14-Day Silk Road Tours

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Daily Tour 5 day
Beijing

Tour Highlights

  • Visit Karez underground irrigation channels one of the three Great Projects in China.
  • Visit mysterious Crescent Lake in the middle of Gobi Desert.
  • Admire the most valuable Buddhist Treasure house of Mogao Grottoes in the World.
  • Enjoy the greatest archaeological discoveries of Terra-Cotta Warriors in China.
  • Visit the most important ceremony palace in ancient China,Temple of Heaven.
  • Explore the biggest and the best preserved wooden Palace, Forbidden City in the World.
  • Visit the picturesque scenery of Heavenly Lake at the Tianshan Mountains.
  • Admire the natural sceneries, lakes and the great mountains along the KKH.
  • Experience the local life by walking in the streets of Old city and dinner at a local house.
Day 1, Arrive in Beijing

Activities: Pick you from airport and transfer to the Hotel
Details:Our professional, knowledgeable and friendly Chinese guide will welcome you at Beijing international airport and accompany you to your Hotel from which point the rest of the day is your time to enjoy at leisure.
All your international flights are required to arranged by yourself. For your first day in China your time is on your own to explore as you will.

Day 2, A full Day Sigh-Seeing in Beijing

Activities: Visit Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and The Mutianyu Great Wall
Details:After breakfast Our guide and driver will take you to Tiananmen square which is one of the largest city centers in the world. It is truly the heart of Beijing and the symbol of China’s national pride surrounded by many imposing buildings, including the Heavenly Gate (entry to the Forbidden City), Museums, government buildings and Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum.
Then walk into the Forbidden City from Tiananmen square. The Forbidden City was the imperial palace of Chinese Emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
After enjoying delicious Chinese lunch, visit the magnificent and colorful Temple of Heaven which was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would make offerings to heaven and pray for good harvests.
Finally head to The Mutianyu Great Wall which is one of the most beautiful sections of the Great Wall in Beijing. it is connected with JuYongGuan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Gateway in the east. After hiking around the great wall for two hours, drive back to the hotel
Note: cable car at Mutianyu Great Wall is not included.

Day 3, Beijing to Xi’an

Activities: Visit Summer Palace and Hutong Streets, then fly to Xi’an
Details:After breakfast drive to The Summer Palace which has the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China with a history of over 800 years. Then walk around the Hutong streets or riding bicycles (you have to let us know in advance if you would like to ride bicycles) around old community area and simply pay a visit to families. After lunch drive to airport for your flight to Xi’an. Our friendly local guide and driver pick up you from Xi’an airport and transfer to your hotel, it is about 1.5 hour driving distance to the hotel.

Day 4, Explore Xi’an For Whole Day

Activities: Visit Terra-Cotta Warriors; Bell Tower; Wild Goose Pagoda and Hui Mosque
Details:After breakfast, we start our wonderful one day tour with a visit to Terra-Cotta Warriors which is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. This site is about an hour drive from Xi’an city.
After lunch Visit Bell tower which is located in downtown area. it is a Chinese traditional building and geographical center of the ancient capital, best preserved and largest wooden tower in China.
After an hour here we continue our tour to wild goose Pagoda which is a well preserved ancient holy building for Buddhism.
Finally visit Hui grand mosque located in Hui minority area, construction of the mosque has rich Chinese features combined with Arabic style. It is one of the oldest and largest mosque in China.

Day 5, Xi’an to Dunhuang

Activities: Visit Xian City Wall and Provincial Museum ,fly Dunhuang after lunch
Details:Our guide and driver will Wait for you in the hotel lobby and take you to Xi’an City Wall which is the symbol of Xi’an and the most ancient existing city wall in China until today. We enjoy the Wall for a few hours by walking around or riding bicycle as your like. Then drive to Provincial Museum which is a famous first-class museum in China with its outstanding architectural buildings, internal apparatus and exhibits. After lunch drive to Xi’an airport for your flight to Dunhuang. The airport is about 40km from the city and takes about an hour by car. Our local guide and driver see you at Dunhaung airport and transfer to your Hotel.

Day 6, Dunhuang for whole day and train to Turpan

Activities: Visit Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang Museum, Crescent Lake and Mingsha Echo-sand Mountain.
Details:After breakfast at the hotel, We spend the whole morning at Mogao Grottoes which were constructed over a millennium ago from the 4th to 14th centuries. The caves are also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves with two distinctions of being one of the most notable grottoes in China as well as the best-preserved treasure house of Buddhist art, sutras, murals and sculptures in the world.
After lunch, visit Dunhuang Museum which exhibits relics excavated from the local area, such as papers, coins, a model of the Great Wall as it appeared during the Han Dynasty. Then drive to Mysterious Crescent lake which its name derives from the crescent moon shaped by the small pool of spring water between two large sand dunes. Here you’ll have chance to ride camels across the sand dunes of Sounding Sand mountain which makes sounds when the wind blows.
End of the day drive to Liuyuan train station and take overnight soft sleeper train to Turpan

Day 7, Turpan for whole day

Activities: Visit Idikut (Gaochang) ancient city, Toyuq village, Bizeklik Thousand Buddha caves and Flaming Mountains
Details:After breakfast at the hotel, We start our tour in Turpan with a visit to ancient city of Idikut (Gaochang). The city was first built in the first Century BC and later became capital of the Idikut (Gaochang) Uighur Kingdom of the 8th Century.
We’ll visit the city for about 40 minutes and then Move on to Toyuq village, an old, beautiful and timeless village with a friendly Uighur community. Here we visit several local families and have lunch with a local family at their home. This could be the highlight of your tour of the day.
After lunch we visit Bizeklik Thousand Buddha caves which used to be an important center for Buddhist worshipers under the Xizhou Huigu government of the Idikut (Gaochang) Kingdom.
On the way back to the hotel we will stop at the Flaming Mountain which people claimed to be the hottest and driest on the Silk Road that “flying birds even a thousand miles away dare not to come”.

Day 8, Turpan to Urumqi

Activities: After family breakfast , visit Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city, Karez underground Irrigations system and Emin Minaret . Drive to Urumqi in the afternoon
Details:After typical local Uighur breakfast at the family, you will have chance to walk around the village for a few hours.
We start our tour in Turpan with a visit to Yargul (Jiaohe) Ancient city which is one of the best preserved ancient cities in China. The ruins of the buildings are divided into temples, civilian dwellings and government offices. Workshops, residential houses and the streets are still visible and time there is a time spent in a long lost world.
After an hour of seeing around the ancient city, we’ll head on to see the world famous Karez irrigation system, unique to this part of the world. The system is considered as one of the three great projects in China with the other two being the Great Wall and the Grand Canal.
Then visit  Emin Suliman minaret which is a magnificent combination of ancient Uighur and Islamic architecture. It is the tallest ancient tower in Xinjiang and the only Islamic ancient minaret in the country. Locals call it “pure tower.”
Later in the afternoon drive to Urumqi

Day 9, Day Trip To Heavenly Lake And Evening Flight To Kashgar

Activities: Visit Heavenly lake and take evening flight to Kashgar
Details:Our guide and driver see you at the hotel lobby and Leave for Heavenly Lake after breakfast which is 115 kms (71 Miles) over two hours by vehicle. Your stay at the heavenly lake is the time to ride horses, go for boating, take photos or simply trek around the lake for as long as you like. You can have lunch with a local Kazak family or just pay them a visit! This is certainly the easiest way to understand the life of the Kazak people in such a short time. Whenever you are finished at the lake, our driver will drop off you at Urumqi airport for your flight to Kashgar.
Another driver will pick up you from Kashgar airport and transfer to your hotel.

Day 10, Kashgar to Karakul Lake

Activities: Drive along the KKH, Stop at Opal Village, Oytagh Kunlunshan Colorful mountain range, Gaz Valley and check point; Ancient Caravan Saray, Bulungkol Valley (white sand mountain), Karakul lake and local Kyrgyz family visit.
Details:We set out along the Sino – Pakistan Karakorum Highway, on the Pamir plateau (the roof of the world) visit Karakul Lake (3600m above sea level). The lake sits at the foot of the notorious, Muztagh Ata ( 7546m ) and Gongur ( 7719m ) mountains. ‘Muztagh Ata’ means Father of the Ice Mountain and is one the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in the world.
Karakul lake area offers some great chance for hiking and see some incredible scenery from different angels.
People travel to experience the lives of another cultures, which is why we spend the night in the yurt of a local Kyrgyz family and really experience another way of mountain life.

Day 11, Karakul Lake to Tashkorgan

Activities: After breakfast you will have whole morning for hiking around lake or horse riding (Your own expenses). You can visit local villages and homes of local people and start driving to Tashkorgan after lunch.
Details:For the traveler, a journey along the KKH is one wonder and self-discovery. Its soaring peaks and untamed wilderness truly dramatizes a sense of life without limits and yet still hold the promise of more to come. Wake up along the whispering shores of a jewel among sleeping giants.
On the way we drive through Subash Pass from where you can see better views of the valley and the beautiful peaks of Muztagh Ata and Konger.
If you prefer, our driver and guide stop at Tagharma village with beautiful grassland and colorful trees visit a local Tajik family
Arrive Tashkorgan late in the in the afternoon and have free time.

Day 12, Tashkorgan to Kashgar

Activities: Visit Stone Fort, Tajik village, Hike on the Grassland and drive back to Kashgar after lunch
Details:Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county was once an important hub on the old Silk Road. The area borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan  via the Kunjerab Pass and Wahan Corridor.
After breakfast, you’ll have an opportunity to see the town’s ancient Stone Fort – still standing after 2200 years! ‘Tashkurgan’ is a translation of ‘Stone Fort.’ Later Hike on the grassland next to the Stone Fort.
After lunch, drive back to Kashgar and you can make stops along the way if you like.

Day 13, Explore Kashgar City

Activities: Visit Grand mosque, Apak Hoja tomb (which is also called Fragrant Concubine Tomb), Old city walking tours, livestock market, Sunday market and dinner at a local Uighur family
Details:Explore the rich, endless culture of the Uighurs in Kashgar. First visit livestock market which happens on every Sunday and people bring their horses, sheep, goats, camels,cows,bulls,yaks and donkeys to the market for sale. It provides a great opportunity to take photos of the faces of local people, study traditional local market culture, test-drive a donkey or horse or even make its shoes. Like opening a window, today is a real glimpse into a time lost in the annals of the Silk Road’s past and an opportunity not to be missed.
Later move on to Sunday market main Bazaar which is considered one of the largest market in Central Asia. From fluffy sheepskin hats to rugged camel-hide boots, not to mention beads, buttons and buckets of locals. Everything – including plenty of kitchen sinks – is for sale at this fairytale bazaar. It is the best chance to practice your bargaining skills.
After lunch spend some time by the Id Kah mosque, the largest mosque in China and marvel at the intricate architecture of Kashgar’s historic Apak Hoja Tomb which is also known as Fragrant concubine tomb).
We’ll also spend time in the Kashgar Old Town and have some walking tours through some ancient historical parts; Stop at a century-old tea house for a short break and taste local medicinal teas such as those containing rose, saffron, honey and many other ingredients.
Finally conclude our city tour with a dinner at a local family in old city area

Day 14, Kashgar To Your Next Destination

Activities: See you off at Kashgar airport
Details:Today is the last day of your tour with us, so we hope this shouldn’t be the last. We strive to make every day of your time with us the one that you’ll always remember and if you’d like to book some other tours please Contact us for more information

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