15 Days Escorted Silk Road Adventure

Today your travel begins with a welcome meeting at airport. After checking in the hotel, rest of your time is free to explore the Charming Xi'an, an ancient city with a long history and colorful culture. There are many historical sites worth visiting.

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

Tour starts at 08:00 and then drives about 1 hour to the countryside of the Xi'an city and visits 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.

Then drive to the hotel and have a good rest.

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

We will visit Shaanxi 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. 

Continue tour 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

Afterwards, you will tour the Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter, Relax with free wandering along the street when tasting the local delicacies and experiencing the local lifestyle.

Today you will have enough time to explore this ancient city on your own. Xi'an is the largest and most developed city in the central to the northwestern part of China and is ranked among the 10 largest cities in the nation. If you are planning a trip to China, Xian is a stop you can not miss. you may enjoy a tour to the Drum and Bell Tower, the emblem of Xian city. Atop the Tower you will have a panoramic view of the Xian City and Muslim Quarters.  Because of its long development as a culture, the cuisine of Xian is extensive as well. It is the representative of food of Northwestern China. So embracing the local cuisine can be a good way of immersing in the culture and bonding with the locals.

Take the flight to Zhangye. Relax and prepare for your Natural wonders and Culture Adventure. After 1hr's driving pay avisit to the 900-years old Grand Buddha Temple, which is the important place of the Silk Road. Midway in the Hexi Corridor along the Silk Road lies the historic city of Zhangye, experiencing the impressive Buddha culture and architectural treasures. 

Morning we will visit Matisi Temple ( Horseshoe Temple ), The temple was named by the court as "Puguang Temple" in the 14th year of yongle Period in Ming Dynasty. It houses a saddle and one dragon gown given by some emperor in Qing Dynasty. 

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.

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: an inner city, an outer city, and a moat. Besides functioning as a frontier military fortress, 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)

Have a free time in the morning, then we will travel to the historical city Dunhuang. Situated near the common boundary of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang, the historical city Dunhuang is a renowned tourist destination famous for the Mogao Caves. Dunhuang, long ago referred to as 'Sha Zhou' (beautiful desert oasis), was the hub of middle and eastern silk routes in ancient times.

Continue our silk road travel, today our professional tour guide will bring you to travel to Dunhuang, it is the best place where you can explore Chinese history and culture. Our first destination is Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, 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. and head up to Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make a loud sound, while the sound sounds like being produced by some ancient musical instrument when blown by the 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 mask to keep out the dust

In the evening, you can walk around and taste Gansu delicacies at the Shazhou Night Market, the most bustling place of Dunhuang at night. It's easy to lose our sense of time wonder the market while enjoying your leisure time and taste some local cuisine.

Enjoy your nice buffet breakfast at the hotel, drive you to Liuyuan south station and take an express train to Turpan, the town of military importance on the Silk Road, rich in historical relics of Chinese and Western types both on ground and underground. Today, Turfan has been built into a beautiful oasis garden city, not only features in history and civilization of the ancient Silk Road, but also presents modern elegant demeanors. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to the hotel check in. you can enjoy a walking tour around the ancient town.

With an early start today 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.

After visiting, driving to the capital city of Xinjiang- Urumqi(2hrs)

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.

Today you will enjoy a full day excursion of Kashgar. 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 the visiting to Old Town at 10:30 with the open ceremony of Maxilap show. Come and join the exciting movement in this well-preserved Uighur residential area. Our speciality: Relaxing in the Hundred-years Tea house, taste the local rose tea and nang-bread!

Continue to visit the Handicraft street, it gathered hundreds of handicraft workshops, which has become a boutique exhibition for handicraft in Kashgar and Central Asia.

Today you will enjoy a full day excursion of Kashgar. Pay a visit to Sunday Bazaar that is combined two section. The covered bazaar sells the clothing, nuts, household goods and many thingsout of your imagination.The outdoor Animal Bazar 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. 

After Lunch in the local Restaurant. Then we will bring to the hotel and have a good rest.

Today our journey comes to an end after a good breakfast. based on your schedule, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. Bon voyage!