5 Days Best Xian Dunhuang Culture-Tracing Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Xian Arrival

   Welcome to our 5-day Xian and Dunhuang tour. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and a must see city. Upon your arrival, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to downtown hotel for check-in. For the rest of the day, you are free to explore this ancient capital of thirteen dynasties.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Xian

2. Day 2: Xian Terracotta Army Tour
   Highlights of Xian from Ancient Ruins to Delicious Cuisine

   Good morning! Your private guide in Xi’an will pick you up from your hotel and take you on a one-hour drive to reach the famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses. This amazing site was discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974. Today, it is the top attraction in Xi’an. You’ll spend about 2 to 2.5 hours visiting three pits, with Pit 1 being the biggest. Your guide will share interesting stories and facts about these life-sized clay soldiers.

   

   After the visit, enjoy lunch at a nearby local restaurant. Then we return to downtown Xi’an to see another important historical site – the Ancient City Wall. This is the largest and best-kept city wall in all of China. If you like, you can rent a bike and ride along the wall (bike rental costs extra and can be paid on site).

   Next, move on to the Bell and Drum Tower Square, located at the very center of Xian city. It was designed and constructed on the principle of “Morning Bell and Evening Drum” to echo the original function of the two towers. A 5-minute walk then leads you to Muslim Quarter. It is the best place to sample Xi’an’s food and experience authentic life. Some popular snacks are Biangbiang Noodles, Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Soup, Beef Balls Spicy Soup, Rice and Jujube Cake, Soup Dumplings. Last, escort you back to your hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Xian

   

3. Day 3: Xian to Dunhuang by High-speed Train
   Explore the Landmark of Xian City and Sample Shazhou Food

   This morning, your guide will take you to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was first built in the year 652 during the Tang Dynasty to keep Buddhist texts and statues that the monk Xuanzang brought back from India. Today, the pagoda stands in a large square divided into North and South parts. The nearby buildings show the special style of the Tang Dynasty, giving you a feel for the beauty and greatness of that time.

   Next, you’ll go to the Hanyangling Museum, which is the tomb of Liu Qi, also known as Emperor Jing. He was the fourth ruler of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC–8 AD), and he ruled for 17 years. He died in Chang’an at the age of 48 and was buried in the Yangling Mausoleum.

   

   After the tour, take a 15-minute drive to the airport for your afternoon flight from Xi’an to Dunhuang. When you land at Dunhuang airport, a local guide who speaks English and an experienced driver will be waiting for you with a welcome sign. They will transfer you to your hotel and help you check in.

   After a short break, head to the Shazhou Night Market to try some local food. Even if you’ve been to other night markets before, this one offers a unique experience. Shazhou Night Market shows you the real daily life of local people. You might be drawn in by the smell of tasty food coming from the stalls, as you walk through the busy crowd.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Dunhuang

4. Day 4: The Ancient Relics of Dunhuang
   Trace Silk Road Relics, Conquer Singing Sand Dunes

   After breakfast, drive out to learn about Dunhuang’s history from over 2,000 years ago. Our first stop is Yumen Pass, also called Jade Gate Pass, which was once a key point on the ancient Silk Road during the Han Dynasty. The pass got its name because jade from the west used to pass through here to reach central China. The site is shaped like a rectangle. From the top, you can see the wide Gobi Desert.

   Not far from the pass is the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty. It was made using reeds, willow branches, and stones. Even though it undergone strong winds for over 2,000 years, it still looks grand and stretches out like a dragon.

   

   After that, we’ll go to Yardang National Geopark, also called the “Ghost City.” It’s one of the most amazing natural landscapes on the Silk Road, shaped by wind over the last 700,000 years. The park has hundreds of rock formations, each with a unique shape. You’ll take a sightseeing bus through the park.

   After the tour, we’ll drive about 2.5 hours back to Dunhuang city for relaxing in Crescent Spring and Echo Sand Mountain. This place has two main sights. Echo Sand Mountain is made up of fine sand in five colors—red, yellow, blue, white, and black. The sand dunes come in many shapes, some looking like pyramids, or snakes. One special thing about Echo Sand Mountain is the sound the sand makes when people slide down from the top. If you’d like, you can pay extra to try fun activities like camel rides or desert off-road driving. Crescent Spring is a small, clear pool shaped like a crescent moon. Even though it's surrounded by desert, the spring has never dried up, which makes it even more amazing.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Dunhuang

   

5. Day 5: Dunhuang Departure
   Touch History through Vibrant Murals and Statues

   This morning, you’ll visit the Mogao Grottoes, located about 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang. The caves were first dug in the year 366 AD. Over the next thousand years, from the time of the Sixteen Kingdoms to the Yuan Dynasty, more caves were added. Today, there are 735 caves in total. Inside, you’ll find 45,000 square meters of wall paintings and over 2,400 colorful statues still in good condition. The Mogao Caves are considered the largest collection of Buddhist art in the world. Highlights include the 35.5-meter tall Maitreya Buddha in Cave No. 96 and the famous Tang Dynasty statues in Cave No. 45.

   Note: Taking photos is not allowed inside the caves.

   After lunch, you’ll be taken to Dunhuang airport or train station for your departure. This is the end of your 5-day Xian and Dunhuang tour.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: N/A