16 Days Aerjinshan Discovery Adventure

Meet guide and check in the hotel and then there will be a meeting about the tour. And enjoy the Uygher Show in Erdaoqiao Market.

 After breakfast we drive to Turpan, Visit Gaochang ruin city, the Flaming Mountain and in the afternoon we visit Grape Valley, Karez irrigation system, Jiaohe ruin city and the local 

Jiaohe Ruined, The Jiaohe Ruins is located on a mesa in willow leaf shape between the Yarnaz River valleys 10 kilometers to the west of Turfan City. Running from northwest to southeast, 1760 meters long and 300 meters across at the widest part. The city includes city gates, streets and lanes, government office, temples, domestic houses, cave houses, wells, and an underground temple.

Karez Irrigation System, The Karez System is a unique irrigation system in Turfan, which, taking advantage of the slopes, draws the underground water to flow by itself to irrigate farmland. It consists of four parts: vertical wells, underground channels, ground canals and small reservois.

Our adventure start today. In the morning head to Korler and visit the Bosten Lake, and the Irion Gate Pass. Free in the evening, and you can have a walk along the Peacock River and know more about the local’s life.

After breakfast drive to Ruoqiang, and visit the Lop Nur Village, enjoy the splendid Taklamgan Desert and know about the life style of the locals in the desert. Take a photo of the ancient Diversfilo-poplar. Arrive in Ruoqiang in the afternoon.

In the morning visit the Loulan Museum, and the Photo Exhibition of Lop Nur and Ancient Loulan Ruins, Aerjinshan Natural Reserve, then head to Yitunbulak Town.

Today we have to across the Rugged Kumu Daban and Tashi Daban, driving on the winding mountain road, even some place destroyed by the flood. The sea level of Tashi Daban is 4200ms, it is the hub of the main ridge in Aerjinshan Mountain, when you are crossing the Daban, and there is a platform for parking. You can have a bird-view of the whole reserve. And we still have the chance to see the Argali sheep, the argali, or the mountain sheep (species Ovis ammon) is a wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia (Himalaya, Tibet, Altay). It is also the biggest wild sheep, standing as high as 120 cm (47 in) and weighing as much as 180 kg (400 lb). The Pamir argali (also called Marco Polo sheep, for they were first described by that traveler) may attain more than 6 ft (1.8 m) in length.

     Travel Tips:

    1, the road condition is bad, the driver must be very careful.

    2, there wont petrol station, so you have to prepare enough petrol in Yitunlak.

    3, There is no road in Reserve area because of the influence of the weather, and snow. In addition to other self-provision, there will not have any external assistance.

After breakfast drive to Aerjinshan Nature Reserve. It is the largest Mountain Nature Reserve. You can enjoy the picturesque landscape. There are spectacular alpine desert and dozensn of alpine lakes, which offers great opportunity for scientific research and exploration.

     Travel Tips:

    1, the driving is very hard, the road is consists of the rivers, mud, marshes, gully, snow-slopes, daban and etc.

    2, We have access to the external area of the Reserve, so it is occasionally to meet with wild yak and Tibetan wild ass. But please don’t take too much time on them, otherwise we cant get to the destination on time, and you can visit more and more in the following days.

    3, Wild ass can be seen, which color is the same with the mountain around, you will miss them closely if you are not careful. The asses are used to chasing the vehicles. We should be avoiding the contest, so that hurt them.

    4, the permit needed today. Other wise you can’t be continue your adventure, but be fined.

    5, we overnight in Qimantag county where inhabitated by about 10 families, living on the pastoral life very far from the modern society.

After breakfast, head to Kardun pastureland, and you can see many rare animals including the wild Yark, Tibetan Gazelle, Tibetan Ass.

     Travel Tips:

    1, there is a nice lake at the south of the Qimantag County, at dawn of the autumn, a large number of birds on the lake fly

    2, I am so sorry that I realized how poor my English is to describe the picturesque of the view. The spring in the desert, the river in the desert, alpine lakes, pastureland, rare birds, variety of the wild ass. What a kind of views.

    3, Ayakumu Lake is a mountain lake which is never frozen with the sea level of 3876ms. It is the lowest point of the Reserve; the lake is 45kilometers long and 10kilometers wide. To the east, there is a cliff Stone Mountain, to the west, there is a mountain in the shape of Pyramid with the sea level of 4400ms. We will drive along the north shore of the lake, please be careful, don’t fall into it.

Enjoy the platue view; experience the heaven of the wild animals

After breakfast, visit the Ayakeku Lake which inhabitated by the variety of the birds.

Today we have to drive about 5000ms, there is almost no path, we have to drive climb the slope. Cross the Daban, visit the Aqikeku Lake and the Kunlun mountain just stand by you.

Kunlun Mountain with the sea level of 5000ms, there exist large glacier, which bring life to the mountain area. Whale Lake is 37kms from east to west, 7.6kms from south to north, covers the area of 260kms, with the sea level of 4708kms, the whole lake shaped in a Whale that is the name comes from. The lake is not a salty lake that’s why the animals and birds prefer to live there.

Back to Aqikeku Lake

Back to Yitunbulak Town

After breakfast drive to Dunhuang, and check in the hotel upon arrival and have a good rest there. After dinner walking along the Shazhou Night Market.

Visit Mogao Grottoes, Echoing-Sand Mountain and the Crescent Lake, Camel Riding

Mogao Grottoes : Constructed over a millennium, from the 4th to the 14th centuries, the caves hold the world's richest treasure house of Buddhist sutras, murals and sculptures.Cameras are not permitted.

Echoing-Sand Mountain : Crescent Moon Spring is 6km south of Dunhuang in the Singing Sands Mountains and is quite literally an oasis in the desert. The spring's name derives from the crescent moon shape taken by the small pool of spring water between two large sand dunes. Although the area is very dry, the pool doesn't dry up as one might expect.

You will be transferred to the airport based on your flight time