12-Day China Silk Road Tour from Xi'an to Kashgar

Detailed Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive at Xi'an (No meals)

  Take your flight from home to Xi’an airport. Start your wonderful adventure to China from the starting of ancient Silk Road on land. Be transferred to hotel and have a good rest in our well selective hotel.

  Recommended Hotel: Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an****

• Day 2: Xi'an (Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Terracotta Warriors, Bell Tower, Gao's Courtyard and Muslim Quarter

  Visit Terracotta Warriors, a real underground world of Chinese royal family. Have a lunch of Chinese local rest restaurant nearby. Drive back to Xi'an to see Bell Tower, the biggest one remains in China now. Gao’s Courtyard is a good choice for you to see Chinese paper cutting and shadow puppetry. Moreover you will have a chance to taste delicious China northern snacks in Muslim Quarter.

  Recommended Hotel:  Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an****

  
  

• Day 3: Xi'an to Zhangye(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Ancient City Wall, Wild Goose Pagoda and north square and Hanyang Tomb

  Today you will visit Ancient city wall in the morning. Stroll along the Ancient City Wall to see the modern Xi’an city.  Then be transferred to Xi'an railway station to take a bullet train to Zhangye (6.5 hours). Be met by your guide at the Zhangye railway station and transferred to hotel.

  Recommended Hotel: Zhangye Huacheng International Hotel ****

  
  

• Day 4: Zhangye(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Danxia National Geological Park

  Drive to Zhangye Qicai Danxia National Geological Park, which is home to the Rainbow Mountains. After that, come back to Zhangye city to visit the Wooden Pagoda Temple and Giant Buddha Temple. A colourful day of natural and history is waiting for your coming.

  Recommended Hotel: Zhangye Huacheng International Hotel ****

  

• Day 5: ;Zhangye to Dunhuang(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight:  Giant Buddha Temple

  Drive your way to the west from Zhangye to Dunhuang. On the way, you will stop to see Jiayuguan Pass with the Hanging Great Wall in Ming Dynasty. It is the west end of Ming Great Wall. Then continue your driving to Dunhuang which is a crossroad of two major trade routes within the Silk Road network.

  Recommended Hotel: Dunhuang Guofu Hotel ****

• Day 6 Dunhuang(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Mogao Caves and Echoing-Sand Mountain

  A visit to the Mogao Caves is definitely your highlight of whole tour. Over 2000 sculptures spanning over a thousand years and vibrant artworks are lively displayed in front of you. Memorize them by your own eyes and feelings. Then you will go to another landmark in Dunhuang, Echoing-Sand Mountain. The vast golden dunes rise dramatically next to crescent-shaped Crescent Lake, creating a stunning desert landscape.

  Recommended Hotel:Dunhuang Guofu Hotel ****

  

• Day 7:  Dunhuang to Turpan(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Yumen Pass and the Great Wall of the Han

  On the way from Dunhuang to Liuyuan railway station, you will visit Yumen Pass and the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty. Different from famous Ming Dynasty Great Wall in Beijing, the Han Great Wall is much older and mostly ruined by thousands of years wars. Then take a bullet from Liuyuan railway station to Turpan(3.5 hours). Be met by your guide at the Turpan railway station and transferred to hotel. Turpan is a good choice of the silk road tour for your exploration to trading journeying between ancient China and the West.

  Recommended Hotel: Ji Hotel ****

  

• Day 8:  Turpan(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Jiaohe Ruins, Tuyugou Village and Flaming Mountains

  You will have a full day tour to Jiaohe Ruins, Tuyugou Village and Flaming Mountains. Delve into the past at the Jiaohe Ruins, immerse yourself in Tuyougou Village and feel the scorching sun on  the Flaming Mountains. Every moment is unique and cherish.

  Recommended Hotel: Ji Hotel ****

• Day 9:  Turpan to Urumqi(Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Heavenly Lake, Tianshan Mountains and International Bazaar

  Today you’ll be transferred back to Urumqi, the last stop of the Silk Road. You will visit Heavenly Lake and Tianshan Mountains for its alpine scenery and majestic Bogda Peak in the background. Go to find something local at the International Bazaar in Urumqi. You can see architectural beauty, diverse products, culinary delights, and live performances.

  Recommended Hotel: Excemon Xinjiang Yilite Hotel ****

  

• Day 10: Urumqi to Kashgar (Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Id Kah Mosque and Handicrafts Street

  Fly to Kashgar in the morning(2 hours). As the westernmost corner of China, Kashgar has been the last important exchange center in China for more than two millennia. To experience the western Asia culture, you will pay a visit to the Id Kah Mosque and the Handicrafts Street, which has an amazing range of local handicrafts, including copper, metal, porcelain, woodwork, and other types of goods.

  Recommended Hotel: Luxemon Qinibagh Hotel ****

  
  

• Day 11: Kashgar (Breakfast/Lunch)

  Highlight: Karakul Lake

  Drive to Kashgar's nearby attraction- Karakul Lake, a less famous but sparkling glacial lake today  (3 hours). You will enjoy the seldom-seen scenery along the China-Pakistan Highway and snow-capped Muztag Ata and other tall mountains. You will gain many amazing photos after this day tour.

  Recommended Hotel: Luxemon Qinibagh Hotel ****

  
  

• Day 12: Depart from Kashgar(Breakfast)

  Be transferred to Kashgar airport to take a flight home. Your China tour will end soon but your memory of China will last for days.