Tour Features: Dunhuang City, an obvious pearl on the Silk Road, situated in the common boundary of Gansu Province, Qinghai Province and Xinjiang Province. Dunhuang, long ago referred to as 'Sha Zhou' (beautiful desert oasis), was the center of trade between China and its western neighbors in ancient times. At that time, it was the most westerly frontier military garrison in China. With the flourishing trade along the Silk Road, Dunhuang was prompted to become the most open area in international trade in Chinese history. Today, Dunhuang is a typical tourist city, clean and beautiful. By touring around this amzing land, you can experience the main attractions in Dunhuang and know more about Chinese history.

Day by Day Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Dunhuang (-, L, -)

Upon arrival in Dunhuang, your tour guide will meet you at Dunhuang Airport and transfer you to your hotel by private car. The rest of the day is yours to relax, or step out into this amazing city for an adventure on your own.

Day 2: Mogao Caves, Dunhuang Folk Art Museum, Echoing-Sand Mountain (Mingsha Shan), Crescent Moon Lake, (-, L, -)

Today you will start your tour with visiting Mogao Caves, 25 km (15 miles) southeast of Dunhuang, which is acclaimed as “a glittering pearl that adorns the Silk Road,” is the most famous grottoes in China and known as the world’s greatest treasure house of Buddhist art extant today. The 492 cells and sanctuaries in Mogao are famous for their statues and wall paintings, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art.

Then visit the Dunhuang Folk Art Museum, which is an important place to specifically display the cultural life and residential construction of Dunhuang, a good place to learn more about the history and folklore of China.

Then you will move to Echoing-Sand Mountain (Mingsha Shan), which tower several hundred feet high, look like a golden dragon winding its way over the horizon, and it was named after the sound made as the grains of sand are crunched under foot.

Finally you will go to Crescent Moon Lake (Crescent Spring), a crescent-shaped freshwater lake in the oasis that has been a vital source of water for thousands of years. It is praised as the first spring in the desert.

Day 3: Yumenguan Pass, Great Wall of Han Dynasty, Hecang Fortress, South Pass (Yang Guan) (-, L, -)

Today you will go to Yumenguan Pass, which was a pass through which the Silk Road passed, served as a bridge between Asia and Europe, provided an opportunity to the economic and cultural exchanges between the east and west.

Then, visit the Great Wall of Han Dynasty, constructed in 127 BC, which looks like a dragon winding its way comfortably in the far-flung desert. This is the only part of the Great Wall that was made of earth with reed. After that, you will move to Hecang Fortress, which was once a vital supply depot for the Chinese military.

Finally you will proceed to South Pass (Yang Guan), one of the two important western passes (the other one is Yumenguan Pass) in Western Han Dynasty (206BC -24AD). It was used as an outpost and westernmost administrative center in ancient China and was established as a frontier defense post.

Day 4: Western Thousand Buddha Caves, Dunhuang Film City, White Horse Pagoda (-, L, -)

You will go to Western Thousand Buddha Caves, located in the west of Mogao Grottoes and dug in a cliff on the bank of the Dang River. There are 16 caves, more than 800 sq m (about 8,611 sq ft) wall paintings, and 34 painted clay statues and considered Duahuang Buddhist art.

Next, visit Dunhuang Film City, resembling Shazhou City of Song Dynasty. You can still find the imitations of ancient constructions, such as Dunhuang governor's apartment, temples, stores, shops, hotels, restaurants, residential houses and so on.

At last, you will proceed to White Horse Pagoda, which was built in memory of a horse belonging to a monk, who came from the Silk Road kingdom of Kuqa. It keeps its original beauty and regarded as "scenery within the scenery".

Day 5: Jiayuguan(-, L, -)

Today you will have an excursion to Jiayuguan, 385 KM from Dunhuang, which was traditionally regarded as China's final outpost, the last point of civilization before the desert.

Day 6: Jiayuguan Pass, Overhanging Great Wall , Wei-Jin Mural Brick Tomb(-, L, -)

Today y ou will visit Jiayuguan Pass, known as "Impregnable Defile Under Heaven", located 4 km west of Jiayuguan City, which is the western terminus of the Great Wall, as well as the most magnificent and best-preserved pass along the Ming Great Wall.

Then, visit Overhanging Great Wall, which is an extended part of the Jiayuguan Pass, and was once an important component in the medieval military defense system. The wall was built by using local gravel and yellow earth and appears very like a dragon overhanging the slope.

Finally you will move to Wei-Jin Mural Brick Tomb, which is a big tomb group with over 1,400 tombs built from the Wei and Jin eras (220-420 AD). It is renowned as the largest subterranean art gallery in the world, whose bricks are painted with celebratory scenes.

Day 7: Leave Jiayuguan (-, -, -)

Today you will be driven to the airport for your flight to your next destination.

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

Dunhuang: International Hotel, 4 Star
Jiayuguan: Great Wall Hotel, 4 Star