Essentials - 17 days

Days 1-2 Xian

Arrive in the ancient capital of Xian, a major stop on the Silk Road. See the famed Terracotta Warriors and the massive city walls. Explore a local night market and the lively streets of the Muslim Quarter. Dine on dumplings, a local specialty. Visit the important Big and Small Goose Pagodas. Tour the impressive Shaanxi Provincial History Museum and the Forest of Stele, a fascinating library of tall stone tablets.

Days 3-4 Xiahe

Fly to Lanzhou and continue to Xiahe by car. Xiahe is located at the northeast corner of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Here you will enjoy the beautiful view of sunset on the Sanker Grassland and a bonfire party. You spend two nights at the Tibetan style Labrang Hotel. On the way to Xiahe, you will pass Moslem areas to visit Muslim markets and Mosques passing through terraced fields and Tibetan villages.

Xiahe is often referred to as "Little-Tibet". Visit Labrang Lamasery, one of the six main lamaseries of the Yellow Sect of Buddhism and the largest Lamaism institute in the world.

Days 5-7 Lanzhou & Jiayuguan

You will return to Lanzhou for overnight.

Jiayuguan Pass, is well known as the western starting point of the Great Wall; the Pass used to be the frontier fortress of ancient China as well as an important hub on the Silk Road.

Days 8-9 Dunhuang

Travel by road to the oasis town of Dunhuang. Here you move on to the magnificent desert scenery of the Mingsha Sand Dune; also you can visit the lively Night Market just off the town’s main street, where an exotic range of souvenirs including leather puppets, scroll paintings, jade items, antique coins and much more is offered for sale.

The highlights in Dunhuang will be touring the astonishing caves cut by Buddhist monks from 366 AD into cliff faces at Mogao. These caves contain the greatest grouping of early Buddhist painting and sculpture to survive. This will be followed  by visiting the Museum and Research Institute to see how the caves were discovered and some of the objects that remained in them.

Day 10 Urumqi

Next fly to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. Here you will visit the excellent Xinjiang Regional Museum to see the incredibly well preserved mummies found in ancient tombs.

Days 11-12 Turpan

Travel in a private car and guide with you to Turpan. This is a largely Muslim city lying below sea level in a depression in the desert.

During your stay in Turpan, there is an excursion to the spectacular rock formations of the Flaming Mountains and you will see the ancient Thousand Buddha Caves at Bezeklik. Following this you travel into the desert to see the mystical ruins of the ancient settlement of Jiaohe

Also you will take a private excursion to the peaceful ancient village of Tuyugou in a lush valley carved into the Flaming Mountains. Next you tour the ancient ruins of Gaochang.

In the evening you enjoy an Ethnic Culture Show.

Days 13-15 Kashgar

Today, transfer to Urumqi airport by private car for your flight to the next city, Kashgar.

Kashgar is China’s westernmost city. The highlights of the stay will be the visit to the famous Sunday Bazaar, where tens of thousands of villagers and nomads arrive in their donkey carts, often causing traffic jams. Large numbers of minority peoples come to trade, all sporting their distinctive costumes and headgear. Also the other sites will include the visit to the sacred resting place of AbakhHoja, the burial place of the emperor Qianlong’s legendary “Fragrant Concubine”.

During your stay you will also take a private excursion to the spectacular Karakul Lake.

Day 16 Kashgar-Beijing

You will be transferred to the airport for flight to Urumqi where you will be assisted to connect flight to Beijing.

The remainder of the day at your leisure.

Day 17 Depart Beijing

Private transfer to the airport.