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Tour Overview
Embark on an 8-day Silk Road adventure through Xinjiang, traversing the Tianshan Mountains to discover ancient cultures, dramatic landscapes, and vibrant ethnic traditions.What is Special About This Tour?
◆ Traverse 2,000-year-old Silk Road heritage sites: Jiaohe Ruins, Bezeklik Buddhist Caves, and Stone City ◆ Marvel at four iconic landscapes: Flaming Mountains, White Sand Lake, Muztagh Ata Peak, and Heavenly Lake ◆ Explore UNESCO Tentative List sites: Karez Well System, Kashgar Old Town, and Id Kah Mosque ◆ Savor local delicacies: Lamb kebabs, "gangzi" stewed meat, and Sayram Lake’s high-altitude troutWhat to Prepare?
✔ Documents: ID card + Border Permit (required for Tashkurgan section) ✔ Clothing: Sun-protective gear + fleece jacket (20°C day-night) ✔ Medication: Digestive aids + motion sickness pills (altitude up to 3,100m) ✔ Gear: High-capacity power bank (3-6hr daily drives)Best Time to Visit
April–OctoberDestinations
- Kashgar
- Tashkorgan
- Turpan
- Urumqi
- Xinjiang
Tour Price
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Tour Start and End
Urumqi, Kashgar
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Tour Overview
Embark on an 8-day Silk Road adventure through Xinjiang, traversing the Tianshan Mountains to discover ancient cultures, dramatic landscapes, and vibrant ethnic traditions.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi
Highlights: Grand Bazaar
After airport pickup and hotel check-in, visit the Grand Bazaar, Wander through 3,000+ stalls selling Kazakh carpets, Uyghur knives, and dried fruits. Don’t miss the live naan bread baking demonstration at the central food court.
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 2: Urumqi → Heavenly Lake (97km, 1.5hrs)
Highlights: Xinjiang Museum, Heavenly Lake
After breakfast, explore the Xinjiang Regional Museum – home to the “Loulan Beauty”, a 3,800-year-old Caucasian mummy proving ancient Silk Road diversity. Then drive through Fukang Desert Oasis, arriving at Heavenly Lake. Take the electric shuttle boat (30-min ride) to view Bogda Peak’s glaciers mirrored in turquoise waters. Local legend says this was Queen Mother of the West’s bathing pool.
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 3: Urumqi → Turpan (187km, 2.5hrs)
Highlights: Tuyuq Village, Flaming Mountains,Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves
After breakfast, drive through the Gobi Desert, stopping at Flaming Mountains – 98km-long red sandstone ridges where ground temperatures hit 89°C (193°F). See the giant Golden Monkey Thermometer marking China’s hottest recorded temperature (82.3°C).
Then explore Tuyuq Village, a 1,600-year-old Uyghur settlement. Walk past ancient cave dwellings and climb the hilltop for panoramic views of grape-drying houses.
Finally, visit Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves – 83 surviving grottoes with rare Manichaean murals depicting Uyghur donors.
Overnight: Turpan
Day 4: Turpan → Fly to Kashgar
Highlights: Jiaohe Ruins, Karez Wells
After breakfast, explore Jiaohe Ruins – the world’s largest (350,000㎡) and best-preserved earthen city, carved from a mesa by the Cheshi people in 108 BC. Walk through the Buddhist monastery complex with original meditation cells.
Then descend into a Karez Well – a 2,000-year-old underground irrigation system. Learn how Turpan farmers used gravity to channel snowmelt 20km from Tianshan Mountains.then visit Emin Minaret – Xinjiang’s tallest (44m) Islamic tower with 14 geometric patterns symbolizing the Quran’s chapters. Drive to Urumqi to fly Kashgar(if flights available, we can fly from Turpan)
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 5: Kashgar City Tour
Highlights: Livestock Market, Apak Hoja Tomb, Kashgar Old Town,Id Kah Mosque
Start early for Kashgar’s legendary Sunday Livestock Market – watch Local herders auction yaks using secret hand signals. Try Dapanji (spicy chicken stew) at food stalls.then, visit Apak Hoja Tomb – the “Fragrant Concubine’s” mausoleum adorned with 10,000 blue-green tiles. Hear tales of the Qing Dynasty princess who allegedly never decomposed.
After lunch, visit the old town of Kashgar, Founded over 2,000 years ago, is the last intact citadel along the ancient Silk Road. Its labyrinth of alleys preserves Uyghur traditions, Then visit Id Kah Mosque – China’s largest (16,800㎡) Islamic complex. Observe prayer rituals under its 140-column prayer hall built with poplar logs.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 6: Kashgar → Tashkurgan (300km, 6hrs)
Highlights: Karakoram Highway, Karakul Lake
After breakfast, drive the Karakoram Highway – the “Eighth Wonder” road built by China and Pakistan. Stop at Opal Village to see local kashgar bazaar, there you can buy some snacks, fruits and Naan bread, Then reach White Sand Lake – a surreal desert lake flanked by snow-dusted dunes. Look for Bactrian camels grazing by the shore.
Finally, circle Karakul Lake while viewing Muztagh Ata (7,546m). Stay for golden hour when the “Father of Glaciers” turns pink.
Overnight: Tashkurgan
Day 7: Tashkurgan → Kashgar
Highlights: Stone City, Golden Grassland
At dawn, explore Stone City – a 2,100-year-old Pamir fortress. Walk the crumbling walls where Han Dynasty soldiers once guarded against Xiongnu nomads.
Then photograph Golden Grassland – a marshland turning amber in autumn, dotted with yurts and yaks. Local herders may invite you for yak butter tea.
On return journey, see again all the beautiful places you saw yesterday.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 8:
Depart Kashgar
Airport transfer (10km, 20 mins from downtown).Xinjiang Silk Road Travel ends here.
Tailor your itinerary effortlessly! Add or remove days, adjust activities, or customize services to match your interests. Simply email us your preferences, and we’ll craft the perfect private tour for you.
Share your hotel preferences, and we’ll handle the rest. Choose from:
5-star international hotels in major cities
4-star or 3-star options
All accommodations include breakfast.
Enjoy private, comfortable transfers in vehicles suited to your group size and needs. Let us know any special requests (e.g., extra space, child seats) for a seamless journey.
Breakfast is included daily. Lunch and dinner are left flexible so you can explore local cuisine freely. Our guides will gladly recommend top-rated restaurants based on your tastes.
