Silk Road Nature and Culture In-Depth Exploration 11-Day Tour: Xinjiang + Gansu + Qinghai

Welcome to Urumqi~! Our driver will greet you at the Urumqi airport exit and escort you to a hotel in downtown Urumqi for check-in. After that, you can rest at the hotel or go around the neighborhood. Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the city farthest from the ocean in the world, about 2,500 km from the nearest coastline. It is also a must-pass route on the new northern route of the world-famous ancient Silk Road, which promoted trade and cultural exchanges between China and Western countries and formed a unique ethnic cultural atmosphere in western China. Urumqi is located at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains in northwestern China, surrounded by mountains and water, with vast fertile fields. People who have lived here for generations affectionately call it "Urumqi," meaning "beautiful pasture." It is located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, adjacent to Central Asian countries, and has long been known as the "Capital of Asia's Heart." PS: Xinjiang uses the unified Beijing time, that is, UTC+08:00. However, because Xinjiang's geographical location is in the UTC+6 time zone, the actual local sunrise and sunset times in Xinjiang are about 2 hours later than Beijing time. Suggested ways to arrive 1. Plane: Urumqi Diwopu International Airport (URC) is the main airport of Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. It has many direct domestic routes, such as Beijing (about 4 hours), Xi'an (about 3.5 hours), Shanghai (about 5.5 hours), Guangzhou (about 5 hours), Shenzhen (about 5.5 hours), Chengdu (about 3.5 hours), Chongqing (about 4 hours), Lanzhou (about 2.5 hours), Kunming (about 4.5 hours), Zhengzhou (about 5 hours), etc., as well as direct routes to Central Asia, such as Islamabad, Almaty, Astana (now Nur-Sultan) and Tehran.

After breakfast, you will drive about 70 km (about 1–1.5 hours) to visit Heavenly Lake of Tianshan. Heavenly Lake of Tianshan, anciently known as "Jade Lake," is a half-moon-shaped lake on the northern side of Bogda Peak in the Tianshan Mountains and a famous tourist destination in Xinjiang. The lake surface is at an elevation of 1,910 meters, with a maximum depth of 105 meters. The lake reflects Bogda Peak, surrounded by spruce trees, with scenery like a fairyland. The scenic area encompasses natural landscapes such as alpine lakes, wetland meadows, and forest canyons. As the light changes, the lake water appears emerald green up close and blue in the distance, which is very beautiful. Upon arrival, you will first take a 40-minute sightseeing bus through the steep and magnificent mountains, then walk for 10 minutes to enjoy the stunning lake and mountain scenery and various interesting plants and animals. Optional activities at Heavenly Lake of Tianshan (at your own expense) 1. Lake cruise: Take a boat tour around the lake, immersing yourself in the beautiful scenery of Jade Lake. 2. Mayashan Cableway: Take the cableway to the summit at an elevation of 3,056 meters, overlooking the panoramic view of Heavenly Lake and the magnificent Bogda Peak in the distance. After lunch, return to Urumqi, then visit the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum to gain an in-depth understanding of the human history of Xinjiang and the ancient Silk Road. The Xinjiang Museum is the largest comprehensive museum in Xinjiang. Here you can admire rich collections of cultural relics, including precious artifacts from the ancient Silk Road, traditional costumes of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang, and folk handicrafts. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions showcasing artworks and historical relics on various themes. In addition, famous national treasures such as the ancient corpse of the "Loulan Beauty" and the Han Dynasty brocade with the inscription "Five Stars Rising in the East" can be seen here. Museum tips: The Xinjiang Museum is closed on Mondays. If you are visiting on a Monday, you can go to the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar instead. Suggestions for free time If it is still early, you can visit the grand Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar. "Bazaar" means market. The Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar is the most ethnic-flavored place in Urumqi and the world's largest castle-style bazaar. The buildings here are elegant and beautiful, with a strong Islamic style. Here, you can browse shops with strong ethnic minority characteristics, such as Uyghur clothing, carpets, spices, accessories, and handicrafts, and taste various Xinjiang fruits, pilaf, lamb, and other local delicacies.

After breakfast, you will drive about 180 km (about 3 hours) from Urumqi to Turpan, China's lowest, driest, sweetest and hottest fiery land. The scenery along the way is beautiful, and you will also pass the charming Salt Lake and the Dabancheng Wind Power Station, Asia's largest wind power station at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains. After arriving in Turpan, you will continue by car along the Flaming Mountains Grand Canyon to Tuyugou, enjoying along the way Turpan's most iconic sight, the [Flaming Mountains]. The Flaming Mountains are composed of red sandstone, conglomerate and mudstone, stretching over 100 km. The mountain body is reddish-brown, and it is named because it glows and sparkles under the scorching sun, like blazing flames. The Flaming Mountains are also an important location in the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Along the way, you can stop at a suitable spot for a while to take photos. Afterwards, follow the winding mountain road along the cliff edge of the Flaming Mountains directly to Mazar Village in Tuyugou. [Mazar Village] is an ancient Uyghur village in Xinjiang with a history of more than 2,600 years, and the village has completely preserved the traditional Uyghur lifestyle and architectural style. The people here use the ancient Uyghur language to communicate and wear the most distinctive ethnic costumes. Strolling through it, you can feel the unique folk customs of this thousand-year-old village and admire one of China's rare and best-preserved rammed-earth building complexes. These earthen houses are arranged in a picturesque disorder, paired with brightly colored door frames, and set off beautifully against the surrounding red mountains, making for excellent photos. Afterwards, head to visit the [Jiaohe Ancient City], one of the best-preserved ancient city ruins on the Silk Road. This is the world's largest, oldest and best-preserved rammed-earth city, and also China's most complete urban relic preserved for more than 2,000 years. As a witness to the development of Western Regions civilization and the Silk Road, Jiaohe Ancient City was founded and built by the Jushi people from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. It was once the capital of the Jushi Kingdom, one of the 36 kingdoms of the Western Regions, and its architecture and culture are extremely unique and worth careful appreciation. Strolling through it, you can admire the historical remains of residential areas, government offices and Buddhist temples, and feel the vicissitudes of a thousand-year civilization and the weight of history. You can also go to the central platform to enjoy a panoramic view of Jiaohe Ancient City. With the guide's vivid explanations, it feels as if you have traveled through time and returned to the bustling prosperity of the Silk Road. Then continue to visit the [Karez Wells], one of the three great ancient projects of China. The Karez wells are a special irrigation system in desert areas, ranking alongside the Great Wall and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Here, you can experience the unique coolness of Turpan's scorching summer, appreciate the life wisdom of the ancient ancestors, and learn about the great feat of how ancient craftsmen channeled snowmelt from the Tianshan Mountains dozens of kilometers away through the Karez wells to become clear spring water here, irrigating tens of thousands of mu of vineyards and turning barren land into a lush oasis. After the tour, you will return to your hotel in Turpan to rest.

Today, you will take a high-speed train from Turpan North Station to Liuyuan South Station. Upon arrival, our driver will greet you at the train station exit and escort you to your hotel in Dunhuang for check-in. You can arrange the remaining time freely, or consult your guide for travel suggestions based on your interests! Since ancient times, Dunhuang has been a key passage on the Silk Road from China to the Western Regions, Central Asia and Europe, always playing the role of a thriving commercial and economic center. Today, Dunhuang exists as an artistic and cultural center where Eastern and Western cultures blend, and can be described as a "Silk Pearl" in the vast Gobi Desert. When visiting Dunhuang, why not follow in the footsteps of Wang Zhihuan, stand on the ruins of the Xiaofangpan City at Yumen Pass, gaze upon this earthen fortress that has weathered two thousand years, and feel the solemn grandeur of "Why should the Qiang flute complain about the willow? The spring breeze does not reach Yumen Pass," while in the northwestern desert you imagine Huo Qubing's warhorses, Wang Zhaojun's pipa sounds, and the prosperity of the Silk Road... tracing the stirring chapters of history buried beneath the sand. Great Places to Go in Your Free Time Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market: This is one of the most representative night markets in Dunhuang, where you can taste authentic Dunhuang delicacies such as apricot juice, donkey meat yellow noodles, pao'er yougao, braised lamb with flatbread, and red willow skewer grilled lamb.

Today, you will embark on a wonderful Dunhuang cultural journey. After breakfast, head to the Mogao Caves, one of China's four great grottoes. The 【Mogao Caves】, also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, are hailed as the "Treasure House of Eastern Art." They are the largest and richest surviving site of Buddhist art in the world, and a witness to the blending of diverse civilizations along the ancient Silk Road. In 1987, they were listed as a World Cultural Heritage site. The caves were carved over a period of a thousand years and contain vast and richly varied murals, painted sculptures, and grottoes, making them a world-famous treasure house of Buddhist art. Upon arriving at the Mogao Caves scenic area, you can first visit the Dunhuang Mogao Caves Digital Exhibition Center to watch a wonderful digital film, "Millennium Mogao," for an initial understanding of the Mogao Caves. Then take a shuttle bus to the cave area (PS: photography is prohibited inside the caves). Led by a guide, you will visit 8 caves in succession, such as the Library Cave (Caves 16–17, the largest cave), the Nine-Story Building (the common name for the wooden structure outside Cave 96, one of the iconic buildings of the Mogao Caves), and the Nirvana Cave (Cave 148, where the reclining Buddha is located)... The specific caves visited depend on actual on-site conditions, but several classic grottoes will be included. If interested, you can visit the Dunhuang Grottoes Cultural Relics Protection and Research Exhibition Center to see 1:1 replicas of 8 highly representative caves, including Caves 275, 249, 419, 220, 217, 3, and 25 (photography allowed). After the visit, you can return to the hotel to rest. If time permits, after lunch you can visit the Dunhuang Museum (at your own expense). In the afternoon, you will head to the 【Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake】, hailed as "one of China's five most beautiful deserts." Mingsha Mountain is formed by shifting sand, with peaks over a hundred meters high and steep slopes. The slopes show water-ripple-like sand patterns. When people slide down from the top, the sand produces a sound like chiming bells, hence the name. It is said that on cloudless days when the wind stops and the sand is still, one can even hear the sound of string and bamboo instruments, which is truly wondrous. The Crescent Lake at the foot of Mingsha Mountain is named for its crescent shape. The water is crystal clear. Despite years of fierce winds and sand blotting out the sun, for thousands of years this clear spring has never overflowed after long rains nor dried up in droughts. Here you can stroll in the desert and enjoy the beautiful scenery of "a solitary column of smoke rising straight in the vast desert, and the setting sun round over the long river" and "silver mountains surrounded by sand on all sides, a pool of clear water with green ripples," or choose to enjoy various activities (at your own expense), such as camel riding, sand sledding, sand motorcycles, off-road vehicles, and gliders... Optional evening performances: (at your own expense, advance reservation required) 1. "Music of Dunhuang" (performed year-round): The world's first cave-style immersive theater, telling the story of Bai Xin, a young man from the Western Regions in the early Tang Dynasty, on his journey to find music. The performance uses modern technology combined with live performances to recreate the cultural elements of Dunhuang murals, including music, dance, poetry, costumes, and painting. 2. "Dunhuang Grand Ceremony" (peak season only): The world's first large-scale desert live-action performance, set against Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake. Through a 360-degree rotating and moving audience seating area, it tells the poignant love story of a young painter and a princess, recreating the former prosperity of the ancient Silk Road and showcasing Dunhuang's unique cultural charm (including the "Molten Iron Fireworks" display). 3. "Encore Dunhuang" (peak season only): A large-scale indoor experiential drama directed by Wang Chaoge, one of the chief directors of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The audience travels through the Library Cave and the Mogao Caves, personally experiencing Dunhuang culture and the splendor of the Silk Road. 4. "Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes" (peak season only): A large-scale theatrical production performed by the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe, telling the folk story of "Miaoshan Saving Her Father." The dance movements are graceful, the cultural connotations profound, and the artistic level extremely high. Notes 1. To protect the caves, the Mogao Caves implement a real-name reservation system with daily visitor limits. Tickets are divided into Type A (6,000 per day) and Type B (12,000 per day, with priority for domestic tourists). Type A includes 8 caves and 2 digital films; Type B includes 4 caves and the Grottoes Cultural Relics Protection and Research Exhibition Center. 2. On the day of your visit, please follow the visiting arrangements of the Mogao Caves management department. The order of visiting Mingsha Mountain and the Mogao Caves may be adjusted. 3. If you are particularly interested in the caves, you can also purchase tickets on-site for special caves (queuing may be required) to explore more exquisite caves. Special caves (at your own expense) are divided into Line 1 (Caves 45, 320, 321, 420, 9, 428) and Line 2 (Caves 275, 45, 156, 158). 4. During the Dunhuang Cultural Expo or in case of severe weather or other factors affecting visits, if the Mogao Caves cannot be visited as planned, our agency will refund the Mogao Caves ticket according to actual costs, or arrange a visit to the Western Thousand Buddha Caves as an alternative. 5. Optional paid activities at Mingsha Mountain scenic area: shoe covers, sightseeing bus, camel riding, motorcycle, off-road vehicle (3-seater), paragliding, desert stargazing camping. 6. When participating in desert entertainment activities, please take good care of your photographic equipment to prevent wind and sand from entering your camera. When riding a camel, please follow the staff's instructions when getting on and off.

Today, you will travel by vehicle about 400 kilometers (about 5 hours) to visit Jiayuguan, known as the "First and Greatest Pass under Heaven." 【Jiayuguan】was historically called the throat of the Hexi Corridor. Because of its strategic terrain and magnificent architecture, it is known as the "key to the frontier" and was a vital transportation stronghold on the ancient Silk Road, as well as the western starting point of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. First, head to the Overhanging Great Wall, known as the "end of the Great Wall." Built during the Ming Dynasty about 500 years ago, it gets its name because the wall winds up from the foot of the mountain and appears to hang upside down along the ridge, like an iron wall suspended in midair. You can climb along the Great Wall walkway to the highest watchtower and gaze into the distance, taking in the frontier scenery and the vast Gobi Desert. The Great Wall looks like a wandering dragon, running from east to west, sometimes broken and sometimes continuous, appearing and disappearing, stretching for thousands of miles. Afterward, visit the Jiayuguan Fort. Construction of the Jiayuguan Fort began in the fifth year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1372). It is the first major pass at the western end of the Ming Great Wall and the most spectacular fort along the entire Great Wall. This is not merely a single pass, but consists of an inner city, an outer city, and a moat. From the outer city's Water Fort, you can photograph the fort's exterior. After entering the inner city and climbing the gate tower, you can see the Qilian Mountains. There are also many stalls in the scenic area, offering ancient-costume photography, calligraphy, paintings, and more. In addition, you can experience the old procedures for passing through the pass here (optional, at your own expense), and at the city gate exit receive a "passport" issued by the pass commander in armor, which served as a permit for entering and leaving the pass. It is worth mentioning that Jiayuguan is one of the best-preserved gates of the Great Wall and an excellent place to appreciate the mood of "a solitary plume of smoke rises straight in the desert, and the setting sun rounds over the long river." Overnight stay in Jiayuguan. Optional attractions (at your own expense) 1. Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum: China's first thematic museum to comprehensively and systematically display Great Wall culture. Completed at the end of 1988 (officially opened in 1989), its exhibition is divided into four major sections: Great Wall history, Great Wall military affairs, the Hexi Corridor and the Silk Road, and Jiayuguan past and present. Among them, the Han Dynasty roast pig trotter and the Ming Dynasty Great Wall work plaque are treasures of the museum and are well worth a closer look.

Today, you will drive about 260 km (about 4 hours) to Zhangye. Zhangye is named after the phrase "extending the nation's arm to reach the Western Regions" and has the praise "If you do not look at the snow atop the Qilian Mountains, you would mistake Zhangye for Jiangnan." It is an important city on the ancient Silk Road and was very prosperous, known as "Golden Zhangye." It also has deep ties with Xuanzang's journey west and the legends of Journey to the West. After arriving in Zhangye, first head to the area with China's largest, best-developed and most richly shaped Danxia landforms, Zhangye Qicai Danxia. [Zhangye Qicai Danxia Scenic Area] is located at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains, 230 km southeast of Jiayuguan. It is one of China's seven most beautiful Danxia landforms and has titles such as "one of the world's top ten magical geographical wonders" and "one of the world's 22 most unforgettable landscapes." Its majesty, spectacular scale, peculiar shapes and brilliant colors are unparalleled. Standing within it, you feel as if you have entered a colorful fairy-tale world. The scenic area has 4 viewing platforms, with shuttle buses running between them. The shuttle route from the North Gate is: Qicai Xianyuan Platform (No. 2) -> Qicai Yunhai Platform (No. 1) -> Qicai Jinxiu Platform (No. 5) -> Qicai Hongxia Platform (No. 4). Among them, the most recommended are Platform No. 1 (the largest viewing platform in the scenic area, offering a panoramic view of the Danxia landforms and the S-shaped road, and the best place to photograph the sunrise) and Platform No. 4 (the most brilliantly colored, where at sunset the Danxia under the glow looks like a "mountain of knives and sea of fire," called the "pork belly mountain" by visitors). Travel Tips 1. At sunrise, the light is soft, the colors are vivid and the contrast is high, making it an excellent time to photograph the panorama and delicate textures of the Rainbow Mountains. At sunset, the warm afterglow falls on the hills, forming golden silhouettes, also an excellent time to capture the beauty of the Rainbow Mountains. If you want to capture the sunrise scenery, please confirm with your travel consultant to stay overnight at a hotel near the Rainbow Mountains. 2. Another best time to enjoy the Danxia landforms is after rain, when the colors become more vivid and enchanting due to the effect of moisture. 3. The scenic area may require climbing slopes, so comfortable shoes are essential. 4. The scenic area also offers entertainment projects such as camel riding, hot air balloons, gliders and helicopters (additional charge required). Afterwards, head to visit the Great Buddha Temple. [Great Buddha Temple], also known as "Reclining Buddha Temple," was first built in the first year of Yong'an of the Western Xia Dynasty (1098) and has a history of more than 900 years. It is one of the four existing royal temples in China. Inside the temple is the largest indoor clay reclining Buddha in China and even Asia, with a body length of about 34.5 meters and a shoulder width of about 7.5 meters; even a person could lie flat on one of its fingers. In addition to the great Buddha, the hall also contains numerous Buddhist statues such as the Ten Great Disciples and the Eighteen Arhats, as well as murals depicting stories from Journey to the West and Classic of Mountains and Seas. In addition, the couplet outside the Great Buddha Hall, "The sleeping Buddha sleeps long, sleeping for a thousand years and never waking; the questioner asks forever, asking for a hundred generations and never understanding," is worth careful observation. There is also a couplet with the same content in Western Xia script; remember to ask the guide to explain the differences between its stroke structure and Chinese characters. Moreover, artifacts unearthed in the temple, such as Persian silver coins, further confirm the prosperity of Silk Road trade. Note: At present, significant progress has been made in the digital restoration of the reclining Buddha statue at Zhangye Great Buddha Temple. The opening hours of the digital exhibition hall are subject to official notice. Once open, you can gain an in-depth understanding of the historical and cultural background of the reclining Buddha through an immersive experience. Overnight stay in Zhangye. In the evening, you can stroll through the night market and taste authentic donkey meat, apricot peel tea and other delicacies.

After breakfast, you will head to Zhangye Railway Station to take a high-speed train to Xining. Xining (average altitude about 2,275 meters) is the capital city of Qinghai Province, located in eastern Qinghai and northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is the eastern gateway to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and enjoys the title of "First City of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." As the intersection of the southern route of the ancient Silk Road and the Tang-Tubo Ancient Road, Xining was once a hub of East-West trade and cultural exchange, preserving a large amount of Silk Road cultural heritage. In addition, Xining's average summer temperature is about 17~19°C, very cool and pleasant, and it is known as "China's Summer Capital." Welcome to beautiful Xining. Our driver will greet you at the train station exit, and then escort you to visit Ta'er Monastery, one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism in China. [Ta'er Monastery] is named so because there was a pagoda first and then a monastery, with a history of about 600 years. It is one of Xining's most popular tourist destinations and the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, a master of Tibetan Buddhism and the second Buddha of the world. The monastery has magnificent architecture, rich treasures, and flourishing incense, making it one of the best places to learn about Tibetan Buddhist culture. In addition, Ta'er Monastery is famous worldwide for its butter sculptures, murals and barbola, known as the "Three Wonders of Ta'er Monastery." Afterwards, continue to visit [Dongguan Mosque], the largest mosque in Qinghai Province, one of China's four great mosques, and one of China's five major Jumu'ah mosques of Islam. It was first built in the 12th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1380), with a history of more than 600 years. Its architecture blends Han, Tibetan and Hui ethnic styles, making it very unique, and the most eye-catching structures are the prayer hall and the minaret—remember to take photos! Here, you can gain an in-depth understanding of the Hui people's lifestyle and traditional customs, and may also have the chance to see locals reciting scriptures and praying. In the evening, overnight in Xining.

This morning, you will depart from Xining and drive about 145 km (about 2.5–3 hours) to visit Qinghai Lake. 【Qinghai Lake】 (elevation about 3,194 meters) is China's largest inland saltwater lake, like a brilliant pearl inlaid on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It was rated by China National Geographic as "the most beautiful of China's five great lakes" and included in the list of "55 places you must visit in your lifetime." Its deep, boundless azure waters are surrounded by vast stretches of golden rapeseed flowers and rolling green grasslands, dotted with colorful prayer flags and leisurely grazing cattle and sheep. This is the unique, colorful and magnificent scenery of Qinghai Lake where water and sky merge as one. (PS: The best viewing period for Qinghai Lake's rapeseed flowers and grasslands is July to August.) After arriving at Qinghai Lake, you will visit the Erlangjian Scenic Area, one of the famous attractions of Qinghai Lake. Here you can feel the rippling blue waves of Qinghai Lake up close, enjoy the natural beauty of water and sky merging as one, and immersively explore rich cultural heritage such as Tibetan cultural symbols and the legend of the Queen Mother of the West. On clear days, you may also have the chance to gaze at snow-capped mountains in the distance. Optional paid activities: To fully enjoy the breathtaking natural scenery of Qinghai Lake, you can choose to take a boat cruise and comfortably tour the lake. Options include: high-speed boat (one way about 20 minutes, 140 yuan per person) or luxury cruise (round trip about 50 minutes, 180 yuan per person). In addition, you can also ride horses or cycle around the lake. After visiting the Erlangjian Scenic Area, continue westward along the picturesque shores of Qinghai Lake to Chaka Town (elevation about 3,100 meters), famous for its stunning Chaka Salt Lake. The total distance is about 153 km, with a drive of about 2.5 hours. Tonight you will stay in Chaka Town to rest.

After breakfast, you will travel by vehicle about 4 kilometers (about 10 minutes) from Chaka Town to visit Chaka Salt Lake Scenic Area. 【Chaka Salt Lake】is one of the important birthplaces of China's salt culture, and its salt industry history can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. The entire salt lake is set amid snow-capped peaks and green meadows. It is a saltwater lake where water and salt blend perfectly, beautiful in all four seasons. In summer, blue waves ripple; in winter, it is desolate and magnificent. The lake surface is as clear as a mirror, reflecting blue skies, white clouds, and snow mountains, and it enjoys the reputation of "China's Mirror of the Sky." You can climb onto the viewing platform to overlook the full panorama of Chaka Salt Lake. If interested, spend some time exploring the world's largest outdoor salt sculpture art group, the salt sculptures, to learn about Chaka's history and culture; or leisurely stroll in the salt lake above the clouds and fully experience the wonder of "water reflecting the sky, sky meeting the earth, people walking amid the lake as if traveling in a painting." If you want a more immersive experience, you can also take a retro mini train along the tracks deep into the heart of the lake, placing yourself in a world of salt. After sightseeing, you can leisurely walk back to the entrance, which takes about 40 minutes. If you do not want to walk, you can take the train back (additional fee required). Along the way, you can go to the Qianying Muxue Viewing Platform to admire the reflection of the snow mountains in the salt lake, and you can also stop at Tianlu Yingchen Station and Tianji Xinyue Station to take photos, capturing iconic images such as "I Love Chaka" and "Heart Crystal." Practical travel tips 1. To experience the charm of the salt lake up close, you can put on shoe covers (additional 10 yuan required) and walk on the lake surface, as if walking in a fantasy above the sky. 2. Taking the sightseeing train allows you to enjoy the stunning reflection scenery of the "Mirror of the Sky" on the lake surface, and along the way you can photograph the scene of "railway tracks leading to the horizon." 3. Every corner of Chaka Salt Lake is suitable for photos, such as the Romantic Patio, Qianying Muxue, the water mini train, and the area around the salt sculptures and other popular spots. 4. If you want to photograph the magnificent sunrise/sunset at Chaka Salt Lake, you can go to Qianying Muxue Viewing Platform, Tianjing Bishui Station, Romantic Tianjing Station, Tianji Xinyue Station, and other places to capture it. After visiting Chaka Salt Lake, you will travel by vehicle about 300 kilometers back to Xining, with a drive of about 3.5 to 4 hours. In the evening, check into a hotel in Xining for rest.

After breakfast, this wonderful and unforgettable 11-day Silk Road Nature and Culture In-Depth Exploration Tour comes to an end. Our driver will escort you to the airport/train station for your departure to the next destination.