Silk Road Adventure - 13 days
Silk Road Adventure - 13 days
Silk Road Adventure - 13 days
13 Days Starting in Urumqi and ending in Beijing
Visiting: Ürümqi, Kashgar Prefecture, Turpan, Jiayuguan City, Zhangye, Lanzhou, Xi'An, Great Wall of China, Beijing
Tour operator:
Tour code:
238/SRA
Recommended For:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 16
Physical rating:
Low
Age range:
Any age, but ensure train cabins and rooming booked accordingly to what is most suitable for the family
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
PRIVATE TOUR: Taking in Urumqi, Kashgar and Turpan in China's far west before heading east to the dunes at Dunhuang, the UNESCO-listed Mogao Caves, Yellow River and the Terracotta Warriors. Our Silk Road Adventure is a road less travelled.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Urumqi
Location: Ürümqi
Meals Included: No Meals
Welcome to Urumqi, in Xianjiang, a massive province which shares borders with eight countries! A number airlines service Urumqi and our tour starts at this point. Arrival transfer from airport to hotel.
Day 2 : Urumqi
Location: Ürümqi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Urumqi - Kashgar. Capital of Xinjiang, a largely desert and grassland province fringed by some of the highest mountains in the world, Urumqi sits amidst beautiful scenery, with the snow-clad Tian Shan range to the city’s east. Two thousand years ago a string of oasis towns were developed along the Silk Road that skirted the surrounding deserts. Trade attracted merchants from Europe and India and Xinjiang became a meeting point between east and west.
This morning enjoy an excursion to Tian Chi (Heavenly Lake), which is 1,910 meters above sea level, with an average depth of 60 meters. Surrounding the Heavenly Lake are beautiful snow mountains, glacier forests and grassland alpine lake. Later visit the local Xinjiang Museum before flying to Kashgar.
Day 3 : Kashgar
Location: Kashgar Prefecture
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kashgar - Urumqi. Lying at the foot of the Pamir mountains in the far west of Xinjiang, Kashgar’s importance grew from its location as an oasis at the point where the northern and southern routes of the ancient Silk Road converged, forming a gateway to the mountains leading to India and Russia. From the 10th - 18th centuries Kashgar was part of the Islamic world, until the Chinese reconquered the region.
On day 3 visit the largest mosque in China, Id Kah Mosque, which is located on the central square in Kashgar City, and the Aba Khoja Mausoleum which is perhaps the finest example of Islamic architecture in Xinjiang. Enjoy a short visit to the local market before flying back to Urumqi.
Day 4 : Turpan
Location: Turpan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Urumqi - Turpan. Enjoy an excursion to the southern mountain pastures before continuing by road to Turpan. Located on the northern Silk Road, Turpan is a rural Uighur settlement. The Uighur descended from nomadic Siberian and Central Asian tribes who settled the region in the 9th century. Renowned for its grape production, you’ll visit Grape Valley, the heart of the region’s massive grape production. Taking a walk along the grape corridor, you will find drying rooms on nearby slopes. Every year over 300 tons of raisins are made here.
Day 5 : Turpan
Location: Turpan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today's excursion takes you to Bezeklik. You’ll visit the Bezeklik Caves which are situated in a desert gorge high above the Sengim River and once formed part of a Buddhist monastery between the 6th and 14th centuries. Beyond here are the Astana tombs and the impressive ruins of Gaochang city, founded as a garrison city in the 1st century AD.
Day 6 : Turpan
Location: Turpan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Turpan - Jiayuguan. This morning you'll see the Imin Ta (Imin Minaret), constructed in 1778, before heading beyond Turpan to the Jiaohe Ruins. Occupying a spectacular position on a steep plateau, the ancient street plan, thanks to the many ruins of this former garrison town, is still evident. A stop is also made at some 2,000-year-old Karez water channels, an irrigation system that many Silk Road cities and towns relied upon; the idea for which came from ancient Persia. Tonight take an overnight sleeper train to Jiayuguan.
Day 7 : Jiayuguan
Location: Jiayuguan City
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Jiayuguan - Zhangye. Arrive into Jiayuguan this morning and visit the incredible Jiayuguan Fort at Jiayuguan Pass - the farthest outpost of the Great Wall which was built here by the Ming in 1372, over 5,000km from the wall’s easternmost point at Shanhaiguan. This was literally the final defence of the Chinese Empire, the place where China ended and beyond which lay an uncharted wilderness. Situated between striking mountain ranges, everyone who travelled between the deserts of central Asia and the fertile lands of China had to file through the Jiayuguan Pass. From Jiayuguan you'll drive on to Zhangye.
Day 8 : Zhangye
Location: Zhangye
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Zhangye - Lanzhou. Zhangye has a unique and striking landscape of unusual coloured rocks which are several hundred meters tall. The rocks in the Zhangye Danxia range from red to yellow and green, with striking contrasting bands of colour. Today we'll visit the red gritstone area before taking a high speed train to Lanzhou.
Day 9 : Lanzhou
Location: Lanzhou
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a scenic boat ride along the Yellow River today. The Yellow River is regarded as the "mother river of China" and it's the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze). Later today visit the Bingling Temple where you can see a series of grottoes filled with Buddhist sculpture carved into natural caves and caverns in a canyon along the Yellow River.
Day 10 : Xi'an
Location: Xi'An
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lanzhou - Xi'an. This morning you'll fly from Lanzhou to Xi’an. Discover the highlights of Xi'an on a city tour including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Great Mosque and the medieval City Wall. Take a leisurely bicycle ride on top of the 9 mile Xi’an City Wall (no need to go the entire way around) perimeter peeking down upon the lively city beneath. Then you'll visit Great Mosque and enjoy some free time at the Muslim Quarter before driving back to hotel.
Day 11 : Xi'an
Location: Xi'An
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Xi'an - Beijing. Xi’an in Shaanxi Province is perhaps most famous for the discovery of Emperor Qin’s Terracotta Warriors. Discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well, the 2,200 year old terracotta warriors comprise more than 7,000 life-sized soldiers which stand battle-ready in excavated pits under the cover of a modern protective hanger. Made of local clay, no two faces are alike – each is said to be an individual portrait. Today you'll visit the archaeological site of the Terracotta Warriors before continuing to a workshop where crafts people make replicas of the terracotta warriors. Board the overnight express train bound for Beijing.
Day 12 : Great Wall
Location: Great Wall of China
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning arrive into Beijing, China's bustling capital city. Enjoy an excursion beyond Beijing to the legendary UNESCO-listed Great Wall at Badaling. Spanning rugged mountain ranges, lush green valleys and barren plains, it stretches as far as the eye can see - at least 6,700 kms. You'll have time to explore the wall before visiting a Jade Carving Centre to learn about this ornamental rock and its importance in Chinese culture.
Day 13 : Beijing
Location: Beijing
Meals Included: Breakfast
Hotel check-out and included transfer to airport.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Superior (deluxe available on request) -
12 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 10 dinners
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10 nights superior hotels (deluxe upgrade available on request)
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2 overnight trains: Turpan - Jiayuguan and Xian - Beijing (4-berth soft sleeper cabin)
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Touring of Urumqi, Kashgar, Turpan, Bezeklik, Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Lanzhou and Xi'an
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Beijing - excursion to the Great Wall
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Lanzhou - Yellow River boat ride
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Economy class flights: Urumqi - Kashgar, Kashgar - Urumqi and Lanzhou - Xian
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Xi'an - bike ride on medieval City Wall
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Airport arrival in Urumqi and departure transfer on day 1 and day 13 from Beijing Capital Airport
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All transfers and transportation in private A/C vehicles
What's Not Included
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International flights and visa
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Laundry, drinks, items of a personal nature
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Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
Superior (deluxe available on request)
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Airport arrival in Urumqi and departure transfer on day 1 and day 13 from Beijing Capital Airport
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1998
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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