11 Days China Silk Road Tour with Kanas
Tour Overview
This 11-day Silk Road Xinjiang tour takes you through ancient history and beautiful landscapes. From the Terracotta Warriors in Xian to the Mogao Grottoes and the mystical Echoing Sand Mountain in Dunhuang, you will be guided to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites and cultural treasures.
In Xinjiang, go to discover the unique architecture of the Jiaohe Ruins, wander through the amazing Kanas Lake, and experience traditional village life in Hemu. Our Silk Road adventure will end at the otherworldly Ghost City, a surreal landscape of wind-sculpted formations.
Highlights of this tour
- Explore the Terracotta Army in Xian, seeing thousands of life-size soldiers and horses.
- Ride a camel or slide down the dunes, and appreciate the Crescent Lake.
- Discover ancient Buddhist art and sculptures at the UNESCO-listed Mogao Grottoes.
- Wander through the Jiaohe Ruins, the best-preserved ancient earth city.
- Visit Kanas Lake, a stunning alpine lake surrounded by forests.
- Experience the picturesque, traditional wooden houses at Hemu Village.
- Explore a surreal landscape of wind-sculpted formations.
Basic Trip Information
Travel Route: Xian-Dunhuang-Turpan-Burqin-Kanas-Hemu-Urumqi
Travel Length: 11 Days and 10 Nights
Tour Code:
Group Size: Only your family or group
Suitable for: Culture & history lovers, nature lovers
Departure: Any day you want
Your tour – quick look
Day 1-2 Arrival, Xian Tour
Explore the highlights of Xian including Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Xian City Wall, Bell & Drum Tower Square, and Muslim Quarter.
Day 3-4 Flight to Dunhuang, Bullet Train to Turpan
Experience desert fun in Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake and marvel at the amazing murals of Mogao Grottoes. Then, take a high-speed train to Turpan.
Day 5-6 Turpan Tour
Enjoy a full day exploring the best parts of Turpan including Flaming Hill, Astana Tombs, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Jiaohe Ruins, Karez Well, Sugong Pagoda. Travel to Urumqi for a visit to the Erdaoqiao International Bazaar.
Day 7 Burqin Tour
Drive to Burqin through the 2nd largest desert of China, Gurbantunggut Desert and see Five-colored Beach on the way.
Day 8-11 Kanas & Hemu Tour, Back to Urumqi, Departure
Spend one whole day visiting Kanas Lake and continue exploring a Tuwa People village – Hemu Village. On the way back to Urumqi, appreciate the most beautiful Yardan Landform in Xinjiang – Ghost City.
Day-to-day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Xian
After your arrival, our driver in Xian will greet you at 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 Xian
Day 2 Xian Terracotta Army Tour
Visit Three Pits of Terracotta Warriors for Life-sized Soldiers
After breakfast, meet your private guide at your hotel lobby and then drive for about 1 hour to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. You will visit the Pit 1, Pit 2, Pit 3, and the Bronze Chariot Exhibition Hall in the museum. The thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers and horses will surprise you with the super-high technique.
After lunch, transfer you back to the city center and continue your Xian tour to the 600-year-old Xian City Wall. The existing City Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty and the construction lasted 4 years. It is the best-preserved city wall in China. Next, you will take a walk in the Bell & Drum Tower Square and Muslim Quarter to enjoy the colorful night view of the ancient city and explore local food in the best-known food street.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Xian
Day 3 Xian to Dunhuang Tour by Flight
Experience an Optional Camel Ride in Echoing Sand Mountain
After breakfast, take a morning flight to Dunhuang. Upon arrival, meet your tour guide and driver. Then the China Silk Road tour in Dunhuang takes you to the Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake Scenic Area. Since ancient times, it was known for the co-existence of the desert and the lake. No people traveling to Dunhuang skip it. You can experience the camel ride (at your own expense) or sand slide in the desert. After the visit, drive you to Dunhuang hotel for check-in.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Dunhuang
Day 4 Dunhuang to Turpan Tour by High-speed Train
Admire the Well-preserved Murals and Clay Buddha Statues
After your hotel breakfast, we will drive for about 30 minutes to the world’s cultural heritage site – Mogao Grottoes. There are 735 grottoes, 4.5 square meters of murals, and 2,415 clay Buddha statues preserved here. In the early 1900s, the cave for preserving Buddhist sutra was discovered by chance, and 50 thousand cultural relics were brought to public view.
After that, take the bullet train to Turpan. Arrival in Turpan, meet your local driver at airport and transfer to hotel. Enjoy your free time in the rest of the day.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 5 Turpan Discovery Tour
Pay a Visit to a Local Uyghur Family
Our local guide will pick you up from hotel and then transfer to visit the Flaming Hill, the hottest place in China in summer. Next, visit the Astana Tombs which enjoys the fame of “Under Ground Museum”.
Then move to visit the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, a series of caves with thousands of Buddhism murals. The vivid murals show many Buddhism figures, stories, and the social life about 1,000 years ago. At last, we will do a family visit to a Uyghur family in the vineyard.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Turpan
Day 6 Turpan Highlights Tour, Turpan to Urumqi Tour
Explore the Largest Earth Building and Vibrant Bazaar
In the morning, start your Turpan tour at the Jiaohe Ruins. Existed from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD, it belonged to Cheshi Kingdom, one of the 36 powerful kingdoms in West Regions in ancient time. At present it is the largest and best preserved earth building in the world.
Next we will pay a visit to Karez Well, the unique irrigation system in desert. In Turpan, there are over 1000 Karez wells which have a total length of 5000+ meters. Together with Jinghang Grand Canal, Great Wall, they are called the Three Great Projects of Ancient China.
Then, come to the Sugong Pagoda, the largest existed ancient Islamic pagoda in Xinjiang which is also known as the Turpan Pagoda among local residents. After that, take a 2.5 hours’ ride to Urumqi. Arriving in Urumqi, meet the driver and we will visit Erdaoqiao International Bazaar where you will meet many goods of typical Uygur taste.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Urumqi
Day 7 Urumqi to Burqin Tour
Capture the Unique Landscapes from the Five-colored Beach
In the morning, our driver and guide will pick you up from hotel lobby and head for Burqin. We will drive through the 2nd largest desert of China, Gurbantunggut Desert Interior. And on the way we will see scenery of Karamay Mountain Nature Reserve, Burqin Five-colored Beach and Huoshao Mountain. Arrive in Burqin in the late afternoon and check in at local hotel.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Burqin
Day 8 Burqin to Kanas Tour
Admire the Ever-changing Lakes at Kanas Nature Reserve
In the early morning, we will appreciate sunrise along the bank and then drive to Kanas Lake where you will experience the boating. We will spend one whole day visiting Kanas Lake and stay overnight near the lake.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Kanas
Day 9 Hemu Village to Burqin Tour
Discover the Traditional Tuva Culture
Your today’s Silk Road tour in North Xinjiang continues to the Hemu Village. The village is located next to the Kanas Lake and is one of the 3 existing Tuwa People villages in China. All houses in the village are built of wood. The best-known site of the village is the autumn scenery. After the visit here, we will drive back to Burqin for the night.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Accommodation: in Burqin
Day 10 Burqin to Urumqi Tour
Marvel at the Amazing Yardang Landforms
In the morning, the guide will pick you up from the hotel and then head to Urumqi. On the way, we will visit the Ghost City, the most beautiful Yardan Landform in Xinjiang. The centuries’ extremely dry and windy climate created that miracle. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: in Urumqi
Day 11 Departure from Urumqi
Enjoy your free time till the confirmed pick-up time. The driver will meet you in the hotel and escort you to the airport or train station for departure. Your 11-day Silk Road Xinjiang tour with Kanas ends here.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
Recommended Other Silk Road Tours You May Like
9 Days China Silk Road Buddhist Culture TourXian – Guyuan – Lanzhoun – Zhangye – Jiayuguan – Dunhuang
8 Days Southern Xinjiang Tour with Silk Road RuinsUrumqi – Turpan – Kashgar – Tashkurghan – Kashgar
