Today, your flight will arrive in Kashgar. We will meet you at the airport exit with a welcome sign and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this fascinating city at your leisure.

After breakfast in the morning, your guide and driver will meet you in the hotel lobby. First, we will visit the famous Sunday Bazaar, which is divided into two sections. The covered bazaar sells clothing, nuts, household goods, and many items beyond your imagination. The outdoor Animal Bazaar is the first part we visit, where farmers and buyers arrive by donkey cart, truck, bicycle, horseback, motorbike, or on foot with their animals. It’s loud, lively, and cheerful as they arrive, and it’s quite interesting to witness their typical bargaining methods. Then, we will drive on the China-Pakistan Highway for about 4 hours to enjoy the landscape of the Pamirs Plateau. Experience beautiful Karakul Lake, where herds of livestock around the lakeside are reflected in the water. Kirghiz herdsmen usually settle down here to graze their herds. The following day will be spent exploring the stunning landscape along the highway, and we will drive to Taxkorgan County for an overnight stay.

Today, before driving back to Kashgar, we will visit the Stone Fortress. The city is oval in shape, with city walls built from sun-dried bricks on stone foundations. Its outer circumference is 1,285 metres. Over the past few years, new wooden pathways have been constructed to allow tourists to walk through these beautiful grasslands, known as the Golden Grassland. From here, you can take even better photos of the Stone Fortress. Walk around the pastureland to experience local Tajik customs.

Meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby today, and then we will embark on a full-day Kashgar city excursion. We will visit Idigar Mosque, the largest mosque in China and the most sacred place for locals to practice their Islamic activities. Around 10:30, we will visit the Old Town when the opening ceremony is ready to greet all tourists with a cultural show. Further explore the unique local culture and experience the lifestyle by arranging a visit to a local Uighur family. The Kashgar city tour concludes with a wander along the bustling Handicraft Street, featuring dazzling jewelry, primitive pottery, unique musical instruments, and daily necessities of the locals. As a special arrangement, spend some spare time in a tea-house to relax and immerse yourself in the local culture and traditions. After the visit, bid farewell to Kashgar and you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Urumqi.

Urumqi

Today, you will drive to the picturesque Heavenly Lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, blooming wildflowers, and evergreen pine trees. Trek along the lake in the fresh air, or explore further up to Maya Mountain by cable car to enjoy the magnificent mountain views. Afterward, transfer back to Urumqi in approximately 1.5 hours and visit the Xinjiang International Bazaar, the largest bazaar in Urumqi. You’ll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets, and almost anything you can imagine.

Today, we will drive to the historical sites and oasis landscapes of Turpan. Our first must-see stop is the ancient Uyghur village of Tuyoq, nestled in the heart of the Flaming Mountains canyon. The village is divided into four distinct areas: the canyon scenery, the Mazar tombs, and the historic architecture of the old settlement. Next, we’ll visit the Jiaohe Ruins, one of China’s best-preserved ancient city ruins. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on June 22, 2014.

In the morning, we will depart from the hotel and head to the Karez Well, a unique underground irrigation system. Here, you can not only explore this ancient engineering marvel but also escape the summer heat. Next, we’ll visit a must-see attraction in Turpan’s Gaochang District—a private collection house run by a friendly 71-year-old man who loves chatting with visitors. Locals fondly call his shop "Turpan Grandpa’s Antique Museum." Later, we’ll explore the Sugong Minaret, the tallest Islamic minaret in China, built in 1778. After the tour, we’ll transfer you to the train station to take a bullet train to Liuyuan South Station. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by our driver and taken to your hotel in downtown Dunhuang for an overnight stay.

Dunhuang

Today we will visit the 'cultural treasure' — Mogao Grottoes. Here, you can admire the magnificent grottoes and mural art, and learn about the history of Buddhism in Dunhuang through guided explanations and film displays — an essential experience for tourists visiting Dunhuang. After the visit, we will head to Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake. When strong winds blow, the sands are lifted and create a loud echoing sound. You will also find Crescent Lake, which has endured for hundreds of years without being buried by sand. In the evening, stroll through the vibrant Shazhou Night Market, where various treasures and local delicacies await. It’s easy to lose track of time while wandering the market, enjoying your leisure time, and tasting some local cuisine.

In the morning, we will meet you at the hotel lobby and take you to visit Jiayuguan Pass. This Ming Dynasty fort guards the strategic Jiayuguan Pass at the western end of the Great Wall — the last section built by the Ming Dynasty. We will also visit the Great Wall Museum, which opened to visitors in October 1989 and is the first to comprehensively and systematically exhibit Great Wall culture. (There are many steps between towers, so please consider if you are able to walk and climb for about 2 hours.) After sightseeing in Jiayuguan, we will drive all the way to Zhangye Linze County and stay at the Kaoshan Tent, located near Zhangye Danxia Park.

Meet the guide and driver at the hotel, and then we will head to the splendid Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, a typical arid region in northern China. Ribbons of red, orange, and yellow slice through the rock, creating a rainbow vista framed by the contours of jagged mountain peaks. Many people also call it "Rainbow Mountain". After the visit, we will drive to Mati Temple and check into a hotel in the scenic area.

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we will take a high-speed train along the Qilian Mountains at around 9 am, enjoying splendid scenery on the way to Xining. At 16:00, we will visit Ta'er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery), which has the largest monk population outside Tibet. Standing on Thangka Sunning Terrace, you will have a bird’s-eye view of the monastery and its surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels are also a must-see attraction. The entire monastery is surrounded by prayer wheels — walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels, and pray for blessings. Butter sculpture is one of the "Three Wonders of Art" at Ta’er Monastery. It includes various artistic works, such as Buddha statues, figures, landscapes, pavilions, birds, animals, flowers, and trees, all crafted from butter.

Another delightful day awaits! After a 2-hour drive, we will cycle around beautiful Qinghai Lake or take a light trek through the cole flower sea. It’s no exaggeration to say that Qinghai Lake is a miracle endowed by nature. Special Arrangements: ① 1-2 hours of cycling/hiking around Qinghai Lake ② Enjoying time in the Cole Flower Sea Every year from May to October, nomadic Tibetan families move to the lake’s shore. It is wonderful to visit their homes and learn about their lifestyle. Afterward, we will drive 2.5 hours to Chaka for an overnight stay.

Today is the last day of our journey. We are going to explore beautiful Chaka Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in Qinghai Province. "Chaka" means "the sea of salt" in Mongolian. It lies in the center of the Qaidam Basin and was nominated by a national tourist geography magazine as one of the 55 places to visit. Special Arrangement: One-way train ride to Chaka Salt Lake Afterward, your enjoyable Silk Road trip will come to an end. We will drive 4 hours back to Xining to catch your flight. Please book a flight after 19:00. Wish you a pleasant journey home!