Ten-day Silk Road Tour

    As the starting point of the silk road, Xi’an is one of the oldest cities in China. It was chosen to be the capital of ancient China by founding emperors of thirteen dynasties, such as the Western Zhou Dynasty(1046B.C.-771B.C.), the Qin Dynasty(221B.C.-207B.C.), the Western Han Dynasty(202B.C.-8A.D.) and the Tang Dynasty(618-907). Nowadays, the city has become the primary aviation hub in Northwestern China. Xi’an Xianyang International Airport operates flights to 70 overseas terminals and more than 100 cities within Mainland China. The international terminals include Paris, Prague, Madrid, Melbourne, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, etc. Travelers can also fly or take bullet trains to Xi’an from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and some other cities within Mainland China. When you arrive at Xi’an, your guide and driver will pick you up at the airport or the railway station and escort you to your hotel in Xi’an.

    After breakfast, your will ride a private car or coach to visit the Terracotta Warriors. During your tour at the site, you may also get a rare opportunity to make a miniature terracotta warrior with your own hands under instructions given by local potters. In the afternoon, you will return to downtown Xi’an and visit some sightseeing spots in the city, including the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the Ancient City Wall. An optional activity recommended to you is to watch a wonderful Tang-Palace dance show after dinner.

    The site of the Terracotta Warriors is located 40 kilometers(25 miles) to the east of downtown Xi’an. There are over 8,000 life-size statues in three vaults. The warriors, horses and chariots are lined up and divided into cavalry and infantry units. All the statues were made and buried over 2,000 years ago. In March, 1974, some peasant farmers discovered several statues of warriors, when they were digging a well nearby the site. They reported the discovery to the government. Then, some archaeologists came and unearthed the vaults. The statues served as the funerary items for Emperor Qin-Shihuang, the first emperor in Chinese history. As one of the top three attractions in Mainland China, the assemblage of Terracotta Warriors and Horses has been billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World and added to the list of world cultural heritage sites by UNESCO in 1987.

    The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is situated at Cien Monastery. It was built by Master Xuanzang in the year of 652. The master traveled to India and brought Buddha’s holy books and statues back to China. The pagoda used to be the place where all of the statues and books were preserved. It is a seven-storied pagoda, is 64.5 meters(211.6 feet) in height.

    In Xi’an, the Ancient City Wall is one of the main magnets for visitors. It is one of the few well-preserved defensive constructions which have survived in the world. The wall was initially built in the Tang Dynasty(618-907) and reconstructed in the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). It is 12 meters high(39 feet) and 13.74 kilometers(8.5 miles) long.

    In the morning, you will go to visit Shaanxi History Museum. The museum covers an area of 6.5 hectares(16 acres) and houses over 1.71 million historical curiosities. As the first modernized museum in Mainland China, Shaanxi History Museum has become one of the must-see attractions in Xi’an.

    After lunch, you will be transferred to Xi’an North Railway Station, and then take a bullet train to Lanzhou. The distance between Xi’an and Lanzhou is about 650 kilometers(404 miles). The train departs at 1:23 P.M., and arrives at Lanzhou West Railway Station at 4:41 P.M.. The ride takes about three hours and fifteen minutes. It is highly suggested not to travel by air between two cities which are less than 1,200 kilometers from each other. Passengers do not need to wait at the airport for hours and worry about the delay of flight.

    After you finish your train ride, your guide in Lanzhou will meet you at the railway station, then guide you to visit Zhongshan Iron Bridge and take you to your Hotel in Lanzhou. Straddling the Yellow River, the bridge was built in the year of 1908, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu.  It is well-known as the First Bridge on the Yellow River.

    In the morning, you will travel to Zhangye from Lanzhou by bullet train. The distance between Lanzhou and Zhangye is about 500 kilometers(311 miles). The train leaves at 8:52 A.M., and the train ride takes about three and a half hours. When you arrive at Zhangye, your guide will take you to a local restaurant for lunch.

    After having lunch, you will ride your private car or coach to Zhangye Danxia National Geo-park. The park is located 37 kilometers(23 miles) to the west of downtown Zhangye. It is well-known as China’s Rainbow Mountain, is one of the must-go destinations for photographers. You will not miss the photographic golden hour at the Rainbow Mountain. Danxia is a special landform in China which features its spectacular view of red cliffs and rugged landscape. Developed on continental red terrigenous sedimentary beds, Danxia landform has been influenced by endogenous forces, including the upthrust, and sculpted by exogenous forces, such as the weathering and erosion.

    In the evening, you will return to downtown Zhangye and check in at your hotel.

    In the morning, you will be guided to the Giant Buddha Monastery. The temple was built in the year of 1098. It is also known as the Reclining Buddha Monastery, is the birthplace of Kublai Khan. After visiting the monastery, you will travel to the city of Jiayuguan from Zhangye. The distance between Zhangye and Jiayuguan is about 220 kilometers(137 miles), taking around three hours by car. In the afternoon, you will pay a visit to the Ancient Jiayuguan Fort and the Great Wall Museum. You will stay the night in a hotel in downtown Jiayuguan.

    Jiyuguan Fort is well-known as the No.1 Pass of the Great Wall or the Most Magnificent Fort under Heaven. It can be dated back to the year of 1372. The ancient fort covers an area of 2.5 hectares(6.17 acres). It is a complex, consisting of towers, ramparts and some other military buildings. The fortress town is enclosed by two ramparts, namely the outer rampart and the inner rampart. The outer rampart is 13.4 meters(44 feet) in height and 733 meters(2,405 feet) in circumference. It connects the fort with the Great Wall. The inner rampart is 10.7 meters(35 feet) in height and 640 meters(2,100 feet) in circumference. There are two gates built along the inner rampart. Both are huge gate towers. Visitors can climb up the walkways to the top of the rampart and the Great Wall.

    The Great Wall Museum is situated in the ancient fort. Visitors can learn much about the history of the Great Wall and Jiayuguan Fort in the museum.

    An optional activity recommended to you is to visit the Overhanging Wall before checking in at your hotel, if time allows and if you are interested. The Overhanging Wall is called Xuanbi Wall in Chinese. As a section of the Great Wall, it lies about 8 kilometers(5 miles) away from Jiayuguan Fort. The wall is built on a lofty ridge with an incredibly steep gradient. It looks like an cantilever sticking out the ridge.

    After having breakfast, you will leave Jiayuguan for the City of Dunhuang. It takes about 4 hours to get to Dunhuang from Jiayuguan by car. Dunhuang is located 370 kilometers(235 miles) to the west of Jiayuguan. You will have lunch in a local restaurant in Dunhuang and then check in at your hotel in Dunhuang. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the gorgeous view of the Echoing Sand Dune and Crescent Lake National Park. If it is a sunny day, you will not miss the photographic golden hour at the lovely sand dunes and the lake. Both the grottoes and the sand dunes are the highlights of your tour along the Silk Road.

    The Echoing Sand Dune and Crescent Lake National Park is one of the top two attractions in Dunhuang. It is also known as Mingsha Mountain and Yueyaquan Lake. The park lies in the south suburb of Dunhuang. The view of the sand dunes is amazingly gorgeous. The sand dunes often echo in sunny days. It sounds like the orchestral music. Sometimes, visitors can hear it, when they slide downhill from the top of the sand dunes. The Crescent Lake refers to a stunningly beautiful pool which is in the shape of a crescent moon. It is surrounded by the sand dunes. There is an oasis nearby the pool, small but lovely.

     An optional activity suggested to you is to watch a fascinating show which is named as the Flower and Rain of Silk Road. Another option recommended is to pay a visit to Shazhou Night Market in your free time.

    In the morning, you will ride your private car or coach to visit the world famous Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. After having lunch, you will be transferred to Liuyuan South Railway Station from Dunhuang. The railway station is located 131 kilometers(81 miles) to the northeast of Dunhuang. It takes about two and a half hours to get to the railway station by car. You have to leave Dunhuang for Liuyuan by noon, so that you can catch the bullet train which is bound for Turpan. The train departs from Liuyuan South Railway Station at 3:27 P.M., and arrives at Turpan North Railway Station at 6:48 P.M.. The distance between Dunhuang and Turpan is about 800 kilometers(497 miles). Your guide in Turpan will meet you at the exit of Turpan North Railway Station and escort you to your hotel in Turpan.

    Well-known as the oriental Louvre, Mogao Grottoes are a treasure trove of artworks and antiques. The assemblage of statues and murals has revealed the history of the Silk Road and Chinese Buddhism. It is also known as the Thousand-Buddha Grottoes. The carving project began in 366 and lasted for almost 1,000 years. The site of the grottoes is located 25 kilometers(15.5 miles) to the southeast of downtown Dunhuang. It was added to the list of world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The admission charges to the grottoes also include the access to the Digital Exhibition Centre where visitors can watch two movies. The first movie explains the history of the site and the second one is an impressive 3D movie unveiling the mystery of some grottoes at the site which are still off limits to the general public. Both the movies are about 20 minutes in length.

    In the morning, you will take your private car or coach to visit the Flaming Mountain and the Relic Site of the Ancient Gaochang’ Capital. The Flaming Mountain lies 29 kilometers(18 miles) to the east of downtown Turpan. The ridge of Flaming Mountain stretches for over 100 kilometers(62 miles) and is covered with a layer of reddish sandstone which looks like raging fire. The Relic Site of the Ancient Gaochang’s Capital is located 13 kilometers(7 miles) to the south of the Flaming Mountain. The site can be dated back to the first century. It was added to the list of national key cultural and historical relic sites in 1961.

    After lunch, you will visit the Karez Irrigation Project and travel to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. The distance between Turpan and Urumqi is about 200 kilometers(124 miles), taking around 3 hours to travel between the two cities. The Karez Irrigation Project was completed by the ancient Uighur people. It consists of wells, canals and small-sized reservoirs.

    You will spend a whole day to tour in the Heavenly Mountain and the Heavenly Lake Scenic Area. The scenic area lies 97 kilometers(60 miles) to the east of downtown Urumqi. It is a five-star level scenic area and a national geo-park. Its wonders are the snow-capped mountains, the mirror-like lake, and the folk custom of Uighur. The view of the mountain and the lake is very gorgeous.

    In the morning, you may go to visit Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar. It is the largest bazaar in the world, covering an area of 3.98 hectares(9.9 acres). The bazaar consists of four parts, namely, the Trading Centre, the Banqueting Hall and Theater, the Gastronomic Square, and the Sightseeing Tower. It was founded in the year of 2003. The bazaar is called Edaoqiao Market or Da-Bazar by locals. It features the Muslim architecture and the local specialties sold at booths. There are over 3,000 booths in the market, selling a wide range of products from fashions to fruits and nuts. The bazaar has become one of the landmarks of Urumqi and the window to showcase the whole Xinjiang Province.

    In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Urumqi Diwopu International Airport.