10 Days Silk Road Tour from Kashgar to Xi'an

Welcome to Kashgar, the ancient city with special local cultural and ethnic characteristics along the Silk Road. Be transferred to the hotel. Relax and prepare for your Natural Wonder and Culture Adventure.

Our nice guide will meet you at the hotel. Then we will do full day Kashgar city excursion. we will visit the Idigar Mosque, the largest Mosque in China and the most sacred mosque for the locals to practise their Islamic activities. around 10:30 we have to visit the Old Town when the open ceremony ready to greeting all the tourists with the culture show, further exploration to the special culture and experience the lifestyle. Lunch arranged in the local Restaurant. We will pay a visit to the famous 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 bargain. Kashgar city tour ends with the wandering to the bustling Handicraft street, dazzling jewelry, primitive pottery,unique musical instrument, daily resources of the locals. 

Driving on the China and Pakistan Highway. You can enjoy the magnificent Bulongkol Lake also known as Baisha Mountain (white Sand Mountain) is located in the Pamir Plateau, a large plateau in the Pamir mountain range at an altitude of about 3500 to 5000m with mountains up to more than 7000m, located next to the Karakoram Highway, so it is one of the must stop spot on the way to Karakul lake and Taxkorgan. This view shows the central part of the plateau from the southeast covering Tajikistan  in the center, Eastern China on the right and Afghanistan as well as northern Pakistan on the foreground left. 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.

Today we will drive to Kuitun and head straight for Tianshan Tianchi Lake also called Heavenly Lake in English which is a high mountain lake. It is listed in the UNESCO for the magnificent Landscape. We will drive 1.5 hours to entrance of the Heavenly Lake, 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.

Then you will pay a visit to the biggest bazaar in the world Xinjiang International Bazaar, where you can watch Uygur dance show and taste local delicacies and bazaar refers to a market or fair in Arabic. There are over 3,000 booths in Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar for selling garments, musical instruments, potteries, jewellery, nuts, fruits, and carpets.

After breakfast in the hotel, you will drive to Turpan. First, head to Tuyoq Village, which is an ancient oasis-village in the Taklamakan desert, 70 km east of Turpan in a lush valley cutting into the Flaming Mountains and famous for its seedless grapes and a number of ancient Buddhist meditation caves nearby containing frescos. Jiaohe Ruins, resembles Pompeii, but 300 years older, your last stop. It’s 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.

Today you will take the train from Turpan to Liuyuan station and then drive about 1.5hrs to Dunhuang. After arrival, check in at the hotel, then your driver will take you to the desert, where you can have a picnic with friends in the desert sunset and enjoy a wonderful Gala Dinner. (You will take the Jeep to the top of th desert.)

Morning we will travel to the Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha 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. Afternoon we will head up to Echoing Sand Mountain&Crescent Lake. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make loud sound, while the sound sounds like being produced by some ancient musical instrument when blew by breeze, There is also a Crescent Lake that  has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. Riding the camel as the Silk Road Caravan in the vast desert is highly recommended (approximately 40mins). Please bring your sunglasses and and mask to keep out the dust.

In the evening, you will drive to the airport and take the flight to Xi’an.

Tour starts at 08:00 and then drive about 1 hour to the countryside of the Xi'an city and visit the most imposing historic site Terracotta Warriors, the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century.

After lunch in the local restaurant, head to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda with 7 floors in total. It is the traditional Chinese style decorated with some Buddha statues, where Tourists can see variety of Buddha statues and have panoramic Xi'an city at the top floor. Afterwards, wandering through the tight and interesting Muslim Quarter Streets to experience the local lifestyle. Street vendors selling all sorts of goods from souvenirs, hand crafted products and local snacks. You need to bargain with the vendors if you are buying goods.

Today is an another day to explore the history and culture in Xi'an.

We will visit Shanxi Museum, one of the major museums in China. It is home to numerous unearthed cultural artifacts and represents the imposing image of a 13-dynasties capital.

Afterwards, drive to the Ancient City Wall, the most well-preserved city wall and the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. You will have a bird's-eye view of panorama of Xi'an city when wandering along the city wall. 

In the evening, enjoy a delicious dinner and have a good rest in the hotel.

Today our journey comes to an end after a good breakfast. You will be transferred to the airport or train station based on your schedule.