8 Days China Silk Road Tour With Panda Visit

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Chengdu Arrival

   Welcome to join our 8-day private Silk Road tour! Upon your arrival at Chengdu airport or train station, our local driver will pick you up from the exit gate and then transfer you to the downtown hotel for check-in.

   For the rest of the day, you can go explore the Kuanzhai Alley on your own, one of the must visit attractions in Chengdu, consisting of three streets: Kuan Alley, Zhai Alley, and Jing Alley. If interested, visit an old tea house, experience the culture of Gaiwan tea, enjoy intangible cultural heritage performance of Sichuan opera face changing and taste authentic snacks such as egg baked cake and Bo bo chicken.

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
2. Day 2: Chengdu Panda Tour
   Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Renmin Park, Wenshu Temple, Jinli Pedestrian Street

   You will start your trip to Chengdu by exploring the thrilling Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The base wins international recognition for its successful programs which protect and breed the endangered Chinese giant panda. This site serves as the main attraction which all tourists to Chengdu must visit. The pandas roam throughout the area, which includes their activities of eating bamboo, playing and sleeping. Your guide will show you around the entire space while teaching you about giant pandas and assisting you in taking excellent photographs.

   

   After lunch, proceed to Wenshu Temple which dates back to the Sui Dynasty. The temple remains open to the public because local residents use it as their place to pray and find peace. You can walk through the delightful garden space to view the beautiful historical buildings.

   Later, have some relaxing tea time in Renmin Park. This is a perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea in a nice tea house and watch local people while away the time with various activities such as playing cards, doing tai chi, playing mahjong, dancing, and napping. Last, explore the bustling Jinli Street, where you can see that the buildings here are built in Qing Dynasty style, and meandering through the street gives people the feeling of traveling back in time. You can go shopping, do people watching, and taste some yummy food that you never tasted before.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
3. Day 3: Chengdu to Xian by High-speed Train
   Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Ancient City Wall, Muslim Quarter

   In the morning, the driver will pick you up from the hotel lobby and transfer you to Chengdu East Train Station for your morning high-speed train to Xian. The train rides around 3.5 hours, you can have a nap on the train.

   When you arrive at Xian North Train Station, the local English-speaking tour guide and driver will be waiting for you at the exit gate. Your exploration begins with the world’s heritage - Terracotta Warriors and Horses, known as the "eighth wonder of the world". This underground place which has been dormant for over 2200 years, consists of more than 8000 pottery figurines of various shapes. It was found by four local farmers while drilling a well in 1974. Inside the museum you can explore 3 pits, among which Pit 1  is the largest one. You will stay in the museum for 2.5-3 hours. Through professional explanations, you will learn the hidden story of those life-sized sculptures.

   

   In the late afternoon, head back to Xian's downtown area for another historical highlight- the Ancient City Wall. It is the most complete preserved and the largest city wall in China built for military defense in ancient times. Visitors can rent a bike around the city wall (optional , at an extra fee). In the evening, stroll around the Muslim Quarter where you will find many special local products and authentic local snacks.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Xi'an
4. Day 4: Xian to Zhangye by Flight
   Big Wild Goose Pagoda

   This morning you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which was originally built to hold Buddhist sutras and figurines of the Buddha that Xuanzang brought back from India in the Tang Dynasty, 652 A.D. Now there is a big square divided into North Square and South Square, surrounding the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The design of the buildings and statues is in the Tang style, showing people the everglory of that great time.

   After that, transfer to Xian airport to catch the afternoon flight to Zhangye. When you arrive at Zhangye airport, there will be a local driver picking you up and transfer to the local hotel. In the evening, you can visit Ming Qing Street on your own. It is 323 meters long and is a reconstructed Ming-Qing style pedestrian street with all wooden antique buildings on both sides. Tasting Zhangye local snacks is like stir-frying Bola (炒拨拉).

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Zhangye
5. Day 5: Zhangye Danxia Landforms
   Giant Buddhist Temple, The Rainbow Mountain

   Spend the morning visiting the Giant Buddhist Temple. This Buddhist Temple was built during the Western Xia Dynasty and has stood on the Silk Road for 900 years after experiencing vicissitudes. Inside the temple, you can see the largest statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Asia, measuring 34.5 meters in length and 7.5 meters in shoulder width. In addition, you can also appreciate exquisite wood carvings, murals, and sculptures, as well as the culture and history behind them.

   In the afternoon, head for 1 hour to enjoy the highlight of Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. The Danxia landform earns the most spotlight for Zhangye City. Rated as one of “10 Wonders of Nature in the World” by National Geographic News, it does deserve the reputation. There are two main scenic areas of the Zhangye Danxia with different features, and you will visit the Rainbow Mountain Scenic Area today. Rainbow Mountain is uniquely charming with its bright colors, and sunset is when its colors are most vibrant. From the observation deck at a high altitude, the layered mountains appear beautiful in shades of red, orange, and yellow, with varying degrees of color saturation, bathed in the rose colored sunlight.

   Photography Tips:

   • The best time for taking pictures is during sunset from 7 to 8 pm during June - August; from 6 to 7 pm during December - January.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Zhangye
6. Day 6: Zhangye to Jiayuguan by High-speed Train
   Jiayuguan Pass, Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum, Weijin Tombs

   Taking the morning high-speed train which takes around 1.5 hours from Zhangye to Jiayuguan. Upon your arrival, you will find the local English-speaking tour guide waiting for you at the exit gate and then you will be guided to ascend the majestic Jiayuguan Pass, also known as the “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven”. As the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, Jiayuguan Pass has been built for hundreds of years. It not only occupies an important position in military defense, but also plays an important role in trade and cultural exchange as a key node on the ancient Silk Road.

   

   Next, continue your visit to Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum. Inside the Jiayuguan Pass Scenic Area, there is the first Great Wall themed museum with 7 major exhibition halls to show you more detailed knowledge about this great construction in Chinese history. The oil painting of the Great Wall exhibited here with large scale is a highlight deserving of a longer stop.

   Afterwards, go downtown to explore Weijin Tombs, known as the 'world's largest underground gallery'. In accordance with the title, wall paintings dominate the theme of the visit to this site. Underneath the yellow sand, there were about 1,400 ancient tombs buried in the obscure desert and only No.6 tomb is open to the public today. It’s definitely a surprise discovery process when beholding the paintings with bright colors vividly depicting the scholars and official life in the Weijin Time (220-420). Last, check in at the local hotel.

   

    

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   4-Star Hotel in Jiayuguan
7. Day 7: Jiayuguan to Dunhuang
   Crescent Spring and Echo Sand Mountain, Shazhou Night Market

   After breakfast, drive for about 4 hours to reach Dunhuang, one of the most important nodes on the Silk Road. The tour guide will take you to the hotel for a brief rest. In the afternoon, you will visit Crescent Spring and Echo Sand Mountain. Located on the edge of the Kumtag Desert, it has a history of over 3000 years, stretching 40 kilometers from east to west and approximately 20 kilometers from north to south. Sand mountain body is composed of fine sand of red, yellow, green, black, white, and five colors piled up. Standing high, you can see a spring resembling a crescent moon surrounded by sand, which is said to have never dried up.

   In the scenic area, you can experience various entertainment activities such as sand sliding and camel riding (optional, additional fees apply).

   Tip: If you happen to be here in summer, don't forget to take sun protection measures such as hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

   

   After that, take a walk for food exploration at Shazhou Night Market. Located in the center of Dunhuang city, it serves as a department store during the day, selling carved crafts, jewelry, and agricultural and sideline specialties. At night, it transforms into a neighborhood centered around Silk Road cuisine. Here, you can taste authentic Silk Road flavors such as scallion beef patties.

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   4-Star Hotel in Dunhuang
8. Day 8: Departure from Dunhuang
   Mogao Grottoes

   This morning you will head to explore the pinnacle of Buddhist art. Mogao Grottoes with a fame of “the pearls of oriental art” features the biggest scale and the best preservation among all Buddhist arts in the world. It keeps about 45,000 square kilometers of frescoes, 2,415 painted sculptures, more than 4,000 flying Apsaras (the beautiful Bodhisattva in Buddhism who has a fair scent and does well in dancing and music). Due to the limited time, the tour guide will show you some of the most spectacular grottoes and explain the stories behind them to you.

   In the afternoon, you will be dropped off at Dunhuang airport for your departure flight. This is the end of the 8-day Silk Road tour with panda visit. Hope you had a great time with us. Thank you for choosing China Xian Tour.

   Friendly tip: you are suggested to book a ticket departing after 3 pm to ensure no rush for the tour.

   

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