4 Days Silk Road Highlight Tour of Dunhuang and Turpan

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Dunhuang Desert Fun
   Experience Various Desert Activities, Sample Local Snacks

   Welcome to the 4-day Silk Road tour from Dunhuang to Turpan. You are advised to arrive in Dunhuang before 12 noon, and the local guide and the driver will take you to a comfortable 4-star hotel in the city center for check-in.

   In the afternoon, begin your Dunhuang exploration at Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring. As its name suggests, this scenic area has two main landscapes. Mingsha Mountain is formed by the accumulation of fine sand, which comes in five colors: red, yellow, blue, white, and black. Sand mountains come in various shapes: some resemble crescent moons, pyramids, and pythons. The uniqueness of Mingsha Mountain lies in the fact that when people slide down from the mountaintop, the sand makes a special sound. You can also pay extra to experience projects such as camel riding and desert off-road. Crescent Spring is a clear spring surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, shaped like a crescent moon, hence its name. Surprisingly, it has not dried up to this day.

   

   In the evening, your guide will take you to Shazhou Night Market, located in the center of Dunhuang city. This is a gathering place for Silk Road cuisine: grilled fish, scallion beef patties, Niangpi (Brewed Bean Jelly), apricot peel water... In addition to snacks, Shazhou Night Market also offers a wide variety of handicrafts and souvenirs such as exquisite replicas of Dunhuang murals, gorgeous silk products, and unique sand paintings.

   After the visit, we go back to the hotel to rest.

   Meal: Lunch

   Accommodation: Dunhuang

2. Day 2: More Exploration in Dunhuang
   Explore Dunhuang’s Stories Two Thousand Years Ago

   After breakfast, we will drive to explore the stories of Dunhuang over two thousand years ago. Yumen Pass, or Jade Gate Pass is located about 90 kilometers northwest of Dunhuang and was an important pass on the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty. It was named after the jade from the Western Regions that entered the Central Plains through this pass. The main site is rectangular in shape, with residual walls about 10 meters high. One can overlook the vast Gobi Desert from the city wall.

   To the northwest of the pass is the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty, which was constructed by compacting reeds, willow branches, and gravel. Although it has been eroded by wind for two thousand years, it still looks majestic and winding like a dragon today. There are many famous stories about these two sites in history, and your guide will explain a few classic ones to you so that you can have a deeper understanding of their significance.

   

   After the visit, we head to Yardang National Geopark, known as the "Ghost City". It is the most spectacular wind eroded landscape wonder on the Silk Road, spanning 700000 years. There are hundreds of “ridges” distributed in the park, with different shapes. You will take a scenic sightseeing bus to visit. From the observation decks, you can get a better perspective of the “fleet going out to sea” and the ‘peacock spreading its feathers“. Afterwards, we drive for about 2.5 hours back to the hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Dunhuang

3. Day 3: Dunhuang to Turpan by High-speed Train
   Appreciate 35.5-Meter Buddha and Exquisite Murals

   This morning, you will visit the Mogao Caves, located on the eastern foothills of Mingsha Mountain, 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang. It was first excavated in the second year of Jianyuan in the Former Qin Dynasty (366 AD). After more than a thousand years of excavation from the Sixteen Kingdoms to the Yuan Dynasty, it currently has 735 caves. There are 45000 square meters of murals and over 2400 colored sculptures preserved. Undoubtedly, the Mogao Grottoes are the world's largest treasure trove of Buddhist art. The 35.5-meter Maitreya Buddha in Cave No.96 and the Tang dynasty sculpture group in Cave No.45 are the most classic. You will spend approximately 3 hours here.

   Kind reminder: Photography is strictly prohibited inside the cave.

   After lunch, transfer you to the railway station to take the high-speed train to Turpan, Xinjiang. The local driver in Turpan will pick you up and send you to the hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: Turpan

   

4. Day 4: Turpan’s Essence, Departure
   Uncover Silk Road Secrets in Caves, Ruins, and Tunnels

   After breakfast, drive about 55 kilometers east to reach Tuyugou Valley. It is the most mysterious place in western China and also the intersection of various religions and cultures around the world. Mazha Village here is the oldest Uyghur village in Xinjiang, with a history of over 1700 years. The locals still preserve the oldest folk customs of the Uyghur ethnic group. Thousand-Buddha Cave, located in the middle section of Tuyugou, is one of the three famous Buddhist grottoes in Xinjiang. Here, you can still see remnants of murals from thousands of years ago.

   

   After the tour, we return to the city to visit the Karez Irrigation System. This is a unique underground water conservancy project in the Turpan region, known as one of the three major ancient Chinese projects along with the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. You will be led deep into a 6-meter underground channel to visit vertical shafts, underground channels, reservoirs, and more.

   Continuing to appreciate the Sugong Pagoda, built in 1778, it is the largest Islamic style ancient pagoda in Xinjiang. The 44 meter high brick tower is entirely orange yellow in color, with 14 geometric patterns made of red bricks.

   The last stop is Jiaohe Ruins, which was founded in the 2nd century BC and was a military stronghold on the Silk Road. It was named after the confluence of two rivers around the city. Due to the extremely arid climate and primitive construction techniques in the region, this "Eastern Pompeii City" has fully preserved the urban layout of the Han Dynasty. During the tour, you can see ruins such as government offices, pagoda forests, temples, and residential buildings.

   After the visit, the guide transfers you to the airport to see you off. Your 4-day Dunhuang and Turpan tour comes to a perfect end here. Look forward to meeting you again.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: N/A