7 Days Southern Xinjiang Kashgar Folk Culture Tour

Tour Overview

Get ready to immerse in Kashgar’s folk culture and its surrounding areas on this 7-day Southern Xinjiang tour. You will experience some desert activities like a camel ride in the vast Dawakun Desert; appreciate the beautiful Karakuri Lake, and explore the ancient Stone City. Then, go back to Kashgar for a stroll around the lively Old Town and visiting its centuries-old architecture.

Also, visit the traditional villages of Yingjisha and Pottery Art Village to discover Uyghur craftsmanship. Conclude your Xinjiang Silk Road journey with a visit to the lively Sunday Bazaar and significant Islamic landmarks.or the travelers and traders from Europe and Middle Asia during the ancient Silk Road period. While Dunhuang is the place where western and eastern culture melted together and created a great number of art works. This tour leads you to explore the most brilliant culture of ancient Silk Road from Xian to Dunhuang by flight.

Highlights of this tour

Ride camels or cross the desert to discover vast dunes, Uyghur yurts, and European-style villas.
Witness the reflection of Muztag Ata peaks in the crystal-clear Karakuri Lake.
Walk through the historic Stone City and marvel at its ancient ruins.
Visit the Kashgar Old Town to observe the local houses.
In Yingjisha Village, learn about the famous Uyghur knives.
Try your hand at crafting your own pottery in the Pottery Art Village.
Immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of the ancient Kashgar Sunday Bazaar.

Basic Trip Information

Travel Route: Kashgar-Tashkurghan-Yingjisha Village-Kashgar

Travel Length: 7 Days and 6 Nights

Tour Code:

Group Size: Only your family or group

Suitable for: Culture & history lovers

Departure: Any day you want

Your tour – quick look

Day 1 Arrival in Kashgar

When you arrive in Kashgar, the local guide and driver will pick you up at the airport.

Day 2 Dawakun Desert Tour

Drive to Dawakun Desert Scenic Area for fun desert activities.

Day 3 Karakuri Lake Tour

Move to Karakuri Lake and enjoy beautiful lake views. Then transfer to the hotel in Tashkurghan County for a rest.

Day 4 Tashkurghan to Kashgar Tour

Visit Stone City in Tashkurghan, and then drive back to Kashgar to explore the Kashgar Old Town.

Day 5 Yingjisha Village Tour

Head to Yingjisha Village and learn about the local history, and move to Pottery Art Village to witness traditional art.

Day 6-7 Kashgar Tour, Kashgar Departure

Explore Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, visit Abakh Khoja Tomb and admire Id Kah Mosque. Your driver and guide will take you to the airport for your flight.

Day-to-day Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Kashgar

Welcome to our 7-day private Kashgar culture tour in Xinjiang! Upon your arrival, our local driver will meet you at the airport. Then transfer you to your well-selected hotel. Enjoy free time for the rest of the day.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Day 2 Kashgar to Dawakun Desert Tour
Desert Fun with Optional Activities

After hotel breakfast, we will board the car and drive to the Dawakun Desert Scenic Area. A large natural lake and the vast desert co-exist here for thousands of years. The European-style villas, the Uyghur-style yurts, and the ethnic culture park are dotted in the scenic area. Camel rides and desert vehicles are optional, which would make your desert sightseeing day more exciting. After the tour, escort you back to the Kashgar hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Day 3 Kashgar Tour to Karakuri Lake
Appreciate the Glaciers and the Blue Lake Scenery

In the morning, meet your guide and driver in your hotel and then drive along the Sino-Pakistan Highway to Karakuri Lake, which has an altitude of 3,600 meters and has a snow cap all year around. Standing on the bank of the lake, tourists will witness the picturesque scenery created by the towered Muztag Ata with pure white cap and the Karakuri Lake lying at its foot.

After the visit, transfer you to Tashkurghan County and check in a local hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Tashkurghan

Day 4 Tashkurghan to Kashgar Tour
Explore Ancient Stone City Ruins, Stroll around Kashgar Old Town

Today, continue your tour in Tashkurghan to Stone City which lies in the north part of Tashkurghan Tajike Autonomous County. Here is the meeting spot of the Mid Route and South Route of the ancient Silk Road. In the Han Dynasty, Stone City was the capital of the Puli Kingdom in the West Region.

In the afternoon, drive back to Kashgar to visit the Kashgar Old Town. The old city area covers an area of 4.25 square meters and has a population of 126.8 thousand people. Most folk houses here were built with earth, brick, and wood. You will find the centuries-old houses here and there. After the visit, transfer to your hotel in Kashgar.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Kashgar old town xinjiang — Kashgar Old Town

Day 5 Kashgar to Yingjisha Village Tour
Learn about the Uyghur Traditions

Today, we will spend the morning time exploring the hometown of Uyghur Knife – Yingjisha Village. You can learn about the history of Yingjisha Knife. And with the help of high-tech and your imagination, the computer system would draft a Yingjisha Knife for only you.

After lunch, pay a visit to Pottery Art Village to learn about the traditional pottery-making skill. If you are interested, you could make your own pottery ware (optional, at your own expense). Then return to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Day 6 Kashgar Highlights Tour
Visit Bustling Market, Ancient Tomb, and Local Culture

After breakfast, your guide will lead you to Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, a place where merchants from Central and South Asia gather with a long history and was built in the Tang Dynasty. It is a great place for shopping and savoring authentic flavors as it gathers all kinds of handicrafts and cuisines. The bazaar witnessed the prosperity of the Silk Road.

Next, be guided to visit the Abakh Khoja Tomb, a typical ancient Islamic-style mausoleum complex, with 72 people from five generations of a large family. It is named after the legend that Emperor Qianlong’s Fragrant Concubine was buried here.

In the afternoon, go to admire the Id Kah Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Xinjiang, built in 1442. Inside the mosque, you can see the stained glass and exquisite tiles, and the towering minaret. At last, go back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Day 7 Departure from Kashgar

At confirmed time, your private local driver will meet you in hotel. Then transfer you to the airport for departure. This is the end of your 7-day Xinjiang Kashgar tour!

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: N/A

Request a Custom Quote Today

The price varies based on the activity, number of people, date of trip, and selected hotel. Kindly get in touch with us for a precise cost according to your specifications.

What’s included?

6 nights’ accommodation in well-selected hotels;

Meals listed in the itinerary;

Private air-conditioned vehicle with licensed drivers;

Excellent local English-speaking tour guides services as mentioned in the itinerary;

Entrance tickets as mentioned in the itinerary;

Second-class train tickets and economic-class flights mentioned in the itinerary;

1 bottle of mineral water per person per day;

China Travel Insurance.

What’s excluded?

Flight/train tickets to/off Kashgar;

Any optional activities inside the attractions;

Any item not mentioned in the itinerary;

Single Room Supplement;

All kinds of gratuities for guides, drivers & others.

What You’ll Receive at Chinasilkroadtours

At the heart of Chinasilkroadtours is the seamless service offered together by our 1-on-1 travel consultant, meticulous tour operators, expert local guides, and attentive local drivers. Our service is therefore made to be as unique as you are.

1-on-1 Travel Advisor

Your Silk Road experience starts with telling us your travel wishes and your one-on-one travel advisor designing the unique trip for you with their insider expertise.

Once we receive your request, one of our travel consultants will get back to you ASAP, typically within 24 hrs. Your travel consultant will then listen and learn about your travel style, your schedule, your budget, and your aspirations for your Silk Road travel plans. Based on this, she/he will provide you with a custom itinerary or a small group journey that suits your needs perfectly.

Plus, know your trip is taken care of by your 1-on-1 travel advisor with round-the-clock support should you need to alter your itinerary anytime.

Best Local Guides

Our locally-based guides narrate the Silk Road’s history and stories. They also provide with you insider tips, show you all the secret places, and introduce you to the locals.

Our best-selected guides are local people living in the cities along the Silk Road. During your trip, be it a private tour or a small group, they offer more than just things you can learn from the guidebooks, they try to give you a real insight into the Silk Route.

Whether you are traveling with kids or seniors, our guides are very patient and always pay close attention to every detail.

Local Drivers & Vehicles

All our Silk Road tours use well-maintained and air-conditioned vehicles. Different types of vehicles, from cars to vans are selected depending on your group size and tour style. We also offer off-road vehicles for desert adventures.

Our experienced local drivers are familiar with the local road conditions of rough terrain, including desert highways and mountainous areas. They can easily navigate the roads, guaranteeing a comfortable and safe journey. Plus, they are well trained in a professional manner, being friendly and helpful.

Handpicked Hotels

Checking in and checking out the accommodations along the Silk Road every year, we hand-pick the best collection of accommodations.

The accommodations we choose include luxury, boutique, or comfortable hotels in major cities, comfortable or basic hotels in remote towns, and caravanserais and camping sites that offer a unique experience.

It’s your decision about where to stay that best suits your tastes and budget. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Silk Road Foods

We also hand-pick restaurants with a variety of local cuisines, from Uyghur cuisine to Shaanxi Cuisine, to enrich your Silk Road travel experience.

Savor authentic Northwest Chinese, Uyghur, and Central Asian cuisines with the signature dishes and snacks. From delicious mutton soups to a wide range of noodles and a taste of the local “bread” like Roujiamo and naan, enjoy an expansive menu featuring local flavors.

Please let us know if you have any dietary allergies or what foods (e.g. Western foods) you or your kids enjoy.

Check What our delighted customers are saying about our services

Our 10-day mid Oct Silk Road trip was magical. Lenna at China Silk Road Tours took us through 3 customized our itinerary. We witnessed breathtaking sights along the way, including a Lake in a desert, snow-capped mountains, unreal layer-cake hills, ancient Silk Road ruins, Buddhist grottoes, museums… We enjoy the good meals, nice hotels and comfortable transport with professcional English-speaking guides.
Traveler634605
December 2024
It was a really great Silk Road trip with varying sights and experiences. W love the beautiful alpine mountains..and enjoy the desert experience with camel riding and the full Monti. The
Food arranged was great again. We always like the travel experience, together with different regional cuisines.
Bigg Caesar
October 2024
In Thailand, I run a travel agency. When travelling to the Gansu Silk Road, always use this agency. I think Sophia is an excellent trip operator. quick to respond to messages and attentive to every detail. We are unable to plan quality travel without a competent tour operator. Sally is the best guide as well; she is incredibly knowledgable and pays close attention to every aspect. I’d want to give these two girls a big thank you.
Anothai L
October 2024
Silk Road Tours was able to deliver with both excellence and value—thank you for a wonderful trip! Sophia responded to all requests with excellent suggestions and follow-through. We are a couple of over 60 years old who are very experienced travellers. Our travel style is to find good local guides and/or tours that offer excellent guidance with good value. We were able to travel efficiently with both high speed trains and a comfortable and private car.
Travel745
September 2024
In September, Sophia organised a party of 11 of us to travel the Silk Road from Urumqi to Lanzhou. The vacation was fantastic; the hotel accommodations, the history of each area we visited, and the scenery were all thoughtfully prepared for us. Sophia, thank you!
BYTKWAN
September 2024