11 days
Easy
Day 1 Urumqi Arrival Transfer
Welcome to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Upon arrival Urumqi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Urumqi
Day 2 Urumqi to Xinjiang Museum and Tianchi, then drive to Turpan
This morning you will take 1-hour ride to Heavenly Lake, or Tianchi in Chinese, which is a high mountain lake with stunning scenery in the Tianshan Mountains. After lunch, you will visit the renown Xinjiang Museum that is famous for the well-preserved mummies, particularly Loulan Beauty and Xiaohe Princess.
Afterwards you will take 3-hour car ride to Turpan via the desert, grassland, and Tianshan highway.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 Turpan City Day Tour
Turpan is a hub on the ancient Silk Road, and therer are lots of historical sites that are renown for its well-preserved conditions. Today you will visit Bezklik Grottos, Astana Ancient Tombs, the Ancient City of Jiaohe and Gaochang, Karez Irrigation System, and Emin Minaret with a local guide. You will taste some dried fruits and eat Uyghur food.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Turpan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 Turpan to Kuqa by car
Today you will take 8-hour ride from Turpan to Kuqa, and enjoy the Tianshan mountains scenery on the car. Visit Bosteng Lake on the way.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kuqa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 Kuqa: Kizil Grottoes and Tianshan Canyon
This morning you will take one-hour ride along the ancient Silk Road to Kizil Grottoes, the earliest one in China, which was built 1700 years ago and still can see the colorful frescos and paintings in the caves. The Kizil is famous for its various Jataka stories that were painted on the diamond paintings.
Later, you will head another one hour to explore the red Tianshan Canyon, that is a 5-km long canyon in the southern Tianshan Mountains.
Afterwards you will be transferred back to Kuqa hotel.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kuqa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6 Kuqa City Tour
Today you will visit the Subash Temple ruin, which was a renown Buddhism temple in Tang Dynasty 1300 years ago. There are pagodas, halls, rooms, and walls that can tell this site used to be a huge temple. The famous monk Xuanzang in Tang Dynasty had stayed in Subash and described the temple in his journey Records of the Western Regions of the Great Tang.
Then you will visit the old town of Kuqa and Kuqa Mosque, which are different from the new city. Later you can wander around the local bazaar to view the fresh fruits, tea, snacks, and clothing etc.
Moreover, you will visit Kizilcara Beacon Tower that was built in Han Dynasty about 2000 years ago, which was the oldest well-protected beacon tower in Northern Silk Road.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kuqa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7 Kuqa to Hotian by car through Taklamakan Desert
Today you will will take a long ride for 8 hours to go across Taklamakan Desert, the biggest Desert in China, and arrive in Hotian in the evening. Enjoy the fantastic desert scenery on the way.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Hotian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 Hotian to Kashgar, visit Yarkand en route
Today you will take a long ride for 8 hours to Kashgar. En route, you will visit Amaniza Tomb and Yarkand Kingdom Tombs in Shache (Yarkand). The road is well-constructed highway, and easy to drive, and you will see the sands from time to time from Taklimakan Desert on the road.
Transport: Private Vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kashgar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9 Kashgar City Tour
Today is a busy day to explore Kashagr with a local guide. You will take the city tour by the the first stop to visit the Apa Hoja Mausoleum which was built in 1640 by local Imam for his father, and later it became a family graveyard to bury 72 people for 5 generations. The mausoleum is impressive for its delicate Uyghur architectural style including the blue tiles, the dome and the minaret.
Next, you will visit Kashgar old town to explore the interesting area where there are old houses for shops, workshops, restaurants, bakery, and tea houses etc. It displays the long history and vivid lifestyle in Kashgar from ancient Silk Road period to today. Handicraft Street is a must-see section in the old town, where the huge music instruments and bronze vessels are very impressive. You might taste some local snacks here, such as Nang Bread, grilled eggs, dried fruites etc. before visiting the old Id Ghar Mosque, the biggest mosque in Xinjiang. Enter the mosque at non-praying time to appreciate its architecture and decor, please wear long pants and cover the shoulders for ladies while visiting this mosque.
Lunch is arranged at a local Uyghur's house for you to taste the authentic and traditional Uyghur food including nang bread, hand-stretched noodles, and pilau...etc.
In the afternoon, you will wander around the Grand Bazaar in Kashgar, which is well known in Central Asia for its colorful and lively market. As a Uyghur saying goes that you can buy everything except for your parents. There are more people in the afternoon, because the farmers will drive to here from different area in the morning and buy things in the afternoon at the market. Actually the bazaar opens every day, and more people on Sunday. The animal bazaar is relocated near Kashgar Airport and opens only on Sundays. So if it is Sunday, you will also visit the Animal Bazaar as well.
When your tour is finished, you will be transferred back to your hotel.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kashgar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10 Kashgar to Karakul Day Tour
Today you will take about 4 hours by a private vehicle departing from Kashgar to Karakul Lake. You will drive along the renown friendship highway to Pamir Plateau. On the way, you will stop at Upar Uyghur town to buy some snacks and fruits before heading to the mountains. Then you will view the pretty White Sand Lake that looks like a mirror reflecting the snow-capped mountains on the lake water. After lunch, you will wander around the stunning Karakul Lake(3600 meter), which is situated beside Muztagh Summit. The mountain, the lake and the yurt around the lake create a picture of paradise. Later, you will be transferred back to Kashgar.
Transport: Private vehicle
Accommodation: Overnight in Kashgar|
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11Departing from Kashgar
Transferred to Kashagr airport to catch your flight heading for your next destination, where the wonderful Silk Road tour concludes.
Group Size: 21--15 people
Travel Season: Year around
Accommodation:
5-star hotel in city and 4 star in town
Transport: Chartered car or bus
Meals: Listed in the itinerary
Guide: English-speaking guide
Entrance Fees: Sites stated
Gratuities
China Visa Required
Passport