warriors, which is one of the world’s biggest archaeological discoveries.

  • Mysterious Labrang monastery in Xiahe where also can enjoy the marvel grassland

  • Explore Dunhuang’s markets and soak up a very different culture to that of western China,

  • Explore Mogao Grottoes, the home to the largest, best-preserved, and richest Buddhist art in the world—the first cave was carved here in 366 AD.

  • Visit the Local Uyghur Family in the ancient Tuyoq village in Turpan

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

ITINERARY Close All

Day 1Xi'an Arrival

Arrival in Xi' an, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer to hotel. Xi' an is a city with over 3000 years history and it is also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Xi'an
Altitude: 400m

Day 2Xi'an City Tour

Tour starts at 08:00 and then drive 1 hour to get close to the incredible Terracotta Warriors in China’s first Emperor’s Tomb built 2300 years ago,the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century.

 

After lunch in the local restaurant, head to ancient architecture and a holy place for Buddhists.- Big Goose Pagoda,The restored Buddha and building are beautiful with spectacular timber work and gilded features are recently built by donors, they make a fine job of explaining the role of Buddhism in China’s history.


Afterwards, drive to the Ancient City Wall, the most well-preserved city wall and the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. You will have a bird's-eye view of panorama of Xi'an city when wandering along the city wall

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Xi'an
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 400m
  • Terracotta Warriors

  • Big Goose Pagoda

Day 3Train to Tianshui, then Visit Maiji Mountain and Fuxi Temple

Our day trip will start with taking the Bullet Train to Tianshui, it is one of the significant silk road cities located along the Wei River. It's about a 1.5 hours train ride into the city. When you arrive at the Tianshui, our professional tour guide will bring you to visit the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, a network of caves and walkways carved into the cliffside, adorned in colourful Buddhist artwork within. It is famous for its exquisite clay sculpture art. Thereafter, continue our journey, we are going to visit the Fuxi Temple, also known as Taihao Palace, as well as Renzhong Temple, it is one of the famous ancient buildings in Northwest China. Meanwhile, there are ten historic buildings in the temple including the theatrical stage, archways, the main gate, the instrumental gate, Congenital Temple, Taiji Temple, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Laihe Hall. Here is the best place to learn the Fuxi culture. then bus transfer to the hotel, you will spend the night in Tianshui and depart in the morning.

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Tianshui
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1100m
  • Maji Mountain Grottoes

  • Fuxi Temple

Day 4Visti Bingling Temple then Drive to Xiahe (233 kms)

After breakfast,drive to Lanzhou to visit Bingling Temple where you will see the air trestle road and various grottoes. Then the train will take you to explore Xiahe, home to the famed Labrang Tibetan Buddhist monastery, one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Xiahe
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 2800m
  • Bingling Temple

  • Bingling Temple

Day 5Visit Labrang Monastery, Back to Lanzhou, then Train to Zhangye

Today we will arrange the English Speaking Lama guide you through the Labrang monastery from 10am to 12:30pm, the most populous monks outside of Tibet. You will stay at Thangka Sunning Terrace that is one of a good place to view the monastery and surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels is also the must-see spot. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels, walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels and pray for chasing away the troubles.


Thereafter, drive back to Lanzhou and take an express train to Zhangye.

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Zhangye
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1400m
  • Labrang Temple

  • Labrang Temple

Day 6Zhangye City Tour, then Drive to Jiayuguan (223 kms)

After 1hr's visiting to the 900-years old Grand Buddha Temple, experiencing the impressive Buddha culture and architectural treasures.


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.


Afterwards, 3hrs driving to Jiayuguan for a refreshing dinner and a good rest.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Jiayuguan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1462m
  • Grand Buddha Temple

  • Zhangye Danxia

Day 7Visit Weijin Tombs, then Drive to Dunhuang (350 kms)

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, economies, culture, military affairs, folk customs, and science and technology during the Wei and Jin periods (4AD)


After lunch, 4hrs driving to Dunhuang to visit Echoing Sand Mountain, where you can ride the camels for 40mins to experience the beautiful desert scenery in the sunset.


After an extraordinary day, freshen up and enjoy a good dinner, we continue to appreciate the bustling Shazhou Night Market dotted with special commodities and souvenirs.

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

  • Shazhou Night Market

Day 8Visit Mogao Grottoes, then Train to Turpan

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. At 17:00hr, we embark the 'China Orient Express' Charter Luxury Train to Turpan.

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 819m
  • Mogao Grottoes

  • Mogao Grottoes

Day 9Visit Karez Well and Sugong Minaret, then Drive to Urumqi (200 kms)

Today you will have a full day to explore this fertile oasis. Pay a visit to Karez Well irrigation system that produce the best melons and grapes in China. Following is the visiting to Sugong Minaret, a conduit for cultural exchange between different ethnic and religious groups.


Drive to the capital city of Xinjiang- Urumqi

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 918m
  • Karez Well

  • Sugong Minaret

Day 10Visit Heavenly Lake (120 kms) and Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar

After breakfast, visit Heavenly Lake on Tianshan (boat tour). The Mountain Lake stands 1980 meters above sea level and features picturesque scenery of snowcapped peaks. It a great pleasure to boat travel Heavenly Lake, with a layer of magical color covering the lake, and hearing many beautiful myths and legends. Then visit International Grand Bazaar.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 918m
  • Heavenly Lake

  • Xinjiang International Bazaar

Day 11Visit Xinjiang Regional Museum, then flght to Kashgar

Morning head to Xinjiang Regional Museum, where 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.  Visit Grand International Bazaar where you can watch Uygur dance show and taste local delicacies.

Say goodbye to Urumqi, be transferred to take the flight to Kashgar. Upon arrival, pick up to check in the hotel.

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

  • Urumqi

Day 12Drive to Taxkorgan County (320 kms), then Visit Karakul Lake

In the morning, enjoy your nice buffet breakfast. At 09:00 your guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby to start the adventure. Driving on the China and Pakistan highway about 4hrs to enjoy the landscape of Pamirs Plateau.40mins driving. we stop in the Opal village to visit the traditional bustling bazaar


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 Taxkorgan.


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 13Visit Stone Fortress, then drive to Kashgar

Driving back to Kashgar. On the way, you will visit the Stone Fortress. The city is oval in shape and the city walls were built with sun-dried bricks on stone foundation. It is 1285 meters in circumference outside. Walking around the pastureland to see Local Tajiks customs. 

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

  • Taxkorgan

Day 14Kashgar City Tour

Today you will enjoy a full-day excursion of 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 at 09:00. Continue the visiting to Old Town at 10:30 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.

Our next stop is the famous Sunday Bazaar drive to Sunday Bazaar that is combined two sections. 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 the bargain. 

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

  • Sunday Bazaar

Day 15End of Tour

Today you will say goodbye to Kashgar, be transferred based on your flight or train schedule. Wish you a pleasant journey home!

Traffic: Car
Hotel: No accommodation
Meals: Breakfast

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

  • 2nd class express train from Xi'an to Tianshui, Tianshui to Lanzhou, Dunhuang (Liuyuan Station) to Turpan 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 Xi'an and leave from Kashgar 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.