Silk Road – Dunhuang to Urumqi

Dates:	Thursday, April 29 to Thursday, May 6
Price:	RMB 14,840 p.p.
	Single Supplement: RMB 1,960
	Child with extra bed: RMB 11,880 Child w/o bed: RMB 10,400
Deposit:	Due by April 16
Balance:	Due by April 16

The very mention of the Silk Road evokes a sense of romance and remoteness. Join us as we retrace this great East-West trade route and conduit for cross-cultural exchange. The ethnic cultures of the Tibetans, Tajiks and Uygurs are fascinating, the grottos at Dunhuang are awe-inspiring, and it is easy to imagine the caravans and traders that journeyed this route hundreds of years ago. The highlight of this trip is the Sunday market at Kashgar.

Day 1
We take a morning flight to Dunhuang via Xian and, upon arrival, we transfer to Dunhuang Silk Road Hotel. We begin our tour with a camel ride to view the lovely sunset in Mingsha Shan (the Singing Sands Mountain), followed by a visit to the Crescent Moon Lake - a natural wonder in the Gobi Desert. Dinner will be served at sunset.

Day 2
Today we spend the morning visiting the world-famous, UNESCO-listed Mogao Cave site, with its thousands of caves boasting exquisite Buddhist murals. After lunch we will have some free time in the local bazaar before catching the flight to Urumqi. Upon arrival, we will transfer to the 5-star Southern Airlines Hotel.

Day 3
Today we will drive 115 km east of Urumqi to the serene alpine landscapes around Tian Chi (Heavenly Lake). With scenery reminiscent of Switzerland, the alpine pastures around the lake are home to the grazing horses of the yurt-dwelling Kazakhs.  After lunch, we will spend some time with the nomads and drink tea in a Kazak yurt before returning to Urumqi to visit the Xinjiang Museum. In the evening, we will take the flight to Kashgar and upon arrival, we will check into the 4-star International Hotel.

Day 4
Kashgar is an oasis in the hostile Taklamakan Desert, which is the largest desert in China and second largest in the world. Now, as it was two thousand years ago, it is a cultural and commercial crossroads. Today we will visit the outstanding Sunday market (the biggest in Asia), which attracts 50,000 people, thousands of donkeys, camels and sheep. This, combined with the huge assortment of merchandise, provides a memorable experience

Day 5
Our tour in Kashgar will cover the Abakh Khoja Tomb, Idkah Mosque and the old town. We will also visit a Uygur family’s home. In the afternoon, we will visit the local bazaar before catching the night flight back to Urumqi. Upon arrival in Urumqi, we will transfer to the 5-star Kempinski Hotel.

Day 6
After breakfast, we will drive about 200km to Turpan (an oasis town 154 meters below sea level), This is a scenic drive where we will see the Gobi Desert, a windmill hydro plant and ruins along the way. Arriving in Turpan, we will begin our tour with a visit to the Turpan Museum. After lunch we will have time for a short rest before we continue your tour at the Emin Minaret, the Karez underground irrigation system and the Jiaohe Ruins (with a history of over 2,500 years). We will end our day with dinner at this ruin.

Day 7
This morning we will continue to explore Turpan. We will visit Flaming Mountain, travel by donkey cart to the temple at the ruins of Gao Chang, and tour the Bezeklik Caves and the Tuyu Valley. After lunch, we will drive back to Urumqi. Upon our arrival in Urumqi in the evening, we will check into the 5 star Kempinski Hotel. If time permits, we will visit the bazaar before dinner.

Day 8
We will take an early morning flight back to Shanghai.