9 Days China Silk Road Tour from Dunhuang to Kashgar
Tour Overview
Join us on the 9-day legendary Silk Road adventure from Dunhuang to Kashgar. You will discover some landmarks like the Echoing Sand Mountain, Mogao Caves, and Jiaohe Ruins, each steeped in ancient history.
Experience the vibrant cultures of Xinjiang as you visit Kashgar Old Town and the bustling Sunday Bazaar. Marvel at breathtaking landscapes, from desert wonders to the serene Heavenly Lake & Karakuli Lake on the Pamir Plateau. This Silk Road tour combines cultural treasures and natural beauty, and you can get a glimpse into China’s historic trade route.
Highlights of this tour
- Marvel at the singing dunes and Crescent Lake.
- Explore exquisite Buddhist murals and sculptures in the “Oriental Louvre”.
- Learn about the profound cultural heritage at Astana Tombs and Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves.
- Wander through the ancient streets of the open-air museum, Jiaohe Ruins.
- Experience the serene beauty of the turquoise Heavenly Lake.
- Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture at the Sunday Bazaar and Handicraft Street.
- Admire the stunning reflection of Muztagh Ata on Karakuli Lake.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Dunhuang-Turpan-Urumqi-Kashgar
Travel Length: 5 Days and 4 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture lovers, families, adventurer
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-3 Arrival, Dunhuang Tour, High-speed Train to Turpan
Experience desert fun in Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake and walk around the Shazhou Night Market in the evening. Marvel at the Mogao Grottoes before taking a high-speed train to Turpan.
Day 4-5 Turpan Tour
Enjoy 2 full days exploring the highlights of Turpan including Astana Tombs, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Flaming Mountains, Sugong Pagoda, Karez Well, Jiaohe Ruins. After that, take a flight to Urumqi.
Day 6 Urumqi Tour, Flight to Kashgar
Explore a natural alpine lake, Heavenly Lake, with an optional boat trip. Then go back to city center to visit Xinjiang Region Museum.
Day 7-9 Kashgar Tour, Departure
Spend a whole day visiting Kashgar covering Sunday Bazaar, Id Kah Mosque, Abakh Hoja Tomb, Handicraft Street and Kashgar Old Town. Then take a Kashgar side trip to Karakuli Lake for free time to stroll around.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Dunhuang
Your private local driver is waiting for you at the train station exit by holding a welcome sign with your name on it. Then he will transfer you to the well-selected hotel and have a good rest. The rest of the day is free at your disposal.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 2 Dunhuang Desert Tour
Appreciate the Desert Wonder of “Lake in Desert”
Meet your tour guide at the hotel lobby in the morning. Then start your Silk Road tour in Dunhuang at the Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake.
Echoing-Sand Mountain or Mingsha Mountain starts from Mogao Grottoes in the east and ends at the mouth of the Danghe River in the west, stretching for 40 kilometers from east to west. The main peak is 1,715 meters above sea level, and the mountain is composed of fine sand of red, yellow, green, black, and white colors.
The spring here is named after its crescent shaped shape, with clear and transparent water surrounded by sand mountains. Tourists can experience various desert activities here, such as sand slide, camel riding, and desert off-road vehicles (for an additional fee).
In the evening, walk around the Shazhou Night Market, the most bustling place of Dunhuang at night.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 3 Dunhuang to Turpan by High-speed Train
Amazed by the Exquisite Murals and Sculptures
After breakfast, your Dunhuang tour takes you to visit the Mogao Caves. It was first built in the 4th century AD and has undergone thousands of years of construction. There are currently 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and more than 2,400 colored sculptures. It is known as the “Oriental Louvre”.
Entering the Mogao Grottoes, you will be amazed by the exquisite murals and sculptures, which are rich in content and cover various aspects such as Buddhist stories, myths and legends, historical figures, and more.
After the visit, transfer you to the train station and take a high-speed train to Turpan. Upon arrival, have a good rest.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 4 Turpan Tour of Xinjiang
Explore Buddhist Grottoes, Visit the Hottest Place in China
The local tour guide and the driver will pick you up after breakfast and your China Silk Road tour of Turpan begins at Astana Tombs, which are the graveyard of the residents who lived in Gaochang City in the Jin-Tang times.
Known as “the Underground Museum”, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves is a complex of Buddhist cave grottoes dating from the 5th to 14th century between the cities of Turpan and Shanshan (Loulan) at the north-east of the Taklamakan Desert.
Then head to visit the Flaming Mountains – lying in the Turpan Basin, on the northeastern rim of the Taklamakan Desert, which is like a red dragon if viewed from afar. This is the largest, driest, and hottest desert in China.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 5 Turpan Highlights Tour, Urumqi Arrival
Stroll through An Important Town on Ancient Silk Road
Today, you will be guided to 3 must-visit attractions in Turpan – Sugong Pagoda, Karez Well, and Jiaohe Ruins.
Sugong Pagoda or Sugong Minaret, built in 1777, was self funded by a famous general of the Qing Dynasty to commemorate their military achievements. It bears witness to the vicissitudes of history and the glory of the nation. It is the largest existing Islamic minaret in Xinjiang.
Karez Well, known as the “Underground Great Wall”, is one of the three major ancient Chinese engineering projects along with the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. Tourists can walk into the well and experience its unique structure.
Jiaohe Ruins is an open-air museum that carries a thousand years of history. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and was a major town on the ancient Silk Road. Strolling through ancient streets, explore the ruins of houses and temples, feeling the glory of the Silk Road.
After the tour in Turpan, you will be escorted to Urumqi for the night.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Urumqi
Day 6 Urumqi Heavenly Lake Tour, Urumqi to Kashgar Tour by Flight
Take a Boat Tour of the Beautiful Tianchi Lake
In the morning, the Silk Road Xinjiang tour transfers you to Tianchi, aka Heavenly Lake, a natural alpine lake. Its elevation is 1,980 meters above sea level, in the shape of a half-moon, with a clear turquoise lake, surrounded by mountains, just like a fairyland. Recommended tourist activities include boating, hiking, and sunset viewing.Among them, a boat trip on the lake is the best way to appreciate the serene lake scenery.
After that, drive you back to Urumqi for a visit to Xinjiang Region Museum. It has 14 exhibition halls and a collection of over 64,000 cultural relics, including historical and ethnic artifacts from Xinjiang. The exhibition showcasing ancient mummies is a highlight. After the tour, take a flight to Kashgar.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 7 Kashgar Old Town Tour
Explore Islamic Architecture and Local Life
This morning, we will get our Silk Road tour in Kashgar started with a visit to the Sunday Bazaar (livestock Market) with farmers and buyers arriving by donkey cart, truck, bicycle, horseback, motorbike, or on foot, with their animals. It’s loud, lively, and cheerful as they arrive, eat breakfast, set up their animals, and check out the action.
Next, go to visit the Id Kah Mosque, the largest Mosque in China and the most famous one in Xinjiang. Then transfer to the Abakh Hoja Tomb, an architectural treasure. Afterward, your guide and driver will take you to visit Handicraft Street and Old Town and explore the special culture and lifestyle of local people in Kashgar.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 8 Karakuri Lake Tour from Kashgar
Shoot the Snow Mountains Reflected on the Lake
This morning, you will take a Kashgar side trip to Karakuli Lake, which is located in the eastern part of the Pamir Plateau, at the foot of Muztagh Ata, with an altitude of 3,600 meters. The lake is deep and gloomy, surrounded by lush vegetation and mountains. The reflection of Muztagh Ata often appears on the lake, making it a paradise for photography enthusiasts. This is also a great place to experience the scenery of the Pamir Plateau. After the leisure time here, drive you back to Kashgar.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 9 Departure from Kashgar
After breakfast at the hotel, your private driver will transfer you to Kashgar airport to catch your flight to next destination. Your 9-day China Silk Road tour ends here. Safe travels!
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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