12 Days Mongolian Grasslands and Silk Road Adventure by Train

Day 1

Arrive Urumqi

Day 2

Urumqi (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van
Sightseeing: Heavenly Lake, Xinjiang International Bazaar

After breakfast, visit the Heavenly Lake on Tianshan Mountain (boat tour). The mountain lake stands 1,980 meters above sea level and features picturesque scenery of snowcapped peaks. It is a great experience to boat travel Heavenly Lake, with a layer of magical color covering the lake, and hearing many beautiful myths and legends. Then head for Urumqi, and visit Xinjiang International Bazaar.

Day 3

Urumqi/Turpan/Dunhuang (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van, Train of China Orient Express
Sightseeing: Karez Well System, Flaming Mountain, Jiaohe Ancient City

Take the train to Turpan. It’s a day for Turpan sightseeing! Visit Karez Well System to witness the wisdom of Uygur people. The irrigation system is especially designed for desert. If connecting all these underground channels, the total length will reach more than 5,000 km, so it is regarded as one of the three engineering miracles of ancient China, along with the Great Wall and the Jinghang Grand Canal.

Go ahead to the Flaming Mountain, which is well known by Chinese people because of the legendary story 'Journey to the West'. It is regarded as the hottest place in China.

Then we drive to Jiaohe Ancient City, an island-shaped plateau situated at Yar Town. It is the largest and oldest earth-structured city in the world, with a history of 2,000-2,300 years.

After dinner, take the train of China Orient Express to Dunhuang at 20:30. Have a nice night on the train with wonderful evening and morning views of local countryside.

Day 4

Dunhuang (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van
Sightseeing: Crescent Lake & Singing Sand Mountains, Shazhou Night Market

After a pleasant breakfast, we specially arrange Dunhuang experts and professors who'll introduce this exotic city in detail to you. After arriving in Dunhuang, we will visit the beautiful Crescent Lake & Singing Sand Mountains. The Crescent Lake scenic spot is an oasis Gobi desert, surrounded by numerous sand dunes, reaching a relative height of 250 meters. The Singing Sand Mountains is so named for the sound of the wind whipping off the dunes.

After dinner, we move to Dunhuang night market -bustling Shazhou Night Market. Never miss its tasty snacks, local specialties, and crafts etc.

Day 5

Dunhuang/Jiayuguan (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van, Train of China Orient Express
Sightseeing: Mogao Grottoes

This morning let's visit the world famous Mogao Grottoes, which was designated as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO for its 1,600 years accumulated cultural, architectural, and art treasures. There remains 492 cave temple and 45,000 square meters of frescos. According to Tang Dynasty records, a monk had witnessed onsite a vision of thousand Buddha 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 Buddha.

After lunch, we board the 'China Orient Express' train to Jiayuguan at 15:00 and arrive there at about 20:00.

Day 6

Jiayuguan/Zhongwei (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van, Train of China Orient Express
Sightseeing: Jiayuguan Pass, Overhanging Great Wall

After breakfast, have a visit to the Jiayuguan (Jiayu Pass), the western end of the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty. It is known as 'the First and Greatest Pass under Heaven', the best preserved and most magnificent military fort in China. Then we drive 7 miles away for the Overhanging Great Wall. It got the name for riding on a mountain ridge that is 45 degrees from vertical and resembling a huge dragon. At 20:30, we take the China Orient Express train to Zhongwei.

Day 7

Zhongwei/Yinchuan (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van
Sightseeing: Shapotou Scenic Spots

Visit Shapotou Scenic Spots, which with the biggest natural sand slide field in China. It is also one of the China's Four Resonant Sand Fields. When the weather is great, you are able to slide down the sand hill and can hear the sound of sand underneath it, like tolling bells. The experience would be quite adventurous and breathtaking. Thereafter, we take coach to Yichuan.

Day 8

Yinchuan/Hohhot (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van, Train of China Orient Express
Sightseeing: Helanshan Rock Carvings, Western Xia Imperial Tombs

In the morning let's visit the Helanshan Rock Carvings. Around the hillsides of the Helan Mountains, there are tens of thousands of rock carvings by ancient nomadic tribes, which are known as Helanshan Rock Carvings. The carvings were drawn in various styles with profound connotation and scattered only in certain areas.

We continue to visit the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, which is located on the eastern slopes of the Helan Mountains. It is unique among royal burials, and its layout is patterned after the celestial bodies. After dinner, board the train to the capital city of Inner Mongolia -Hohhot, which means "Green City" in Mongolian. Dates from 306 B.C., it has been an important cultural center of the region.

Day 9

Hohhot (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van
Sightseeing: Sheila MuRen Grassland

In the morning, we arrive in Hohhot. Then we drive to Sheila MuRen Grassland. Spend the whole day on the vast plains and expansive grasslands, free walk and enjoy watching the traditional Mongolian style wrestling, horse-riding, camel riding, archery and etc.

Day 10

Hohhot/Beijing (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van, Train of China Orient Express
Sightseeing: Dazhao Temple, Zhaojun Tomb

After breakfast, visit the 400 years old Dazhao Temple, the oldest building and the largest temple in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. Locally, people usually refer to it as the Silver Buddha Temple for there is a rare silver statue of Sakyamuni measuring 2.5 meters high in the temple.

And visit the Zhaojun Tomb, which was built in memory of one of the four ancient belles. Spend some time at the regional museum with over 44,000 objects relating to ethnic history in its collections. Take the train of China Orient Express for Beijing.

Day 11

Beijing (B,L,D)

Transfer via: Coach/Van
Sightseeing: Summer Palace

We arrive in Beijing in the morning. After breakfast, we will proceed to the picturesque Summer Palace. Being the largest and most well-preserved royal park in China, it greatly influences Chinese horticulture and landscape with its famous natural views and cultural interests, which also has long been recognized as 'The Museum of Royal Gardens'. Summer Palace radiates fully the natural beauty and the grandeur of royal gardens. Composed mainly of Longevity Hill (Wanshou Shan) and Kunming Lake, it occupies an area of 300.59 hectares (742.8 acres). There are over 3,000 man-made ancient structures which count building space of more than 70,000 square meters, including pavilions, towers, bridges, corridors, etc.

Day 12

Depart Beijing (B)