10 Days Silk Road Tour to Xian Zhangye Dunhuang Turpan
Tour Overview
During this 10-day tour from Xi’an to Urumqi, you will explore the rich history of China’s ancient Silk Road. The first is the starting point of the Silk Road, Xi’an, where there are amazing Terra Cotta Warriors and well-preserved Ancient City Wall. Take the high-speed train to Lanzhou and stroll along the Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line.
In Zhangye and Jiayuguan, you can admire the colors of the Rainbow Mountains and the Greatest Pass under Heaven. Drive to Dunhuang, the pearl of the Silk Road. Ride a camel through desert sand dunes and learn about Buddhist art in the Mogao Caves. The end is in Xinjiang, which includes the ancient ruins of Turpan and the natural wonders of Urumqi on this private Silk Road tour package.
Highlights of this tour
- Stand face-to-face with the life-size Terracotta Warriors.
- Witness the breathtaking Danxia landforms at Rainbow Mountain Scenic Area.
- Experience the fun of desert at Mingsha Mountain and the amazing Crescent Spring.
- Discover raw earth built Jiaohe Ancient City for a glimpse into an ancient civilization.
- Relax by the crystal-clear waters of the Heavenly Lake surrounded by snow peaks and lush alpine forests.
- Admire centuries-old Buddhist art in Mogao Grottoes.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Xi’an-Lanzhou-Zhangye-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang-Turpan-Urumqi
Travel Length: 10 Days and 9 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture explorers, history lovers, adventurers
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-3 Arrival & Xi’an Tour
Xi’an is the starting point of the Silk Road where you will explore the most popular attractions including the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Quarter, Xi’an Museum, and the Ancient City Wall. Then take a high-speed train to Lanzhou.
Day 4-5 Lanzhou and Zhangye Tour
In Lanzhou, before strolling along the Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line, you will take a side trip to Bingling Temple Grottoes. After that, head to Zhangye by bullet train to marvel at the Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. After the tour, drive for 3 hours to Jiayuguan.
Day 6-7 Jiayuguan to Dunhuang Tour
Spend 2 days exploring the landmarks of the two cities: Jiayuguan Pass, Weijin Mural Brick Tomb, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, and Mogao Grottoes. After that, take the high-speed train to Turpan, Xinjiang.
Day 8-10 Turpan & Urumqi Tour
A whole day to discover the highlights in Turpan – Tuyoq Valley, Flaming Mountains, Karez Wells, and Jiaohe Ancient City. Then travel to Urumqi to enjoy natural beauty of the Heavenly Lake, learn about the history of Xinjiang at the Xinjiang Regional Museum, and walk around the Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Xi’an Arrival
Ni Hao (Hello)! Welcome to our carefully designed Silk Road tour in China from Xian to Urumqi! Xi’an is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. Upon your arrival at the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, a local driver will wait for you at the terminal exit by holding a welcome sign and transfer you to the city center hotel. Free time for you in the rest of the day.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Xi’an
Day 2 Xi’an Essence Tour
Discover Terracotta Army’s Unique Clay Soldiers
Good morning! Your private guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel, and then drive about an hour to reach the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, “one of the great archaeological discoveries in the 20th century “. It is the burial pit of the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, known as the eighth wonder of the world. You can see over a thousand unearthed clay soldiers here, each with a unique and vivid expression. Follow your guide and spend 2.5 hours mainly visiting Pit 1, Pit 2, and Pit 3, with Pit 1 being the largest. You will also learn about its construction background.
After lunch, return to Xi’an city to visit the city landmark, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, located inside the Daci’en Temple. Da Ci’en Temple was a magnificent royal temple in the Tang Dynasty, built under the supervision of Monk Xuanzang. During this period, Xuanzang also supervised the construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to store the scriptures and Buddha statues he brought back from India.
The last stop today is Muslim Quarter, a famous food and culture district in Xi’an, consisting of many streets. Here you can taste some special snacks in Xi’an, such as Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew, Liang Pi, Rou Jia Mo, Biangbiang Noodles, etc. The tour guide will recommend some authentic restaurants that are popular among locals for you.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xi’an
Day 3 Xi’an to Lanzhou by High-speed Train
Explore Xi’an Museum, Wall & Pagoda’s History
Today’s Xi’an trip will first take you to visit the Xi’an Museum, where you can learn about the thousands of years of capital and development history of Xi’an. The exhibition hall shows the “city wall models” of Xi’an from the Zhou Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, allowing you to see the scale, layout, and living conditions of each capital city at that time.
In addition, you can also see cultural relics from various dynasties, including jade artifacts, Buddhist sculptures, bronze ware, calligraphy and painting, etc. In this scenic area, you can see the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. 43 meters high, it was built to store Buddhist scriptures and other materials brought back from India.
After the visit, head to the Ancient City Wall, a landmark landscape of Xi’an and one of the well preserved ancient city walls in China. With a total length of about 14 kilometers, it was built on the basis of the Tang Dynasty imperial city, including a series of facilities such as a moat and turrets. Climbing up the city wall, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. If you are interested, you can rent bicycles for sightseeing (optional, pay on site).
Your Silk Road tour in Xi’an ends here. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the railway station to take the high-speed train to Lanzhou.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Lanzhou
Day 4 Lanzhou to Zhangye by High-speed Train
Admire Grottoes Art, Stroll Lanzhou’s Stunning Riverfront
After breakfast, your Lanzhou tour guide will take you to visit a special grotto. Located upstream of the Liujiaxia Reservoir, Bingling Temple is situated on a steep red sandstone cliff that is 2 kilometers long. It is magnificent and one of the three major grottoes in Gansu Province. You will arrive at the scenic spot by speedboat. The Bingling Temple Grottoes have a history of over 1,600 years, spanning through various dynasties such as Northern Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, and Tang. Your guide will lead you to visit vivid sculptures and painting art, with detailed explanations.
Afterward, we return to Lanzhou city center and stroll along the Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line. Known as the “Bund of Lanzhou”, along the way you can see attractions such as the Yellow River Mother Sculpture, Waterwheel Garden, Zhongshan Bridge, etc.
After the tour, take the high-speed rail to Zhangye, located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor, which has been a major commercial hub on the Silk Road since ancient times.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Zhangye
Day 5 Zhangye to Jiayuguan
Take Pictures of the Danxia Rainbow Mountains
After breakfast, follow your tour guide to visit Binggou Danxia, a national 4A level tourist attraction. The landforms here are unique, with Danxia cliffs, stone walls, stone pillars and other forms of magnificent. Visitors can rent a camel to explore deeper and experience the amazing craftsmanship of nature.
After lunch, transfer you to Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. We mainly visit the Rainbow Mountain Scenic Area, which covers a total area of 50 square kilometers. You can enjoy the colorful mountain scenery from different observation decks, or choose to take a hot air balloon to overlook this magical land from the sky (open from May to October every year).
At the end, drive for 3 hours to Jiayuguan for an overnight stay.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Jiayuguan
Day 6 Drive from Jiayuguan to Dunhuang
See Rich Brick Murals, Try Exciting Desert Activities
In the morning, start your Jiayuguan tour by ascending the Jiayuguan Pass. It is the western end of the Ming Great Wall looking quite magnificent. Climbing up the fort, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Gobi Desert scenery.
Continue your visit to the amazing Weijin Mural Brick Tomb, the “world’s largest underground gallery”. Here you can see rich and colorful brick murals, reflecting the scenes of production, life, banquets, music, and dance at that time. Your guide will provide you with a detailed explanation of some of the important murals.
After that, drive for about 4 hours to Dunhuang.Upon arrival, go to visit the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, famous for its picturesque scenery of sand mountains surrounding a clear spring. Tourists can experience riding camels across sand dunes, or try exciting activities such as sand sliding and desert off-road vehicles (at their own expense). At sunset, the sand mountain is dyed orange red, reflected in the spring, making it an excellent opportunity for photography.
In the evening, experience the nightlife of Dunhuang at Shazhou Night Market. Taste some specialty snacks, such as Apricot Peel Water and Yellow Noodle.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 7 Dunhuang to Turpan by High-speed Train
Appreciate the Exquisite Colored Sculptures
After breakfast, take a guided tour of the Mogao Grottoes, a world cultural heritage site. This scenic area contains 735 caves and rich murals. In the southern district, you can see exquisite colored sculptures, and in the northern district, you can learn about the daily life of monks. Please note that no photos are allowed inside the caves. After the visit, enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, take the high-speed train to Turpan, Xinjiang.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 8 Turpan Highlights, Drive to Urumqi
Walk into Folk-rich Clay Villages and Jiaohe City’s Ruins
After breakfast, start your Turpan tour to Tuyoq Valley, about 1 hour drive from the city center. This place has preserved the old Uyghur villages with buildings made of yellow clay and raw earth, which are called “living fossils of folklore”. Your guide will also take you into the Thousand Buddha Cave to admire the spectacular grottoes and murals.
After the visit, on the way back to the city, you will see the Flaming Mountains, an important landmark on the ancient Silk Road. Looking at the Flame Mountain from afar, it is like a giant dragon lying across the earth. The mountain is so red that it seems to be burning under the sunlight.
In the city center, you will be led to Karez Wells. One of the three major projects in ancient China, it skillfully diverts underground water for irrigation. By visiting this place, you can visualize the process of digging Karez wells and feel the wisdom of ancient working people.
Jiaohe Ancient City is the last stop in Turpan. It is the largest, oldest and best-preserved city of raw earth architecture in the world. Shaped like a willow leaf, the city has no walls, but has a natural defense system. Follow your tour guide to explore the important ruins such as official quarters, residential houses and monasteries, and learn the historical facts behind them.
After the tour, drive for 3 hours to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Urumqi
Day 9 Urumqi to Heavenly Lake
Immerse in the Natural Beauty and Local Culture
After breakfast, drive for about 1.5 hours to reach Tianshan (the Heavenly Lake) in Tianshan Mountains. The scenery here varies throughout the four seasons, with summer being the most charming. The lake is clear and blue, surrounded by snow capped mountains, dense forests, and vast grasslands.
You can take a stroll along the lakeside trail, or climb Maya Mountain (马牙山) or Denggan Mountain (灯杆山) to overlook the panoramic view of the Heavenly Lake. If you are interested, you can pay an additional fee to take a boat ride on the lake.
After the sightseeing, drive back to the city to visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum. The exterior of the museum blends Uyghur architectural style with modern design, while the interior exhibits are rich, including exquisite ancient fabrics, mummies, documents, and more. The well-preserved dead body of a woman is definitely worth a visit.
In the evening, walk around the Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar. Here you can find Central Asian goods and local features, such as Pakistani bronze ware, Turkish jewelry, grapes from Turpan, carpets from Hotan.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Urumqi
Day 10 Departure from Urumqi
Today is the last day of your 10-day private China Silk Road tour from Xian to Urumqi. After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport to take a flight home. Hope you have a wonderful time with us! Look forward to seeing you on your next China tour!
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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