11 Days Classic China Silk Road Tour from Beijing to Dunhuang
Tour Overview
The ancient Silk Road was an important trade route connecting China and the West, promoting cultural exchange and shaping civilization. This 11-day Silk Road tour package, starting from Beijing, will take you to visit the most iconic attractions along the way, from the Great Wall and the Forbidden City in Beijing to the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an.
Afterwards, take convenient high-speed trains and planes to explore the Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye and the desert oases in Dunhuang. This private guided tour also includes Tibetan Buddhist temples, historic forts, and vibrant night markets.
Highlights of this tour
- Hike along the Mutianyu Great Wall and enjoy breathtaking views.
- Step into the imperial palace of 24 emperors and uncover its history.
- Marvel at the thousands of life-sized clay soldiers.
- Optionally ride along China’s best-preserved city wall in Xian.
- Be amazed by the vibrant hues of Zhangye’s Danxia landform.
- Ascend the westernmost end of the Great Wall at the “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven.”
- Have fun at the golden dunes of Mingsha Mountain.
- Discover ancient Buddhist murals and sculptures in Mogao Caves.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Beijing-Xian-Lanzhou-Xiahe-Zhangye-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang
Travel Length: 11 Days and 10 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture & history lovers, adventurers, families
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-3 Arrival & Beijing Tour
Two full day tour to the Mutianyu Great Wall Temple of Heaven, see the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, and explore Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace. After the visit, take a night flight to Xian.
Day 4-5 Xian Tour
In Xian, you will be guided to Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Ancient City Wall, and Muslim Quarter. Then take a high-speed train to Lanzhou for the night.
Day 6-7 Xiahe Tour
Enjoy a Lanzhou side tour to visit Bingling Temple, a series of Buddhist grottoes and travel to Xiahe for enjoying the Sangke Grassland. Before driving back to Lanzhou, explore the Tibetan Buddhist Labrang Monastery.
Day 8-9 Zhangye & Jiayuguan Tour
Spend 2 days exploring the landmarks of Zhangye: Giant Buddha Temple, Rainbow Mountains, and visiting the First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven – Jiayuguan Pass & the magnificent Overhanging Great Wall.
Day 10-11 Dunhuang Tour & Departure
Travel to Dunhuang to experience desert fun in Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake and marvel at the Mogao Grottoes.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Beijing Arrival
After your arrival, our driver in Beijing will meet you at the airport/train station by holding the board with your name. Then, check in at the hotel and enjoy your free time.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Beijing
Day 2 Great Wall of China Tour in Beijing
Hike along the Beautiful Mutianyu and Visit Underground Wonders
Good morning! Your guided Silk Road trip in China will begin after breakfast. No trip to Beijing is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. Today, your private tour guide will take you to explore the Mutianyu Great Wall.
With a total length of 5,400 meters, Mutianyu has 20 enemy towers and high vegetation coverage, which is not found in other sections of the Great Wall. Take a walk around some of these famous enemy buildings to learn about the stories behind them and enjoy the grandeur of the Great Wall.
Note: The cable car is not included in this Beijing tour package. If you want to save energy and time, your tour guide will help you buy tickets on site.
After the sightseeing, you will be transferred to the Ming Tombs to visit the tomb of the 13th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and his two empresses, Dingling. You can visit the Underground Palace (the only open underground palace in the Ming Tombs) and museums to appreciate the exquisite cultural relics and buildings. Afterward, drive back to the city center. Along the way, you can see the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube from outside.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Beijing
Day 3 Beijing to Xian Tour by Flight
Explore Imperial History and Peaceful Royal Garden
Today’s Beijing tour will first take you to visit one of the largest city squares in the world, Tiananmen Square, with an area of 440,000 square meters. Located in the center of Beijing, this square is a symbol of the country.
Crossing through the square, you arrive at the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, which was the residence of 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Founded in 1406, it took 14 years to complete and has over 8,700 rooms. The Forbidden City houses over one million precious cultural relics, such as calligraphy, painting, jade, bronze, and more. Strolling through the Forbidden City, one can gain a deeper understanding of the glorious history of Chinese civilization.
After the visit, enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, continue your trip to the Summer Palace, a royal garden of the Qing Dynasty in China. Based on Kunming Lake and Wanshou Mountain, it cleverly blends the garden style of Jiangnan. If you are interested, you can go boating on Kunming Lake (optional, at your own expense).
The Temple of Heaven, a World cultural Heritage site, is the last stop of the tour in Beijing. Located in Dongcheng District, it was a holy place for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for grain. The layout here is neat and the architecture is magnificent, among which the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Echo Wall are worth a visit.
After the tour, you will be escorted to the airport for your flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, a local driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel in the city centre.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xian
Day 4 Terracotta Warriors Tour
Discover Life-sized Clay Warriors and Buddhist Heritage
After breakfast, the Xi’an tour guide will meet you in your hotel lobby and begin your China Silk Road tour in Xi’an! Terracotta Warriors, the eighth wonder of the world, located in Lintong District, is the burial pit of China’s first emperor (Qing Shihuang). It is a magnificent place where the clay warriors are neatly arranged and lifelike. Your guide will take you to visit three pits and explain the historical facts to you. The visiting time is about 2.5 hours.
Lunch will be served in Lintong District. Afterwards, we return to the center of Xi’an to visit the landmark of the ancient capital – the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Standing at 64.5 meters tall with seven floors, the pagoda was built to hold the scriptures brought back by Master Xuanzang. Climbing to the top of the pagoda (optional and at your own expense), you will have a great view of the city of Xi’an.
At night, the North Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is quite lively and you can visit the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City on your own.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xian
Day 5 Xian to Lanzhou Tour by High-speed Train
Walk Ancient Walls and Savor Local Flavors
Check out of the hotel after breakfast. Before leaving Xi’an, you will visit the Xi’an Ancient City Wall. More than 600 years old, it is the largest and best-preserved city wall in China. When you step on it, you can rent a bicycle (at your own expense) to go sightseeing. On one side is the quaint thousand-year-old street, on the other side is the modern prosperous city.
Next, head to Bell and Drum Tower Square to take photos with the landmark building. Continue walking for about 5 minutes to Muslim Quarter. It is a mouth-watering collection of authentic Shaanxi snacks, such as Roujiamo, Cold Skin and Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup.
Your Xi’an trip ends here. The guide and the driver will transfer you to the train station to take the high-speed train to Lanzhou (3 hours). Upon arrival, a local Lanzhou driver will pick you up and transfer you to the downtown hotel for check-in.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Lanzhou
Day 6 Lanzhou to Xiahe Tour
Explore Ancient Grottoes and Vibrant Grassland Views
The World Heritage Bingling Temple is located in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, close to the Yellow River and an important node of the Silk Road. This is your first destination today. The grottoes were excavated in the early Western Jin Dynasty and have survived through many dynasties, with 183 niches remaining now. You will arrive at the site by speedboat, and along the way you can enjoy the magnificent scenery of Liujiaxia Reservoir.
In the afternoon, we will drive to Xiahe to visit Sangke Grassland, a green pearl on the plateau. The best time to visit is from June to October every year, when the grassland is in full bloom with wildflowers and picturesque scenery, which is a paradise for photographers. Visitors can see the cattle and sheep, ride horses at their own expense, experience the Tibetan flavor, and participate in the bonfire party and so on. After the tour, you will be transferred to the hotel in Xiahe to check in.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xiahe
Day 7 Xiahe Tour, Lanzhou to Zhangye Tour
Feel Tibetan Culture & Spiritual Traditions
Your Silk Road tour in Xiahe begins at Labrang Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism. This boasts the world’s longest corridor of prayer wheels. Marvel at the grandeur of the architecture, which blends Tibetan and Chinese styles, with the Main Assembly Hall being particularly spectacular. If you happen to visit in summer, you will see picturesque views of the surrounding mountains and crystal clear lakes.
After the visit, we drive back to Lanzhou. Then you will take the high speed train and arrive at Zhangye in about 3 hours. A local driver will pick you up and escort you to your hotel after check in.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Zhangye
Day 8 Zhangye to Jiayuguan Tour
Take Pictures of the Colorful Danxia Landform
Zhangye is a shining pearl on the Silk Road. Your private guide will meet you after breakfast and take you to visit the Giant Buddha Temple, the landmark of Zhangye. It is home to the largest Western Xia Dynasty Buddhist temple in China, the Great Buddha Hall, and the largest indoor reclining Buddha. The tour guide will show you around the sculptures and murals with vivid explanations.
In the afternoon, we head to the Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye National Geopark. The mountains here are colorful, intertwined with red, yellow and orange colors, resembling a palette. You will be led to enter through the north gate and visit four major platforms. Hongxia Observation Deck is the one with the most vivid colors, especially at sunset.
After the visit, drive about 2.5 hours to Jiayuguan. Upon arrival, check in at your local hotel.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Jiayuguan
Day 9 Jiayuguan Highlights Tour
Ascend the Majestic Pass and Appreciate Brick Murals
The private Silk Road tour package continues at Jiayuguan. The Jiayuguan Fort is the starting point of the western end of the Ming Great Wall and is known as the “Number One Great Pass in the World”. The city is majestic and spectacular, built from rammed earth. Ascend the wall and visit buildings such as Arrow Tower, Enemy Tower, and Corner Tower, while overlooking the scenery inside and outside the gate.
Afterward, drive to the Overhanging Great Wall, built along the mountain like a giant dragon hanging from a cliff. Built in the Ming Dynasty, it is an important part of the defense system of Jiayuguan. You can hike along the steep steps and see relics such as beacon towers and city walls along the way.
The last stop today is the “world’s largest underground gallery” – Wei-Jin Art Gallery. There are many ancient tombs from the Wei and Jin dynasties scattered, and the brick murals inside the tombs are rich and colorful, reflecting the scenes of production, life, banquets, music, and dance at that time. Your tour guide will provide you with a detailed explanation of some of the important murals.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Jiayuguan
Day 10 Jiayuguan to Dunhuang Tour
Experience the Desert Fun with Interesting Activities
After breakfast, drive for about 4 hours to Dunhuang, an important gateway on the ancient Silk Road. It has been a vital “bridge” for economic and cultural exchanges between the East and the West since the Western Han Dynasty.
Upon arrival, take a short rest at the hotel. Afterwards, begin your Dunhuang tour at Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring. As its name suggests, the scenic area is composed of the desert and a spring. Mingsha Mountain is named after the sound of sand movement, and Crescent Spring is embedded in it like a crescent moon. You can hike or ride a camel (at your own expense) across the desert. Climbing to the top of the sand mountain, the beautiful scenery of Crescent Spring can be seen in full view, surrounded by the desert.
After the visit, drive back to Dunhuang hotel to rest. In the evening, you can wander around the Shazhou Night Market on your own.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 11 Departure from Dunhuang
Learn about the Buddhist Grotto Art – Murals and Sculptures
Today you will visit the famous Mogao Caves. As a world cultural heritage site, Mogao Grottoes have 735 caves. Entering the cave, you will be amazed by the colorful murals and lifelike sculptures. Especially the murals and sculptures of the Tang Dynasty are highly skilled and rich in content, covering various aspects such as Buddhist stories, myths and legends.
Your 11-day Silk Road tour of China ends here. You will be escorted to the airport to take a flight home (it is recommended that you book a flight after 3 pm).
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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