18 Days Silk Road In-depth Tour of China
Tour Overview
This 18-day in-depth Silk Road tour package will take you to appreciate the rich history of northwest China. From the ancient Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an to the Giant Buddhist Temple in Zhangye, you will explore the iconic cultural landmarks, Buddhist grottoes and ancient Silk Road cities.
Visit the westernmost fortress of Jiayuguan Great Wall, the colorful Danxia landform, the desert wonders of Dunhuang, and the historical relics of Turpan. Also, discover the unique traditions of Xinjiang in Kashgar, enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Karakul, and delve into the heritage of this ancient trade route.
Highlights of this tour
- Venture through Xian’s ancient wonders: the Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, and Muslim Quarter for yummy local snacks.
- Take a boat ride to see sculptures at Bingling Temple and a nice walk along the Huanghe River in Lanzhou.
- Experience the colourful, magical scenery of Zhangye Danxia Landform.
- Explore Jiayuguan Fort – the westernmost point of the Ming Great Wall, and see the Wei Jin Mural Tomb.
- Enjoy the magical Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring with camel rides and the view of the desert at sunset.
- Explore the Jiaohe Ruins and Karez Wells – it is a glimpse of Xinjiang’s cultural heritage.
- Visit ancient murals and experience Buddhist art at the Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave.
- Take in the Id Kah Mosque, the ancient city, the busy livestock market and the handicraft street in Kashgar.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Xi’an-Tianshui-Lanzhou-Zhangye-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang-Turpan-Korla-Kuqa-Hotan-Kashgar
Travel Length: 18 Days and 17 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture & history explorers, adventurers
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-3 Xian Tour
Xian is the starting point of the Silk Road where you will visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Quarter, and the Ancient City Wall. Take a high-speed train to Tianshui for the night.
Day 4-5 Tianshui and Lanzhou Tour
Enjoy a Tianshui day tour to Maiji Mountain Grottoes and Fuxi Temple. Then, take a bullet train to Lanzhou to visit Bingling Temple, Gansu Provincial Museum, and stroll along the Huanghe River Custom Tourist Line.
Day 6-9 Visit Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang
Spend one day exploring the landmarks of Zhangye: Giant Buddha Temple, Rainbow Mountains, and drive to Jiayuguan to visit the First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven – Jiayuguan Pass & Wei Jin Mural Tomb. In Dunhuang, experience the desert fun at Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring and appreciate China’s Buddhist grotto art – Mogao Caves. Last, take a train to Turpan.
Day 10-13 South Xinjiang Tour
One full day exploring the highlights of Turpan including Tuyoq Valley, Karez Well, Jiaohe Ruins, and Sugong Pagoda. Travel for 5 hours by car to Korla to visit Iron Gate Pass, to Kuqa for Kuqa Mosque, Old Town, Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave, and Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon.
Day 14-15 Hotan Tour
Drive along the Taklamakan Desert Highway to Hotan. Stroll along the Hotan Night Market by yourself at night. Be guided to visit Hotan Museum and Malikawat Ruins.
Day 16-18 Kashgar Tour
Take a Kashgar side trip to Karakuli Lake for free time to stroll around. Then spend a whole day visiting Kashgar covering Id Kah Mosque, Local Bazaar, Kashgar Old Town, and Handicrafts Market.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Xi’an Arrival
Welcome to Xi’an for the starting of our 18-day Silk Road In-depth Tour! Be escorted to the hotel upon arrival. Free time for you in the rest of the day to explore the ancient city.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Xi’an
Day 2 Xi’an’s Must-see
Discover Terracotta Army’s Unique Clay Soldiers
Today your tour guide will take you to explore the long history of Xi’an.
Be picked up from hotel at about 8:00 a.m., then driven approximately 1 hour to Lintong District to visit the No.1 attraction in Xi’an – Terracotta Warriors and Horses. This is the burial pit of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, reputedly the eighth wonder in the world, where you can see thousands of pottery figurines with different facial expressions. Can you imagine that Qin Shi Huang ordered the mausoleum construction for him from the age of 13, which took 38 years? Follow your guide to visit three pits, with Pit 1 being the largest with around 6,000 terracotta figurines and horses. These figures originally had painted designs, but they mostly faded due to fire and soaking.
After finishing lunch at a local restaurant, return to Xi’an city to visit the city’s landmark – the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Located within the Daci’en Temple, the tower was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty under the leadership of Xuanzang. Initially consisting of five floors, it was later expanded to seven floors and stands at a height of 64.517 meters.
Today’s trip to Xi’an ends at Muslim Quarter. This is a local food paradise where you can taste a variety of specialty snacks, from drinks to grilled meat and staple food.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xi’an
Day 3 Take High-speed Train from Xi’an to Tianshui
Explore Xi’an Museum and City Wall’s History
Today is still a day to discover the culture of Xi’an. In the morning, we will visit the Xi’an Museum, located inside the Jianfu Temple, in the same place as the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. By modeling the city walls of various dynasties from Zhou to Ming and Qing, you can understand the thousand year history of Xi’an’s founding as a capital and the development history of the capital city. Its collection of cultural relics covers important dynasties such as Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang, including the Tang Dynasty’s Three Colored Horse and the Yuan Dynasty’s exquisite Jade Kirin.
The Ancient City Wall, another landmark of Xi’an, is one of the most well preserved city walls in China. The existing one was from the Ming Dynasty, with a total length of 13.7 kilometers. From the city wall, tourists can see a panoramic view of the city. If you are interested, you can rent a bicycle to ride around the city (optional, at your own expense).
After the visit, take the high-speed train to Tianshui for an overnight stay. Located in the eastern part of Gansu Province, Tianshui is an important transportation hub in the eastern section of the Silk Road.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Tianshui
Day 4 Grottoes Exploration, Train to Lanzhou
Gaze upon Ancient Cliffside Art
After breakfast, the local tour guide and the driver will pick you up and take you on a one-day Tianshui tour. Maiji Mountain Grottoes is one of the four major grottoes in China, located on the Qinling Mountains. It is named after the mountain’s resemblance to a wheat stack. Entering the grottoes, you can see lots of exquisite statues and murals.
Next, go to visit Fuxi Temple, which is a sacred site for worshiping the human ancestor Fuxi (the legendary first emperor in ancient history). The temple was first built in 1483-1484 and underwent nine renovations, eventually forming a large-scale architectural complex. Entering the temple, towering ancient cypress trees complement the magnificent architecture. Stepping in the main hall, the first thing that catches the eye is the huge painted clay sculpture of Fuxi, which is truly awe inspiring. After the visit, your guide will escort you to take a 2-hour high-speed train to Lanzhou.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Lanzhou
Day 5 Lanzhou and Side Trip
Take a Boat Ride to See Buddhas, Stroll Riverside Glow
In the morning, you will be picked up at around 8:30 am and driven for 1.5 hours to Bingling Temple, one of the four major grottoes in China. Transfer to a speedboat at the Liujiaxia Station dam and arrive at the destination in 35 minutes. The temple has 212 niches, 694 stone sculptures, and 1500 square meters of murals. The stone statue is its biggest highlight.
After the visit, drive back to Lanzhou city for a visit to Gansu Provincial Museum. The Bronze Galloping Horse mentioned yesterday will be seen here. Your guide will explain its story in detail for you. In addition, the museum features colored pottery, Han Dynasty documents, Silk Road relics and Buddhist arts.
In the late afternoon, 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.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Lanzhou
Day 6 Bullet Train from Lanzhou to Zhangye
Wander Colorful Ridges Ablaze in Sunset
After breakfast, take the high-speed train for 3 hours to Zhangye City. After arriving at around 11:10 am, the local tour guide will pick you up for lunch. Afterward, we begin our visit to Zhangye from the Giant Buddha Temple. Established during the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227), this temple dates back over 900 years. The main building of the temple, the Giant Buddha Hall, is dedicated to the largest indoor reclining Buddha in China, 34.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide, surrounded by 18 Arhat statues and exquisite murals.
After the visit, we arrive at Zhangye Colorful Danxia Scenic Area around 3:30 pm. As the most typical Danxia landform in the arid northern region of China, it is the only Danxia and colorful hilly composite landscape area in China. It is known for its colorful mountains, including 7 observations and more than 30 unique landscapes. Among them, the Colorful Rainbow Terrace has become a popular check-in spot for internet celebrities due to its vibrant colors, especially in the sunset. After the visit, return to the hotel in the city to stay and rest.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Zhangye
Day 7 Drive to Jiayuguan
Ascend the Number One Pass Under Heaven
Today we will drive for 3 hours to Jiayuguan. After arriving, start your Jiayuguan tour at the “Number One Pass Under Heaven” – the Jiayuguan Fort. The walls on both sides of the pass cross the Gobi, and are connected to the Overhanging Great Wall to the north. It is the westernmost gateway of the Ming Great Wall, consisting of an inner city, an outer city, and a moat. Afterward, be guided to visit the Great Wall Museum, which is the first museum themed around the history and culture of the Great Wall.
Continue to the Wei Jin Mural Tomb this afternoon. There, you can appreciate the colorful brick paintings of the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-419) in a great scale. The content covers topics such as economy, culture, folk customs, and technology. After the visits, be transferred to the hotel for check-in.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Jiayuguan
Day 8 Dunhuang Afternoon Tour
Have Fun with the Desert Activities and Sunset Views
After breakfast, leave Jiayuguan and drive for 4 hours to Dunhuang, located in the center of the Hexi Corridor and an important cultural heritage site on the Silk Road. After arriving, we enjoy lunch.
In the late afternoon (to avoid high temperatures), we enter the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area, a famous desert wonder. Mingsha Mountain is formed by the accumulation of quicksand, with magnificent undulations of sand dunes. Crescent Spring is surrounded by sand dunes, and the spring water never dries up, known as the “Eye of the Desert”. Tourists can climb to the top sand mountains to overlook the panoramic view of Crescent Spring and enjoy the sunset in the desert. Here you can experience projects such as camel riding and sand sliding (optional, self funded).
In the evening, you can wander around the Shazhou Night Market. It is a food paradise where you can taste local specialties such as Rang Pi (Brewed Bean Jelly), Apricot Peel Water, and Yellow Noodles.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 9 Dunhuang Train to Turpan
Admire China’s Buddhist Grotto Art
Today’s morning is full of China’s Buddhist grotto art. You will be guided to visit the amazing Mogao Caves. It was excavated from the Sixteen Kingdoms period (304-439) to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) – a period covering approximately 1,000 years. Today here are 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and over 2,400 colored sculptures.
After the visit, have lunch and then take a bullet train to Turpan, Xinjiang.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 10 Essence in Turpan
Walk into Folk-rich Clay Villages and Jiaohe City’s Ruins
After breakfast, meet your tour guide in the hotel lobby and drive for 1 hour to Tuyugou. There are many things to see, and the guide mainly takes you to visit Mazha Village, the oldest surviving Uyghur village in Xinjiang. With a history of over 1,700 years, it is known as the “living fossil of folk customs”. The residents here have inherited the habit of building houses with yellow clay for over two thousand years, which is characterized by affordability, warm winters, and cool summers.
Return to the city center to visit the world irrigation engineering heritage site, Karez Wells. In arid areas, people use the slope of the ground to draw groundwater for agricultural irrigation, solve water problems for humans and livestock, and improve the living environment. Through the detailed explanation, you will learn about the wisdom of the ancient people of Xinjiang. Next is the 44-meter-tall Sugong Pagoda, the largest existing ancient pagoda in Xinjiang. It is conical in shape and covered with geometric decorations.
The last stop is the world’s largest, oldest, and best preserved earth city, the Jiaohe Ruins. This city was founded from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century BC and reached its peak during the Southern and Northern Dynasties and Tang Dynasty. Later, due to many wars, Jiaohe Ancient City gradually declined and suffered severe damage, ultimately being abandoned at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 11 Travel from Turpan to Korla
Trace Silk Road Echoes through Iron Gate and Desert River
At 9 am, we will drive for about 5 and a half hours to Korla city. It is the throat of the ancient Silk Road and one of the birthplaces of Western region culture. After arrival, the tour guide takes you to visit the Iron Gate Pass, located at the exit of the upper reaches of the Peacock River, known as the “last pass in the world”. After dinner, you can take a walk along the Peacock River by yourself.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Korla
Day 12 Kuqa City Tour
Step through Kuqa’s Time-worn Alleyway Secrets
After breakfast, we leave for Kuqa, a historic city. The journey takes about 4 hours.
Your Silk Road tour in Kuqa begins in the afternoon at the Kuqa Mosque, which was built in the 16th century. The temple covers an area of 1,165 square meters and is mainly made of brick and wood structures, including temple architecture and a worship hall. Its appearance is grand and quaint, with auspicious cloud patterns used for indoor and outdoor decoration, similar to the style of ancient buildings in the Central Plains. The architectural details features their brick carving, wood carving, and painted techniques.
Then take a stroll through the Kuqa Old City. Qiuci Alley is the best preserved block from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China in the old town of Kuche. There are many old houses, each with its own unique gate. The renovated street retains its quaint and tranquil historical appearance while incorporating modern living elements.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Kuqa
Day 13 Culture and Nature Tour
Witness Buddhas & Murals and Grand Canyon Carved by Time
Today, your trip continues to Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave. Excavated from the end of the 3rd century to the beginning of the 4th century, it was 300 years earlier than the Mogao Grottoes. The grottoes stretch for 3 kilometers along the mountain, with 236 existing caves and approximately 10,000 square meters of murals. In addition to religious themes, murals also include scenes such as farming, hunting, business travel, music and dance.
Afterward, head to the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, which consists of a main valley and seven branch valleys, with a total length of over 5,000 meters and a narrowest valley bottom of only 0.4 meters. The valley has rugged peaks, steep cliffs, murmuring streams, birds singing, and secluded winding paths. The mountain is composed of reddish brown sandstone, formed 140 million years ago and weathered and eroded over billions of years. After the visit, return to Kuche to rest.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Kuqa
Day 14 Drive to Hotan
Drive along the Taklamakan Desert Highway
After breakfast, drive along the Taklamakan Desert Highway to Hotan. This oasis with a history of over 2,000 years was an important hub for ancient East West trade and cultural exchange.
Taklamakan is the largest desert in China and one of the important passages of the ancient Silk Road. Long ago, merchants had to trek through the vast desert. Nowadays, we only need to drive for a few hours to pass through it.
After arrival, check in at the hotel in Hotan. You can stroll around the Hotan Night Market by yourself at night. Known as one of the 100 most beautiful shooting spots in Xinjiang, this night market is 272 meters long and has a total of 260 stalls. You can taste various Xinjiang snacks.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Hotan
Day 15 Hotan Exploration
Unearth Millennia of Secrets from Princess Castle
After breakfast, the tour guide will take you to visit the Hotan Museum. There are 3 floors in total, and the museum currently has 20,553 pieces/sets of cultural relics (2022 data), covering wooden, stone, pottery, literature, etc. Important exhibits include bronze scepter heads from the Xia Dynasty, stone wall decorations from the Shang Dynasty, stone pestles from the Zhou Dynasty, painted murals from the Tang Dynasty, and ancient dried corpses.
Then, continue on to the Malikawat Ruins, located on the west bank of the Yulong Kashgar River, 25 kilometers south of Hotan City. Malikawat means “princess castle”, and it is said that a clever princess once built a city here, turning the desert into an oasis. With a history of over 1,500 years, the site still has a group of ancient buildings, burial grounds, and three blocked caves on the west side. Most of the ancient city has been eroded and buried by sandstorms. The ruins of the city wall no longer exist, leaving only many earth mounds of varying sizes and heights.
After the visit, we will drive to Kashgar for an overnight stay.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 16 Kashgar Side Tour
Appreciate the Beautiful Scenery of the Pamir Plateau
Today you will enjoy the whole day exploration of the Lake Karakul. The drive takes about 3.5 hours from Kashgar city. Capture the views of the Pamir Plateau along the way. Make a stop at Baisha Lake (White Sand). Adjacent to National Highway 314, the crystal clear waters of lake reflect the blue sky and white clouds and the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
Karakul Lake is located at the foot of Muztagh Ata, the “Father of Glaciers”. It is named after the deep and dark waters, which means Black Lake in Kirghiz. It is amazing that the lake will change different colors with the sunlight. The reflection of the majestic snowy peaks is very beautiful. In front of the lake is a vast grassland. In summer, herds of cattle and sheep roam the grasslands, wild ducks swim on the lake, and occasionally swans forage here.
After the sightseeing, you will be transferred back to Kashgar for the night.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 17 Highlights in Kashgar
Explore Kashgar’s Mosque, Tea House, Vibrant Livestock Market
After breakfast, meet your guide at the hotel and then start your Kashgar tour at around 9 o’clock. First, be led to visit the largest mosque in Xinjiang, Id Kah Mosque. There are many magnificent and Islamic style buildings in the temple, and the tour guide will take you to visit them one by one.
At 10:30 am, the welcome ceremony of Kashgar Ancient City begins. The girls dressed in ethnic costumes dance gracefully, accompanied by melodious music, as if taking tourists back to the prosperous era of the ancient Silk Road.
After a visit to the Kashgar Old Town, go to the Livestock Market (open on Sundays). This is one of the largest livestock trading markets in the world. When you enter the area, you immediately see fruits, honey, and ready to eat food options such as beef and mutton. Keep walking, see lots of livestock of various types, animals like sheep, cattle, horses, donkeys, camels, and others. You’ll love their unique bargaining style.
Later, stroll through the Handicraft Street, about 1,000 meters long. There are hundreds of handicraft workshops and stalls gathered here, with items ranging from embroidery, gold and silver jewelry to earthenware, ethnic musical instruments, silk…
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Kashgar
Day 18 Departure from Kashgar
This is the end of your 18-day in-depth Silk Road tour. Enjoy your free morning at leisure. Your private driver will pick you up and transfer you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Safe travels!
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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