Highlights

  • Explore the splendid Danxia Rainbow Mountain in Zhangye

  • Spend one night at Kaoshan Tent and discover the different view of Rainbow Mountain

  • Meet Buddhist monks and nomads in the Qinghai of China's wild west

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

  • 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.

ITINERARY Close All

Day 1Arrive in Xining, Visit Ta'er Monastery

Meet your friendly guide and driver when your flight touches down in Xining, then we will take an exploration of the most famous Ta'er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery), the most populous monks outside of Tibet. You will pay a visit to the Ghee flowers, murals and pile embroidery, known as "Three Best Arts of Ta'er Temple", enjoy an incredible view of The Monastery at Thangka Sunning Terrace where is one of a great place to view the monastery and surrounding landscape. Apart from the magnificent Buddha stupas and frescoes, prayer wheels are also must-see attractions. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels, walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels, and pray to get out of all troubles. 

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Xining
Altitude: 2261m
  • Kumbum Monastery

  • Ta'er Monastery

Day 2Visit Chaka Salt Lake (300kms)

Enjoy a delighting breakfast at the hotel and set off by the private vehicle to enjoy the most charming landscape of Chaka Salt Lake, which was nominated by the national tourist geography magazine as one of the 55 places to go. We will arrive at the ticket office after 4hrs driving, the guide will assist you with the tickets. Entering the scenic area, you will follow a long salt lake avenue to the Prayer Square and Mirror of the Sky Square, see a variety of salt sculptures, as well as the exquisite Muyaoluosang Goddess Statue. Take a small train to explore the depths of Chaka Salt Lake and leave some fabulous photos in the Mirror of Sky Square Experience Area. Believe you will have a beautiful day at Chaka Salt Lake.

Traffic: Car (300kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Chaka
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 3059m
  • Chaka Salt Lake

  • Chaka Salt Lake

Day 3Enjoy the stunning Qinghai Lake and back to Xining (300kms)

Meet your friendly guide at the hotel lobby and drive all the way to the magnificent Qinghai Lake, which is the largest inland salt water lake in China. It is no exaggeration to say that Qinghai Lake is a miracle that is endowed by a deity. Outside, He encircled the lake with four continuous mountains and extends broad grassland at the foot of them. Stroll around the lake, you will see the local herdsmen who graze and live here. If you are interested, Horse riding and Cycling tour around the Qinghai Lake are also highly recommended. 

Travel back to Xining for overnight stay in the late afternoon. 

Traffic: Car (300kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Xining
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 2261m
  • Qinghai Lake

  • Qinghai Lake

Day 4Train to Zhangye, Visit Mati Temple

This morning you will catch the express train from Xining to Zhangye. Proceed the tour to Mati Temple where was built in Jin Dynasty. It is one of the cultural relics with a long history and high artistic value in Gansu Province. You can explore the massive Thousand Buddha Caves, which are more than 500 stupa caves. It was a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Yuan Dynasty and now is a Chinese Buddhist monastery. Visit the Thirty-three-heavens Cave, the main building of the Horseshoe Temple, and you can see many ancient Buddha statues. Enjoy the lively and enthusiastic performance of the Yugu people in local yurts and taste the silver bowl's unique fine wine. The Mati Temple Scenic Area is still an excellent place to enjoy the scenery of Qilian Mountain. We will spend a night at Kaoshan Tent.

Traffic: Car&Train
Hotel: Oveernight at Kaoshan Tent
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1400m
  • Mati Temple

  • Mati Temple

Day 5Zhangye Danxia Landform Exploration

Spend a whole day exploring Zhangye Danxia Landform. The first site we will visit today is Binggou Danxia, which is the most significant geological and geomorphic relic of the window lattice palace in China, mainly composed of sandstone geomorphic relic landscape. It is a paradise for photography lovers. 

Then Continue our journey to the spectacular Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, one of the most beautiful danxia in China. Ribbons of red, white, yellow and green-blue slice through the rock, so people also call it "Rainbow Mountain". Coming to the Geopark, we can enjoy the different views of Danxia in four platforms and shuttle bus will also stop at each platforms.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight at Kaoshan Tent
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1400m
  • Zhangye Danxia Park

  • Binggou Danxia

Day 6Travel to Jiayuguan, Explore the Jiayuguan Fortress (230kms)

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. We will have a 2hrs walking tour at Jiayuguan Fortress, Please wear your comfortable shoes due to many steps from one tower to another.

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. 

Traffic: Car (230kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Jiayuguan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1462m
  • Jiayuguan Fortress

  • Jiayuguan Fortress

Day 7Drive to Dunhuang, Visit Echoing Sand Mountain (350kms)

Say farewell to Jiayuguan and travel to the historical city Dunhuang. Enjoy the natural wonders of Echoing Sand Mountain&Crescent Lake. the sand is blown up and makes a loud sound when there is wind, you are like hearing the sound of an ancient musical instrument. There is also a Crescent Lake surrounded by the sand. Climb to the sand sea at the top of the mountain and the crescent spring at the bottom of the mountain when the sunsets. Ride a camel in the vast desert to experience the ancient Silk Road.

Thereafter, enjoy a walking tour at the Shazhou Night Market, the most bustling place of Dunhuang at night, taste the local cuisine and buy some souvenirs for your family and friends.

Traffic: Car (350kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m
  • Echoing Sand Mountain

  • Shazhou Night Market

Day 8Discover the Mysterious Yadan Landform and Yangguan Pass

Spend another day to explore the geological landscape of Dunhuang, we will visit 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. The travel will end up with the majestic Yadang National Geological Park, also known as "Dunhuang Devil City".

Afterwards, pay a visit to Yardang 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. There you can appreciate unique and wonderful scenes and landscapes of Gobi desert.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Dunhuang
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m
  • Yandan National Geological Park

  • Yangguan Pass

Day 9World Heritage Mogao Grottoes, Painting and Calligraphy Institute

This morning we will visit Mogao Grottoes, 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. Next travel to Dunhuang Museum was officially founded in October, 1979. Built with three storeys and covers an area about 2400 square meters, the exhibition building of the museum was completed in 1984. Dunhuang Museum is a comprehensive topography one principally exhibits historic and cultural relics. Now it has collected over 4000 precious cultural relics in the locality. Afternoon, you will go head to the Dunhuang Painting and Calligraphy Institute, visit the Painting and Calligraphy exhibition, The Murals of the Mogao Grottoes. If you like, you can also experience and copy the murals of Mogao Grottoes or make the lithographs.

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

  • Painting And Calligraphy Institute

Day 10Dunhuang to Your Destination

Enjoy your leisure time in the morning, we will arrange airport transfer according to your flight schedule, wish you have a pleasant journey home!

Traffic: Car
Hotel: No accommodation
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 1138m

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.