16-day Silk Road
Adventure Travel (2011)
Beijing - Xi'an - Dunhuang -
Turpan - Kashgar - Karakul Lake - Urumqi - Shanghai
Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo and
rediscover the glorious Silk Road era, from the eastern terminus of the
ancient trade route to the western-most tip of China. Please note this is a
physically demanding soft adventure tour; accommodations in some locales may
be basic.
Scroll down for departure dates, prices and
hotel list.
Day 1/Wed: Departing Home City
The journey begins with our transpacific flight departing the west coast in
early afternoon. Cross the
International Date
Line.
Day 2/Thu: Arrival in Beijing
Meet our guide upon arrival in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel. The
balance of the day is at leisure.
Day 3/Fri: Beijing
Beijing, capital of China, is the country's second largest city in terms of
population. Following a brief orientation we visit
Tian'anmen Square, the
Forbidden City and an old
hutong - alleyway flanked with
traditional residential courtyards. Welcome dinner features delicious
Beijing roast duck, a
local delicacy. (B/L/D)
Day 4/Sat: Beijing
Enjoy a full-day excursion to the legendary
Great Wall, 70km northeast of the
city. Zigzagging over 6,000 kilometres from east to west along the
undulating mountains, the Great Wall, said to be visible from the moon, was
built to hold off tribal invaders from the north. (B/L)
Day 5/Sun: Beijing - Xi'an
Morning sightseeing at the
Temple of Heaven. Built
for emperors to worship Heaven, the Temple of Heaven is China's largest
existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings occupying an area of 273
hectares and three times the area of the Forbidden City. Late afternoon
flight to Xi'an after a tour of the Summer
Palace. (B/L)
 Day
6/Mon: Xi’an
Eastern terminus of the fabled Silk Road and one of the ancient capitals of
China, Xi'an is home to the
Terracotta Army designed to follow the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty
(221-206 BC) into eternity. Visit the excavation site of the Terracotta Army
located 30km east of the city and the emperor's mausoleum nearby. Tonight we
enjoy a music and dance show of Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) style after
dinner. (B/L/D)
Day 7/Tue: Xi'an - Dunhuang
Today's schedule takes in the ancient City
Wall and the Wild Goose Pagoda. Late afternoon flight to Dunhuang. We visit
Dunhuang Museum if time allows. (B/L)
Day 8/Wed: Dunhuang
 Morning
sightseeing introduces us to the brilliant murals and sculptures inside
Mogao Grottos, one of the most celebrated legacies of the Silk Road era.
Situated at a strategic point along the Silk Route, at the crossroads of
trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences, the 492
cells and cave sanctuaries in Mogao are famous for their statues and wall
paintings, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. In the afternoon, we visit
the Crescent Moon Lake and Singing Sand Dunes. (B/L)
Day 9/Thu: Dunhuang - Urumqi
Morning flight to Urumqi, capital and the largest city of Xinjiang Uighur
Autonomous Region. Urumqi means vast pastureland in local Uighur language.
Muslim Uighurs account for 71% of the oasis city's entire population. Our
afternoon sightseeing takes in the provincial museum of history and Red Hill
Park. (B/L)
Day 10/Fri: Urumqi - Turpan - Kashgar
 
Drive to Turpan (180km) after breakfast. Sightseeing in Turpan includes
Jiaohe Ruins (Yarkhoto), an ancient garrison town, and the Bezeklik
Caves (Buddhist temples) in the Flaming Mountains. Tranfer to Urumqi
airport in late afternoon to fly to Kashgar. (B/L/D)
Day 11/Sat: Kashgar
Located at the westernmost tip of China, Kashgar, also known as Shufu in
the old days, is a vibrant kaleidoscope of Central Asian cultures. An oasis
1200 metres above sea level, Kashgar is a remarkably prosperous and pleasant
place, despite remaining, in part, an essentially medieval city.
Enjoy a full-day excursion to Karakul Lake, 198
kilometres southwest of Kashgar. Accessed via legendary Karakoram Highway
leading to Pakistan, the lake, 3,600 metres above sea level, sits on the
laps of Muztagh Ata and Kongur, two towering peaks of the Pamir Mountains.
The scenery along the way is simply stunning: high mountain pastures nibbled
by camels and yaks tended by yurt-dwelling Tajiks. (B/L)
 Day
12/Sun: Kashgar
Kashgar’s extraordinary Sunday market, when
half of Central Asia seems to converge on the city, is as exotic to the
average Han Chinese as to the foreign tourist. We spend the whole morning
exploring the Sunday market. Afternoon sightseeing takes in Id Kah Mosque
and Abakh Hoja Tomb (also known as Fragrant Concubine's Tomb). (B/L)
Day 13/Mon: Kashgar - Shanghai
Morning flight to Urumqi (1hr40min) to connect flight bound for Shanghai
(4hr30min, 3,649km). Paris of China, Pearl of the Orient, city of quick
riches, paradise of the adventurers - those were some of the names by which
Shanghai was known before the Communists took it over from the Nationalist
Government in 1949. Like the rest of the country Shanghai is currently
undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen,
having experienced 19% GDP growth per year for the past 20 years. (B/L)
 Day
14/Tue: Shanghai
Our sightseeing in Shanghai begins with a stroll on the Bund - a waterfront
promenade famous for its landmark neoclassical buildings of European style,
followed by Shanghai Museum
and Yu Garden. Evening entertainment is a dazzling acrobatic show.
(B/L/D)
Day 15/Wed: Shanghai
Today is a free day. Exploring China's most dynamic city on your own has
never been easier. Our recommended list includes
Jinmao Tower, a ride aboard the world's only commercially run
Maglev train,
and the popular evening cruise on Huangpu River to enjoy the city's
spectacular neon-lit skyline. (B)
Day 16/Thu: Shanghai - Home City
Free morning to pack and relax. Transfer to airport by taxi (cab fare
approximately $23 or 150 yuan) to board return flight. Arrive home the same
day. (B)
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|
Dates & Prices 2011 |
|
Depart (Wed) |
Return (Thu) |
Full Package
from Vancouver
air add-ons from
other cities |
Land Package
excluding int'l airfare |
Single Supplement
applicable to travellers
without a roommate |
|
Sep 14 |
Sep 29 |
$4880 |
$4080 |
$900 |
|
Sep 21 |
Oct 06 |
$4880 |
$4080 |
$900 |
|
Sep 28 |
Oct 13 |
$4880 |
$4080 |
$900 |
|
Oct 05 |
Oct 20 |
$4880 |
$4080 |
$900 |
|
Oct 12 |
Oct 27 |
$4880 |
$4080 |
$900 |
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|
Costs Not Included in Tour
Prices |
| Taxes &
Surcharges |
Recommended Tipping |
Chinese Visa Fee |
| Full Package |
Land Package |
| please contact us for |
current amount |
$10/client/day |
Click here
for details |
|
China tours
since 1998 
