10 Days Best Silk Road Tour from Lanzhou to Kashgar
Tour Overview
On this 10-day China Silk Road tour, you will travel through some of China’s most historic and scenic destinations. Explore the cultural landmarks along the Yellow River, visit the Tibetan Buddhist Labrang Monastery, ascend the west starting point of the Chinese Great Wall…
Dunhuang is one of the most important cities along the Ancient Silk Road, where you can marvel at the stunning Mogao Caves and experience camel ride in the desert. Then, your Silk Road tour continues to Turpan and Kashgar in Xinjiang, discovering ancient ruins like Jiaohe, experiencing the serenity of Karakuri Lake, wandering through Kashgar Old Town and visiting the grand Id Kah Mosque. Along the way, you’ll uncover centuries of Silk Road history, cultures, and breathtaking landscapes, all while enjoying expert local guidance.
Highlights of this tour
- Admire the Mother Sculpture and explore the ancient waterwheels along the Yellow River.
- Discover the Tibetan Buddhism at Labrang Monastery.
- Appreciate the world’s most exquisite Buddhist art at Mogao Caves.
- Wander through an ancient Silk Road city – the Jiaohe Ruins.
- Marvel at the beautiful Karakuri Lake, reflecting the majestic mountains in its crystal-clear waters.
- Stroll around the Kashgar Old Town, with a visit to a typical Islamic architecture.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Lanzhou-Xiahe-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang-Turpan-Kashgar
Travel Length: 10 Days and 9 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture & history lovers, seniors
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-4 Arrival, Lanzhou & Xiahe Tour, High-speed Train to Jiayuguan
Visit the Mother Sculpture of the Yellow River and the Water Wheel Garden. Travel to Xiahe to visit Labrang Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute, followed by Sangke Grassland. Return to Lanzhou for a cruise to Binglinsi Grottoes. Last, take the bullet train to Jiayuguan.
Day 5-6 Jiayuguan & Dunhuang Tour, Overnight Soft Sleeper Train to Turpan
Ascend the western starting point of the Great Wall – Jiayuguan Pass and explore the Great Wall Museum. In Dunhuang, visit Mogao Caves, explore Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Spring, with optional activities like camel riding. In the evening, board an overnight train to Turpan.
Day 7-8 Turpan Tour, Flight to Kashgar
Explore the largest and best-preserved earth construction along the Silk Road, Jiaohe Ruins. Continue to the Astana Tombs, Tuyoq Valley, and Flaming Mountain. Also, go to Karez Well and Sugong Pagoda, the largest Islamic pagoda in Xinjiang. Fly to Kashgar.
Day 9-10 Kashgar Tour, Departure
Drive to Karakuri Lake for breathtaking views. Return to Kashgar to explore Abakh Khoja Tomb and, if time permits, the Old Street of Kashgar. Visit the Sunday Bazaar, the largest international trade market in the region, before being transferred to the airport for your departure.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Lanzhou
Welcome to this 10-day Silk Road China tour from Lanzhou! Meet the local driver upon your arrival at Lanzhou Airport, then you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. Free and easy on your own.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Lanzhou
Day 2 Lanzhou City Tour
Understand the Yellow River Culture
Enjoy your free time in the morning. Then meet your tour guide around 12:00 noon time. He/she will take you to visit the Mother Sculpture of Yellow River which is located at the south bank of Yellow River. Then go to the Water Wheel Garden. The most remarkable thing in this garden is the waterwheel, an irrigation tool invented in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). After the tour, drive you back to your hotel in Lanzhou.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Lanzhou
Day 3 Lanzhou to Xiahe Tour
Visit the Largest Buddhist Academy of Tibetan Buddhism
After hotel breakfast, you will be transferred to Xiahe to visit Labrang Monastery, the largest Buddhist Institute of Tibetan Buddhism. Where tourists will also appreciate thousands of statues of Buddha made of various materials.
Then, move to Sangke Grassland, with an average altitude of over 3,000 meters. Summer is the best time to visit this grassland, when the green grass is lush and various flowers compete for beauty. You can experience horseback riding, watch ethnic songs and dances, participate in bonfire parties and other activities here (at your own expense).
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Xiahe
Day 4 Xiahe to Lanzhou Tour, Lanzhou to Jiyuguan by Bullet Train
Appreciate the Buddha Statues, Murals, and Stone Carvings
In the morning, we will drive back to Lanzhou and board a cruise ship at Liujiaxia Gorge to Binglinsi Grottoes. There are 776 Buddha statues, over 1,076 square yards of murals, and 6 stone sculptures from 1,600 years ago waiting for your exploring. Afterward, head to the train station for the bullet train to Jiayuguan. Upon arrival, the local driver will pick you up and escort you to the well-selected hotel for check-in.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Jiayuguan
Day 5 Jiayuguan to Dunhuang Tour
Ascend Western Starting Point of Chinese Great Wall
Your Silk Road tour in Jiayuguan takes you to visit the Jiayuguan Pass, the west starting point of the Chinese Great Wall. Here you will see the Great Wall constructed on the cliff and have a chance to visit the Great Wall Museum where you can get a comprehensive knowledge of the Great Wall as a military defensive system in ancient China.
After the tour, you will be escorted to Dunhuang hotel for the night.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 6 Dunhuang to Turpan by Overnight Train
Glimpse Buddhist Cave Art, Experience Desert Camel Riding
Start today’s Silk Road tour of Dunhuang with one of the four most famous caves in China – with Mogao Caves. There are 735 existing caves in Mogao Grottoes, distributed on cliffs over 1,700 meters long, divided into two zones: north and south. There are 492 caves in the southern area, which preserve a large number of murals and colored sculptures; There are 243 caves in the northern region, mainly used as places for monks to practice and live.
In the afternoon, continue your Dunhuang tour to the Echoing-Sand Mountain, which is named after the sound of sand movement. It stretches for more than 40 kilometers from east to west and is about 20 kilometers wide from north to south. The main peak is 1,715 meters above sea level. Crescent Spring, surrounded by sand mountains, resembles a crescent moon with clear and transparent water, known as the “No.1 Spring in the Desert”. You can experience various activities here at your own expense, such as sand slide, camel riding, etc. At last, head to the train station for an overnight soft sleeper train to Turpan.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: on the Train
Day 7 Turpan Tour in Xinjiang
Visit the Well-preserved Earth Construction
Upon arrival, the local tour guide and driver will pick you up at the train station and then transfer you to have breakfast (at your own expense). After that, take a tour of the Jiaohe Ruins, one of the most important towns along the ancient Silk Road and the largest, oldest, and best-preserved earth construction in the world. Next move to visit Astana Tombs which is called the “Underground Museum of Turpan”. Then continue to Tuyoq Valley, the earliest caves in Turpan. Concludes today’s tour in Turpan with Flaming Mountain, the hottest place in the summer of China.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 8 Turpan to Urumqi Tour, Urumqi to Kashagr Tour by Flight
Appreciate the Largest Islamic Pagoda in Xinjiang
In the morning we will go to visit Karez Well – an amazing irrigation system that made Turpan a rich oasis. Next move to Sugong Pagoda, the largest existing ancient Islamic pagoda in Xinjiang.
Afterward, transfer you to Urumqi airport for flight to Kashgar. Upon arrival at Kashgar, our local driver pick you up and transfer you to your hotel in Kashgar.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 9 Kashgar to Karakuri Lake Tour
Relax Yourself at Lake Karakuli
Your Kashgar tour starts at the Id Kah Mosque, a typical Islamic architecture with domes, minarets, and arches, as well as pious prayers. Then drive to Karakuri Lake, a lake with an altitude of 3,600 meters where you will see the beautiful scenery and their reflection in the water.
Then go back to Kashgar to visit the Abakh Khoja Tomb, an ancient Islamic building complex and a cemetery where five generations of famous Islamic masters were buried. If time allows, go to visit Old Street of Kashgar, which brings you back to ancient Kashgar, with narrow alleys and traditional houses built with earth or brick.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 10 Departure from Kashgar
Witness the Busy Daily Routine on Sunday Market
In the morning, pick you up from the hotel and drive to Sunday Market, also known as Sunday Bazaar, the largest international trade market on the northwest boundary line of China. After the visit, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight. Your 10-day Silk Road private journey ends here. Wish you had a great time with us.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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