8 Days Silk Road Xinjiang Tour from Kashgar to Zhangye

Welcome to Kashgar! Today you will catch the flight to Kashgar. We will meet you at the airport. Transfer to your hotel and check in. Have a good rest or enjoy your free time in this exotic city.

The tour starts with the nice buffet in the hotel, drives about 4hrs to Karakul Lake around 09:00. After 1hr's driving, we will stop at Opal village for a rest where you may stroll around the local bazaar with the feeling of the traditional local lifestyle.

Continue to enjoy the majestic views of the Sand dunes, mountains, and sandstone valley along the Karakorum Highway, the Hindu Kush Mountains and the Himalayas. It is the world's tallest cross-border roads and most thrilling corridors. Trekking around the Karakul Lake with enjoy the magnificent landscape and the nomadic lifestyle of the local Kirghiz in their yurts.

Back to Kashgar in the afternoon.

Today meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby, then we will do full day Kashgar city excursion. we will visit the Idigar Mosque, the largest Mosque in China and the most sacred mosque for the locals to practise their Islamic activities.

Around 10:30 we have to visit the Old Town when the open ceremony ready to greeting all the tourists with the culture show, further exploration to the special culture and experience the lifestyle with the arrangements of the visiting to the local Uighur Family. Lunch arranged in the local Restaurant.

Then wandering to the bustling Handicraft street, dazzling jewelry, primitive pottery,unique musical instrument, daily resources of the locals. Continue our trip to visit Apakh Hoja Tomb. Legend has it that there was a woman buried here named Ipar Khan, who was the beloved consort of Emperor Qianlong. Due to her common aroma of wild jujube flowers, people called her "Xiangfei".

After visiting, say goodbye to Kashgar and take a soft sleeper train to Turpan. 

This morning, head up to the Karez Well irrigation system that produce the best melons and grapes in China. Then, drive all the way to Oasis Turpan that we will pass by the wind power station and vast Gobi desert in 3hrs. Then continue to Tuyoq Valley, an ancient oasis-village. We will have lunch in the local Uygur family before exploring this traditional village surrounded by the impressive grape trellis and the stories of the adventurers all of the world.

Following is the visiting to Sugong Minaret, a conduit for cultural exchange between different ethnic and religious groups.

Today's tour end up with the 2hrs's exploration of Jiaohe Ruins, resembles Pompei, but 300 years older，a Chinese archaeological site found in the Yarnaz Valley, 10 km west of the city of Turpan and a natural fortress located atop a steep cliff on a leaf-shaped plateau between two deep river valleys where you can experience the way of life of the Uygur ancestors.

Say goodbye to Turpan and then 4 hours train ride to Liuyuan Station, Dunhuang. Upon arrivel, we will drive you to hotel downtown for rest.

In the evening, we will take a walk in the Shazhou Night Market, where is a distinctive local attraction, you can taste the local cuisine and relax here. In addition to local specialties, there are many handicrafts waiting for you to discover.

This morning, you will meet your guide and other group members at the hotel lobby. our first stop is the "cultural treasure" — Mogao Grottoes. Start with the 4D movie tracing back to the thousands of years Chinese history. Then we will visit 8 grottoes with the introducing of the professional guide. Here you can enjoy the magnificent grottoes and mural art, and get to know the history of Buddhism in Dunhuang through explanation and film display, which is the best option for tourists to travel here.

After lunch, then we will head to Echoing Sand Mountain. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make a loud sound. There is also a Crescent Lake that has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. The camel riding in the vast desert and sand sliding are highly recommended.

After enjoying your buffet at hotel, today we will take the bullet train to Zhangye to visit Danxia National Geological Park. which is the most typical arid area of northern China. Ribbons of reds, oranges and yellows slice through the rock, to create a rainbow vista contained only by the contours of the jagged mountain peaks. So many people also call it "Rainbow Mountain". 

After breakfast in the morning, we are going to visit to Mati Temple, which was built in Jin Dynasty. We are about to drive 2hrs to the site. A series of horse shoe prints are visible in Grotto 9, which are said to be left by a heaven horse. Hence, the temple was named for the horseshoe prints left by the legendary heaven horse, which become the treasure of the temple.

After the visiting, we will transfer you to airport to catch your flight back to your sweet home. Wish you a pleasant journey home!