28 Days China Ancient Silk Road Adventure

Day 1 Arrive in Lanzhou

Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement

you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Free for rest of the day.

Day 2 Lanzhou (B,L)

Sightseeing: Liujia Gorge, Bingling Temple         

This morning you will have the tour to Liujia Gorge. Located in Yongjing county is the Liujia Gorge on the Yellow River. Steep cliffs and towering mountains rise on either side of the river, and manifest their spectacular grandeur. It was there that a key water conservancy project was completed in 1974, for the purposes of irrigation, navigation, flood control, electric energy production, and aquatic resources utilization.

Then you will head to see Bingling Temple. Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves is located on the Small Jishi Hill, about 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) west of Yongjing County in Lanzhou City. Being one of the very noted four caves in China, it is the second to Mogao Caves in respect of artistic value.

Day 3 Lanzhou/Wuwei (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Han Tomb of Leitai, Confucius Temple,Haizang Temple

Today you will be driven to Wuwei(around 4 hours).

After a rest in your hotel, start the tour to Han Tomb of Leitai, which is located in the old Leitai Park of Wuwei. The tomb consists of 19.34 m long passage, 3 coffin chambers and 3 side chambers. There were 231 gold, silver, bronze, iron, jade, bone and pottery articles, and 99 bronze warriors and horses excavated from here, among which the Bronze Flying Horse is the most valuable.

Then, move on to the Confucius Temple, Confucious Temple, lies in the southeast of the city proper of Wuwei, was built in 1439, in the Ming Dynasty. It's a large-scale magnificent complex of palatial architecture. The temple has once been an institute for studying, the largest and best preserved one in Gansu.

Finally, you will visit the Haizang Temple, located 2km northwest of Wuwie city, is the largest complex of ancient buildings in Wuwei. The temple was opened as a park. The well preserved gateways, archways, pavilions and temples of Ming and Qing Dynasties are surrounded by river, lake and age-old trees, which make the park a quiet spot with its spectacular scenery.

Day 4 Wuwei/Zhangye (B,L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: The Giant Buddha Temple, The Bell Tower and the Drum Tower

After breakfast, drive to Zhangye by private car (3.5 hours).

Arriv in Zhangye, visit to The Giant Buddha Temple, located in the southwest part of downtown of Zhangye, which is well known for the remains of  China's biggest indoor sculpture of Nirvana Buddha.

And then, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, the biggest drum tower in the Hexi Corridor of the silk road district, was built in 1507 during the Ming Dynasty. In 1648 during the Qing Dynasty, it was destroyed by war. In 1668, Zhang Yong, the superintendent of Gansu, rebuilt the bell and drum tower.The tower consists of the foundation and a three-storey pavilion.

Day 5 Zhangye/Jiayuguan (B,L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Jiayuguan Pass,Wei-jin Mural Tombs,Suspension Great Wall

This morning, you will be drive from Zhangye to Jiayuguan (around 3.5 hours) .

And then visit Jiayuguan Pass, Located in the western end of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, Jiayuguan Pass is the main part of the western end of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. It has been the first pass of Hexi region since ancient times.

Wei-jin Mural Tombs,Located about 15 kilometers northeast of Jiayuguan, Wei-Jin Mural Brick Tomb is a big tomb group with over 1,400 tombs built between the 3rd Century and 5th Century during the Wei and Jin dynasties. Renowned as the largest subterranean art gallery in the world, housing a great deal of colorful murals, the gallery has attracted tourists from both home and abroad since 1972 when it was excavated. Most tombs are of families, housing bodies of three or four generations, and now only Grave 6 and Grave 7 are open for tourism.

Suspension Great Wall, was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Work began on it in 1539, and was completed in the following year. It was built using layer upon layer of stone and yellow earth. In subsequent years, the wall has dwindled from its original length of 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) to its current 750 meters (2, 460 feet).The Overhanging Wall gets its name because there is a 231 meter long section, with an obliquity of 45 degrees, built onto a 150m high ridge. From a distance, it is said to resemble a dragon about to extend its body towards the ground.       

Day 6 Jiayuguan/Dunhuang (B,L)

Tranfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement      

Morning travel on a scenic ride to the 2,000-year-old oasis town of Dunhuang(around 5 hours). After check in the hotel, free at leisure the rest of the day.

Day 7 Dunhuang (B,L)

Sightseeing: Mogao Grottoes, Crescent Lake, Echoing-Sand Dune     　                               

You will have tours to the Mogao Caves, the caves hold the world's richest treasure house of Buddhist sutras, murals and sculptures. And, you will experience a short camel-riding along the Echoing-Sand Dune to the Crescent Lake, who is a nature miracle coexist with the desert for thousand of years. The lake and the Echoing-Sand Dune which can make sounds when the wind passes are located in the place where the sand and the oasis meet.

Riding on the back of the camel with the tingling of their bell chimes through the golden sand sea, you will feel like you had  gone back in times to the live of nomad.

Day 8 Dunhuang (B,L)

Sightseeing: Yangguan Pass, Dunhuang Museum, White horse dagoba       

Full day visit to the ancient border Yangguan pass, some 70 kilometres southwest outside Dunhuang, it was established in 121BC of the Western Han Dynasty (206BC - 24AD) to defend against the attacks of other minority nationalities and to develop the area of Xiyu - the western regions of Han Dynasty being the area west of Yumenguan Pass including what is now Xinjiang and parts of Central Asia.Yangguan Pass once was the gateway to the Xiyu area and an important pass on the Silk Road.

Drive back to the city and visit the Dunhuang Museum. It is a local museum for keeping the cultural relics that were found in Dunhuang. The Dunhuang Museum reflects the flourishing social development and cultural exchange between China and the West during the time when Dunhuang was a major center along the Silk Road. A trip to the Dunhuang Museum will provide visitors with a greater understanding of the history and culture of the Chinese people and their ancient civilization.

The last stop in Dunhuang will be White Horse Dagoba. The White Horse Dagoba is located west of Dunhuang near the old city walls. This 9 story pagoda was built in 384AD to mark the grave of a beloved white horse. The horse belonged to a monk named Kumarajiva who was traveling on the Silk Road when the horse died.

Day 9 Dunhuang/Hami (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Balikun Grassland & White Stone Scenic Spot

After breakfast, we will drive to Hami. Hami is the eastern gateway of Xinjiang. On the way proceed to Balikun Grassland & White Stone Scenic Spot. It’s located in deep Tianshan Mountain. Also visit the Hazakh Family. enjoy the beauty prairie.

Day 10 Hami/Turpan (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Jiaohe Ruins, Karez Well,

Today drive to Turpan, the distance is about 400kms, driving time need about 5-6 hours, then visit the Jiaohe Ruins, the remains of an ancient walled capital of the Uighur with its large monastery and palace. It is probably the same size as Gaochang but better preserved. UNESCO has contributed to its preservation. The dry weather has helped city preserve its cityscape. It is a life-sized model of a Tang Dynasty city.

Move on to visit Ancient Karez system (Karez Well).The entire Turpan region has for 2000 years relied upon the Karez underground irrigation system for sustenance; There is currently one karez well site open for exhibition. It is complete with a museum of displays and pictures. It is a good way to get an understanding of how the tunnels were dug.

Day 11 Turpan (B,L)

Sightseeing: Astana Tomb,Passing by Flaming Mountain to Visit the Bezkelik Thousand Buddha Caves,Sugong Pagoda,Grape Valley

Today you will visit to The Astana Tomb, which is located in the Gobi Desert and 6km from the Gaochang Ancient City. Astana means capital in Uygur. Covering an area of 10 square kilometers, the tombs were the public cemetery of the ancient Gaochang residents, both aristocrats and commoners.

Passing by Flaming Mountain to Visit the Bezkelik Thousand Buddha Caves, Once an important Buddhist site with many caves covered with brightly painted murals, Bezeklik means "place of paintings" in Uighur. The caves were hewn into the cliffside, and large murals, Monks used to live inside the caves and the frescoes here clearly represent the life work of generations of devotees. Unfortunately, this place was damaged by the locals who converted to Islam in the 10th century and looted by the western archaeologists in the early 20th century.

Move on to visit Emin Minaret(Sugong Pagoda). The Emin Minaret also called Sugong Pagoda is located 2km east of Turpan city. The whole place is composed of the pagoda and a mosque. The Emin minaret tower was built in 1778 by the local Muslim ruler, Emin Hoja. The minaret was built in a simple Islamic style, 44 meters in height, and 10 meters in diameter at the base. Be transferred to the railway station to take overnight train to Dunhuang.

Then we will proceed to visit Grape Valley. Lying at the base of the western end of Flaming Mountains, Grape Valley is a unique world of vineyards and fruit trees. you can sit in the shades and sip the local wines to kill a brutally hot afternoon.

Day 12 Turpan/Korla (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Tiemen Pass

Today you will process to Korla. Arrieve at Korla, after a short rest in your hotel, then visit the Tiemen Pass. It is one of the 26 famous passes in China, and acquired the name 'Iron Gate' for it is solid and firm just like an iron gate. It was an important point along the route into the Tarim Basin in the ancient times.

Day 13 Korla/Tazhong (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Taklimakam Desert,

Drive from Korla to Tazhong, tour the oil fields that funded the highway. This is a day you can enjoy fabulous views of the Taklamakan Desert while we driving the Desert highway crossing the heart of the taklamakan desert, you will enjoy the scenery of sand dune. The sun rise in the desert will be a scene you may never forget. With a total area of 337.6 thousand square kilometers, Taklamakan lies in the center of the Tarim Basin, it is the scond largest desert on the earth just next in area to the Sahara Desert in Africa. It is 1000km long and 400km wide.

Day 14 Tazhong/Minfeng (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: pumping station

Today you will process to Minfeng. Take a visit of a pumping station aside the road.

Day 15 Minfeng/Hotan (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing:White Jade River

Drive to Hotan, after arriving in Hotan, you can explore the hand-made paper and walk along the White Jade river. The river begins in the Kun Lun Mountains on the border between Tibet and Xinjiang and flows north. It joins the Black Jade River to form the Khotan River, which flows on north across the Taklamakan Desert to the Tarim River, although it often dries up completely before actually reaching the Tarim. The river supplies most of the water for the very extensive irrigation system around the Khotan oasis (some water comes from wells).

Day 16 Hotan (B,L)

Sightseeing: Hetian Museum, Melikawat Ruins

Today you will first visit the Hetian Museum. It was built in 1995, and it has an area of 3400 square meters. It boasts over 9000 pieces of cultural relics; most of which were discovered by archaeologists after 1949 and a small number were donated by the locals. The collections in the Hetian Museum provide a vivid picture of the splendid culture of ancient Hetian area in the fields of manual textile technology, art pottery, painting art and the Buddhist culture.

Forwards to visit the Melikawat Ruins. Melikawat is the ruins of an ancient and enormous Buddhist monastery located about 28 km south of central Hotan. Because the monastery was built along the Yorungkash River, most of the site has been buried in several meters of silt over more than a thousand years. Only a few eroding remnants of the tallest buildings emerge above the plain.

Day 17 Yarkand /Kashgar (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Id Kah Mosque, Abakh Khoja Tomb,

Today we will process to Kashgar.  Arrive in Kashgar, start the city tour to see ID Kah Mosque. It is the largest mosque in China. Every Friday, it houses nearly 10,000 worshippers and may accommodate up to 20,000.

Then we will visit the Abakh Khoja Tomb, which is also known as the Tomb of Xiang Fei (Fragrant Lady) in China. Situating 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) northeast of Kashgar City, Abakh Khoja Tomb is an ancient Islamic building, where five generations of a famous Islamic master were buried. It is also commonly known as the tomb of Xiangfei, the only Uygur concubine of Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).,

Day 18 Yarkand /Kashgar (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Id Kah Mosque, Abakh Khoja Tomb,

Today we will process to Kashgar.  Arrive in Kashgar, start the city tour to see ID Kah Mosque. It is the largest mosque in China. Every Friday, it houses nearly 10,000 worshippers and may accommodate up to 20,000.

Then we will visit the Abakh Khoja Tomb, which is also known as the Tomb of Xiang Fei (Fragrant Lady) in China. Situating 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) northeast of Kashgar City, Abakh Khoja Tomb is an ancient Islamic building, where five generations of a famous Islamic master were buried. It is also commonly known as the tomb of Xiangfei, the only Uygur concubine of Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).,

Day 19 Kashgar/Taxkorgan (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Stone City

Drive to Taxkorgan, is the key road from Kashgar to Pakistan, visit Stone City, this ancient city was built several hundreds if tear ago on the road. The stone city is located the north–east of Tashkurghan, it was an ancient capital of ancient Puli Kingdom, one of the 36 in the western regions of the Han Deynasty,now in foot of the stone city living the local people, from Pamir hotel to there by walk only need round 10 minutes.

Day 20 Taxkorgan (B,L)

Today you will enjoy the city on the altiplano. Taxkorgan is important pass for the Karakoram highway. Taxkorgan which means "stone city" was the capital fo the State of Puli 2,000 years ago. It was located at the joint of the middle and the southern route of the Silk Road. Monk Xuan zang and Marco Polo had visited the city. There were paths leading from the city to Mingteke, Wahejiri and Khunjerab Pass which was the only way to South Asia and Pakistan in ancient times.

Day 21 Taxkorgan/Karakuli (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Karakuli Lake

Full day round trip to the Karakuli Lake. This Lake is 3,600 meters above sea level, at the foot of the Maztagata Mountain, some 190 kilometers from Kashgar and about 1,500 kilometers from Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Karakuli means" black sea" in the local dialect, and resembles a glittering pearl embedded among the alpine peaks, reflecting the surrounding snow-capped mountains.

Day 22 Karakuli/Kashgar (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: The old twon of Kashgar

Drive back to Kashgar, an famous city on the old Silk Road, visit The old twon of Kashgar, contains a large group of Uygur residential houses . The Old Town city is now home to 630 homes with more than 2450 people, all of whom are Muslims.

Day 23 Kashgar/Aksu (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Sunday Bazzar

Today you can see the Sunday Bazzar, There is a bazaar everyday in Kashgar, but the one on Sunday is the liveliest, as the whole community gets together. The Bazzar in Kashgar is a social and commercial highlight of the week in Western Xinjiang. In the bazaar you can find different kinds of goods: ironware, silverware, fruit, clothes, local food, livestock, etc. Traders are buying and selling one week's stock of cows, sheep, goats and horses. The process of bargaining is fantastic.

Then drive to Aksu, enjoy the landscape along the road.

Day 24 Aksu/Kucha (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Numinous Wood Garden in Wensu, Shenmu Garden

After breakfast, drive from Aksu to Kucha. On the way you will visit the Numinous Wood Garden in Wensu.It is in the south of Tomur Peak, in Wensu County. Its area is 680 mu, and it is more than 1700 meters above the sea level. It is 72 km far away from Aksu.The environments of the garden is unique, the earth, water and plants are coexist in harmony. There are old and famous trees, rare flowers and herbs, unimproved woodlands, meadow, wet land, cliff, waterfall, stream, Gobi desert and maintenance of historical relics and sites. All of these make it a tour area full of natural scenery, humanity scenery and folk customs.

You will also visit Shenmu Garden, which is located northwest 60 km of Wensu County , elevation 1,700 meters, covering more than 600 acres, also known as "Pearl of the Gobi".

After arrival in Kucha, transfer to hotel for refreshing.

Day 25 Kucha/Korla (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Subashi Ruins

Today drive to Korla. On the way, you will visit Subashi of ruins, which are located 23 kilometers (about 14 miles) northwest of Kuqa County. The Subashi Ruins occupy a relatively large area, divided by Kuqa River into eastern and western areas. The eastern area is over 530 meters (about 580 yards) long and over 140 meters (about 153 yards) wide and the western area is over 680 meters (about 744 yards) long and 170 meters (about 186 yards) wide. The extent of the ruins reflects the temple’s past brilliance.

Day 26 Korla/Urumqi (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Dabancheng power station

Drive to Urumqi, visit the Dabancheng power station. The largest Wind Power Station in China as well as Asia at present, which has 111 wind-driven units of 300kw, 500kw and 600kw, with the capacity totaling 57.5mw

Day 27 Urumqi (B,L)

Transfer via: Private Vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Heavenly Lake.

This morning, you will take three hours' ride from Turpan to Urumchi. After lunch, you will head to visit the Heavenly Mountain (Tianchi); it is surrounded by green pastures and pristine conifer forests. Snowy Alp-like peaks soar to great heights and enclose the lake. Take a boat ride on Heavenly Lake and escape into a peaceful, dream-like world.  

Day 28 Urumqi/Depature (B)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement

Today you will visit Xinjiang Autonomous Region Museumin, as an important place of Xinjiang Region Museum, you can get a whole view of different folklore and customs about 12 ethnic minorities in the area. The building occupies a space of 11,000 square meters and is built in a modern style enhanced by local architectural features. The central dome is thirty meters high and from its height one can view the entire city of Urumqi.

After the tour, you will be tranferred to airport for your departure flight.