Itinerary
DAY 1 – Xi’an · Terracotta Legions & Tang Elegance
Morning arrival, meet your English-speaking guide and transfer downtown. Excursion to the Terracotta Army—ranks of life-size warriors guarding Qin Shi Huang’s tomb. Back in the city, pass the Bell & Drum Towers and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Evening dumpling banquet followed by a Tang music & dance show.
DAY 2 – Xi’an · City Walls & Hui Quarter → Flight to Jiayuguan
Stroll the Muslim Quarter, visit the Great Mosque and Gao Family Mansion; catch a shadow-puppet performance. Walk or cycle atop the 14 km City Walls. Transfer to the airport and fly Xi’an → Jiayuguan.
DAY 3 – Jiayuguan Gate of the West → Drive to Dunhuang (~350 km)
Explore the “Impregnable Pass Under Heaven”: Jiayuguan Fortress and the western Great Wall between the Gobi and Qilian Mountains. Afternoon desert drive to Dunhuang; sunset on the Singing Sands.
DAY 4 – Dunhuang · Dunes, Crescent Lake & Mogao Caves → Night Train
Optional camel ride on the Mingsha Dunes; see Crescent Lake oasis. Guided visit of the Mogao Grottoes (painted statues & murals). Evening transfer to Liuyuan for the overnight soft-sleeper train to Turpan (~12 h).
DAY 5 – Turpan · Oasis at −150 m
Arrive in the Turpan basin (one of the lowest, hottest places in China). Drive the Grape Valley, view the Flaming Mountains, explore ruined Gaochang, and the village of Tuyuk; home/inn lunch.
DAY 6 – Turpan · Karez & Jiaohe Citadel
See a working Karez tunnel and the remarkably preserved earthen ruins of Jiaohe. Free time to wander shady lanes and melon stalls.
DAY 7 – Turpan → Urumqi (370 km) → Flight to Kashgar
Overland to Urumqi, past vast wind farms. Fly Urumqi → Kashgar. Evening at leisure to feel the crossroads vibe of the old town.
DAY 8 – Kashgar · Sunday Bazaar & Mausoleum
Dive into the famed Sunday bazaar (and livestock market when in session). Lunch with a local family. Visit Abakh Khoja Tomb.
DAY 9 – Kashgar Old Town → Yengisar Knives → Yarkand (~190 km)
Morning in Kashgar Old Town around Id Kah Mosque; then south on the Southern Silk Road via Yengisar (knife-making heritage) to Yarkand; explore its historic lanes and royal cemeteries.
DAY 10 – Yarkand → Kargilik → Hotan · Edge of the Taklamakan (~320 km)
Follow dune belts and diversifolia poplars toward Hotan; time permitting, visit Kargilik mosque. In Hotan, peek into carpet, silk, or jade workshops; watch jade seekers along rivers from the Kunlun.
DAY 11 – Hotan → Flight to Urumqi · Journey’s End
Easy morning, then fly Hotan → Urumqi. Self-connect onward or extend in Northern Xinjiang.
