12 Days China Silk Road Scenic Tour with Badain Jaran Desert
Tour Overview
This 12-day scenic Silk Road tour takes you to some of China’s most beautiful landscapes. From the stunning Qinghai Lake and the colorful Danxia Rainbow Mountains to the crescent-shaped spring and the charming Heavenly Lake, each destination offers a unique glimpse into China’s diverse natural beauty.
The vast Badain Jaran Desert is one of the highlights of this Silk Road journey, where you will stay overnight at the Mongolia yurt and capture the breathtaking sunrise. Also, the route covers many historical sites – Giant Buddha Temple, Mogao Grottoes, Jaiyuguan Pass, Jiaohe Ruins… All in all, experience ancient Silk Road towns, picturesque landscapes, and the enduring legacy of Buddhist art and architecture.
Highlights of this tour
- Visit Ta’er Monastery to admire the exquisite Tibetan Buddhist temples.
- Take a boat on China’s largest inland saltwater lake.
- Capture the stunning sunrise over the Badain Jaran Desert, with an overnight stay in a Mongolian yurt.
- Take photos of the colorful rock formations of Zhangye Rainbow Mountain.
- Step into history at the Mogao Grottoes to appreciate ancient Buddhist murals and sculptures.
- Discover the world’s largest and best-preserved earthen city – Jiaohe Ruins.
- Relax by Heavenly Lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush forests.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Xining-Zhangye-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang-Turpan-Urumqi
Travel Length: 12 Days and 11 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture & history lovers, nature adventurers
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-2 Arrival, Xining Tour
Be guided to one of the famous Tibetan Buddhist temples – Ta’er Monastery and enjoy a lake cruise on Qinghai Lake.
Day 3-6 Fast Train to Zhangye, Zhangye Tour
Take the bullet train to Zhangye, enjoying views of the Qilian Mountain Ranges. Upon arrival, visit the Matisi Grottoes. Travel to Alax Youqi, explore the Badain Jaran Desert, famous for its lakes and sand dunes. Then go back to Zhangye to visit the Giant Buddha Temple & Rainbow Mountain.
Day 7-9 Jiayuguan & Dunhuang Tour, Overnight Train to Turpan
Drive for 2.5 hours to Jiayuguan for Jiayuguan Pass and Weijin Art Gallery. Then, transfer to Dunhuang with a stop at Yulin Grottoes on the way. In Dunhuang, visit Mogao Caves, explore Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Spring, with optional activities like camel riding. Last, take an overnight train to Turpan.
Day 10 Turpan Tour
Enjoy a full day exploring the highlights of Turpan including Karez Well, and Jiaohe Ruins.
Day 11-12 Urumqi Tour, Departure
Drive to Urumqi for the beautiful Heavenly Lake with optional boat trip.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Xining
Visit a Famous Tibetan Buddhist Temple
Upon your arrival at Xining airport/train station, our local guide will wait for you by holding a welcome board with your name and transfer you to your hotel in Xining.
If the flight arrives in the morning, we will arrange a visit to Ta’er Monastery, one of the famous Tibetan Buddhist temples in Qinghai Province. If you happen to travel to the temple in the first month, fourth month, six month, or ninth month of the Chinese calendar, you will have a chance to experience the royal temple fair in the temple.
Meal: N/A
Accommodation: in Xining
Day 2 Qinghai Lake Tour from Xining
Take a Boat to Experience the Natural Scenery
After hotel breakfast, drive for about 2.5 hours to start your Silk Road travel at the largest inland saltwater lake in China – Qinghai Lake. Tourists will meet the most beautiful Qinghai Lake in July and August when rape flowers are in full bloom. Qinghai Lake is one of the best residential places for various kinds of birds. Each summer thousands of birds fly to Qinghai Lake to escape from the hot summer. We will arrange a lake cruise for you to visit Bird Island in the lake. After the visit, go back to the hotel in Xining.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xining
Day 3 Xining to Zhangye Tour by Fast Train
Understand the Culture of Buddhist Grottoes
In the morning, take the bullet train to Zhangye. On the way, you will appreciate the Qilian Mountain Ranges on the train. Arriving in Zhangye, be guided to visit Matisi Grottoes (Horse’s Hoof Temple). The highlights of the over 70 grottoes are the Buddhist grotto culture and the Yugu Minor Ethnic culture. After the visit, you will be escorted to Zhangye hotel.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Zhangye
Day 4 Zhangye to Badain Jaran Desert Tour
Admire the Scenery of Lakes and Sand Dunes
After breakfast, meet the guide and driver and drive 3 hours to Alax Youqi. After lunch, begin your Silk Road tour at the Badain Jaran Desert, one of the most beautiful deserts in China. Walking at the desert entrance to appreciate the lake and sand dune scenery. Today, you will stay overnight at Mongolian yurt and enjoy local dinner.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Accommodation: in Mongolian Yurt
Day 5 Zhangye Buddhist Culture Tour
Witness China’s Largest Indoor Clay Sculpture Reclining Buddha
Continue your time in the desert scenic area in the morning. You can get up early to witness the stunning sunrise view over the desert. Then drive back to Zhangye.
After arrival, pay a visit to Giant Buddha Temple, aka Dafo Temple, which is not only an important scenic spot on the Silk Road, but also a landmark building in Zhangye. The temple preserves the largest Western Xia Buddhist hall in the country and the largest indoor wooden and clay sculpture reclining Buddha. Finishing the visit, drive you back to your hotel in Zhangye.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Zhangye
Day 6 Rainbow Mountain Tour in Zhangye
Amazed by the Rainbow-like Danxia Landform
After breakfast, we will head for Danxia Rainbow Mountain where you can see a truly picturesque world made up of red, white, yellow, and other colors of rock. There are multiple observation decks in the scenic area, among which visitors can overlook the magnificent scenery from the Cloud Sea Terrace. The Rainbow Terrace is the best place to enjoy the sunset. The rainbow glow falls on the hills, and its colors are particularly brilliant against the afterglow of the setting sun.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Zhangye
Day 7 Zhangye to Jiayuguan Tour
A Glimpse of Ancient Life Reflected in Tomb Brick Paintings
This morning, check out Zhangye hotel and drive for about 2.5 hours to arrive at Jiayuguan. Jiayuguan Pass is the first stop today, which is the west starting point of the Chinese Great Wall.
Then move to visit the Weijin Art Gallery which is actually the shared burial area of all ethnic groups. The brick paintings in tombs reflect some basic facts of local life in ancient times.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Jiayuguan
Day 8 Jiayuguan to Dunhuang Tour
Appreciate Paintings that Tell Buddhist Stories
In the early morning, pick you up from hotel and transfer you to Dunhuang, one of the most important cities along the ancient Silk Road. On the way, we will stop to visit Yulin Grottoes, the sister-caves of Mogao Grottoes. From the existing murals, we could find Buddhist and Bodhisattva figures of various sizes and paintings telling Buddhist stories. The must-visit cave is Cave No.25 which was made in Golden Tang Dynasty. Then continue driving to Dunhuang City and check in the hotel.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 9 Dunhuang Highlights Tour, To Turpan by Overnight Train
Experience Riding a Camel in the Desert
Your Silk Road in Dunhuang starts at Mogao Grottoes, an important cultural site on the Silk Road, founded in 366 AD. There are 735 existing caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and over 2,400 colored sculptures. It is not only a treasure trove of Buddhist art, but also a precious resource for studying ancient Chinese religions.
In the afternoon, continue to visit 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.
After that, we will take an overnight train to Turpan in Xinjiang.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: on the Train
Day 10 Turpan Tour
Enter the World’s Oldest, Best-preserved Earth Construction
Upon arrival in Turpan, met by a local guide and driver at the railway station and transferred to the hotel. After a short rest, the Turpan tour in Xinjiang first takes you to visit the Jiaohe Ruins, one of the most important towns along the ancient Silk Road and the largest, the oldest and best-preserved earth construction in the world. Followed by the Karez Well – an amazing irrigation system that made Turpan a rich oasis. After the tour, go back to your hotel for rest.
Meal: Lunch
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 11 Turpan to Urumqi Tour
Spend Leisurely Time with Snow Mountains and Lake Views
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 to Urumqi and check in at the hotel.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Urumqi
Day 12 Departure from Urumqi
Enjoy your leisure morning in Urumqi till your driver escorts you to airport for your flight departing Urumqi. Safe travels! This is the end of your 12-day Silk Road China Trip!
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
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