12-Day Classic Silk Road Tour from Xining: Qinghai + Gansu + Xinjiang

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 airport/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." After the tour, return to your hotel in downtown Xining to rest. Suggested Arrival Options 1. By Air: Xining Caojiabao International Airport (XNN) is Xining's main airport, about 30 kilometers from downtown Xining, with very convenient transportation. Domestic flights can directly reach Beijing (2.5 to 3 hours), Xi'an (1.5 hours), Shanghai (3.5 hours), Urumqi (2.5 hours), Chengdu (1.5 to 2 hours), Chongqing (2 hours), Guangzhou (3.5 to 4 hours), Shenzhen (3.5 to 4 hours), Lhasa (2 hours), Kunming (2.5 hours) and other major Chinese cities. 2. By Train: Xining is an important railway hub in Qinghai Province, with trains directly reaching Xi'an (4 to 5 hours), Lanzhou (1 to 1.5 hours), Zhangye (1.5 to 2 hours), Dunhuang (6 hours), Beijing/Shanghai (10 hours), Chengdu (7 to 8 hours), Chongqing (8 to 9 hours) and other major Chinese cities.

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, taking 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 for about 3-3.5 hours to Xining Railway Station and take a high-speed train to Zhangye. The high-speed train ride takes about 2 hours, with endless scenery along the way. On clear days, you can also gaze at the beautiful Qilian Mountains in the distance. Zhangye gets its name from "extending the nation's arm and opening the western regions," and has the praise that "if you do not look at the snow on the Qilian Mountains, you would mistake Zhangye for Jiangnan." It was an important and prosperous city on the ancient Silk Road, known as "Golden Zhangye," and has deep connections with Xuanzang's journey west and the legends of Journey to the West. Overnight stay in Zhangye. In the evening, you can stroll through the night market and taste authentic donkey meat, apricot peel tea, and other local foods.

After breakfast, first 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. After lunch, you will 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). After the tour, head to Jiayuguan via Jiuquan (distance about 210 km, drive about 3 hours). If time permits, you can arrive at the Overhanging Great Wall before 17:00, hike and enjoy the stunning sunset over the Jiayuguan Great Wall. It is worth mentioning that Jiayuguan is an excellent place to appreciate the artistic conception of "a solitary plume of smoke rises straight in the desert, and the setting sun over the long river is round." Overnight stay in Jiayuguan.

Today, you will fully explore 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 was called the "Key to the Frontier" and was a transportation fortress on the ancient Silk Road, as well as the western starting point of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Upon arrival, first visit Jiayuguan Fort. Jiayuguan Fort was first built in the 5th 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 pass along the entire Great Wall. This is not merely a single pass, but is divided into an inner city, outer city and moat. From the Xiongguan Water Fort in the outer city, you can photograph the exterior scenery of the pass. After entering the inner city and climbing the gate tower, you can see the Qilian Mountains. There are also many small stalls in the scenic area, offering ancient costume photography, calligraphy and paintings for sale. In addition, you can also experience the old customs procedures for exiting the pass here (optional at your own expense), and obtain a "passport" issued by the pass master in armor at the city gate exit, which is a permit for entering and exiting the pass. Optional Places to Visit 1. Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum: China's first thematic museum comprehensively and systematically displaying Great Wall culture. Completed at the end of 1988 (officially opened in 1989), the exhibition is divided into four major sections: Great Wall history, Great Wall military affairs, the Hexi Corridor and the Silk Road, and Jiayuguan ancient and modern. Among them, the Han Dynasty roast pig trotter and the Ming Dynasty Great Wall work plaque are treasures of the museum and worth a closer look. Afterwards, proceed to visit the Overhanging Great Wall, known as "the end of the Great Wall." The Overhanging Great Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty, about 500 years ago. It is named because the wall winds up from the foot of the mountain and appears to hang upside down on the ridge like an iron wall suspended in the air. You can climb along the Great Wall walkway to the highest watchtower, gaze into the distance, and take in the frontier scenery and the vast Gobi desert. The Great Wall is like a roaming dragon, from east to west, sometimes broken and sometimes continuous, appearing and disappearing, stretching for thousands of miles. After the tour, proceed to Dunhuang via Guazhou, and overnight in Dunhuang.

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... Afterward, you can wander through the Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market (optional) and taste authentic Dunhuang delicacies, such as apricot juice, donkey meat with yellow noodles, pao'er yougao (fried pastry), braised lamb with flatbread, and red willow skewer grilled lamb. 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.

In the morning, travel by vehicle to visit Yumen Pass, about 100 kilometers from Dunhuang city (about 2 hours by car). 【Yumen Pass】was first built during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. It was the gateway from the Western Regions to the Central Plains during the Han Dynasty and the "throat" of the ancient Silk Road. It was named because in ancient times fine jade from Khotan and other places in the Western Regions entered the Central Plains through this pass. It once witnessed caravans with camel bells coming and going and the blending of Chinese and Western cultures. It has a long history of more than 2,000 years and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014. The Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan's line, "Why should the Qiang flute complain about the willows? The spring breeze does not cross Yumen Pass," fully expresses the desolation of the frontier and the hardship of garrison duty. The surviving remains of Yumen Pass include Xiaofangpan City (the Han Dynasty Yumen Pass site), Dafangpan City (a Han Dynasty military supply depot), and the Han Great Wall site (one of the best-preserved sections of the Han Great Wall in China). Strolling among them, you can experience up close the military defense system from 2,000 years ago. Standing in the boundless Gobi and listening to the wind, it is as if you can travel back a thousand years and feel the loneliness of the frontier soldiers of old and the resilience of Silk Road merchants. The scenes of golden spears and iron horses and the melodious camel bells seem like events of yesterday. This itinerary will focus on visiting the Han Great Wall, about 5 kilometers from Yumen Pass, reached by sightseeing vehicle (included). This is one of the best-preserved and most representative surviving sections of the Han Dynasty Great Wall in China. It was built by ramming local tamarisk and reed branches with sand and soil layer by layer. After 2,000 years of wind and rain erosion, although damaged, its outline remains clear, making it a miracle of ancient architecture. After the visit, you will travel by vehicle for about 3 hours to Liuyuan South Station and take a high-speed train to Turpan, China's lowest, driest, sweetest, and hottest fiery land (about 3.5 hours by train). Upon arrival, our driver will meet you at the exit of Turpan North Station and escort you to your Turpan hotel for check-in and rest.

After breakfast, you will 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. Afterwards, continue to visit the [Sugong Tower], one of Turpan's landmark buildings. Sugong Tower is also called Emin Tower, with the full name Emin Khoja Thanksgiving Tower. It was first built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and was a commemorative structure built by Emin Khoja, the Jasak Doroi Junwang of the Turpan Hui region, to "repay heavenly grace." It consists of a temple, a minaret and a mazar, and is the only ancient tower of Islamic style among China's hundred famous towers. Here, you can not only admire its unique Islamic architectural style, but also gain an in-depth understanding of its long history and splendid culture. In addition, the mosque next to Sugong Tower is also well worth seeing. After the visit, you will head to your hotel in Urumqi to check in and rest (distance about 180 km, drive about 3 hours). 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 breakfast, you will drive about 70 kilometers (about 1~1.5 hours) to visit Tianshan Tianchi. [Tianshan Tianchi], anciently called "Yaochi," is a crescent-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 altitude of 1,910 meters, with the deepest point reaching 105 meters. The lake reflects Bogda Peak, surrounded by spruce trees, with scenery like a fairyland. The scenic area includes natural landscapes such as alpine lakes, wetland meadows, and forest canyons, and as the light changes, the lake water appears emerald green up close and blue in the distance, 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 Tianshan Tianchi (at your own expense) 1. Lake cruise: Take a boat tour around Tianchi and immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery of Yaochi. 2. Mayashan Cableway: Take the cableway to the summit at an altitude of 3,056 meters, overlooking the panoramic view of Tianchi 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 humanistic history of Xinjiang and the ancient Silk Road. [Xinjiang Museum] is the largest comprehensive museum in the Xinjiang region. Here you can admire rich cultural relic collections, including precious relics from the ancient Silk Road, traditional costumes of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang, folk handicrafts, etc. The museum also has temporary exhibitions displaying artworks and historical relics of 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 Rise in the East, Benefiting China" can also be seen here. Museum Tips: The Xinjiang Museum is closed on Mondays. If you are going on a Monday, you can visit the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar instead. Great Places to Go in Your Free Time If there is still time, 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 highly distinctive ethnic minority goods, such as Uyghur clothing, carpets, spices, ornaments, handicrafts, etc., and also taste various Xinjiang fruits, pilaf, lamb and other local delicacies.

This morning, you will take a flight (about 2 hours) to Kashgar. Our driver will meet you at the exit of Kashgar Airport and escort you to downtown Kashgar. Kashgar is located on the southwestern frontier of Xinjiang. In ancient times it was called Shule and was once one of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions. Since ancient times it has been a place where multiple ethnic groups have lived together, a stage for diverse cultural exchanges, the westernmost convergence point of the northern, middle, and southern routes of the ancient Silk Road, and the meeting point of the four great ancient civilizations. Its unique geographical advantage made Kashgar a trade and distribution center where "envoys could see one another on the road and merchants never ceased coming and going," earning it the reputation of the "Kingdom of Bazaars (trade markets)." Today you will begin your exploration with Kashgar Old Town. 【Kashgar Old Town】 is located right in the city center. It is the only completely preserved labyrinthine urban district in China, one of the largest rammed-earth architectural complexes in the world, an important post station on the ancient Silk Road, and a representative of Uyghur culture. When visiting the old town, you must not miss the opening ceremony, where you can watch wonderful folk performances and feel the local enthusiastic atmosphere. You can also leisurely stroll through the crisscrossing alleys of Kashgar Old Town, admire the traditional and exquisite Uyghur architecture and simple historical relics, browse handicraft shops with strong ethnic characteristics, and taste the most authentic Xinjiang cuisine. The calls of vendors and the pleasant tinkling of bells on camels' necks make one feel as if they have traveled through time and returned to Kashgar's most prosperous and flourishing period. In addition, you can visit Kashgar's landmark building, the Id Kah Mosque. This is the largest mosque in Xinjiang, one of the largest mosques in China, and one of the three most influential mosques in Central Asia. Here you can not only see grand prayer scenes and feel the strong religious atmosphere up close, but also relax and sunbathe with locals in Id Kah Square. If you want to deeply experience the daily life of local people, you can go to a century-old teahouse, order a pot of local specialty tea, chat with the hospitable Uyghur people, and enjoy a rare leisurely slow time. If you are lucky, you may also hear the pleasant singing and playing of Uyghur elders, and may even join in dancing. If you happen to visit Kashgar on a Sunday, you must not miss the Kashgar Livestock Bazaar. This is the largest live livestock trading market in Xinjiang and even Asia, full of primitive trading fun and rich Uyghur culture. Every Sunday, it is as lively as a festival. You can see the most traditional and ancient methods of livestock trading, and "bargaining in the sleeve" is the most interesting part, full of wit and fun. Tips: The Kashgar Livestock Bazaar has large numbers of cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys, and camels, and there will be a strong odor. If you are sensitive to smells, it is recommended to bring a mask. After the visit, return to your Kashgar hotel to rest.

This morning, you will be taken on an exciting road trip along the China-Pakistan Highway, about 400 kilometers in total and about 8 hours. Along the way, you can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Pamir Plateau, gaze at spectacular snow peaks such as Muztagh Ata, Kongur Tagh, and Kongur Tiube, and stop to visit two famous attractions, White Sand Lake and Karakul Lake. The China-Pakistan Highway, also known as the Karakoram Highway, is the highest-altitude cross-border highway in the world and an important road connecting China and Pakistan. The stunning landscapes along the way, including canyons, wetlands, snow peaks, grasslands, lakes, and glaciers, make it the most beautiful three-dimensional scenic avenue in southern Xinjiang. Once the most mysterious and dangerous section of the ancient Silk Road, regarded as a forbidden zone of "ten thousand mountains piled with snow, snow pressing down on ten thousand mountains," it has now become a scenic avenue of beautiful views. Along the way, you will visit the following attractions 【White Sand Lake】, also known as Kekelake Lake, is a plateau lake with an area of about 44 square kilometers and an altitude of about 3,660 meters. It is known as "the most beautiful lake on the Pamir Plateau," and its scenery is especially magnificent. The water here is as clear as a mirror, reflecting blue skies, white clouds, and distant snow mountains. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and backed by White Sand Mountain, whose slopes are covered with white sand. Under sunlight, the sand is especially fine and soft, like white silk. Whenever strong winds blow, the white sand on the mountain emits a whistling sound, earning it the name "Singing Sand Mountain." 【Karakul Lake】, also known as Kalakul Lake or Black Lake, is a rare plateau lake in the world and belongs to the alpine glacial moraine lake type, with an altitude of 3,600 meters and a total area of 10 square kilometers. The lake is surrounded by icy peaks and snowy ridges. On calm days, the silvery peaks, green grasslands, and livestock by the lake are reflected in the water, exceptionally beautiful. Opposite the lake is Muztagh Ata, known as the "Father of Ice Mountains," with an altitude of 7,509 meters (often said in mountaineering circles to be 7,546 meters). Muztagh Ata belongs to the Kunlun Mountains and is the third highest peak of the western Kunlun range. Muztagh Ata, Kongur Peak, and Kongur Tiube stand together like pillars holding up the sky on the beautiful Pamir Plateau, and are iconic landscapes of the Pamir Plateau. If you stay long enough by Karakul Lake, you will find that the lake water changes color with the light, sometimes azure, sometimes emerald, sometimes blue-gray, earning it the name "Color-Changing Lake." After the visit, you will return along the beautiful China-Pakistan Highway to Kashgar for rest, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular snow peaks, lakes, and other natural landscapes along the way again from different angles.

After breakfast, you can take some time to explore more of Kashgar's scenery according to your own preferences, and experience up close the unique ethnic culture and rich Silk Road charm of this ancient city, until our driver escorts you to the airport to catch a flight to the next destination. At this point, this wonderful and unforgettable 12-day Classic Silk Road Tour from Xining to Kashgar comes to an end. Suggested Departure Options 1. By Air: Kashgar Laining International Airport (KHG) is the second largest airport in Xinjiang and one of the westernmost airports in China. It has multiple direct domestic routes, such as to Urumqi, Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu and Chongqing, as well as direct routes to Central Asia, such as Islamabad. 2. Border Ports: The Torugart Highway Port and the Irkeshtam Port are important ports connecting China and Kyrgyzstan, while the Karasu Port is the only highway port between China and Tajikistan; the Khunjerab Port is the only land port between China and Pakistan. If you plan to leave through these land ports, please contact your in advance to inquire about specific arrangements and costs.