16 Days Silk Road and Tibet to Urumqi-Turpan-Dunhuang-Xi’an-Tibet

Welcome to join our Urumqi, Turpan, Dunhuang, Xi’an, Tibet tour! After reclaiming your luggage at Hong Kong airport, you will be met by your guide outside customs. He or she will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will then be escorted to the hotel. Now some free time for you to rest and recover from the plane ride.

Meals: No meal, advice freely available

• Hotels: Hilton Urumqi Hotel, Excemon Xinjiang Yilite Hotel

Urumqi

Heavenly Lake is a natural scenic spot with mountains and lakes as the center. A boat cruise will offer you the chance to get close to it. Go shopping at Xinjiang Erdaoqiao Market, whose appearance is designed with rich uygur architectural style. The local snacks attract visitors from all over the world.

When it comes to Xinjiang snacks, the first thing comes to our mind is Nang, a kind of crusty pancake. Today, you will not only taste it, but also watch the process of making it in a local Nang store. Chatting with the owner is a good way to gain some information about their life and culture.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Heavenly Lake

After breakfast, a private transfer will take you to Turpan. Your lovely day starts from the Karez Wells, the crystallization of working people’s wisdom and an irrigation system used both during the past and nowadays. Continue to explore the Ruins of Ancient City of Jiaohe. Jiaohe, in Chinese, means the place where two rivers meet. The ancient city was the capital of the former Cheshi State and a palace for precious ancient culture.

As lunch is time is approaching, you will visit a local Uyghur family and learn with the host to cook some authentic Xinjiang dishes. Lunch will be the dishes cooked on your own. At the end of the day, get on a local carriage and roam at the night market.

Note: If you travel during August and September, when is the harvest time for grapes, you are able to pick grapes on your own in the local garden

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Mercure Hotel Turpan Downtown

The Ruins of the Ancient City of Jiaohe

Astana Tombs are a series of underground tombs located outside Turpan, with thousands of ancient Silk Road artifacts, like mummies. Appreciate the murals in Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, which will bring you back to the ancient Huihu State. There we can see the King and Queen and people from all walks of life. And then go to Tuyugou Canyon and Maza Village, which retains many Muslim features with Islamic green-topped mosques towering above the adobe houses.

You will be transferred to the train station in Turpan after lunch. The Dunhuang guide will wait for you at the Liuyuan train station exit and escort you to the hotel in Dunhuang.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Grand Soluxe Hotel Dunhuang, Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel

Astana Tombs

Western Thousand-Buddhas Cave is set into a cliff along the Danghe River Bank, which is similar to the Mogao Grottoes in structure, painted sculpture and fresco art style. Therefore, it also became an integral part of Dunhuang art.

After that, you will ride a camel at Singing Sand Mountains and watch the amazing Crescent Spring. It is quite exciting to go from one side of the tune to the top and then come down from another side by the camel.

Near dusk, go visit the bustling Shazhou Night Market to search for some local crafts and snacks.

Note: You are advised to wear sunglasses during this time to keep out the dust in the desert.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Singing Sand Mountains

Mogao Grottoes is a unique treasure-trove of Buddhist art in the world. It is composed of countless temples and shrines, and contains countless sculptures, murals and manuscripts. After that, go gain some more knowledge of Dunhuang history, culture and custom by visiting Dunhuang Museum.

A direct flight will bring you from Dunhuang to Xi’an after lunch.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian, Wyndham Grand Xian South

The Mogao Grottoes

You kind of know what to expect, but this still takes your breath away when you see the large scale of pottery figures in the Terracotta Warriors. Touring it with the guide will make it more interesting as the guide will tell you some interesting stories.

After lunch, drive back to the city area. Take a culinary exploration tour in Muslim Street. There is also a hidden gem – the Great Mosque in the bustling street. Shadow play is one of the quintessence of Chinese culture. At the end of the tour, you will watch a shadow play in Gao’s Family Courtyard.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Real Love Qin Culture Themed Restaurant (Provide experiential dinning environment and unique Qin-Dynasty style dishes by using Imitated imperial cuisine and Individual serving)

Feature Dinner option: Defachang Dumpling Restaurant, Lao Sun Jia Muslim Restaurant, First Noodle under the Sun

Optional evening activity: Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show with Dumpling Banquet

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Terra-Cotta Warriors

As the guardian of the inner city of Xi’an, Xi’an City Wall plays a very important role in the past. Go on a non-traffic bike riding on the City Wall is a unique experience for your tour.

The dumpling making in the local family is unmissable. Learn the variety of ways to make dumplings with the guidance of the hosts.

Move on to one of the city's most distinctive and outstanding landmarks, Big Wild Goose Pagoda. With its simple but appealing style of construction and fame in the Buddhist religion, it attracts visitors from both home and abroad.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Xian Ancient City Wall

Wake up naturally. The guide will meet you at the hotel lobby at the confirmed time and escort you to the airport in Xi’an. Your Tibet Permit is needed when checking in for the flight to Lhasa. Upon arrival in Lhasa, just rest in the hotel to get used to the high altitude.

Notes:

• Slow down your movement, even if you feel energetic. Moving slowly is the best way to avoid mountain sickness.
• The first two days arriving in Tibet, we suggest visitors keep warm, not take a bath, smokers smoke as little as possible, and do not drink alcohol.

• Meals: Breakfast,
• Hotels: The St. Regis Lhasa Resort, Shangri-La Hotel Lhasa, Four Points by Sheraton Lhasa

Lhasa

Today is your first day to explore the highland. We specially arrange you the attractions needing smaller physical strength. As the largest monastery of Tibet constructed in 1416, Drepung Monastery plays an important role in Tibet Buddhism. Sera Monastery is also one of Lhasa’s three largest monasteries (Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Ganden Monastery) and is the place where Buddhist maters preach. There are thousands of sculptures of Buddha some of which are from India. Lunch will be arranged in a well-chosen local restaurant, after which a visit to Norbulingka will take place. As the biggest manmade garden in Tibet Autonomous Region, Norbulingka, in Tibetan, refers to “Park of Treasure” and used to be the summer palace of Dalai Lamas to deal with the government issues and hold religious activities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Tibet Steak House with a la carte menu

Feature Dinner option: Tibetan Family Kitchen, Phin Tsok Ge Don Restaurant

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Norbulingka

Potala Palace is a building with highest altitude in the world, integrating the function of palace, castle and monastery. It is also the largest and most complete ancient palace and castle complex in Tibet. Jokhang Temple has a history of more than 1,300 years and enjoys the highest status in Tibetan Buddhism.

Roam at Barkhor Street, the famous prayer road and commercial center of Lhasa. It has preserved the traditional appearance and living mode of the ancient city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lhasa Kitchen with a la carte menu

Notes:

• Follow all the taboos of Tibetan Buddhism when visiting Potala Palace, such as not wearing a hat, not taking pictures inside.
• There are 1080 steps to the Potala Palace. It may be a little tiring, so you can stop for some rest from time to time.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Barkhor Street

In the morning, you will have a long transfer to Gyangtse. On the way, you will visit the holy lake, Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, which houses rich inlands, species and natural resources.

Upon arrival at Gyangtse, you will pay a visit to Palkhor Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhism temple with the coexistence of Sakya School, Sharu School, Gelug School (Three Schools of Buddhism). 

Do not miss the Old Street, where you could find shops, stalls and handcraft workshops as well as the unique architectures.

Drive about 1.5 hours to Shigatse for overnight.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Qomo Langzong Hotel

Yamdrok Yumtso Lake

Located at the bottom of Nyseri Mountain, Tashilunpo Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhism temple in the area.

Drive to Tingri for overnight after the tour.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Tingri Everest Hotel, Dorm or Tent with humble accommodation at Rongbuk Monastery

Tashilunpo Monastery

Rongbuk Temple is the base camp for climbing Mt. Everest from the North Slope. Overlooking from here to the south, you can see the Mount Mt. Everest like a huge pyramid, standing tall among the peaks. Continue to the highlight of your tour, Everest base Camp. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world at 8844 meters (29016 ft) above sea level, with snow capping all year round. Go back to Tingri after that.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Rongbuk Monastery

Today, no tour is arranged. You will be transferred from Tingri to Jilong County as you will exit China from there. Enjoy the scenery along the way.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Jilong Hotel at Jilong County

Mount Everest

After breakfast, the guide and driver will escort you from the hotel in Jilong to China-Nepal border and then arrive at Katmandu, where you will exit China.

• Meals: Breakfast,

Jilong County