Discover Silk Road

Overview

Day By Day Itinerary

Fly to Beijing

On arrival Beijing you will be welcomed and transferred to hotel Novotel Peace.

The tour starts at Tian’anmen Square with its plentitude of monuments testifying to the communist, Mao’s influence on China’s modern history. From there you will proceed to the Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palaces with over 500 years of history. Visit the Forbidden City along the central axis from south to north for 2 hours. The visit to the Temple of Heaven will take about 1 hour. We will then drive to the Summer Palace, the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden.

You will be driven to Mutianyu Great Wall. On the way to the less crowded Mutianyu Great Wall, you’ll have a chance to visit a jade carving factory, learn about the stone carving and do some shopping if you like. Mutianyu Great Wall is known for its beautiful surroundings – dense woods and rich pastures which change colours with the seasons of the year. Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huai Rou County, north-east of Beijing. This section of the Great Wall is about 75km from the center of Beijing.

You will visit the largest Lama Temple of Beijing – Yonghe Temple, tour of the mysterious Tibet style Buddhist temple. Next is lunch with the locals in a typical Beijing resident’s house, before exploring the old Beijing lanes by rickshaw. This Hutong tour will last for approximately 2 hours and you will visit the typical Chinese quadrangles, many famous old buildings and the bell tower – a fantastic opportunity to explore the real life of ordinary people in Beijing. You also have the chance to enjoy the porcelain factory. Enjoy a tea ceremony at a typical China Tea House.

After breakfast, go sightseeing and visit the famous Mogao Grottoes, the Dunhuang Museum and the Sand Dune and the Crescent Lake. The Mogao Grottoes, which is named Thousand Buddhas Cave, is situated to the west of the Gansu Corridor. It is famous by the fine mural and the cast. It has been built through repeatedly 16 countries stage, the Northern Dynasty, the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty. Now it has 735 caves. The Crescent Lake is a lake which is located in desert. The shape of lake is like a moon and around it are the sands hills.

After breakfast visit a local market to enjoy the local life. Then transfer about 1 hr to Liuyuan railway station to board your high speed train on the basis of second seat class to Turpan. On arrival Turpan, check in hotel Taiyang.

After breakfast transfer go sightseeing and visit the Jiaohe Ruins, the Gaochang Ruins (include the local bus transfer of scenic spot), the Baizikeli Thousand Buddha Cave. and the Flaming Hill. The Jiaohe Ruins is a ruins of ancient city in Tang Dynasty. Here is used to be the capital of front Cheshi Kingdom. The whole city was built by mud and now it is the oldest, the biggest and the best persevered ancient city along the Silk Road. The Gaochang Ruins is the remains of Gaochang Kindom along the Silk Road in Tang Dynasty. Now there are only two of temples and part of city wall left. The Baizikeli Thousand Buddha Cave is the best persevered grottoes in Xinjiang province. Here we have 83 caves with Buddha Statues and Paintings. The Flaming Hill is the hill of red sandstone constitute. It looks like flaming fire from a long distance away.

After breakfast go sightseeing and visit the Karez Well and the Grape Valley. The karez in Turpan is nearly thousand and spans about 5,000 km. It is combined by underground channels, shaft, ground channels and small tank. The local people use this construction to collect the water from the springs which come from the snow mountains around for daily use and irrigation. The Grape Valley is very famous for its hundreds types of grapes. Here you could enjoy the dancing by local Uygur farmers and taste the fresh grapes. Later take bus transfer about 3 hrs to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Autonomous Region. On arrival Urumqi check in at hotel Huayuan and then wevisit Jade Carving Factory. Then check in at hotel Grand mercure.

After breakfast bus transfer to the Heaven Lake (include the local bus transfer of scenic spot), also called Tianchi. The Heaven Lake is looked like a huge mirror enchased in Tianshan Mount. It is surrounded by mountains and green trees and has a very beautiful scenery. In the afternoon transfer back to Urumqi and visit the Xinjiang Provincial Museum and the local Bazzar.

After breakfast, transfer to airport to board your flight to Xian, an ancient capital of China for 1,100 years. On arrival Xian, transfer to hotel and check in.

Full day tour of Xian .On this tour you will see the terracotta figures of warriors and horses that were buried underground for more than 2000 years. After noon visit to the Great wild goose Pagoda,Bell Tower . Then you will go to the Muslim Quarter, a location famous for its many and varied restaurants, each with its own speciality dishes. Here you will be sure to find something that will appeal to your taste buds from the many novel and captivating dishes on offer.

After breakfast transfer to Xian airport to board your flight Shanghai .On arrival check in at hotel Grand central

Full day tour of Shanghai .The first stop on this tour is the Yu Yuan Garden, a classic creation of the Ming Dynasty, and Shanghai Old street, that originated in the Qing Dynasty.Drive along the former French Concession and transfer to visit Shanghai Arts and Crafts Store. Then visit the Jade Buddha Temple with its priceless jade statues from Burma. The last stop, Xin Tian Di, is a stylish nightlife district with many boutiques, pubs and restaurants.

Fly to UK . Arrive home today

Group Departure Dates & Prices

Accommodation

Novotel Beijing Peace
Beijing

Grand Sun Hotel
Dunhuang

Grand Mercure Hotel Hualing
Ürümqi

Golden Flower Hotel
Xi’an

Grand Central Hotel
Shanghai

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