Silk Road Advanture

May 18 (Wed)  USA – Beijing
We start our vacation by boarding an international flight bound for Beijing. Meals and snacks will be served on the plane.

May 19 (Thu)  Beijing
Arrive at Beijing Capital airport. Upon arrival, our representative will greet and escort us to our hotel.

May 20 (Fri)  Beijing – Urumqi  – Hetian  (B, D)After breakfast, take a flight to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uygurs Autonomous Region. Upon arrival, visit Xinjiang Museum, which was constructed in 1953 of Uygur and Russian styles and covers an exhibiting area of 7800 square meters. After dinner, take a flight to Hetian(formerly known as Khotan), a city of diversity. Transfer to hotel upon arrival.

May 21 (Sat)  Hetian   (B, L, D)
Today’s tour starts with the visit to Malikawat Ancient Ruins, the ancient city lies 25 km southwest of Hetian, on the west bank of the Jade Dragon Kashgar River. Situated on a 1500 m long belt, it is believed to be the ancient city of Yutian Kingdom although disputes claim it used to be a monastery compound. From 1977, potsherds, ancient coins and other items have been excavated. After lunch, visit Yarkant King: This city forms an oasis at the western end of the Taklimakan desert as a trade center. Mainly inhabited by Turkic-speaking Muslims, it has more than 120 mosques. Marco Polo visited the city in 1271 and in 1275; it was on the important Silk Road between China and Europe. Pay a visit to the Carpet factory and Jade Workshop.

May 22 (Sun)   Hetian – Kashgar     (B, L, D)
After breakfast, take the bus to Kashgar, a giant oasis and a key city on the Silk Road. The bus ride will take about 9 hours. You would have a lunch stop at Yarkend. During the drive, we might see a Sheep Wholesale Market, where all the villagers from around 10 miles radius are flopping to the market with sheeps on a donkey cart. It is exciting to see them rushing to the market.

May 23 (Mon)   Kashgar   (B, L, D)
Visit Abakh Khoja Tomb - Serving as the family tomb of the powerful ruler, Abakh Khoja, in 17th Century Kashgar, the tomb was first built in 1640 which nestled some five kilometers northeast of the city proper. Among the tombs of five generations of the family, the Tomb of Xiangfei is the most noted, with elegant and simple design and vivid legend background. This is also a holy Muslim site and architecture treasure of Xinjiang too. After lunch, we will pay a visit to the Kashgar Bazaar - The first thing to do in Kashgar City is to have a look at the busiest bazaar. The city is also named as a kingdom of bazaars which can be found all over the streets and lanes. In the city center, there are a dozen of large bazaars. Kashgar is a city of over one thousand years, which was the largest station along the ancient Silk Road. Every Sunday, people rush to the bank of River Kashgar in southeast of the city proper and participate traditional Uygur fair, the Great Bazaar of Kashgar.

May 24 (Tue)   Kashgar – Urumqi    (B, L, D)
Today’s sightseeing begins with the Id Kah Mosque. It is located on the central square in Kashgar City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. As the biggest mosque in China, it is a group of old Islamic constructions with strong ethnic style and religious features. Then we will go to the Old Street - This is the most famous cultural sight in Kashgar City, especially known as the street of workmanship. It is a Uygur community. These oldest streets and lanes are distributed around the Id Kah Mosque. You can find variety of crafts and other delicate items of exotic flavor, such as carpet, copper ware, and smithy, skilled craftsmen in their handwork shops, Muslim vendors and veiled women. We also include a visit to a local Uygur family. After dinner, take flight back to Urumqi.

May 25 (Wed)   Urumqi   (B, L, D)
Drive to Heavenly Lake (120km,1.5hours)(Boat ride & inner transportation), The Heavenly Lake is located at the mountainside of the Bogda Peak, the highest peak in the east range of Tianshan Mountain (Heavenly Mountain), about 110 kilometers to Urumqi of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The lake has a reputation of the Pearl on Heavenly Mountain for its fascinating scenery and was listed among the first group of the national key scenic spots in 1982. While your visit you can enjoy the culture of the Kazaks. Then pay a visit to Xinjiang Museum. It is the only provincial comprehensive museum of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, collecting sixty percent of national first-class cultural relics in Xinjiang. There are more than 50,000 exhibits, permanent exhibitions includes folk customs of twenty ethnic minorities, precious relics along the Silk Road from four or five thousand years ago until modern times and ancient corpses. Meanwhile, the museum is also the largest research center of cultural relics in the autonomous region.

May 26 (Thu)  Urumqi – Turpan   (B, L, D)
Drive to Turpan. Visit Jiaohe Ruins. Jiaohe City was originally inaugurated by people of Cheshi from the 2nd BC to 5th AD. In Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), it reached its peak period. From 9th to 14th century, Jiaohe city began to decline gradually due to the war. In the end of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), Jiaohe City was damaged badly after years of war and finally abandoned. Nowadays, in the ruins, institutions, temples, pagodas and streets are mostly under good preservation. Jiaohe Ruins are crowned as the "Perfect Earthen Castle in the World". Then visit the Bizalkik Thousand Buddha Caves. In Uyghur, "Bizalkik" means "an exquisite house". It is believed that the caves were the Buddhist center of Gaochang Kingdom from the sixth century. The construction experienced Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties, from rise, prosperity to decline. Now there are about 40 caves kept relatively intact. The murals in caves will take you back to the old times, where you can see the Emperors and Empress and people from all walks of life. After lunch, visit the Karez Well System, an underground irrigation system with 2000 years history. After Roast Whole Lamb dinner, enjoy local music and dance performance.

May 27 (Fri)  Turpan – Urumqi    (B, L, D)
Morning sightseeing to Ancient City of Gaochang, the ancient walled capital of the Uygurs which flourished between the 7th and 14th centuries; the Flaming Mountains which is vividly captured in the famous classic novel Journey to West; and Sugong Minaret, also called Turpan Tower, built to commemorate and praise a famous military victory. After lunch, we drive back to Urumqi.

May 28 (Sat)   Urumqi – Dunhuang   (B, L, D)
Take an early morning flight to Dunhuang. After breakfast, visit Echoing-Sand Dune - The dune is formed by the pileup of drifting sand. Like a golden huge dragon, it extends about 40 kilometers from Mogao Grottoes in the east to the Danghe Reservoir. It utters tremendous sound when it blows a gale; it murmurs when people slide down from the mountain top; so it gets its name Echoing-Sand Dune. Then we will see Crescent Lake - It is the fascinate wonder of desert. Encircled by the Echoing-Sand Dune, the crescent lake is a crystal clear lake with the shape of the crescent moon. It is like an emerald embedded in the golden sands. Although it is frequently attacked by squall and furious sand, the lake water is still limpid and sweet. According to the records, in 366 AD, a monk passed by a mountain, and suddenly found thousands of Buddhas in a golden light. Being inspired, he started to chisel the first cave in the rock wall. This great project then lasted for ten dynasties. This is how Mogao Grottoes were formed. Now having 735 caves, murals of 45,000 square metes (11.1 acres) and 2,415 painted sculptures of clay, it is the largest sanctum of Buddhist art including richest content in the world. Today’s dinner is the Japanese Cuisine.

May 29 (Sun)   Dunhuang – Jiayuguan    (B, L, D)
Drive to Jiayuguan. Visit the Jiayuguan Pass, the First Fire Tower of Great Wall. It was constructed on the middle part of the narrowest valley of Jiayu Mountain, with walls passing across the gobi and desert, adjoining the Overhanging Great Wall to the north and the First Fire Tower of Great Wall to the south. It is the western starting point of the Great Wall constructed in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). With its precipitous terrain and majestic spectacle, Jiayuguan Pass is crowned as “the Greatest Pass under Heaven”.

May 30(Mon)Jiayuguan – Beijing   (B, L)
Visit the Weijin Tombs in the morning. You can see lots of exquisite wall painting. Take a flight to Beijing. Check in hotel.

May 31 (Tue)   Beijing    (B, L)
After breakfast, visit Tongrentang, a traditional medicine pharmacy to learn about Chinese Herbs. Have lunch in a Beijing Hutong family, then step back in time as you take a ride in a Rickshaw for a behind-the-scene tour of the Hutongs, the ancient lanes in the old residential area of Beijing.

Jun 01 (Wed)    Beijing – USA   (B)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight home, taking with you lasting memories of this wonderful trip to China.

AB: American Breakfast
L: Lunch
D: Dinner
SD: Special Dinner

TOUR FEE INCLUDES

• International and China domestic airfare
• 5* deluxe or local best hotel accommodation
• Admissions and meals as stated
• Escorted tour with a minimum of 20 passengers
• Refer to "General Conditon of Wonderful Vacation"
• We reserve the right to modify the itinerary for smooth operation. Please call for details.
• Price is subject to change without notice. This is due to unforeseen circumstances like fuel prices increase, air tax, lower exchange rate and others

*    Seasonal surcharge may apply for June, July, August, and December.