You may not have heard of Qinghai, Gansu and Xinjiang yet, but you will definitely fall in love with them after going there. This 13 days Silk Road tour will show you the historical sites like Mogao Grottoes, Sugong Pagoda, Leitai Han Tomb and Gaochang Ruins and beautiful natural scenery such as Sangke Prairie, Danxi Landform, Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake in the three places. Trust us you won’t be disappointed on this tour. You will have the best travel experience with us.
Xining
Urumqi
Day 1 Xining arrival
Day 2 Xining – Lanzhou by Train: Ta’er Monastery, Gansu Provincial Museum
Day 3 Lanzhou – Xiahe: Binglingsi Grottoes
Day 4 Xiahe: Sangke Prairie
Day 5 Xiahe – Lanzhou: Labrang Monastery
Day 6 Lanzhou – Zhangye: Leitai Han Tomb, Confucius Temple, Danxi Landform
Day 7 Zhangye: Giant Buddha Temple, Wooden Pagoda Temple
Day 8 Zhangye – Jiayuguan: Jiayuguan Pass, Wei-Jin Art Gallery
Day 9 Jiayuguan – Dunhuang: Echoing-Sand Mountain, Crescent Lake
Day 10 Dunhuang – Turpan by Train: Mogao Grottoes
Day 11 Turpan: Karez Well, Sugong Pagoda
Day 12 Turpan – Urumqi: Gaochang Ruins, Bezaklik Thousand Buddha Cave, Flaming Hill
Day 13 Urumqi departure
Our driver and guide will wait for you at the airport terminal exit by holding a welcome sign with your name on it. Then you will be driven to the hotel and have a good rest. The rest of the day is free at your disposal. Accommodation: Xining
After hotel breakfast we will drive for about 3.5 hours to visit the Ta’er Monastery, one of the famous Tibetan Buddhist temples in Qinghai Province. If you happen to travel to the temple in first month, fourth month, six month or ninth month of Chinese calendar, you will have chance to experience the royal temple fair in the temple. After lunch, take a bullet train to Lanzhou. Met and greeted by local guide at the train station and taken to visit the Gansu Provincial Museum. Accommodation: Lanzhou
Today we will have a whole day tour to Binglingsi Grottoes by boat to visit the completely preserved grottoes. There are776 Buddha statues, over 1,076 square yards murals and 6 stones sculptures from 1,600 years ago waiting for your exploring. After the visiting drive to Xiahe. Accommodation: Xiahe
In the morning, pick up from your hotel in the morning and travel to Sangke Prairie to witness the typical plateau grassland. After that you will pay a visit to a local Tibetan family to learn about the nomadic life of local people. Accommodation: Xiahe
In the morning, pick up from your hotel and pay a visit to the Labrang Monastery, the largest Buddhist Institute of Tibetan Buddhism. Where tourists will also appreciate thousands of statues of Buddha made of various materials. Tourists may have the chance to watch the morning devotion here. Then drive back to Lanzhou. Accommodation: Lanzhou
In the morning, we will drive to Wuwei to visit the Leitai Han Tomb of the Han Dynasty from where the Galloping Bronze Horse was unearthed and the Confucius Temple. Then transfer to Zhangye. Today’s last stop is the gorgeous Danxia Landform. Accommodation: Zhangye
In the morning we will visit the Giant Buddha Temple, the largest architectural relics in Gansu Province from the Wear Xia Dynasty. Then move on to visit the Woolen Pagoda Temple. Accommodation: Zhangye
Checking out the hotel in Zhangye and continue travel westward you will arrive in Jiangyuguan City and visit the famous Jiayuanguan Pass, the very west starting point of the Chinese Great Wall. Your next stop is the First Fire Tower of Great Wall of Jiayuguan Pass. Then continue to the Wei-Jin Art Gallery, a shared burial area of local people in ancient time. Highlight of the gallery is the brick-paintings. Accommodation: Jiayuguan
After breakfast drive to Dunhuang to visit the Echoing-Sand Mountain. When you slide down the slope, you can hear the roaring echo of sands, hence the name. A short Camel Ride will leave you a unforgettable memory. Walking sometime to reach the Crescent Lake, your eyes will be feasted on the crescent-shaped spring surrounded by the endless Gobi desert. Accommodation: Dunhuang
Upon your arrival in Dunhuang train station, our guide and driver will meet you at railway station and drive about 2 hours to the hotel in downtown Dunhuang. After a short rest in the hotel, visit the Mogao Grottoes, one of the four most famous caves in China. Then you’ll be escorted to the Liuyuan Railway Station for your bullet train to Turpan. Upon arrival, met by local guide at the station and transferred to your hotel. Accommodation: Turpan
Starts today’s tour with Jiaohe Ruins, one of the most important towns along the ancient Silk Road and the largest, oldest and best-preserved earth construction in the world. Then go to visit the Karez Well— an amazing irrigation system which made Turpan a rich oasis. The last stop will be Sugong Pagoda, the largest existed ancient Islamic pagoda in Xinjiang. Then back to hotel. Accommodation: Turpan
Today you will visit three famous sites all together. The first stop will be Gaochang Ruins, the ruins of capital of ancient Gaochang Kingdom which existed from 500AD to 700AD. Then you will go to the Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Cave, a series of caves with thousands of Buddhism murals that show many Buddhism figures, stories, and the social life about 1,500 years ago in Ancient Gaochang Kingdom. The last stop will be the hottest place along Silk Road in China– the Flaming Hill. The temperature in summer could reach 47.8 ℃. After finished the trip in Turpan , drive to Urumqi and check in hotel. Accommodation: Urumqi
Our guide and driver will escort you to the airport to catch the flight home. Hope the 13 Days Silk Road Tour leaves you an impressive and pleasant memory.