17 Days Silk Road Express Dream Tour to Xinjiang

Welcome to Kashgar. It is a national historical and cultural city, a major commercial town on the Silk Road, and a hub for east-west communication. Getting off the plane, you will find your tour guide expert in Chinese and English is already waiting for you at the airport. Along the way to your hotel, you can enjoy the charming natural scenery and learn more about the history, culture and customs of the vast region from the guide. And you can get a nice rest and dinner once arriving at the hotel.

For the first day on the trip, you will be taken by your driver to the Baisha Lake which has a picturesque natural scenery, with the snow-capped mountains and the lakes and rivers at the bottom of the mountains, forming a grand and imposing spectacle. Leaving the natural beauty behind, you will then head to Tashkurgan County where you will be warmly welcomed by the local Tajik families and experience their customs and lifestyle.

The first stop in Tashkurgan County will be the Stone City. It once functioned as a stronghold along the ancient Silk Road which you can't miss. And you'll have nice photos at the Jincao Beach. Then you'll be taken to Kashgar to the much well-known Karakul Lake which means the "Black Sea Lake". It is one of the few highland lakes in the world.  After arriving at the Lake, you are suggested to take a walk around, immersing yourself in the marvellous natural beauty. But please also hold your breath for Muztagh Ata, or the Sarikol Mountains when you see it.

After having a good rest on the train, you will be driven to the Gaotai Ancient Homes. Only here can you really feel the pulse of ancient Kashgar from the unique dwellings. It is also, known as a “Living Folk Museum of the Uygur where you will have the opportunity to learn the intangible cultural heritage handicraft-making techniques which are an essential part of the Chinese culture. Then you will be served with delicious local specialty dishes. After a good rest, you will head to the Kashgar Ancient City, a bright pearl on the ancient Silk Road. Let a Mukam-style dinner make your day completed (Mukam is a intangible cultural heritage art form). And you will embark on the wonderful Silk Road Express excursion to Hotan.

With a chill morning, whether sleep till arrival or enjoy the beautiful scenery and delicious food along the way, you'll have a visit to the Hotan Museum, where each exhibit is a testimony of time and gives you a deeper understanding of the cultural heritage of Hotan. The next stop is the HotanTraditional Handicraft Workshop where you can have a closer look at the well-made Etles Silk and handmade carpets. As night falls, you will go to the Ancient Yotkan City to experience its past prosperity. Just have a nice sleep on the train and the next morning you'll find yourself in Ruoqiang.

After arriving in Ruoqiang, the car will take you to the Milan Ancient City Ruins, the capital of the mysterious Loulan Kingdom along the Silk Road. In the afternoon, the car will take you to the Loulan Museum. Whichever the Ruins or the Museum, it'll offer you with a chance to learn about the incredible Loulan history. And you will embark on the joyous Silk Road Express excursion to Korla.

Once arriving at the Korla station, you will find a car outside is waiting for you and will take you to the Lop Nur People Village for a tour. You can travel through China's most pristine poplar forest reserve, take a sightseeing bus through the Tarim River to visit the Goddess Lake deep in the desert, or ride a camel to experience China's first mobile desert.In the afternoon, you will go to the Bosten Lake, the source of life, together with the Mongolian tribe forming a fantastic picture. And you will also hear touching legends and unique customs. Afterwards, you will head to Kuqa through the train.

Arriving in Kuqa, once the prosperous Qiuci Kingdom and birthplace of the famous “Qiuci Music and Dance”, you'll be first taken to the Kizil Caves, also known as Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves. To date, the Canyon has preserved 236 caves, of which the most wonderful is the existing tens of thousands of square metres of mural paintings. Afterwards, you will head to the Ancient Kuqa City. You can stroll along the Rzestan Street and admire the ancient architecture that combines Chinese and Western elements.

Staying in Kuqa, you have one more attraction left to visit: the Tianshan Grand Canyon.What makes it charming is not only its magnificence and precipitousness, but also its tranquility, mysteriousness and serene. Apart from that, you can also harvest a camel-riding experience. In the afternoon, you drive through the south section of Dukou Highway and arrive at the Bayinbuluk Grassland. Surrounded by snowy peaks, the terrain is tumbling, the water and grass are beautiful and the scenery is attractive, and China's only swan nature reserve is located here, with swans dancing and snowy peaks and flowers reflecting, just like a fairy tale world. You can also feel you adrenaline up. After dinner, there is still some time left for you to be with sunset.

Spending the last morning in the Bayinbuluk Grassland where you can bathe in sunshine and take nice photoes for good memories, the car will wind through the Duku Highway and first take you to the Nalati Grassland, one of the top ten scenic spots in Xinjiang. And you'll have a tour inside the attraction by an interval car. The beautiful scenery here is beyond description. If the boundless grassland is a green sea then the white yurts are sails; herds of sheep, cows and horses are waves;  upright cedars on cliffs are heroic guards. Beside the natural scenery, you'll have the chance to experience the customs of the Kazakh people.

Just enjoy your morning in the Nalati Grassland, bathing in sunshine, or having a walk around, may be then enjoying a cup of coffee. Then  you'll set off a new journey. The whole afternoon will allow you to indulge yourself in the aroma of lavenders in the Tianshan Flower Sea in Yining. Trust me, the sea of purple is unforgettable.

You will start your day by exploring the Sayram Lake, the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang. On the way, you will pass through the Guozigou Bridge，the gateway to the Ili Valley.  At the lake, you can stroll around the lake, enjoying its breathtaking scenery, including dazzling sapphire-like lake, verdant forests, and thriving grassland.  

On this day, you will be back to Yining or Bole first, then you will fly to Altay.

Today you'll set off for the Hemu Village which boasts some beautiful grasslands and zigzag mountain roads lined up by pine trees. Upon arriving there, you can stroll along the river to the deep of the vast grassland. You can experience the particular life of Tuwa people and appreciate the charming scenery here. It is fancy experience to stay a night in the house built with rough timber which has a primitive taste.

Spending a chill morning in the Hemu Village, you'll head to the Kanas Lake, one of the most charming and top destinations in Xinjiang. The scenic area, most known for Kanas Lake Monster, boasts an incredible fairyland-like natural landscape. If you want to catch a panoramic view of the Lake and the snow-capped mountains, you'd better go up to the Guanyu Pavilion beside.

Today, you will fly back to Urumqi, having a free day there.

Today our journey comes to an end. After breakfast, your guide will take you to the airport.