13 Days Silk Road Small Group Tour Beijing, Xian, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumqi, Shanghai

Met and greeted by our local driver at Beijing airport and transfer to your hotel in Beijing for check in. The rest of the day is free at your own disposal.

Accommodation: Beijing

AM: Our guide and driver will pick you up from hotel after breakfast. Your 13 Days silk road tour will begin with the Dingling Tomb which is one of the 13 Ming Dynasty Imperial Tombs. It is the only one of the 13 Ming Tombs to have been excavated. A short visit to a Jade Carving Factory is scheduled before lunch.

Noon: Lunch in local restaurant.

PM: After lunch, we continue to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall. Built along steep ridges, green, densely wooded deep valleys, Mutianyu Great Wall boasts spectacular view with less crowded visitors than Badaling Great Wall. When back to the downtown city, you will have a chance to enjoy the Chinese traditional Tea Ceremony. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Beijing

AM: Today’s tour starts at northern part of Tian'anmen Square. From there you will proceed to the Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palaces group with 500 years history in the world.

Noon: Lunch in local restaurant.

PM: On the way to Temple of Heaven, you will have a chance to visit the Chinese traditional medicine culture. On the way to the Temple of Heaven, you will have a chance to visit the Chinese traditional medicine culture. After a short rest, we'll visit the Temple of Heaven which is served as a complex of sacrificial building where Emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for peace and harvest. After Chinese lunch, enjoy a short visit to a pearl free market. Drive (30minutes) to Summer Palace, the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden.

The Beijing tour will end up with transferring to Beijing West Train Station to take your overnight train Z19 (20:40/8:31+1) to Xian.

Accommodation: On the Train

Upon your arrival, you will visit the world's eighth wonder, the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses. It was listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. Known as “the eighth major miracle of the world” and one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the 20th century, the museum shows a surprisingly high level in sculpture. It has 3 pits with a total area of 22,780 square meters. You will also have a glimpse of Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum in the car on the way back to city area.

Noon: Lunch in local restaurant.

PM: After lunch, we will head back to the downtown city to visit the Shaanxi History Museum to appreciate plenty of priceless cultural relics. Next, continue to visit the Bell and Drum Tower Square to have an outer look of Bell Tower and Drum Tower.

Accommodation: Xian

The morning excursion will take you to the Ancient City Wall, the most complete city wall that has survived in China. It is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient military defense systems in the world. It provides invaluable and substantial materials for studying the history, military science, and architecture of the Ming Dynasty. Visitors can optionally ride a bike on the top of the City Wall to see the city from a unique angle.

Then move on to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area. It was built like a traditional Chinese style garden. And lots of stone cultural relics spread in the garden.

Noon: Lunch in local restaurant.

PM: After lunch, you will go to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which was originally built in the Tang Dynasty to keep Buddhist sutra brought from India by Master Xuanzang.

Accommodation: Xian

AM: Transfer to Xian airport to take your flight for Dunhuang. Upon arrival, the local guide will greet you at the airport and transfer to the hotel to have a short rest.

PM: Lunch in local restaurant.

PM: We will visit one of the most famous attractions along the Silk Road-Echoing-Sand Mountain and Crescent Lake. When you slide down the slope, you can hear the roaring echo of sands, hence the name. A short camel ride will leave you a unforgettable memory. Riding along the mountain to reach the Crescent Lake, your eyes will be feasted on the crescent-shaped spring surrounded by the endless Gobi desert. It has not dried up over the past one thousand years and still gushes with fresh current. Next you will come to the Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market.

Accommodation: Dunhuang

AM: After breakfast, you will go to visit the Dunhuang Museum where the exhibited historical relics will tell tourists more details things about ancient Silk Road.

Noon: Lunch in local restaurant. Then continue your trip to Mogao Grottoes which display a very colorful and descriptive world in the paintings. It is known as one of the four famous Buddhist grottoes in China.

At last, board the overnight train K2629 (21:52/6:34+1) to Turpan.

Accommodation: On the train

AM: Met and greeted by local guide at Turpan train station. You will start today’s tour with Jiaohe Ruins, one of the most important towns along the ancient Silk Road and the largest, oldest and best-preserved earth construction in the world.

Noon: Lunch on your own.

PM:Then go to visit the Karez Well— an amazing irrigation system which made Turpan a rich oasis.The last stop will be Sugong Pagoda, the largest existed ancient Islamic pagoda in Xinjiang. Then back to hotel.

Accommodation: Turpan

AM: Today you will visit three famous sites all together. The first stop will be Gaochang Ruins, the ruins of capital of ancient Gaochang Kingdom which existed from 500AD to 700AD.

Noon: Lunch on your own.

PM: Then you will go to the Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Cave, a series of caves with thousands of Buddhism murals that show many Buddhism figures, stories, and the social life about 1,500 years ago in Ancient Gaochang Kingdom. The last stop will be the hottest place along Silk Road in China– the Flaming Hill. The temperature in summer could reach 47.8 ℃. After finished the trip in Turpan , we will drive to Urumqi.

Accommodation: Urumqi

am: After breakfast, we will drive about 1.5hr (120km) to the Heavenly Lake to experience the lifestyle of the local Kazaks in the deep of Tianshan Mountain.

Noon: Lunch on your own.

PM: We will be back to the city to visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum where over 50,000 items in the collection about the Niya Ruins, Loulan Ruins. At last, visit Erdaoqiao International Bazaar. This Bazaar is the largest one in Urumqi and Sundays are the busiest time for the market.

Accommodation: Urumqi

AM: Transfer to Urumqi airport by our driver and take flight FM9220 (9:30/14:10) to Shanghai. Met by driver at Shanghai airport and transferred to your hotel.

Noon: Lunch on your own.

PM: Enjoy your free time.

Evening: In the evening, you will be picked up from the hotel for a Night Cruise on the Huangpu River.

Please book the flight on your own. Upon your request, we could book the flight with extra airfare.

Accommodation: Shanghai

AM: Today starts from Shanghai Museum, a collection of more than 120,00 rare cultural pieces from the Old Stone Age to modern times. Then you will visit the Yuyuan Garden, a famous classical garden which was originally built for Pan’s parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age. Then move on to visit Shanghai City Planning Exhibition Hall, the best and most visited museum in Shanghai which showcases the ever-changing face of Shanghai and is an essential vising point for those interested in the evolution of the city.

Noon: Lunch in local restaurant.

PM: Then we will drive you to the Sinan Road, from where we will proceed to the Tianzifang. At last, we will move to the Nanjing Road. After the tour, you can take a nice walk along the Bund.

Accommodation: Shanghai

You will be transferred from your hotel to Shanghai airport for your departure flight.