Silk Road Discovery : A custom tour of China

Day 1 Beijing
Upon arrival at Beijing airport, you are met and transferred to the hotel located downtown. Get a briefing from your tour guide at the hotel.

Day 2 Beijing
Your first day of touring our capital city will begin with strolling across the Tiananmen Square. Then we move on to the Forbidden City, magnificent imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
In the afternoon, continue on an excursion to the Great Wall, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties, and representing ancient Chinese engineering and craftsmanship.
Return to Beijing and enjoy a Peking Duck Dinner tonight.

Day 3 Beijing  Xi'an
This morning you will marvel at the treasures of the Summer Palace and the Lama Temple. After lunch take a flight to Xian.
Visit the Shaanxi History Museum, one of the best museums in China.
Later, enjoy a colorful Tang Style Dinner Show.

Day 4 Xi'an
Today's highlight is a visit to the Terracotta Army and Horses Museum. The Terracotta Army, unearthed in 1974, is a collection of 8,099 larger-than-life Chinese terra cotta figures of warriors and horses located near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, protecting the first emperor in Chinese history--Emperor Qin Shihuang from 2,200 years ago.
Upon returning to the city, tour the Great Mosque and the market in the Muslim quarters.
Enjoy a characteristic Dumpling Dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 5 Xi'an -- Dunhuang
Fly to Dunhuang on an early morning flight. Check in at the hotel for some rest upon arrival.
Dunhuang was made a prefecture in 117 BCE by Emperor Han Wudi, and was a major point of interchange between China and the outside world during the Han and Tang dynasties.
This afternoon, visit the legendary White Horse Pagoda and the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, which contain some of the finest pieces of Dunhuang Buddhist art. Enjoy a local cuisine dinner tonight.

Day 6 Dunhuang
In the morning, we tour the magnificent treasures at the famed Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years. Construction of the Buddhist cave shrines began in 366 CE as places to store scriptures and art. The Mogao Caves are the most well known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China.
In the afternoon, tour the surprising Crescent Spring Lake, and Singing Sand Dunes in the Gobi Desert. Optional Camel ride over the sand dunes is available. Dinner is on your own.

Day 7 Dunhuang -- Turpan
Transfer to airport and fly to Urumqi. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and transferred by vehicle to Turpan.
Turpan is a Uygur town in a large oasis surrounded by desert and mountains. Upon arrival, visit the site of ancient Jiaohe City. From the years 108 BC to 450 AD the city of Jiaohe was the capital of the Anterior Cheshi Kingdom. It was built on a strategic high ground and an important site along the Silk Road trade route leading west.

Day 8 Turpan
Today's sightseeing highlights include the underground Karez Well waterway, and the impressive ruin at Gaochang, both important stops on the Silk Route. Then tour the Astana Tombs, where the royalty of Gaochang were buried, and see The Flaming Mountains (said to resemble a fiery dragon in the desert light), and the massive Suliman Minaret.
This evening, enjoy dinner with a local family.

Day 9 Turpan -- Kashgar
Depart Turpan and travel to Urumqi by road or train. Upon arrival, visit the Xinjiang Museum, where several ancient mummies on display attract visitors from around the world.
Transfer to the airport after dinner and fly to Kashgar.
Situated at the junction of routes from the valley of the Oxus, from Khokand and Samarkand, Almati, Aksu, and Khotan, the last two leading from China and India, Kashgar has been noted from very early times as a political and commercial centre.

Day 10 Kashgar
Start your exploration in Kashgar by visiting the centrally located Etigar Mosque – a key preserved unit of cultural relics in autonomous region.

In the afternoon, visit the Tomb of Abakh Hoja. Abakh Hoja was a Uighur ruler in this area in the 17th Century. He and members of his family are buried here, including his granddaughter Ikparhan - the famous "Fragrant Concubine" of Qing Emperor Qianlong.
Travel out of town to the grounds of Hannoyi Ruins and the standing remains of the Moer Pagoda, both are remnants from the powerful and prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Enjoy a Uygur Song & Dance Show tonight after dinner.

Day 11 Kashgar
Kashgar is home to one of the world's largest outdoor markets - the Sunday Bazaar. The famous Sunday bazaar has been operating since ancient times. Thousands of farmers pour in from the surrounding fertile lands with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, using various means of transportation, such as bicycles, motorcycles, tractors, trucks and donkey-drawn carts. The lively Kashgar's livestock market is also a must-see.
Visit the Tomb of Yusup Hazi Hajup, a great Uygur poet and philosopher in the middle ages.

Day 12 Kashgar -- Urumqi
Travel to Urumqi by air and you are met upon arrival. Then take an excursion to the beautiful Heavenly Lake set among the alpine peaks of Tianshan Mountain (in Chinese, "celestial mountains"). Heavenly Lake, a relic of the Quaternary Period Glacier and its surrounding geological relics, offers science lovers exploring opportunities.
You will also have the opportunity to visit the yurt homes of the local Kazakh people. Muslim Cuisine Dinner for tonight.

Day 13 Urumqi -- Beijing
Fly to Beijing and check in at the hotel. Afternoon is free for your own exploration.
Enjoy a farewell dinner featuring the Imperial Cuisine in the evening.

Day 14 Return Home
Transfer to the airport and board your homebound flight.