Highlights

The price is based on 2 persons in a private tour for 4star hotel

  • Enjoy the Fantastic landscape in Heavenly Lake, where the thick forest, vast grassland, magnificent snow mountain, experience the unique nomadic culture of local Kazakhs

  • Explore one of the oldest cities in Xinjiang - Turpan, the best place for you to know the Silk Road Culture.

  • Adventure to the particular kind of irrigation system, it is created by the wisdom locals in the vast Gobi desert.

  • Visit the Local Uyghur Family in the ancient Tuyoq village in Turpan

Click to Enlarge

ITINERARY Close All

Day 1Urumqi Arrival

Welcome to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and the farthest land from any ocean.  It is the heaven of travelers for its beautiful natural scenery, profound cultural deposits and special local customs and practices. Upon arrival, be transferred to the hotel and check in. The rest of day is free at leisure.

Traffic: Car
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Altitude: 836m

Day 2Visit Picturesque Heavenly Lake (120kms) and Urumqi City Tour

We will drive 1.5 hours to entrance of the Heavenly Lake about 08:30, 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.

Lunch will be arranged in the Yurt of the local Kazakhs. Back to Urumqi and 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. If time allowed, you will visit Grand International Bazaar and have dinner there.

Traffic: Car (120kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 836m

  • Heavenly Lake

  • Xinjiang Grand Bazaar

Day 3Drive to Turpan, Explore the Ancient Tuyoq Village and Bezeklik Grottoes (200kms)

After breakfast, the good day begins. First we drive 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. Then we make our way to Bezekilik Thousand Buddha Caves which are a complex of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to 14th century between the cities of Turpan and Shanshan (Loulan) at the northeast of the Taklamakan Desert near the ancient ruins of Gaochang in the Mutou Valley. Finally our scenic bus will take you to Astana Tombs, a complex of an ancient tomb where you can see many well- preserved aretifacts including mummies. 

Traffic: Car (200kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 36m

  • Tuyoq Village

  • Flaming Mountain

Day 4Turpan City Tour then back to Urumqi (200kms)

Today you will have a full day to explore this fertile oasis. Pay a visit to 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.


Afterwards explore Jiaohe Ruins, resembles Pompeii, but 300 years older, where you can experience the way of life of the Uighur ancestors.

Back to Urumqi and have a good rest,  passing by Salt Lake and the wind power station which is the largest one in Asia spreading at the foot of Tianshan Mountain.

Traffic: Car (200kms)
Hotel: Overnight in Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 836m

  • Karez Well

  • Sugong Minaret

Day 5End of Tour

Today you will say goodbye to Urumqi, be transferred based on your flight or train schedule. Wish you a pleasant journey home!

Traffic: Car
Hotel: No accommodation

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

  • 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.