Silk Road Tour start from Shanghai

Day.1 Shanghai- Urumchi
Transfer to Shanghai airport and departure for Urumchi. Your Shanghai guide will not fly to Urumchi with you.
Your Urumchi local tour guide will pick you up from Urumchi airport.
Be transfer to hotel.  

Day.2 Urumchi
Drive to scenic Heavenly Lake to take a boat ride and see the Kazakh herdsmen’s grassland. This afternoon visit the Xinjiang Museum followed by the Erqaqiao Grand Bazaar. Enjoy the International Grand Bazaar Banquet performance. Be transfer to hotel.  (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day.3 Urumqi
Be picked up from your hotel by English speaking tour guide and private vehicle.
Visit the Southern Pasture. Located at the foot of the Tian Shan mountain range, Southern Pastures is a famous summer resort for forest of emerald green spruce rounds it while flowers, flocks and herds strew it. West White Poplar Gully is the most typical sights in the Southern Pastures. Then visit Red Hill Park. As a symbol of Urumqi, Red Hill is unique for making up of reddish-brown rocks. At the top of the hill stands 8-meter high pagoda with nine stories, called "Zhenlong pagoda". Visitors can get a bird-view of the whole city of Urumqi on the top of Red Hill. Be transfer to hotel.  (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day.4 Urumqi- Turpan
Be met by English speaking tour guide. Dirve to Turpan.
Drive to visit Gaochang City was built in the first Century B.C. The city used to be a garrison town and later became a key point along the ancient Silk Road. Later Gaochang city became ruins around the 14th century because of war. You can see some well preserved structures in the ruins. Move on to visit the Ancient Astana Tombs. The imperial dead of Gaochang City and noble officials were buried in this place. Then we will proceed to visit Flaming Mountains, one of the branch ranges of the Tianshan Mountains. The red rocks on the mountain reflect sunlight and absorb the sun's heat as if there were fire on the hill, hence the name. Move on to visit Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves. The caves are well hidden and rest on a long ridge overlooking a valley. But some of the caves were destroyed by aggression army.  Be transfer to hotel.  (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day.5 Turpan
Be met by English speaking tour guide from your hotel.
Drive to visit Ancient City of Jiaohe, which is located 12 kilometers west of Turpan. In the ancient time, Jiaohe is a city with great military and economic significance. Later the city became ruins because of war. Later, natural forces make the streets and courtyards full of sand.
Move on to visit Ancient Karez system. The history of Karez can be traced back to the Han dynasty. The Ancient Karez system is composed of a series of which was linked by underground channels. The Karez system is considered as one of the three great projects in China with the other two being the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. Then we will proceed to visit Grape Valley. Lying at the base of the western end of Flaming Mountains, fifteen kilometers west of the city center, Grape Valley is a unique world of vineyards and fruit trees.
Move on to visit Emin Minaret. The Emin Minaret also called Sugong Pagoda is located 2km east of Turpan city. The whole place is composed of the pagoda and a mosque. Be transferred back to Urumchi. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day.6 Urumchi—Dunhuang by air
Arrive in Dunhuang. Visit Mogao Grottoes- a system of 492 Buddhist cave temples. They are the greatest and most consummate repository of historical and cultural collection over a thousand years between China and other nations. Be transfer to hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day.7 Dunhuang
Today you will experience a short camel-riding along the Echoing-Sand Dune to reach the Crescent Moon Lake. Surrounded by rolling ridges and precipitous cliffs, Echoing-Sand Mountain reaches a relative elevation of 250 meters. Every time when the wind sweeps across the sands, a thunder-like sound can be heard from the mountain, and the sound like musical instruments if there is a breeze, hence the name Echoing-Sand Mountain.
Nearby, locates the Crescent Moon Lake. It is a natural spring fed pond measuring about 240 meters from east to west, and 50 meters from north to south. It appears its clear and beautiful quietly. Be transferred back to your hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day.8
Take train to Xi’an. (Breakfast)

Day.9
Arrive in Xi’an in the morning around 9:00am. Be transfer to hotel and have a rest. Pickup you from hotel at 13:00. visit city wall and Big Wild Pagoda. Enjoy Tang Dynasty dinner and show. Be transfer to hotel. (Dinner)

Day.10 Departure
Be met by English speaking tour guide. Visit Terracotta Warriors and Banpo village. Be transfer to airport.  (Breakfast, Lunch)

Remark: The above private tour is tailored for you and your friends exclusively. You and your friends will enjoy Private car, driver and tour guide. If you want to adjust the itinerary, please contact us.

Quotation(validity: 2011-05-01/2011-10-31)

You may also send us an email to inquire about this tour: travel@chinatravelkey.com

Service Package Includes
-Air-conditioned private car or van in Shanghai and Lhasa,
-Admission fee,
-Well trained English-speaking tour guide,
-Meals as mentioned,
-Fuel,
-Expressway cost and parking cost.
Above Price Excludes: Personal expense, Gratuities to guides and drivers.
Payment: ChinaTravelKey accept payment via 5 methods:
-Pay our tour guide in cash (Except the hotel or airlines needs deposit).
-Credit card at least one week before tour date.
-Pay us via Paypal
-Western Union at least 1 week before tour date.
-Transfer payment to bank account at least 3 weeks before tour date.