| City |
transfer by |
Accommodation |
|
Urumqi |
|
1 night |
|
Turpan |
train |
1 nights |
|
Dunhuang |
air |
2 night |
Day 1: Arrvial / Urumqi (L)
Be met in the airport and transfer to the hotel.
We begin the day with a visit to the Heavenly Lake, near Urumqi. This pristine lake is situated at a refreshing height of 2,000m and is surrounded by jagged snow-covered peaks, forests of pine trees and green meadows. If we like, we can take a boat ride on the lake and then hike up to the less visited sections. Afterwards, we return to Urumqi for dinner. Urumqi is a lively metropolis with a long historical background (it served as a main entry for those crossing into Central Asia). We dine in a local Uygur style restaurant featuring Xinjiang delicacies such as lamb. After dinner, we stroll through a nearby night market and take in the sites and sounds of this former Silk Road city.
Heavenly Lake :
| Situated in 115 km northeast of Urumqi, Heavenly Lake is arguably one of the nicest spots in all of China. |
|
Situated in the Heavenly Mountain range (Tianshan), 115 km northeast of Urumqi, Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) is arguably one of the nicest spots in all of China. The huge clear water lake,the pine trees covering the hillsides and the snow capped mountains in the background make this a spectacular sight- reminiscent of Switzerland or the Rocky mountains but somehow with more vibrancy and color. |
Day 2: Urumqi / Turpan (B,L)
We begin the day in Urumqi with a visit to the Xinjiang Regional Museum whose collection speaks to the diversity and wealth found along the Silk Road thousands of years ago. Constructed in 1953, the museum is famous for its several fascinating mummies, and also features a diverse collection of terra-cotta figures, pottery, porcelain, weapons, silk, and scriptures.
Afterwards, we drive to Turpan. Lying 154 meters (505 ft) below sea level, the Turpan Basin is the second lowest continental point in the world after the Dead Sea. Though it is one of the hottest places in China, Turpan is famous for its fertile land and grape products, especially its seedless white raisins.
In Turpan, we visit the Bezelik Caves, a set of Buddhist cave temples that was an important center of Buddhism from the 6th to 13th centuries. Today, it houses rare examples of  Buddhist mural art. These 67 caverns are in a cliff face above the stunning Murtuk River gorge. For lunch, we dine with a local Uygur family in the Grape Valley, where at least seven types of grapes are grown, along with fruit trees and fruit plants. The grapes are also used to produce local Xinjiang wine. Lounging in the family courtyard under the shade of grape vines, we enjoy a dinner of local noodles.
Day 3: Turpan / Dunhuang (B,L)
In the morning, we tour the ancient city of Jiaohe (Yarkhoto) near Turpan. Jiaohe dates back to the Han dynasty (206BC - 220AD). Set on a plateau surrounded by deep, fertile valleys, the ancient ruins are a truly memorable sight to behold. Jiaohe sits on a 30-meter cliff and used to be a flourishing state capital at the intersection of two rivers. Today, the rivers have dried up but the high and long city walls of this ancient city remain, along with Buddhist monasteries, watchtowers, huts, and wells. After lunch, we visit the Keraz Well, a fascinating ancient Han irrigation project and then head to Sugong Tower, the largest ancient Islamic tower in Xinjiang.
The Ancient City of Jiaohe: The Ancient City of Jiaohe is located in the Yarnaz Valley 13 kilometers west of Turpan. It was first the capital of the State of South Cheshi, one of the 36 states in the Western Region. As described in the dynastic history book The Notes on the Western Region, A History of the Han Dynasty, "The State of South Cheshi made the city of Jiaohe its capital, which was circled by rivers flowing by the city, hence the name of 'Jiaohe' (the city of joining rivers)."
We return to Turpan and ride on donkeys before wandering the lively Turpan city bazaar. The Turpan city bazaar is famous for its handicrafts which attract tourists from all over Xinjiang.
We will take our overnight soft-sleeper train to Dunhuang.
Day 4: Dunhuang(B,L)
In the morning, we arrive at Dunhuang by train. Known as the City of the Sands, it is a former terminal of the ancient Silk Road, perched on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. The Taklamakan Desert is one of the world's largest deserts with an area of 272,000 sq km. The city holds the richest treasure troves of ancient Buddhist murals and statues.
After checking into our hotel, we go to the Mogao Grottos, which mark the height of Buddhist artistic development in China. The Grottos were created over nine dynasties, from the 4th to the 14th centuries, and contain 492
caves, each housing murals (45,000), Buddhist paintings and terra-cotta statues (2,000). These grottos are carved into a 1600-meter high cliff. At dusk we visit the Mingsha Sand Dunes, which Marco Polo referred to as the "rumbling sands". Riding on camels, we visit Crescent Moon Lake, where the oasis meets the desert. Climbing to the top of the dunes, we take in a spectacular view of a green oasis surrounded by an endless desert landscape. The sands don't smother the lake because of a certain earth movement that creates winds that blow the sand away from the spring. At night, we explore the Shazhou Night Market and get a taste of local life in Dunhuang.
Day 5: Dunhuang(B)
Transfer to the airport.
Service ends.
Hotel accommodation inclusive in the above package:
|
City |
Deluxe Class
|
Comfortable Class
|
|
Urumqi |
Xinjiang Grand Hotel 4 star |
City Hotel 3 star |
| Turpan |
Turpan Silk Road Oasis Hotel 4 star |
Turpan Grand Hotel 3 star |
| Dunhuang |
Dunhuang Hotel 4 star |
Liyuan Hotel 3 star | |
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