Highlights

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

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

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

  • Picturesque Heavenly Lake and Tianshan Mountain chains

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

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

  • Ride camels up the dunes Echoing Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake of Dunhuang

ITINERARY Close All

Day 1Kashgar Arrival

In the morning, we will meet you at the train station and drive you to hotel.You will be free in the afternoon.

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

Day 2Drive to Taxkorgan and Visit Karakul Lake (260 kms)

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 3Drive Back to Kashgar

Today 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. Then driving back to Kashgar

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

  • Stone Fortress

Day 4Visit Shipton Arch

Morning start the tour at driving 2-3 hrs away from the Kashgar city to pay a visit to Shipton Arch, reputedly the highest natural arch in the world. Located at the junction of the Kunlun Mountain and the Snow Mountain. People can hear the echoes from  many stone caves in Shipton Arch which stands on the Pamirs Plateau which shaped like "∩".

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

  • Shipton Arch

Day 5Kashgar City Tour then Flight to Urumqi

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


Then drive to Sunday Bazaar 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.


Thereafter, catch the night flight to the capital city of Xinjiang- Urumqi(2hrs).

Traffic: Car+Flight
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1289m
  • Old Town

  • Handicraft Street

Day 6Visit Heavenly Lake (120 kms) and Xinjiang International Bazaar

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 Grand International Bazaar where you can watch Uygur dance show and taste local delicacies.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 918m
  • Xinjiang International Bazaar

  • Heavenly Lake

Day 7Turpan City Tour

Our first stop is 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.


About 3pm, head up to the 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.


Today's tour end up with the 2hrs's exploration of Jiaohe Ruins, resembles Pompei, but 300 years older. a Chinese archaeological site found in the Yarnaz Valley, 10 km west of the city of Turpan and a natural fortress located atop a steep cliff on a leaf-shaped plateau between two deep river valleys where you can experience the way of life of the Uygur ancestors

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

  • Tuyoq Village

Day 8Train to Dunhuang and Visit Shazhou Night Market

Today say farewell to Turpan and we will take high-speed train to Dunhuang. You can 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+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m
  • Shazhou Night Market

  • Shazhou Night Market

Day 9Visit Mogao Grottoes and Echoing Sand Mountain

Today we are going to appreciate the Holy Center of Buddhism Culture and Art-UNESCO of Mogao Grottoes, enjoying the 40mins 4D movie to learn the development of the grottoes and then we will be escorted by the professional guides from Mogao to enjoy the the 8 caves mainly.


Then you will visit Echoing Sand Mountain, where you can ride the camels for 40mins to experience the beautiful desert scenery in the sunset.

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

  • Mogao Grottoes

Day 10Visit Yangguan Pass and Yadan National Geological Park

Today is another day to explore Dunhuang.

Morning meet your guide and driver at the hotel, then head 2hours to vist the Yangguan Pass, a scenic spot built on the basis of the ancient Yangguan Site. There you can appreciate ancient buildings and exhibition halls displaying  cultural relics and historical sites on the ancient Silk Road.

Thereafter, we will travel to the majestic Yadan National Geological Park, also called "Yadan Ghost City". The park stretches twenty-five kilometers from north to south and about two kilometers from east to west. There you can appreciate unique and wonderful scenes and landscapes of Gobi desert.

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

  • Yardan National Geological Park

Day 11 End of Tour

Today you will end your enjoyable Silk Road tour, the driver will transfer you to catch the express train. Wish you have 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 Kashgar to Urumqi

  • 2nd class express train from 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 Kashgar and leave from Dunhuang 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.