18 Days Grand Xinjiang and Dunhuang Tour

Today your flight will touch down in Kashgar, We will meet you at the airport exit with a welcome board and then transfer to the local hotel check in. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this city.

Today we will go to the Karakul Lake. Driving on the China and Pakistan Highway. You can enjoy the magnificent Bulongkol Lake also known as Baisha Mountain (white Sand Mountain) is located in the Pamir Plateau, a large plateau in the Pamir mountain range at an altitude of about 3500 to 5000m with mountains up to more than 7000m, located next to the Karakoram Highway, so it is one of the must stop spot on the way to Karakul lake.

The beautiful Karakul Lake where the herds of livestock around the lakeside are reflected in lake Kirghiz herdsmen usually settle down and graze their herds before shuttling you onward to Kashgar. After visiting, drive back to Kashgar in the late afternoon.

Today, before driving back to Kashgar, we will visit the Stone Fortress. The city is oval in shape and the city walls were built with sun-dried bricks on stone foundation. It is 1285 metres in circumference outside. 

Over the past few years, new wooden pathways have been constructed to allow tourist to walk these beautiful grasslands, known as the Golden Grassland. From here you can get even better photos of the Stone Fortress. Walking around the pastureland to see Local Tajiks customs. 

Today meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby, 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.

Following a lunch in the local restaurant, continue the tour to the Apak Hoja Tomb, which is the holiest place in Xinjiang and an architectural treasure. Kashgar city tour ends with the wandering to the bustling Handicraft street, dazzling jewelry, primitive pottery,unique musical instrument, daily resources of the locals. Then drive to Yarkent for overnight stay.

Today after breakfast, we will drive to Yarkent and stroll around the Yarkent Intangible Cultural Heritage Park, pay a visit to the Yarkent King Tombs. This city forms an oasis at the western end of the Taklimakan desert as a trade center. Mainly inhabited by Turkic-speaking Muslims, it has more than 120 mosques. The Uygurs are excellent at dancing. The "12 Mukams" (opera) is an epic comprising more than 340 classic songs and folk dances. After liberation, this musical treasure, which was on the verge of being lost, was collected, studied and recorded by Amannisha who is the concubine of Yarkent King. She died aged 34. After visiting, we stroll around the Yarkent Old Town, to explore the local lifestyle. 

Then in the afternoon, we will drive to Hotan.

After breakfast, the first site we will visit today The Atlas Silk Workshop is open every day and tours are free, and demonstrate the entire process from cocoon to weaving. Which has a showroom where you can buy Atlas silk by the meter or made into scarves, bags, dresses and other items.airport transfer and welcome back to Xinjiang again, Maybe Stunning North Xinjiang. Then enjoy a walking tour at the Yuetegan Ancient City, The entire scenic area is mainly colored in white, which is a typical Moroccan style and full of exotic charm. The architectural style refers to historical literature on the ancient state of Khotan, integrating modern architectural aesthetics. It is a great place to take some fabulous photos.

Then drive through Taklmakan Desert Highway to Alaer. “Alaer” means "green island" in Uyghur language.

Good morning! Today we will drive about 4 hours to Kuqa. Our first stop in Kuqa will go to the Tianshan Great Canyon, which is the excellent geological park all over the world. It recorded the whole process of crustal movement in Xinjiang during the past 400 million years. Ending the visit to Tianshan Great Canyon, we will go to the Kizil Grottoes, as the one of the four grottoes in China, it is the oldest one, but many architectures and murals are in well preservation. here you will learn more about the culture and history of Buddhism and ancient Qiuci Kingdom. Tonight we will stay in Kuqa.

Morning breakfast at the hotel, drive in the deep of Tianshan Mountain, enjoy the beautiful scenery and drive to Korla, known as the "City of Pears" and the "City of Petroleum". Visit the Iron Gate upon arrival which was a very important pass in the ancient Silk Road. and then Walking along the Peacock River after dinner to feel the local's city life style.

Today we will drive to Turpan. When arrival to enjoy the sunset of Jiaohe Ruins with a history of 2,300 years lies between two rivers on a loess plateau atop a cliff of over 30m. It is one of the best preserved ruins of its ancient era in China, it was include in the World Heritage List on June 22, 2014.

Sightseeing in Turpan. A must and first visit is the oldest Uighur village Tuyoq Village located in the very center of Flaming Mountain Canyon. It used to be the holy site of Buddhism and Islam. The village consists of four parts: Canyon scenery, Thousand Buddha Caves, Maza tomb and the old buildings of the ancient village. Then explore the special kind of irrigation system Karez Well. Following is the visiting to Sugong Minaret, a conduit for cultural exchange between different ethnic and religious groups. Thereafter, we will drive back to Urumqi, passing by the wind power station which is the largest one in Asia spreading at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. Arrive in Urumqi, you will have a chance to visit the Xinjiang International Bazaar, the largest bazaar in Urumqi. You'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets and almost anything that you can imagine.

Morning your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel. you will enjoy the tour of the picturesque Heavenly Lake, 2000m up in the Tianshan mountain range. which is surrounded by the snow mountains, blooming wildflowers, evergreen pine trees. 40-minute scenic shuttle bus ride that twists though the dramatic mountains. Then you can either walk to the lakeside in 10mins or take the electronic cart. There are 3 options suggested. Boating cruise to take the incredible view of Tianshan Mountain. Trekking along the lake in the fresh air. or you can explore further uo to the Maya Mountain by the cable car to enjoy the magnificent view of the Mountains.

Then we will drive to Fuhai for overnight stay.

After enjoying your breakfast in the hotel, we will travel to Hemu. It is a Tuwa village nestled in a quiet valley in Kanas, dotted with Tuwa wooden huts and livestock in pens. Hemu village is one of the only three remaining Tuwa villages and also the largest and most remote one. Some people call Tuwans as “a primitive tribe wandering in the depths of Xinjiang”. The morning fog in Hemu is another must-see attraction in Kanas. The fog can be seen almost everyday here, so that it matches different seasons and presents distant charm. Gorgeous sunrise in Hemu is also worth expecting!

Your guide and driver will pick you up in the morning, and then drive along the mountain road to Kanas Nature Reserve, China's only European-like ecological site that has been awarded the title of the "Pure Land of the World" due to its unspoiled natural scenery. En-route, visit Kanas Lake. Upon arrival change the shuttle bus to the inside of the Reserve to enjoy the beautiful scenery, head to the Fish Pavilion, enjoy a view of Kanas. Later afternoon back to Jiadengyu district to check into the hotel. Dinner and rest.

After buffet breakfast in the hotel, you will travel to Burqin, enjoy the scenery of Five-colored Beach, Walk into the colorful Beach, you will feel as if in a dream world. The unique lava landscape consisted of purplish red, vandyke red, yellow and light green mudstone, sandstone and gravel. this is the most beautiful colorful Beach, masterpiece of nature, and miracle of Burqin.

Then travel along the Gurbantunggut Desert to the Urho Ghost City, also known as Wuerhe Wind City", a unique wind-eroded geological area commonly referred to as "wind city" because of the frequent howling winds.

Driving back to Urumqi. Afternoon you will head to Xinjiang Regional Museum, where are many archaeological treasures of the Silk Road and Xinjiang's minority cultures. You will learn about the history of Xinjiang and its peculiar ethnic customs.

Say farewell to Xinjiang, and then continue to take a bullet train to Dunhuang Liuyuan South Station. When you arrival, we will pick you up and transfer you to Dunhuang downtown. The rest of the date is free for you to explore this city.

Today is another day for culture adventure. You will meet your guide 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. 

Afternoon 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.

Transferred to the airport and catch your flight back home. Thanks for traveling with us.