Wendy Wu Silk Road Explorer

Xian
Come face to face with the famous Terracotta Army

Mogao Grottoes
See the Buddhist paintings, statues and sculptures

Xinjiang
Admire the Flaming Mountains and the Emin Minaret

Tian Chi
Relax on the banks of the Heavenly Lake

Days 1-2: Fly to Xian
Fly overnight to Xian, the ancient former capital. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
(Dinner)

Day 3: Terracotta Warriors
After their fortuitous discovery in the 1970s, the Terracotta Army of China’s first Emperor Qin Shihuang has intrigued visitors ever since – spend the morning viewing their enigmatic ranks. Visit the workshop of the craftsmen who recreate Terracotta Warriors in the style of their ancient counterparts. Later, cycling around the city wall and take a walking tour of the Muslim Quarter. End the day with a dumpling dinner and an optional ‘Xian by Night’ tour.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 4: Train to Lanzhou
Enjoy a relaxed day admiring the treasures of the Shaanxi Museum. Also, see the Little Wild Goose Pagoda. Board an overnight train to Lanzhou.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Days 5-6: Explore Lanzhou
Begin the day with a stroll along the Yellow River and up to Baita Temple. Later on, try some Lanzhou style noodles. The next day, take a speed boat across Liujiaxia Lake to explore the Thousand Buddha Caves of Bingling Temple and the statue of Maitreya
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 7: Tibetan Xiahe
Travel through the scenic Jishi Mountain pass and reach Xiahe. Rest of the day is spent acclimatising to the altitude.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 8: Labrang Monastery
Labrang Monastery is a perfect place to get a taste of Tibet. Here you’ll try traditional Tibetan food.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 9: Travel to Zhangye
Return to Lanzhou before talking the bullet train to Zhangye
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 10: Rainbow Mountains
Watch the sunrise over Danxia National Park before returning to Zhangye and visit the Giant Buddha. After, board your bullet train Jiayuguan.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 11: Great Wall at Jiayuguan
Seen as China’s western gateway, while here you’ll visit Jiayu Fortress and walk along the extremes of the Great Wall.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 12: City of Sands
Drive to Dunhuang, located on a trade crossroads. Known as the ‘City of the Sands’ it sits on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Visit the Shazhou Night Market.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 13: Mogao Grottoes
Visit this system of temples which house wonderful examples of Buddhist paintings and statues
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 14: Singing Sand Dunes
Head to Crescent Moon Spring and the Singing Sand Dunes, a phenomenon caused by the wind disturbing the sand.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 15: Turpan
Take the bullet train to Turpan, a lush green oasis in the vast desert
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Days 16-17: Explore Turpan
Visit the ruins of Jiaohe and the tallest minaret in China. The next day, learn about ancient irrigation canals and drive to Kural
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Days 18-20: The Silk Road
Over the next three days travel along the original Silk Road through the Xinjiang Region, viewing ruins and sights largely unvisited by tourists. Start with a visit to see the ruins of Subashi, before arriving in Kuqa to see the Kyzil Thousand Buddha Caves. Continue travelling to Aksu, and on to the fabled city of Kashgar.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 21: Explore Kashgar
Although now a modern city, the sights and sounds of Kashgar’s bazaar have remained unchanged for millennia. Sightseeing today includes a visit to Abakh Hoja Tomb, Id Kah Mosque and a stroll through the narrow atmospheric alleyways around Id Kah Square.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 22: Kashgar Sunday Bazaar
Dive into Central Asia’s largest bazaar, full of hundreds of stalls for you to view. Later, fly to Urumqi.

Days 23-24: Heavenly Lake to Urumqi
Escape to the tranquil Heavenly Lake. Pay a visit to a Kazakh family in their yurt and learn more about their way of life. Dinner that day will consist of local Uyghur lamb skewers. The following day, visit the Xinjiang Museum before flying to Beijing.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 25: The Great Wall
The morning revolves around the Great Wall, one of China’s most iconic sights. In the afternoon, enjoy the idyllic summer palace.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 26: Imperial Beijing
Head to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City before continuing the Temple of Heaven and Yandaixiejie, where you can wander through the hutongs. That evening, dine on Peking duck and enjoy an acrobatic show.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 27: Fly Beijing to the UK
Fly back to the UK, arriving home the same or following day
(Breakfast)

Tibetan Lunch
Sample traditional Tibetan foods including momos

Traditional Yurts
Visit a nomadic home of the Kazakh community, and learn more about their culture

Shazhou Night Market
Wander around the atmospheric night market in the frontier town of Dunhuang

• Return international flights
• 25nts in 4* accommodation
• All meals: 24 breakfasts, 23 lunches and 24 dinners
• All transportation & transfers
• All sightseeing & entrance fees
• English speaking National Escort & local guides
• Visa fees for UK & EU passport holders

Go Beyond

Venture off the beaten track to explore fascinating destinations away from the tourist trail. You will discover the local culture in depth and see sights rarely witnessed by other travellers. These tours take you away from the comforts of home but will reward you with the experience of a lifetime.

This tour has a maximum group size of 18 people per group.

This tour has a physical rating of 2. A reasonable level of fitness is required, as you’ll be spending time on your feet and doing a bit of walking to cover short distances during your daily sightseeing. There will also be some climbing of steps and climbing on and off of coaches and boats.