Silk Road Journey (from Beijing to Kashgar)

  Beijing is the capital of the P.R. China. The city, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government with 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts. As a city combining both modern and traditional architecture, Beijing is a megacity rich in history, exemplified in its global influence in politics, economy, education, history, culture, and technology. You will have a 6 pm group meeting at your hotel, and there will be more information about the meeting when you arrive at the hotel. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask at reception. Your group meeting will include details about your trip, followed by an orientation walk and included dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)  Included activities:  Private airport transfer, Group meeting  Meals Included: Peking Duck dinner  

  This morning we'll take a private bus to visit Great Wall - Mutianyu Section (approx. 2hrs), one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall with 22 towers winding along the mountain ridges. Spend quality time exploring and learning the history of the Great Wall of China as well as enjoy the view at Huairou county the suburban area of Beijing. The great idea is to bring a picnic lunch with you to enjoy at the top the wall during a rest break. We will back to downtown Beijing. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities:  Mutianyu Great Wall Excursion  Meals Included:  Breakfast  

  Today we’ll explore the the famous sights in Beijing. There will be a lot of walking today as well as using public the subway to get around. After breakfast, we will take the metro to Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares, home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great hall of the People. Then enter the Forbidden City, built from 1406 to 1420, a ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for more than 500 years. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed by UNESCO as the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. After the Forbidden City, we will stroll in the alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyards known by Hutong and experience the local lifestyle of Old Beijing.  Then private transfer to the train station board on an overnight train to Xi'an. Accommodation: Overnight soft sleeper (first class) train Included Activities: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Walking tour of Hutong area Meals Included: Breakfast  

  Upon arrival, private bus to our downtown hotel. Xi'an an ancient imperial capital and eastern departure point of the Silk Road, Xi'an (formerly Chang’an) has long been a critical crossroads for people from throughout China, Central Asia, and the Middle East, and thus a hub of diverse ethnic identities and religious beliefs. Today we will visit the Great Mosque in Muslim quarter. The Great Mosque of Xi'an is the most significant mosque in China. It was constructed during the Hongwu reign of the Ming dynasty, with further additions during the Qing dynasty. Previous religious complexes are known to have stood on the same site, dating to as early as the Tang dynasty. Then we will take a walk around Muslim quarter, lively markets, and Bell & Drum Tower. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Walking tour - Bell and Drum Tower, Muslim quarter, The Grand Mosque Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch  

  Today we will visit the Terracotta Warriors by private bus. You’ll learn all about this incredible archaeological find, discovered in 1976 by farmers digging a well, after being buried for 2,000 years. Three main pits are open for you to view, where just under 2,000 of the total 6,000 warriors – each individually sculpted from clay, each having a different costume, height, and even facial expressions – stand in battle formation. The scale is incredibly impressive. After the tour, we will enjoy a lunch in a local village. Then you visit the ancient City Wall, the most significant and best-preserved wall extant in China now, running over 13 kilometers around Xian.  In the evening, private transfer to train station and board on an overnight train to Jiayuguan. Accommodation: Overnight soft sleeper (first class) train Included activities: Terracotta Warriors, The Ancient city wall Meals Included: Breakfast  

  We will arrive at Jiayuguan around noon. Upon arrival private transfer to the hotel. Jiayuguan has a history of 630 years. In 1372, during the Ming Dynasty, a fortress was built to protect the last frontier of the Chinese empire. It was entirely built up in 1540 and became a small township engaged in local trading, catering to the needs of the military garrisons stationed at the fort. The city was used to be the pass of the famous Silk Road and the first pass at the west end of the Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty. Today we will visit Jiayuguan Pass of Great Wall: the Jiayuguan Pass represents the western starting point of a section of the Great Wall constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The pass covers an area of 33,500 square meters (eight acres) and lies at the base of a narrow valley, and takes its name from one of the surrounding hills, the Jiayu. Commonly referred to as the most exceptional example of its kind on earth, the pass is the best preserved of the Great Wall's ancient military fortresses. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Jiayuguan Pass of Great Wall Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch  

  This morning private bus to Dunhuang (5hrs). Dunhuang was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road and is famous for the nearby Mogao Caves, also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes. This afternoon we will visit Ming-Sha Dunes and Crescent Lake.  Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Ming-Sha Dunes and Crescent Lake Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch  

  We will visit Mogao Caves in the morning; the Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China. In the afternoon, we will go to Dunhuang, the city was founded by Emperor Wudi of the Han dynasty in 111 BC at the cross roads of two trading routes on the Silk Road, and the name 'Dunhuang', meaning to 'to flourish and prosper,' gives some indication of the town's prominence in ancient China. Afterwards, we will visit Dunhuang Museum. Dunhuang Museum is a comprehensive topography one principally exhibits historic and cultural relics. After the tour we will head to Turpan by bullet train. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities: The Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, Dunhuang Museum Meals Included: Breakfast  

  Located at the junction of the east and the west of China, Turpan is a marvelous city combining Western and Eastern religions and culture entirely.  It has been a critical point on the Silk Road since ancient times, with a large number of historical relics and unique landscapes. The abundant sunshine provides the fruit with ideal conditions to grow. The fruit here is widely famous for its high sugar content, especially the grapes. Thus, Turpan praised as the 'Hometown of Grapes'. We will visit Grape Valley, Karez Waterways the famous underground irrigation system, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, and Flaming Mountains. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Grape Valley and Karez Waterways, Flaming Mountains, Bezelik Grottos Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch  

  After breakfast, visit the Jiaohe Ruins. It is a natural fortress located atop a cliff, and a Chinese archaeological site found in the Yarnaz Valley. It is the largest, oldest and best preserved ancient capital city relics in the world. In 2014, the Jiaohe Ruins became part of the Silk Road UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Then explore the old palaces ruins at the Ancient City of Gaochang, which is the site of a ruined, ancient oasis city on the northern rim of the inhospitable Taklamakan Desert. Gaochang used to be a kingdom and a busy trading center, stopping point for merchant traders traveling on the Silk Road. It destroyed in wars during the 14th century. Later in the afternoon, pay a visit to the Emin Minaret, a tower stands by the Uyghur mosque. With a height of 44 m, it is the tallest minaret in China. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities:Guided tour of Jiaohe Ruins, Gaochang Ruins, and Emin Minaret Meals Included: Breakfast  

  Today we will take a private bus to Urumqi. Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It was a major hub on the Silk Road in Tang dynasty. We will explore the International Grand Bazaar, one of the most famous landmarks in Urumqi. Accommodation:  Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Grand Bazaar Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch  

  After breakfast seat back and relax, enjoying the spectacular drive to Heavenly Lake.   On the way, you can see mirages in the Turpan basin, then climb through a high mountain pass, switch-backing up the peak of the Tian Shan Mountains. By morning you will have descended down the other side into the Tarim basin, skirting the northern edge of the sandy Taklamakan desert, passing isolated communities eking out a living in a harsh environment. Tonight we will board on overnight train to Kashgar. Accommodation: Overnight soft sleeper (first class) train Included activities: Heavenly Lake  Meals Included: Breakfast  

  Kashgar is a city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in China’s far west. It was a stop on the Silk Road, with its history stretching over 2,000 years. We will visit famous Sunday Market. For centuries, the Kashgar Sunday Bazaar in western Xinjiang has been a meeting place for locals, merchants and travllers along the Silk Road. Altough the primary purpose of the bazaar has histotically been to sell goods - everything from horses and camels to silk and household iteams - the reality is that people gather at the Kashgar market for one reason: the exotic and exhilarating environment! Accommodation:  Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Kashgar Sunday Market Meals Included: Breakfast  

  Start the tour of Kashgar from Id Kah Mosque, meaning place of festivities, which located on the central square. It is built in 1442, the largest mosque in China. Every Friday, it houses nearly 10,000 worshippers and may accommodate up to 20,000. There is a group of old Islamic constructions with strong ethnic style and religious features. Then continue the visit to the Tomb of Abakh Khoja. It said that the granddaughter of Abakh Khoja presented to Emperor Qianlong as an imperial concubine. After she died, her remains were escorted back to Kashgar and buried in the tomb. Spend the rest of the day wandering through the old town, which is the best place to experience the daily life of the locals as well as the traces of history. Traditional workshops are scattered at the corners, making pottery products, colorful caps, and other folk handicrafts. Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) Included activities: Id Kah Mosque, Tomb of Abakh Khoja, Kashgar old town Meals Included:  Breakfast and dinner  

  Depart at any time. Additional Notes: From Kashgar, there are flights to different regions of China. You can return to Beijing, continue to Shanghai, Chengdu, or Hong Kong. Most flights connect in Urumqi. Meals Included: Breakfast