Tracks of Silk Road

Our guide will meet you outside the customs at Beijing Capital Airport, holding a welcome sign on which your name is written, and then escort you to the hotel. The rest of the day you are on your own to explore the city. 

Meals: No meals, advice freely available

This morning, you will have an opportunity to stroll on Tiananmen Square and then proceed to the Forbidden City. Nowadays, it is a public museum displaying imperial lives, ancient architecture and cultural relics. Visiting the major halls in the palace, you’ll find that the couplets have a base color of yellow, which shows the royalty. According to folk traditions, the New Year couplets are red, while other colors are used on special occasions, such as white couplets paper when an elder passes away. However, you might not know, all the New Year couplets were written on white paper around the Forbidden City in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). The most pillars in Forbidden City were painted in red, so it would be unaesthetic if the couplets paper was red. On the other hand, Manchu, the rulers of Qing Dynasty, revered white; they considered the white couplets as a symbol of noble status.

At noon, we will go for an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a famous local restaurant. Then, we will take you to the Temple of Heaven, which was a rather holy place where the emperors offered sacrifices to the gods in ancient time.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

This morning's excursion will take you to the Great Wall of China, an ancient military defensive project, which meanders over a vast area of China that includes deserts, grasslands, mountains and plains. The section you will visit is called Mutianyu Great Wall, which stands on the rolling mountains. The round trip cable car will be arranged for you. You are on your own for lunch. 

On the way back to downtown, we will drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) so that you can appreciate this amazing building at close quarters. To conclude the tour, our guide will take you to visit a local market.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

This morning will be devoted to the Summer Palace, used as a summer resort by the imperial families. Then you will have a tour through the old and narrow alleys, also called Hutongs, where you will find some traces of old Beijing. After that, you will take a high speed train to Xian. Our local guide and driver will meet you at the railway station and transfer you to the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After breakfast, we will visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. It was built by Emperor Qinshihuang (259 BC - 210 BC), the first emperor, who united the nation in ancient times. This huge project took his whole life. The life-sized terracotta army demonstrates his ambition to be realized in the nether world. In the museum, you will be guided to see the largest bronze chariot that has been found in China. After the equipage was uncovered, archaeologists spent eight years to restore it. With precious materials of bronze, gold and silver, the carriage was designed exquisitely in half of the life size. Marvelously, the bronze canopy over the chariot can be converted into weapons in battle or in danger. The canopy itself was a big strong shield, and a hidden weapon was in the stem. Amazing, isn’t it?

In the afternoon, we will visit the Provincial History Museum.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

This morning you will visit the unsurpassed ancient Xian City Wall. Everyone who climbs the city wall is shocked by the grandeur of the nearly 14 kilometers of fortification, dotted with upright towers. Most travelers also enjoy cycling on the large city wall. Check the bike rental with your guide and pay the rental fee on the spot if you are interested. After that, you will see the 1308 years' Small Wild Goose pagoda of the Tang Dynasty and then visit the Xian Museum nearby. 

After that, you will visit the Great Mosque and have some free time at the Muslim market. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After breakfast, we will transfer you to the airport for a noon flight to Dunhuang. where our local guide and driver will pick you up and take you to the hotel. After a short rest at the hotel, you will have the opportunity to ride a camel along the Echoing-Sand Dune to Crescent Lake, a miracle in the Gobi desert. It is very exciting to reach the top from one side of the dunes and slide down the other in such a short time. It's important to wear sunglasses during this time to keep out the dust. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

This morning, you will visit the amazing Mogao Grottoes to appreciate the Buddhist art. It is 25 km (15.5miles) from downtown Dunhuang. The grottoes were carved into the side of a mountain and were stacked with five stories up to 50 meters (164 feet). Its exquisite Buddhist murals and statues are worth going the distance to see. 

After that you will take a high speed train to Turpan. Our local guide will meet you at the railway station and transfer you to the hotel. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Today you will visit the Jiaohe Ruins, the Karez Well and the Sugong Pagoda. Jiaohe Ruins, a whole mud brick city, was the capital of the Cheshiqian kingdom nearly 2000 years ago. Although the ancient city has been badly damaged, the existing ruins still show its resplendence. Turpan is one of the hottest areas in China. In such a drought area, you may be curious about how the local villagers get water for living. A visit to the Karaz well (main irrigation system) will answer this question. This great underground system protects the mountain snowmelt from evaporation and the guide will show you how it works. The Sugong Pagoda, the only well-preserved ancient pagoda in Xinjiang Province, was constructed in 1777 totally of bricks without one piece of wood. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

This morning, you will visit the Gaochang Ruins that was constructed as a garrison town in the 1st century and witnessed the turbulent history of this region in the following 1,300 years. Then you will see ancient Buddhist murals in the Baizikeli Thousand Buddha Cave, located in a lush and beautiful valley. The Flaming Hill is depicted in a famous novel, 'Journey to the West'. If the sunlight is strong, the clouds will make you think the mountain is on fire when seen from afar. After finishing the sightseeing, we will transfer you to the hotel in Urumqi. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Today you will fly to Shanghai where our guide will meet you and escort you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this city by yourself. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

The morning's private itinerary includes Shanghai Museum and the Yuyuan Garden. Ranked among the four greatest museums in China, the Shanghai Museum collects numerous artistic works. Yuyuan Garden allures tourists by its delicate design and fine layout of the architecture as well as the quiet atmosphere and beautiful scenery. At noon, an a la carte farewell lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) will be served at a fancy local restaurant. 

After that, you will take a short cruise along the Huangpu River where you can appreciate the essence of Shanghai urban landscape. When the cruise ends, you will have some time to explore the Bund area on your own. The Bund is actually a waterfront of Huangpu River. Here, you will see many western-style buildings left over from the colonial period. Before returning to the hotel, we will show you an old street. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Today our guide and driver will transfer you to the airport for your homebound flight. We wish you a pleasant journey! 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast