Highlights

The Price Based on 2 Persons in a Private Tour for 4Star Hotel.

● Explore the west most city Kashgar of its most interesting corners.

● Picturesque Heavenly Lake and Tianshan Mountain chains.

● Wonder city of Turpan along old Silk Road.

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

● 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: 800m

Day 2Visit Xinjiang Regional Museum, then flight 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

  • Xinjiang Regional Museum

Day 3Kashgar City Tour, then train to Kuqa

After a breakfast, 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 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 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, you will take the train to Kuqa. 

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight on the train
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1600m
  • Handicraft Street

  • Id-kah-mosque

Day 4Drive to Bayinbuluk, then Visit Bayinbuluk Grassland

Arrive Kuqa in the early morning and head to Bayinbuluk by car(3hrs) to explore another grassland scenery in Bayanbulak Grassland, which is the second largest grassland in China. There are verdant grass, flock of sheep and various plants. A fairyland which is worth for you to spend your time here. Then we are going to Swan Lake, the unique natural reserve for swan in China. It is the paradise of flocks of wild swan.


Please note you will need special Xinjiang Travel Permit to Bayinbuluk which will be applied 4months in prior. 


Traffic: Car——248km
Hotel: Overnight in Bayinbuluk
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 2500m
  • Bayinbuluk

  • Bayinbuluk

Day 5Drive to Naraty, then Visit Naraty Grassland

After breakfast at the hotel, our leader will lead you into Naraty Grassland, one of the world's four largest grasslands of the sub-alpine meadow flora,  has been a famous pasture beautiful grassland scenery cfeaturing local kazakh folk customs since the ancient times. There you can experience some activities including living in ger and galloping across the prairie. 

Traffic: Car——100km
Hotel: Overnight in Naraty
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 2200m
  • Naraty Grassland

  • Naraty Grassland

Day 6Drive back to Urumqi along the Duku Road

Today we will be driving back to Urumqi, enjoy the scenery on the way. Upon arrival, transfer you to the downtown hotel and check in. Spend your rest of day at leisure.

Traffic: Car——480km
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 800m

Day 7Drive to Turpan, Turpan City Tour

With an early start today at 08:00. Drive all the way to Oasis Turpan that we will pass by the wind power station and vast Gobi desert in 3hrs.


Our first stop Tuyoq Valley, an ancient oasis-village. We will have lunch in the local Uygur family before exploring this traditional village surrounded by the impressive grape trellis and the stories of the adventurers all of the world.


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——200km
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 500m
  • Jiaohe Ruins

  • Karez Well

Day 8Train to Dunhuang, Visit Echoing-Sand Mountain

Take to morning train to Dunhuang. After checking in hotel , we 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 Dunhuang Night market - bustling Shazhou Night Market. Never miss its tasty snacks, local specialties, and crafts etc.

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1200m
  • Echoing Sand Mountain

  • Shazhou Night Market

Day 9Dunhuang City Tour

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.

Then we will be visiting the Yumenguan Pass, it got the name because the famous Khotan jade entered the Dunhuang from here. Yumenguan pass and Yangguan pass were the two critical defensive passes protecting Dunhuang from invasion from the West about thousands of year ago. From here you can not only learn more history and culture about the ancient Silk Road, but also learn many famous poems of Tang Dynasty. 


Thereafter, we will travel to the amazing Yardang National Geological Park, also called "Yadan Ghost City", which is the largest one of Yadan Landform found so far. The park stretches twenty-five kilometers from north to south and about two kilometers from east to west. It features the unique and wonderful scenes and landscapes of Gobi desert.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1200m
  • Yangguan Pass

  • Yardan National Geological Park

Day 10Visit Mogao Grottoes, then drive to Jiayuguan

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 head to Jiayuguan with 4-5hrs driving. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to the hotel check in.

Traffic: Car——350kms
Hotel: Overnight in Jiayuguan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1450m
  • Mogao Grottoes

  • Mogao Grottoes

Day 11Jiayuguan City Tour, then drive to Zhangye

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.


After that, you will explore the Great Wall Museum, which was opened to the public in October 1989 and it is the first one to exhibit the Great Wall culture in a comprehensive and systematic way. 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——223km
Hotel: Overnight in Zhangye
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 3633m
  • Jiayuguan Pass

  • Zhangye Danxia

Day 12Visit Grand Buddha Temple, then train to Lanzhou

Morning we will visit the Grand Buddha Temple, which is the important place of the Silk Road. The Temple is the largest architectural relic in Gansu Province of the Western Xia (1038-1227) period. China's largest reclining Buddha is well preserved in this temple. afternoon, you will be transferred to the station to take the express train to Lanzhou.

Traffic: Car+Train
Hotel: Overnight in Lanzhou
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Altitude: 1500m
  • Grand Buddha Temple

  • Grand Buddha Temple

Day 13Lanzhou City Tour

With a early start today, we will arrive Binlings Temple at 09:30 after 1.5hrs' driving. Taking the 40mins fast boat to the inside of the park , enjoy the variety of artworks in different styles and observe the social situations and customs in ancient times when seeing the stone sculptures and appreciate the miracle of Buddha caves. 


We will then head back to downtown to visit Gansu Museum, which is the biggest comprehensive museum in the province. It is one of the best sights in the city and a visit is well worthwhile. Continue tour at the Yellow River's Mother Statue consisting of “a mother” and “a baby boy” which symbolizes the mother of the Yellow River nurturing the Chinese nation.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Lanzhou
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Altitude: 1500m
  • Binglings Temple

  • Gansu Museum

Day 14Lanzhou Departure

It's time to say farewell to Lanzhou. After a pleasant breakfast, we will transfer you to the airport for the flight back to your hometown or next destination. Bon voyage!

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 from Urumqi to Kashgar.

  • 2nd class express train from Turpan to Dunhuang(Liuyuan Station). from Dunhuang to Jiayuguan and from 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 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.