The Ancient Silk Road Tour

Day 1 ARRIVE IN BEIJING

Upon arrival in Beijing; our tour guide will meet you at the customs exit of Beijing airport holding a welcome sign board with your name on it. The guide will assist your transfer to the hotel and help you check in. The rest of the day is on your own and can be used for relaxing or exploring the city.

Day 2 BEIJING (AB, L, SD)

This morning you’ll visit the Temple of Heaven, one of China’s most photographed attractions. This ornate wooden structure was where the “Sons of Heaven”, as the Chinese Emperors were known, worshipped the gods and prayed for good harvests. It is the largest temple complex in China and the lovely park surrounding the ancient tower is a popular spot for morning Tai Chi. After lunch you’ll forget about the skyscrapers and construction cranes of modern Beijing as you venture into Hutong, where the atmosphere of Old Peking lives on. You’ll bicycle or ride rickshaws down narrow lanes and alleyways, past vegetable markets, traditional medicine shops and wooden teahouses. Tonight's special dinner will be Beijing Duck, served at an original century-old restaurant.
Optional program: A lively Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre.

	Riding on the desert

Day 3 BEIJING / URUMQI (AB, L, -)

After a restful night sleep, you will take a morning flight to Urumqi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This unique air route geographically covers the 2 world biggest deserts, many high and dry or snowcapped mountains, valleys and canyon. Arrive in Urumqi around noontime and drive 60 km southwest to South Hill Pasture land (Nanshan Pasture land), where you will visit the minority families of Kazakstanian, Uzbekistanian, Kyrgyzatanian and chat with them in their yurts while drink strong Milk Tea & home-made snacks. After back to Urumqi. Enjoy your leisure time at the fascinating bazaar in the city. Here, you'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets and more.  
 
Day 4 URUMQI (AB, L, SD)

Today’s excursion you will drive 120 km northeast to the Heavenly Lake (Tianchi Lake), with an elevation of 2,600 m. The beautiful lake is flanked by rugged pines and cypresses, with melted clear waters reflecting the surrounding of snow capped Heavenly Mountain-Peak of Boghanar at an elevation of 5,446 m. The peak is always regarded as the holy mountain by all Turks in the Mid-Asia. You will cruise on the lake and take a golf cart circle around the lake. Then you will return to the city and visit the Provincial Museum to view the incredible mummies from over 2,000 years ago, which really tells us mystery history unfound in the books. Time permitting, you visit the Redhill Park. Attend a special roast lamb dinner in the evening.

	Idgar Mosque

Day 5 URUMQI / TURFAN (AB, L, D)

Today you will drive for 2.5 hours southeast from Urumqi to Turpan in the morning. On the way you will see a village located at the valley of Heavenly Mountain, which was a very prosperous caravan city called Daban Cheng, because from there the caravan has to cross the Heavenly Mountain and the whole Gebi Desert without any villages & towns in couple of months. You will also see a field with thousands of fan tower standing in the valley, newly built for producing power. Turpan is an Uighur town set in a large oasis surrounded by desert and dry mountains. Upon arrival, you will visit the mysterious Death City---Jiaohe Ruins, which reveals traces of a prosperous ancient trading center and military stronghold 1,600 years ago, and it used to be the most frontal barrier in the west for centuries. And then you will visit the Ancient Karez Underground water supply & irrigation system and its museum. Turpan is famous throughout China for its big and sweet grapes and gourds, you will take a tour of the Grape Valley where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the sweetest grapes in the world.
Optional program: Enjoy a local minority singing and dancing show in the evening.

Day 6 TURFAN / URUMQI / KASHGAR (AB, L, -)

Morning visit Suleiman’s Minaret, The Flaming Mountain and Bezelik Thousand Buddha Grottoes. In the afternoon back to Urumqi and take evening flight to Kashigar.

Day 7 KASHGAR / URUMQI (AB, L, -)

Today’s excursion you will visit the Idigar Mosque, the largest mosque in Xinjiang and the centre of the Moslem activities. If this day is Sunday, you can also visit Sunday Morning Moslems Pray. It is incredible scene that thousands of Moslems kneel down on the streets and the squares facing to the temple. Then you will visit temple & the tombs of the Fragrant Concubine. Take evening flight back to Urumqi.

Day 8 URUMQI / DUNHUANG(AB, L, -)

Today you will take a morning flight to Dunhuang, one of the most important crossroads on the Silk Road. You will visit the famed Mogao Grottoes, known as the “Oriental Pearl of Art”. The grottoes honeycomb a 1,600 meters long cliff overlooking a river valley, located 25 km southwest from Dunhuang. It is the world's most important sites of ancient Buddhist Culture. The grottoes, also known as Caves of the Thousands Buddha, preserve nearly one thousand years of Buddhist cave-temple architecture, clay sculpture, mural paintings, and manuscripts, dating from the 5th to 14th century. Over 426 caves are very enormously in size and contain numberless clay sculptures and more than 45,000 square meters of mural paintings, all are national treasures the jews of the world. After that, if time permits, you will visit the White Horse Pagoda.

Day 9 DUNHUANG (AB, L, -)

Today you will drive 2 hours west forward across the desert to Yumen Guan (Jade Gate Pass), which was the west terminal of Great Wall built in Han Dynasty 2,100 years ago. In the afternoon, you will return back to the city and visit Crescent Moon Lake & Sounding Dune with a camel ride to see the sunset. Enjoy the rest of the day for leisure.

	Mogao Grottoes

Day 10 DUNHUANG / XI’AN (AB, L, SD)

This morning you will take a flight to Xi’an, the ancient capital city for 11 dynasties in Chinese history. Upon arrival in Xi'an, you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Shanxi Provincial Museum of History. Tonight you will be served a delicious dumpling dinner banquet.
Optional program: Enjoy the on-stage performance of Tang Dynasty dance and music in the evening.

Day 11 XI’AN (AB, L, -)

Today you’ll visit the excavation site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors, which many people consider the high point of their trip to China. More than 6000 soldiers, ministers and horses, each individually sculpted from a real life model, stand guarding Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s still unopened tomb. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the site, get a good look at the warriors from various vantage points and visit the excellent museum. You will then take a tour of the well-preserved ancient City Wall and the Bell Tower, the emblem of Xi'an City. The remainder of the day will be left free for your leisure.

Day 12 XI’AN / SHANGHAI (AB, L, -)

This morning you will take a flight to Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, often regarded as the Paris of the East. Upon your arrival in Shanghai, you will take an excursion to Zhujiajiao, a water village near Shanghai with a history of more than 1000 years. You will experience the serene country lifestyle of the local residents, and immerse yourself in the “old world” architecture and the local customs that have been well preserved.
Optional program: In the evening you enjoy a wonderful Acrobatic Show.

Day 13 SHANGHAI (AB, L, SD)

Today’s excursion takes you to Yuyuan Garden, the Bund, the bustling Nanjing Road, and the well-known Shanghai Museum of Art and History, which ranks among the great museums of the world. In the evening, attend a farewell dinner of Shanghai cuisine, followed by a cruise on Huangpu River to enjoy a fascinating night view of Shanghai.

Day 14 DEPART FROM SHANGHAI (AB)

You will be free on this day until the time for your personal guide to escort you to the airport for your flight home.

Itinerary: AB: American Breakfast   L: Lunch   D: Dinner   SD: Special Dinner