Forbidden City, Beijing

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

Our guide will greet you outside the customs at Beijing Capital International Airport and escort you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you. 

Meals: No meals

Day 02Beijing

Your Beijing tour will start from Tiananmen Square this morning. Located in the heart of Beijing, it is a must before proceeding to the Forbidden City. The largest imperial palace complex does deserve your admiration while walking through these splendid halls in line. To avoid having lunch at the cheap tourist eateries arranged by most agencies, we will serve you an a la carte lunch at a noted local restaurant to taste the authentic Chinese food. In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Heaven which is regarded as one of the world's best architecture, especially the heaven-like Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. Tonight, we will arrange a stirring Chinese Kung Fu Show for you at the Red Theatre. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Southern Pasture, Urumqi

Day 03Beijing

After breakfast, we will drive you to the Badaling Great Wall in suburban Beijing. This outstanding section of China Great Wall will be a highlight of your China tour. To avoid the shopping site restaurants, you will be driven to a popular local restaurant for a Sichuan cuisine lunch. After that, we will transfer you to the Sacred Way with lively stone statues on both sides for a leisurely stroll, and then to the largest royal mausoleums complex, the Ming Tomb. Finally, you could have a glance at the huge Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) on the way back to the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 04Beijing - Urumqi

You will have a scenic tour to the graceful Summer Palace this morning. Constructed to please the royal family, the park has centralized the best of ancient buildings and gardening. Its charm also cheers up travelers nowadays. You will enjoy your a la carte lunch at an elegant local restaurant. Later, our guide will transfer you to take a flight to Urumqi. Your local guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel for a one-night stay. Your China Silk Road adventure tour will start tomorrow.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Ruins of Subash Ancient Buddha Temple, Kuqa

Day 05Urumqi - Korla

After breakfast, you will take a car for about 6 hours (500 kilometers) down to Korla by crossing Tianshan Mountain. There will be a visit to the Tiemen Pass, which was an importation military throat on the Silk Road of 2,000 years ago. From here, the ancient Silk Road will turn into a narrow and zigzag valley along the Peacock River. Tonight, you will stay at a nice hotel in Korla.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 06Korla - Kuqa

Driving eastwards for about 3 hours (280 kilometers), you will arrive in Kuqa, which is the birthplace of Qiuci Culture and noted for the local featured knife. You could visit the Subash Ruins which has witnessed the flourish of Buddhism in Xinjiang during the 6th to the 8th centuries.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Our clients at the Karakuri Lake, Kashgar

Day 07Kuqa - Aksu

After breakfast, you are going to the Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves in Baicheng County, about 50 kilometers to the east of Kuqa. On the cliffs of the Mingwudage Mountain, there are hundreds of caves lasting for three kilometers, consisting of exquisite murals and vivid Buddha statues in large quantity. These treasure troves do narrate the prosperous history of Xinjiang in all respects and the external communication from the 3rd to the 13th centuries. Taking another 4 hours (298 kilometers), you will reach Aksu and stay there for one night.

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch

Day 08Aksu - Kashgar

There will be a 6-hour drive for about 500 kilometers to Kashgar today. Upon arrival, you will check in the best local hotel for a three-night stay.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Sunday Bazaar, Kashgar

Day 09Kashgar - Karakuri Lake - Kashgar

In the morning, you will take the car for 3.5 hours (200 kilometers) to the Karakuri Lake which is located 3,600 meters above sea level. Surrounded by snow mountains to the east of the Pamirs, this lake offers local herds with fertile grassland and travelers with extraordinary charming scenery. You could also see the yurts, camels and horses of the Tajik people inhabiting here.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 10Kashgar

A Kashgar city tour is arranged today. Firstly visit the famous Sunday Bazaar where you could experience the real daily life in Xinjiang. On the market, there are various kinds of local goods, such as fresh fruit, snacks, colorful clothes, delicate handicrafts as well as livestock. The following destination is the Id Kah Mosque located in the city center. It is the largest mosque in China originally built in 1142 and the center of Moslem activities in Xinjiang. Finally, you will visit the Abakh Khoja Tomb which is a large and unsophisticated family graveyard of the local leaders in the 17th century. The graveyard consists of gate tower, tombs, pond, garden and mosques, looking like a typical Islamic palace.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Abakh Khoja Tomb, Kashgar

Day 11Kashgar - Hetian

Leaving from Kashgar, you are going to Hetian, another famous city in south Xinjiang. The 520-kilometer journey, dotted with gobi, desert and oasis, will take you about 7 hours by car. On the way, you could see the Yingisar Uigur Pocket-Knife Making and then visit the 500-year Yarkant King Mausoleum in Shache County (or Yarkant County). Tonight, you will stay at a nice hotel in Hetian.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 12Hetian - Minfeng

Along the ancient Silk Road, Hetian has been noted for producing jade, carpet and silk. Therefore, it is a must to visit the Silk Village, which also boasts a hundred-year-old walnut tree and manual paper making. After that, the car will run eastwards for 3.5 hours (300 kilometers) to Minfeng County. While passing by Yutian County, you can visit a local bazaar and see the unique minority people's costume. Please have a good rest in Minfeng tonight.

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch

Ancient City of Jiaohe, Turpan

Day 13Minfeng - Korla

The most challenging section of the Silk Road will occur today. You will take the car running through the Takla Makan Desert from Minfeng northwards back to Korla City. Located in the middle of the large Tarim Basin, Takla Makan is the largest desert in China with shifting dunes and poplar forest. The whole journey is 780 kilometers and takes you 9 to 10 hours.

Meals: Chinese breakfast, Lunch

Day 14Korla - Turpan

From Korla, you will head for Turpan located in the basin of the east Tianshan Mountain. Having a 400-year recorded history, Turpan has played as a transportation and cultural communication hub on the Silk Road. The 380 -kilometer journey will be finished in 5 hours. Upon arrival, you will check in a local hotel for a two-night stay.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Turpan

Day 15Turpan

Today's tour includes the Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Caves, the Ruins of Ancient City of Gaochang and the Flaming Mountains. The Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Caves was originally carved since the 6th century on the cliffs of the Mutou Valley of the Flaming Mountain, and once the royal temple during 9th~13th centuries. Due to man-made and natural damage, only 83 caves with rare Buddha murals are preserved. Located at the foot of the Flaming Mountain, the Ancient City of Gaochang was constructed as a garrison town in the 1st century and witnessed the turbulent history of this region in the following 1,300 years. Although the ancient city has been badly damaged, the existing ruins still display the ever resplendence.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 16Turpan - Dunhuang

The historical tour of Turpan will be extended to the Ruins of Ancient City of Jiaohe this morning. Jiaohe City was constructed by Cheshi State from the 2nd BC to the 5th AD and gradually declined in the 14th century. You could see the relics of the principal body to recall its glory. After that, visit the Karez System which is a widely used underground irrigating system in Turpan, and the Sugong Pagoda which is a novel Islamic pagoda built 200 years ago. As your Xinjiang tour ends today, our guide will transfer you to take an overnight soft-sleeper train to Dunhuang.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang

Day 17Dunhuang

Our local guide will pick you up at Liuyuan Railway Station of Dunhuang and transfer you to the hotel. Breakfast is not included. You will visit the fabulous Mogao Caves today, which is the shining pearl and the Oriental Louvre on the Silk Road. At the following Dunhuang Museum, you could see more historical and cultural relics excavated in this region.

Meals: Lunch

Day 18Dunhuang - Xian

You will experience a short camel-ride along the Echoing-Sand Mountain to reach the Crescent Lake. Later, our guide will transfer you to Dunhuang Airport to take a flight to Xian. Upon arrival in Xian, you will visit the ancient City Wall, where you could have a bird's view of this city. Finally the guide will escort you to the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Murals of Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang

Day 19Xian

You should never miss the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xian. After breakfast, we will transfer you to the museum, and enough time will be left for you to see these life-size and mighty statues of 2,000 years ago. To avoid the low-quality tourist food near the site, we will serve you an a la carte lunch at the best local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will proceed to the majestic Big Wild Goose Pagoda build 1,300 years ago in the Tang Dynasty. At night, clients of luxury series will enjoy the marvelous Tang Dynasty Dinner Show at the Tang Dynasty Palace (Addr: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian); clients of standard series will have the local speciality Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Dance and Music Show at Shaanxi Opera Theater (Addr: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian). 

Meals for Luxury series: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch, Tang Dynasty dinner show
              Standard series: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner

Terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 20Xian - Shanghai

The Great Mosque of Xian is worth visiting although you have seen a series of mosques in Xinjiang. This mosque is a perfect combination of the Moslem culture and the Chinese Buddhist architectural style. After that, you will be invited to visit a local family and enjoy an a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant. The Silk Road comes to the end in Xian but your tour will be extended to Shanghai. Our professional guide will be waiting for you at Shanghai Airport and transfer you to the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Nanjing Road, Shanghai

Day 21Shanghai

A city tour of elite Shanghai is arranged today. In the morning, you will firstly go to Shanghai Museum which exhibits plenty of Chinese historical collections in various aspects. The next destination is the tranquil Yuyuan Garden, a 400-year luxurious and enjoyable private residence. A delicate a la carte farewell lunch will be served at a popular local restaurant. In the afternoon, you could take a Huangpu River Cruise to view this metropolis' great changes on the river's two banks. After disembarking on the Bund, it is suggested that you walk around this famous area and then visit an old street in Shanghai.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Day 22Departure from Shanghai

Please enjoy your free time before departure! Our guide will transfer you to take the homebound flight on time. May you a pleasant trip home! If you wish to stay on in China, please contact your travel consultants for an extension tour.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Accommodation

Grade	Luxury	Standard
Beijing	Crowne Plaza	Holiday Inn Central Plaza the best Holiday Inn Hotel in Beijing
Urumqi	Hoi Tak Hotel	Mirage Hotel B Tower
Korla	Kangcheng Jianguo International Hotel	Loulan Hotel
Kuqa	Kuqa Hotel	Kuqa Hotel
Aksu	Hongfu Jinlan Hotel	Hongfu Jinlan Hotel
Kashgar	the best local hotel	the best local hotel
Hetian	Hetian Hotel	Hetian Hotel
Minfeng	Ni Ya Hotel	Ni Ya Hotel
Turpan	Huozhou Hotel	Huozhou Hotel
Dunhuang	Dunhuang Hotel Building No. 8	Dunhuang Hotel Building No. 8
Xian	Sheraton Xian Hotel	Grand New World Hotel
Shanghai	Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan Hotel	Ya Fan Long Men Hotel

• ◆ 2012 Price
• ◆ 2011 Price

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Mar. 1st, 2012 to Feb. 28th, 2013

Grade	Luxury				Standard
	High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 28th)		High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 28th)
	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single
2-5 persons	$5439	$6459	$5149	$5939	$5189	$5979	$4939	$5529
6-9 persons	$4099	$5109	$3809	$4589	$3849	$4629	$3599	$4189
10 & above	$3499	$4439	$3239	$3909	$3219	$3899	$3009	$3489

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Mar. 1st, 2011 to Feb. 29th, 2012

Grade	Luxury				Standard
	High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 29th)		High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 29th)
	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single
2-5 persons	$4989	$5959	$4729	$5479	$4689	$5409	$4469	$5019
6-9 persons	$3979	$4949	$3719	$4469	$3689	$4409	$3479	$4019
10 & above	$3449	$4349	$3459	$4099	$3159	$3799	$2929	$3389

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