17 Days Silk Road and Yunna Luxurious Tour

Today you will catch the flight to Kashgar. We will meet you at the airport with a welcome board, then bring you to the downtown hotel and check in. Have a good rest.

This morning, we will pay a visit to the famous Sunday bazaar, The outdoor Animal Bazaar is the first bazaar we visit, where the farmers and buyers arrive 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. Then 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. The following day will be spent exploring the stunning landscape surrounding the highway, then driving to Taxkrogan County for an overnight stay.

Today, you are going to visit the Stone Fortress, which is an oval-shaped city with walls made of sun-dried bricks on a stone foundation. The city walls are 1285 meters in circumference. In recent years, new wooden pathways have been constructed to allow tourists to walk through the beautiful grasslands, known as the Golden Grassland, and take better photos of the Stone Fortress. After that, we will drive back to Kashgar.

Today, meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby to start a full-day excursion of Kashgar City. We will begin by visiting the Idigar Mosque, the largest mosque in China, and a significant site for the local Islamic community. At around 10:30, we will proceed to the Old Town to witness the open ceremony, and cultural show, and immerse ourselves in the local lifestyle. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue our tour to the Apak Hoja Tomb, an architectural treasure and the holiest place in Xinjiang. The city tour concludes with a visit to the bustling Handicraft Street, where we can explore and appreciate the local craftsmanship. Lastly, we will bid farewell to Kashgar and catch a flight to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang.

When visiting Heavenly Lake, you can enjoy stunning views of snow-capped mountains, beautiful wildflowers, and lush pine trees. You can take a leisurely walk around the lake and breathe in the fresh air, or take a cable car to Maya Mountain for a breathtaking panoramic view. After that, you can return to Urumqi, which takes about 1.5 hours, and visit the Xinjiang International Bazaar. This bustling market is the largest in Urumqi and offers a wide variety of goods including fruits, clothing, crafts, knives, and carpets.

We will start the trip with a 2-3 hour drive to Turpan, passing by the largest wind power station in Asia, which is located at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. On the way, we will catch a glimpse of Salt Lake in Dabancheng. In Turpan, we will be amazed by the historical sites and oasis landscape. Our first stop will be the oldest Uighur village, Tuyoq Village, situated in the heart of Flaming Mountain Canyon. This village used to serve as a holy site for both Buddhism and Islam. It is divided into four parts: Canyon scenery, Thousand Buddha Caves, Maza tomb, and the old buildings of the ancient village. After that, we will drive to enjoy the scenery of Jiaohe Ruins, which has a history of 2,300 years and is located between two rivers on a loess plateau atop a cliff over 30m high. It is one of the best-preserved ruins of its ancient era in China and was included in the World Heritage List on June 22, 2014.

Morning depart from the hotel, we will head to the Karez Well, which is a special kind of irrigation system, here you can not only visit this ancient irrigation system but also get rid of the heat of summer. Then explore the Sugong Minaret, the largest Islamic minaret in China built in 1778. After the visit, you will be transferred to the train station to catch the high-speed train to Dunhuang (Liuyuan station). After arrival, drive about 2hrs to Dunhuang downtown. Have hotel check-in and take a good rest.

Today, we will have a full day of sightseeing in Dunhuang. Our first stop will be the "cultural treasure" – Mogao Grottoes. We will start with a 4D movie that traces back thousands of years of Chinese history. Then, we will visit 8 grottoes with a professional guide providing introductions. Here we can enjoy the magnificent grottoes and mural art and learn about the history of Buddhism in Dunhuang through explanations and film displays, which is the best option for tourists traveling here.

After lunch, we will head to Echoing Sand Mountain. When there is a wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make a loud sound. There is also a Crescent Lake that has existed for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. Camel riding in the vast desert and sand sliding are highly recommended activities. 

In the evening, we will take a walk in the Shazhou Night Market, a distinctive local attraction, where you can taste the local cuisine and relax. In addition to local specialties, many handicrafts are waiting for you to discover. After the visit, we will return to the hotel and have some rest, as tomorrow will be even more exciting.

After enjoying the buffet at the hotel, today we'll transfer to Jiayuguan and visit the Jiayuguan Pass. This Ming Dynasty fort guards the strategic Jiayuguan Pass at the western end of the Great Wall, which was the last section built by the Ming Dynasty. After that, we will head to explore the Great Wall Museum, which was opened to the public in October 1989 and is the first to exhibit the Great Wall culture comprehensively and systematically.

After visiting, the other group members will travel to Zhangye, and you will stay at Jiayuguan.

Reminder: The climate in Jiayuguan may be a bit dry, so remember to drink water in time.

We may also adjust to using the train to Jiayuguan depending on the final group size. If we make the change, we will let you know in advance.

Today morning, we will take the train to Lanzhou. Upon arrival, we will visit the Waterwheel Garden, which originated from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the waterwheel is the oldest irrigation tool in the 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. Afterwards, visit the Yellow River's Mother Statue, to explore the culture and local lifestyle.

Today the tour will start from the Binglingsi Thousand Buddha Temple, take a speedboat from Liujiaxia Reservoir to Binglingsi in the morning. On the way, you will see the green water connects to the yellow water while the blue sky connects to the yellow earth. Perhaps this can only be experienced in Liujiaxia. Upon arrival, head to visit the Binglingsi Thousand Buddha Caves which are close to Liujiaxia Reservoir, These caves stretch for 200 meters and were built during the Western Qin, North Wei, Sui, Tang, and Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties (between the 3rd and 18th centuries).  After the visit, drive to Xiahe and stay overnight here.

This morning, we will begin by visiting the Labrang monastery, which is home to the largest population of monks outside of Tibet. We will then head to Thangka Sunning Terrace, a great vantage point for viewing the monastery and the surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, you'll have the chance to see magnificent Buddha stupas, wall paintings, and prayer wheels. The prayer wheels, in particular, are a must-see. The entire monastery is surrounded by these wheels, so be sure to walk along the corridor, spin the wheels, and offer a prayer to dispel any troubles.

We'll also have the opportunity to witness yaks grazing in the beautiful Sangke Grasslands, set amidst lush green pastures. This area is also home to nomadic people who still practice their traditional songs, which is a highlight of any visit to Tibet. After that, we'll visit a Tibetan family, where you can try on traditional Tibetan clothing, enjoy some milk tea, and sample freshly prepared mutton. Finally, we'll return to Lanzhou to catch our flight to Lijiang.

After breakfast, we'll continue our journey to Black Dragon Pool Park, also known as the Jade Spring Park. It's located to the north of Lijiang and got its name from the waters that sparkle like jade and are as clear as spring water. The park is filled with lush green grass and shaded by swaying willow trees. You can also see a waterfall under the Shuocui Bridge which creates a constant roar as it cascades downstream. Lijiang is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a history dating back over 800 years. In addition to its unique architecture and local ethnic culture, the city is famous for its orderly arrangement of bridges and waterways. You can take a walk along the winding cobbled paths as it is said that you won't get lost as long as you follow the water. After that, we can visit the Mu family in the old town of Lijiang. The Mu family residence, also known as the Forbidden City of Naxi, used to be the residence of Naxi politicians. It took more than 60 years to build this huge complex of buildings, which consists of many pavilions and gardens, each more beautiful than the previous one. The current Muwu, rebuilt after the 1996 earthquake, might be different from the original, but it's definitely worth a visit. It overlooks Lion Mountain and provides access to the memorial.

After breakfast we will head to the First Bend of Yangtze,  About 44 miles outside of Lijiang the Yangtze is forced to make a sudden V-shaped bend and flow to the northeast. This extraordinary turn creates beautiful and marvelous views that startle the imagination. The whole sight is like a wonderful landscape painting that never ends.

Afterward, we will visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, located on the Jinsha River segment of the upper reaches of the Yangtze and 105 kilometers south of Zhongdian County. It is 17 kilometers long with a drop of 213 meters. The gorge is divided into three sections: Upper, Middle, and Lower Hutiao (tiger leaping). At the narrowest spot, the river is only 30 meters wide. The mouth of the gorge is 1,800 meters above sea level. The river is flanked by Yulong and Haba snow mountains, with a height difference of 3,900 meters. And then head to Shangrila 

After breakfast, we will head to visit Songzanlin Monastery, which is one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Yunnan. Here, tranquillity prevails, as its 700 monks and acolytes (often beginning their training at the age of five) go about their daily lives – just as they have done for more than three centuries. 

Then travel to Napa Lake. Napa Hai ("Lake behind the forest") Nature Reserve is a state-designated wetlands area situated some 8 kilometers north of Shangri-La County (aka Zhongdian County) on the Yunnan - Guizhou Plateau in northwestern Yunnan Province. Not surprisingly, this wetlands area is a true paradise for all types of birds, most especially for waterfowl. In spring, the higher, drier parts of the reserve are a prairie landscape carpeted with flowers. Parts of this prairie are farmed, the main crop being highland barley. We may have a Tibetan family visit here. Every year from May to October, comes the best season of grazing, so the nomadic Tibetan families will migrate to the lakeside. Visit their yurts and talk with them, perhaps also have a simple Tibetan meal, feeling the authentic life of Tibetan people.  In the afternoon, take the flight to Kunming.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel, then drive along the new expressway to Stone Forest. Stone Forest is 75 kilometers from Kunming and is accessible by a bus ride of 70 minutes. The Stone forest belongs to the typical Karst geomorphology, it consists of innumerable bizarre-shaped ancient limestone cliffs and peaks created by wind and water erosion some 200 million years ago, and this area is praised as the "First Wonder Under Heaven". Next, we are going to Green Lake Park, which is the biggest park in the city proper of Kunming. Attractions in the neighborhood of Green Lake Park include the former Yunnan Army Academy, believed to be the biggest quadrangle building in China, and you will people in Kunming enjoying their leisure life in the afternoon. 

Today you will say farewell to Kunming, and transfer to the airport to catch your flight back to your sweet home.It has been a great holiday and we look forward to seeing you another China trip.