15 Days China Silk Road Tour from Kashgar to Chengdu

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.

After enjoying breakfast, your fascinating day will start this morning. Today our tour guide will bring you to head to Xinjiang Regional Museum. There 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.

Take the flight to 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. Continue the visiting to Old Town 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 Handicraft street, gathered hundreds of handicraft workshops, which has become a boutique exhibition for handicraft in Kashgar and Central Asia.

Today we will adventure to Taxkorgan, a town in the far west of Xinjiang Province in China, bordering Pakistani, Tajik, and Afghani.This region is commonly known as the main road of the "old Silk Road" the main route leading from China to West Asia.

On the way, you can 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 before shuttling you onward to Kashgar.

Stay one night and explore its peculiar folk customs of Tajik nationality. Taste snack and milk tea provided by local herdsman and spend your rest of day at leisure.

Today say farewell to Taxkorgan and return to Kashgar. On the way, you will have stunning views of the great Pamir Plateau and pass by sand dunes, mountains and sandstone valleys.

Today, you will drive to 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 bargin.

In the afternoon, catch the flight to the capital city of Xinjiang- Urumqi. Met and greeted in airport be transferred to hotel. Relax with free time for the rest of the day.

Today you will enjoy A FULL DAY tour of the picturesque Heavenly Lake (approximately 1.5hrs), 2000m up in the Tianshan mountain range. which is surrounded by the snow mountains, blooming wildflowers, evergreen pine trees. 40-minute scenic shuttle bus ride that twists though the dramatic mountains. Then you can either walk to the lakeside in 10mins or take the electronic cart. There are 3 options suggested. Boating cruise to take the incredible view of Tianshan Mountain. Trekking along the lake in the fresh air. or you can explore further up to the Maya Mountain by the cable car to enjoy the magnificent view of the Mountains. The lunch in the local Kazakh's yurt is highly recommended. 

In the LATE afternoon, drive to Turpan, passing by the wind power station which is the largest one in Asia spreading at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. Following glimpse of Salt Lake in Dabancheng. We'll be amazed by the historical sites

And oasis land of Turpan.

After breakfast, the good day begins Tuyoq Village which is an ancient oasis-village in the Taklamakan desert. First we drive to 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. visit The Ruins of Ancient City of Gaochang, which was a political, economic and cultural center of Xinjiang in ancient times. The existing parts of it consist of three parts built in different times. 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.

Take the morning train to Dunhuang,then we will visit beautiful Crescent Lake & Singing Sand Mountains.The Crescent Lake is an oasis Gobi desert, surrounded by numerous sand dunes, reaching a relative height of 250 meters (820 feet). The Mingsha Shan is so named for the sound of the wind whipping off the dunes. After dinner, we move to Shazhou Night market - bustling Shazhou Night Market. Never miss its tasty snacks, local specialties, and crafts etc.

Today you will have a chance to visit Yumen Pass ( Jade Gate Pass ), which was once used as one of the west gates out of China during the Han Dynasty. It has been badly damaged by the shifting sands but still highlights the splendour of this magnificent architectural structure.

In the afternoon, you can explore Yardan National Geological Park. Geological Park is famous for its nighttime sounds and vivid rocks in various shapes that look like animals or world-famous attractions. If you want, you can stay there until sunset.

After breakfast, let's visit the world famous Mogao Grottoes, which was designated as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO for its 1600 years accumulated cultural, architectural, and art treasures. There remains 492 cave temple and 45000 square meters of frescos. According to Tang Dynasty records, a monk had witnessed onsite a vision of thousand Buddhas under showers of golden rays. Thus inspired, he started the caves construction work that spanned ten dynasties. Mogao Caves are commonly known as the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. After lunch, we will drive to Jiayuguan

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. It was also an important traffic hub along the Silk Road, the oldest worldwide trading route.

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)

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.

Full day in Badain Jaran Desert which has the world's highest sand mountains, with the magnificent Mingsha area, scattered Lake oases, endless Shahai springs and mysterious desert temples to name just a few. These peculiar and charming landscapes have made it an ideal place for desert exploration, tourism and photography in recent years. After visiting, we will drive you to hotel for rest.

After breakfast, we will transfer to train station for high-speed train to Lanzhou. It takes only three hours to complete the 700-kilometer distance on China’s fastest and comfortable bullet train. Upon arrival, meet your Lanzhou guide and visit the Waterwheel Garden. Originated from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the waterwheel is the oldest irrigation tool in Yellow River area of Lanzhou. The Waterwheel Garden is a theme garden exhibiting the waterwheel culture. Here, we could appreciate the waterwheel driven by the flowing water all year round to collect water from the river or cofferdam. 

After visiting, we will transfer you to airport to catch the flight to Chengdu.

A tour to Chengdu is not complete without seeing the giant pandas, the city's most famous and popular residents in the world. Pandas are usually more active in the early morning, so arrive at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding at around 8.30 am so that you can see them having breakfast or playing with each other.

After lunch, you will go to visit the Sanxingdui Museum, the only museum dedicated to the lost civilization of the Shu Kingdom (221 - 263). You will gain a unique perspective of the Chinese history by seeing and understanding unearthed relics including countless grotesque bronzes, gold, pottery and jade which date back to 4,500 years ago. The 2.62-metre-tall standing statue, the 1.38-metre-wide bronze mask, and the 3.95-metre-high bronze tree are surely unmissable.

Get up early then visit Du Fu's Thatched Roof Cottage and the Wenshu Temple, where you can spend some time sitting in its tea house to enjoy a cup of tea and absorb the special atmosphere of Chengdu.

Then, you will be escorted to the airport for your onward flight.