9 Days Xinjiang Taklamakan Ancient Silk Road Tour

Tour Overview

On this 9-day China Xinjiang tour package, discover the enchanting natural landscapes and rich history of southern Xinjiang. We will travel from Urumqi to Kashgar, Hotan, and Kucha, and explore diverse highlights including the grasslands of Southern Pasture, bustling Sunday Bazaar, and the ancient Id Kah Mosque.

Cross the vast Taklamakan Desert, visit family-run silk workshops in Hotan, and marvel at the Kizil Thousand Buddha Grottoes. At last, the private south Xinjiang tour takes you to the Subashi Ruins, tracing the region’s Silk Road legacy.

Highlights of this tour

Experience scenic grasslands, herds of cattle, and yurts, and visit a local family in Urumqi.
Visit the bustling Sunday Bazaar and the historic Id Kah Mosque.
Drive through endless sand dunes and discover oasis towns.
Admire the beautiful local handicrafts of Hotan.
Marvel at the stunning murals of the Kizil Thousand Buddha Grottoes.
Visit Hotan’s family silk workshops and the Subashi Ruins to trace the legacies of ancient civilizations.

Basic Trip Information

Travel Route: Kashgar-Hotan-Tazhong-Kucha-Urumqi

Travel Length: 9 Days and 8 Nights

Tour Code:

Group Size: Only your family or group

Suitable for: Culture lovers, nature lovers

Departure: Any day you want

Your tour – quick look

Day 1-3 Arrival, Flight to Kashgar

Stay one day in Kashgar and appreciate beautiful grassland views of Southern Pasture and visit a local family. Then take a flight to Kashgar for the city highlights including Sunday Bazaar and Id Kah Mosque.

Day 4-5 Hotan and Tazhong Tour

Drive through the desert to Hotan and learn about the silk culture in a local family-run workshop. Continue driving the heart of Taklamakan Desert to Kucha.

Day 6-9 Kucha Tour, Flight Back to Urumqi, Departure

Visit the best parts of Kucha such as Kizil Thousand Buddha Grottoes, Subashi Ruins. After that, fly back to Urumqi.

Day-to-day Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Hanoi

Welcome to this 9-day private Taklamakan Xinjiang tour! After your arrival, a local private driver in Urumqi will greet you at the airport by holding a board with your name. Then, transfer you to check into the hotel and enjoy your free time.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 2 Urumqi to Kashgar Tour by Flight
Appreciate the Scenery of the Grassland and Visit a Local Family

After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and driven to Southern Pasture. The southern Pasture boasts a nice grassland view, cattle and horses herds, and yurts for tourists to have short rest and other items full of local taste.

You can enjoy the grassland view and visit a local family. Then, we drive to visit the Xinjiang Museum. The largest comprehensive museum in Xinjiang focuses on Xinjiang’s history and costume. At last, take a flight to Kashgar and transfer to a well-selected local hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Xinjiang Museum Urumqi — Xinjiang Museum

Day 3 Kashgar Highlights Tour
Experience the Unique Culture of Southern Xinjiang

Your Xinjiang tour in Kashgar will take you to the famous Sunday Bazaar, one of the largest live animal markets in Xinjiang, open every Sunday. This is not only a trading venue, but also a large market full of various delicacies and local specialties. You can taste authentic Xinjiang cuisine here and experience the unique culture and customs of southern Xinjiang.

Next, you will be guided to visit Id Kah Mosque, founded in 1442, one of the largest mosques in Xinjiang. The architectural style is unique and combines traditional Islamic and Uyghur elements. It is not only an important place for religious activities, but also an important window for understanding Xinjiang culture and religious beliefs.

After all visits, transfer you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kashgar

Day 4 Kashgar to Hotan Tour

In the morning, board the car and drive through the desert to Hotan. In the desert, there are many little oasis towns. If you are interested, we will make a stop in some towns to pay a short visit to see the local people’s real life. In the late afternoon, arrive at Hotan and check in the hotel.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Hotan

Day 5 Hotan to Tazhong Tour
Visit a Family Silk Workshop

In history, Hotan is famous for the jade, silk, and carpet. Till today there are many family silk workshops. After breakfast, the local guide will accompany you to visit one of them. You will see how the silkworm string is used to create colorful and delicate silk products. After the visit, we will drive to Tazhong through the heart of Taklamakan Desert.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Tazhong

Day 6 Tazhong to Kucha Tour
Drive thorough the Taklamakan Desert

Continue driving for some time, we will finish Taklamakan Desert when arriving at Kucha. In the Han and Tang Dynasties, Kucha was one of the 36 kingdoms in the Xinjiang area. It is also the cradle of the Qiuzi Civilization.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kucha

Xinjiang Hetian Hotan Taklimakan Desert — Taklimakan Desert

Day 7 Best Kucha Tour
Admire the Murals of Kizil Thousand Buddha Grottoes

After hotel breakfast, we will drive for about 1 hour to Kizil Thousand Buddha Grottoes. It is located 70km from Kucha Township. The Buddhist caves here were excavated from the 3rd century to the 13th century. 236 caves and 10,000 square meters of murals are preserved. In some expert’s minds, Buddhist grottoes are more valuable than Mogao Grottoes.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Kucha

Day 8 Kucha to Urumqi Tour by Flight
Understand the Past of Subashi Ruins

Before flying back to Urumqi city, we will pay a visit to Subashi Ruins, one of the important cultural relics of the Qiuzi Kingdom. The city appeared in the 1st Century BC and in the 6th-8th Century, the city welcomed its peak time. In the 14th Century, the city was ruined by wars.

After the visit, you will take the flight back to Urumqi. Met by a local driver and transferred to the hotel in Urumqi.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Accommodation: in Urumqi

Day 9 Departure from Urumqi

Your 9-day China Xinjiang trip will end by today. After breakfast, the driver will meet you in the hotel at the confirmed time and then escort you to the airport for the flight departing Urumqi.

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?

8 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 Urumqi;

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