Silk Road – Dunhuang to Kashgar

Dates:	Wednesday, September 29 to Wednesday, October 6
Price:	RMB 15,860 p.p.
	Single Supplement: RMB 1,800 Child with extra bed: RMB 12,650 Child w/o bed: RMB 11,300
Deposit:	Due by September 17
Balance:	Due by September 17

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 boarding the overnight train (soft sleeper) to Turpan. The train ride is about 10 hours.

Day 3
The train will arrive at the Turpan train station at about 6am. From there, we will drive about an hour to Turpan town and check into the Tuha Hotel. After breakfast, we will tour Turpan (an oasis town 154 meters below sea level), Flaming Mountain, Bezeklik Caves, and the ruins of Gao Chang – an ancient Chinese Silk Road garrison town.  A donkey-drawn cart will take us to visit the temple area of Gao Chang. Before lunch, we will tour the Ancient Tombs of Astana and the underground museum in the Turpan area. 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 4
This morning, we will continue to explore Turpan with a visit to the Turpan Museum and Grape Valley.  Turpan is most famous for its grapes and raisins, especially the dried seedless variety called sultanas. After lunch, we will drive about 220 km to Urumqi airport for our flight to Kashgar. This is a scenic drive where we see the Gobi Desert, a windmill hydro plant and ruins. Upon arrival at Kashgar, we will check into the International Hotel.

Day 5
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. In the afternoon, we will visit the local bazaar.

Day 6
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.  Our tour in Kashgar will cover Abakh Khoja Tomb, Idkah Mosque and the old town. We will also visit a Uygur family’s home before transferring to the airport for the night flight back to Urumqi.  Upon arrival, we will transfer to the Kempinski Hotel. 

Day 7
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.

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