10 Days Legendary Silk Road Tours

• Day1

  Xian Arrival, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum

  • Lunch
  • in Xi'an
  A guide will pick you up at the airport/train station and transfer you directly to the city. In the afternoon, open a page of Chinese history by visiting Shaanxi History Museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

  The Shaanxi History Museum, with a floor space of over 43, 200 sq ft (4,000sq. m) was opened in 1952. There are more than two thousand ancient artifacts on display. They are divided into three sections: Forest of Steles (the oldest and richest collection of such stone tablets in China), Gallery of Stone Sculpture, and Historical Relics.

  Located within the compound of the Monastery of Grace in the city's southern suburbs, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built in A D. 652 to house Buddhistscriptures that had been brought from India by Xuan Zang, an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty. The wood-and-brick structure is sixty-four metres high and has seven stories.
• Day2

  Xian: Terracotta Army, Ancient City Wall, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarters

  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • in Xi'an
  In the morning your private guide will pick up at the lobby of your hotel and drive you to today’s first site - Terracotta Army. Known as the Eighth Wonder of the world, the life-sized colorful terra-cotta warriors and horses are famous for their magnificent battle formation and excellent sculpture art at home and abroad, and have been included in the UNESCO heritage list. The vivid terra-cotta warriors and horses are an ancient art treasure and a complete illustration of the Qin dynasty art.
  After having lunch at a local restaurant you will visit Ancient City Wall. The ancient city wall in Xi'an is the largest and well-preserved ancient city wall in China. The current wall was built during the Ming Dynasty from 1374 to 1379. The rectangular wall is 13.74 kilometers in circumference, 1 2 meters high and12-14 meters wide on top and 15-18 meters wide at the bottom. On each of four sides of the wall there is a main gate, with a barbican entrance, gate tower, embrasure watchtower and suspension bridge. The city is surrounded by a Moat.
  The Muslim quarters are located 100 metres west of the bell tower in the centre of Xi'an .The 500 metres long blue stone paved avenue is dotted with many stands, souvenir shop, cafeteria and bars, which are mostly run by Muslims. Tourists, especially foreigners, come and shop here. Please don’t miss the Great Mosque in this area, which has a history of some 1, 250 years.
• Day3

  Xian to Dunhuang by Flight

  • Breakfast
  • in Dunhuang
  Today you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Dunhuang. You guide will pick you up on time and help you check-in the hotel.
  
• Day4

  Dunhuang: Mogao Caves, Singing Sand Mountains and Crescent Moon Sprin

  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • in Dunhuang
  Today you will visit Mogao Caves. Mogao Caves, commonly known as "Thousand Buddha Grottoes", is located at the east foot of the Singing Sand Mountain and the west bank of Daquan River. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection and was awarded "The Certificate of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1991. It is a world famous Buddhist art treasure house. The Caves were carved on the bluffs of Singing Sand Mountain, with five layers which strew at random and row upon row. The Caves are 1,618 metres long from south to north, and have 491 well-preserved Caves which are linked by the plank road.
  In the afternoon you will visit to the Singing Sand Mountains (Mingsha Mountain) and Crescent Moon Spring where you can experience sand surfing and camel riding. Mingsha Mountain starts from Mogao Caves in the east, 40 kilometers long from east to west, and 20 kilometers from south to north. The shape of the mountain is very elegant. When many people slide down along the slopes, a thunderous sound will be heard, hence the name. The Crescent Moon Spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, looking like a crescent moon. Over the past thousand years, the spring has never been buried by sands, and has never dried up. It is a miracle indeed.
• Day5

  Dunhuang Museum, Dunhuang to Turfan by High Speed Train

  • Breakfast
  • in Turfan
  After breakfast, you will visit Dunhuang Museum, a comprehensive local museum with historical relics as the mainstay. The main building has three stories, with a construction area of 2,400 square meters.

  You will be transferred to Liuyuan train station, which will take more than 2 hours driving, and then you will take high speed train to Turfan.
• Day6

  Turfan: Karez System, Jiaohe Ancient City, Emin Minaret, Grape Valle

  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • in Turfan
  Today you will discover the essence of Turfan.

  The Karez irrigation system can be traced back 2,000 years. During spring and summer, melting snow and rainwater flow from lofty mountains in the north of Turpan Basin, and seep in deserts. Taking advantage of natural gradient of the mountains, local people skillfully invented the Karez irrigation system to pump underground water to drink and irrigate crops. Most of the existing Karez irrigation systems in Turpan were constructed after the Qing Dynasty, which are still in use.

  Nestling in Yarnaz Valley, 13 kilometers west of Turpan, the Ancient City of Jiaohe is known as the largest, oldest and best-preserved earthen city in the world. Constructed around the Qin and Han Dynasties, it has had a history of more than 2,000 years. So far, government offices, residences, pagodas and temples in the ancient city are well preserved. What makes the ancient city distinctive is that all caves, houses, temples and even streets were actually carved from the ground.

  Emin Minaret is the largest and most beautiful ancient Islamic-style tower in Xinjiang. Together with the nearby mosque that can accommodate 1,000 people, the tower forms a tourist attraction known far and near. The buildings are laid with yellow bricks, which reflect golden luster under the sun and coexist in harmony with the surroundings.

  The Grape Valley runs eight kilometers in the west of the Flaming Mountain. There, crisscrossing ditches bring melted snow from the nearby Tianshan Mountains, turning the valley into an oasis. Though the loess mountainsides on both sides are barren, the valley is still growing a boundless expanse of grapes. Dotted on the slopes are numerous chambers used to dry grapes. Entering the valley, tourists will find grapes hanged over the head, and are free to pick some to taste. In addition, tourists can also enjoy folk songs and dances and visit the Grape Exhibition Hall, Turpan Uygur Customs Museum and craft stores there.
• Day7

  Bizaklik Thousand-Buddha Caves, Flaming Mountain, Turfan to Urumqi by Car

  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • in Urumqi
  Today you will visit Bizaklik Thousand-Buddha Caves. Bizaklik is a monastery constructed on a cliff on the west bank of the Mutougou River, in the middle of the Flaming Mountain. The murals discovered in the grottos of the monastery ever stunned the world. The monastery originally had 83 grottos, of which only 57 remain. Murals are found in more than 40 grottos, of which only nine are open to visitors.
  Then move to the Flaming Mountain. The Flaming Mountain is covered with dark red ditches, which look like jumping flame. In fact, one may feel as if he were grilled on fire there. In summer, the temperature may reach up to A7°C, and even 80t in the area exposed in the sun.
  After tour we will drive you to Urumqi.
  
• Day8

  Urumqi: Heavenly Lake, Xinjiang Regional Museum, Urumqi to Kashgar by Flight

  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • in Kashgar
  Today's itinerary includes an excursion to Heavenly Lake. This lake is halfway up Mount Bogda in the Tianshan Mountains. It is 11,900 metres above sea level and ninety metres deep, and its water comes from melted snow on nearby mountains. The blue lake, the snow-capped mountains, the evergreens on the mountain slopes — together these form an idyllic scene. Legend says that fairies used to gather in this wonderland. In winter, Heavenly Lake becomes a unique natural skating rink and is used for various winter sports events.
  Then continue to Xinjiang Regional Museum. There are over two thousand ancient artifacts on display in the museum which was built in 1953. These artifacts are divided into eight periods: Stone Age; Warring States; Qin and Han Dynasties; Three Kingdoms; Eastern and Western Jin; Northern and Southern Dynasties; Sui and Tang; Song and Yuan Dynasties; Ming and Qing Dynasties.
  Afterwards you will be transferred to airport for flight to Kashgar.
• Day9

  Kashgar: Abakh Khoja Tomb, Id Kah Mosque, Old Town of Kashgar

  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • in Kashgar
  Today’s excursion begins with Abakh Khoja Tomb. This magnificent Muslim building in the outskirts of Kashgar, said to have been built during the seventeenth century, is covered with glazed green tiles and has a vaulted top. The walls and doorways are all elaborately decorated with flower patterns. Inside the mausoleum are seventy-three tombs of five generations of the Arbaheja clan.
  Then we will move to Id Kah Mosque. Located in the heart of old Kashgar, Id Kah Mosque is known as the largest mosque in China and consists of the Worship Hall, the Lecture Hall, the Gate Tower and some supplementary buildings.
  Lastly we will visit the old town of Kashgar, which allows you to know the authentic life of the Uighurs. This area has about 50 small alleys, towers and craft workshops.
• Day10

  Kashgar Bazaar, Kashgar Departure

  In the morning you will go to visit Kashgar Bazaar. Also known as the Middle and West Asia International Bazaar, Kashgar Bazaar is considered as the largest agricultural products market in Xinjiang. At present, Xinjiang has more than 20 bazaars specializing in agricultural products, handicrafts, special ethnic commodities, footwear, knives, firewood and coal, respectively, of which the most famous is the Kashgar Bazaar by the Tuman River. If you visit Kashgar on Sunday, you can visit Livestock Market on Sunday Market.
  After tour you will be transferred to the airport or border. Our service ends.
  
  

•     Meals
In your itinerary, it normally offers two meals each day: breakfast and lunch. You will have the freedom to choose your own dinner. If you have certain food allergies or special requirements such as vegetarian food, please let us know in advance. We will try our best to satisfy your special needs.
Breakfast
Normally served at the hotel where you stay. Depending on the hotel, breakfast is Western style, Chinese style or a combination.
Lunch - A la Carte 
In order to have our customers to taste authentic Chinese food and avoid tourist menus, we take food quality, dining environment and travel convenience into consideration when planning your lunch. Therefore , we will arrange a la carte lunch at a local restaurant whenever possible. Lunch a la carte is varied with different recommended restaurants and different cities. You could order the dishes according to your taste under the instructions of your guide. However, in some remote regions where it is difficult to find a non-tourist restaurant, you could have lunch at a local tourist restaurant or in a local family.
Your Own Dinner Option
Dinner is not included in our China travel package, unless you have this requirement. Looking for food by yourself could also be one of your best experiences in China. Therefore we offer you this flexibility of food choice. You can ask for your private guide to gain good suggestions.

•   Private Guide & Transfer
You will have a private guide, private driver and an air-conditioned vehicle to accompany you at each destination of your trip, which will provide you with maximum personal care, security and flexibility.
All our guides are qualified and responsible professionals. All our vehicles are clean and in excellent condition, crewed with licensed drivers.
Private Tour Guide
In each city, we have a professional local guide. Our guide picks you up punctually at your arrival from the airport/railway station/spring of each destination. On your way out of that city, your guide will stay by your side until you have checked in and passed through security. All our travel guides in each destination are local and responsible, who know this area well. They accompany you visiting this city during 8 working hours of each day and they will tell background stories of the tourist places, and show you the secret places to take your best pictures.
When it is necessary to change your itinerary for unexpected reasons, your private travel guide will suggest alternatives to ensure that you still have an excellent experience.

Private Transfer
With our comfortable and safe private transfer, your trip will be more relaxing and less tiring, keeping you in the best spirits to make the most of your experience in China. In all destinations visited, your vehicle is air-conditioned, clean and expertly maintained. Your private driver is licensed, insured and experienced.
Normally we will arrange vehicles with more space for you and your luggages. Depending on the number of passengers, we generally use sedans or minivans (7 seats) for 4 people or less, large vans or small buses (12-22 seats) for 5 to 12 people, medium cars (33-37 seats) for 13 - 25 people and large buses (more than 45 seats) for more than 25 people.

•     Remarks 
We reserve the right to modify the price due to exchange rate fluctuation