Highlights

  • Discover the historic city of Dunhuang that is on the edge of the Gobi Desert

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

  • Discover the famous Mogao Caves which was built up from 4th Century AD

  • Wonder city of Turpan along old Silk Road

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

  • Visit the impressive Sunday market in Kashgar and enjoy the tea at a 100-year-old tea house

  • VIP shuttle bus in Tianchi Lake by Land Cruiser.

  • Top 5 star and Luxurious Van through out the Itinerary.

ITINERARY Close All

Day 1Arrive in Dunhuang

Arrive in Dunhuang and meet our nice guide or driver, be transferred to the hotel for rest. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this featured town in the Shazhou Night Market. Your Silk Road Tour will start tomorrw at 08:00.

Walk around and taste Gansu delicacies at the Shazhou Night Market, the most bustling place of Dunhuang at night. It's easy to lose our sense of time wonder the market while enjoying your leisure time and taste some local cuisine

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Altitude: 1138m
  • Shazhou Night Market

  • Shazhou Night Market

Day 2Dunhuang City Tour to Mogao and Sand Dune

Continue our silk road travel, today our professional tour guide will bring you to travel to Dunhuang, it is the best place where you can explore Chinese history and culture. Our first destination is Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the great artistic and religious wonders of the world and it is famous for its exquisite murals and various sculptures inside the caves, which was built in different dynasties, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. and head up to Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make a loud sound, while the sound sounds like being produced by some ancient musical instrument when blown by the breeze, There is also a Crescent Lake that has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. Riding the camel as the Silk Road Caravan in the vast desert is highly recommended (approximately 40mins). Please bring your sunglasses and mask to keep out the dust

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m
  • Mogao Grottoes

  • Echoing Sand Mountain

Day 3High Speed Train to Turpan

Today you will take the train to Turpan, an oasis city in Xinjiang province. Upon arrival, transfer you to the hotel and check in

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 36m

Day 4Explore the History and Culture of Turpan

After breakfast, the good day begins. 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. Continue tour to Tuyoq Valley, an ancient oasis-village. We will have lunch in the local Uighur family before exploring this traditional village surrounded by the impressive grape trellis and the stories of the adventurers all of the world. Following is the visiting to Sugong Minaret, a conduit for cultural exchange between different ethnic and religious groups.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 36m
  • Jiaohe Ruins

  • Flaming Moutains

Day 5Turpan City Tour, 50mins Express Train to Urumqi

Today's tour begin with 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.

Pay a visit to Karez Well irrigation system that produce the best melons and grapes in China.


After visiting, take the train back to Urumqi

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 918m
  • Gaochang Ruins

  • Karez Well

Day 6Visit Heavenly Lake (120 kms) and Xinjiang Regional Museum, PM Flight to Kashgar

We will drive 1.5 hours to entrance of the Heavenly Lake about 08:30, following is the 40-minutes shuttle bus twisting through the picturesque Tianshan mountains to the edge of the Lake. Either Trek around the lake, enjoy the boating cruise, or even take the cable car to the explore the Maya Mountain for the incredible view of Bogoda Peak. Lunch will be arranged in the Yurt of the local Kazakhs. 


Back to Urumqi and 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 International Grand 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
  • Heavenly Lake

  • Xinjiang International Bazaar

Day 7Kashgar 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!


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


Then 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. It is quite interesting to witness their typical methods of bargin.  Return to hotel for the night and have a good rest!

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

  • Sunday Bazaar

Day 8Drive to Karakul Lake (260 kms), Magnificent Pamir Plateau

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 Kashgar
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1289m
  • Karakul Lake

  • Karakul Lake

Day 9Kashgar flight back Home

There are no activities planned for Kashgar today. You will be transferred to take flight based on your schedule. Look forward to your next journey China.

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 flights and 2nd class express train 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 and domestic flights 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.