XInjiang Silk Road Destinations
Silk Road Tours In Xinjiang
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A 12-day expedition tracing the ancient Silk Road through Xinjiang’s desert highways, oasis towns, and alpine wonders. Explore UNESCO-listed ruins, vibrant bazaars, and ethnic traditions, blending Uyghur, Tajik, and Han Chinese heritage against backdrops of snow-capped peaks and golden dunes.
What's included
Destination
Xinjiang Discover Xinjiang
Departure Location
urumqi
Return Location
kashgar
Additional Information
What’s Special About This Tour?: Desert & Peaks: Traverse the Taklamakan Desert’s “Road of No Return” and marvel at Muztagh Ata’s glacial vistas. UNESCO Gems: Explore Jiaohe Ruins (2,300-year-old adobe city) and Kezil Thousand Buddha Caves’ Hellenistic-Buddhist art. Cultural Immersion: Bargain at Kashgar’s Livestock Market, watch silk-making in Hotan, and sip tea in Tuyuq’s grapevine courtyards. Historic Highways: Drive the Karakoram Highway, dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”
What to Prepare?: Clothing: Lightweight layers (desert days exceed 35°C), warm jacket (mountain nights near 5°C), sun hat/scarf. Footwear: Sturdy shoes for ruins (Jiaohe, Stone City) and canyon hikes. Documents: Passport + China visa (mandatory for Kashgar-Tashkorgan permits). Essentials: Reusable water bottle, sunscreen, cash (ATMs scarce in deserts).
Best Time to Visit: April–October April–June: Mild desert temps (20–25°C), blooming apricot orchards. July–September: Lush alpine meadows, clear views of Muztagh Ata Peak. October: Golden poplar forests along the Karakoram Highway.
Price includes
- Accommodation （Breakfast included）
- Licensed English-speaking tour guide
- Private air-conditioned vehicle/bus
- Train tickets
Price does not include
- Entrance fees to monuments/attractions(can be arranged if needed)
- International/domestic flights(can be arranged if needed)
- Meals (can be arranged if needed)
- Optional excursions not listed in the itinerary
- Personal expenses (e.g., souvenirs, laundry)
- Tips for guide/driver
- Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi
- Day 2: Urumqi → Heavenly Lake (120 km, 2 hrs)
- Day 3: Urumqi → Turpan (200 km, 3 hrs)
- Day 4: Turpan → Kuqa (Overnight Train)
- Day 5: Kuqa Tour
- Day 6: Kuqa → Hotan via Taklamakan Desert Road (550 km, 8–9 hrs)
- Day 7: Hotan Tour
- Day 8: Hotan → Kashgar (500 km, 7–8 hrs)
- Day 9: Kashgar Tour
- Day 10: Kashgar → Tashkorgan (300 km, 6 hrs)
- Day 11: Tashkorgan → Kashgar (300 km, 6 hrs)
- Day 12:
Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi
Highlights: Urumqi Grand Bazaar.
After airport pickup and hotel check-in, dive into the Urumqi Grand Bazaar, a 10-story labyrinth of Uyghur, Kazakh, and Han cultures. Browse stalls selling Hotan jade, hand-forged pichak knives, and embroidered doppa hats. At the food court, sample dapanji (spicy chicken stew simmered with potatoes) and honey-drenched baklava. Ascend to the rooftop terrace for evening folk dances accompanied by the rawap (Uyghur lute).
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 2: Urumqi → Heavenly Lake (120 km, 2 hrs)
Highlights: Xinjiang Museum, Heavenly Lake (Tianchi).
Begin at the Xinjiang Museum, where the 3,800-year-old “Loulan Beauty” mummy—a Caucasian woman preserved by the Tarim Basin’s arid climate—offers clues to ancient Eurasian migrations. Drive to Heavenly Lake, boarding a cable car to lakeside trails. Hike the Wanglong Pavilion Trail, scanning for ibex and golden eagles. Local legend claims the lake was the bathing pool of the Queen Mother of the West.
Overnight: Urumqi
Day 3: Urumqi → Turpan (200 km, 3 hrs)
Highlights: Tuyuq Village, Flaming Mountains, Bezeklik Caves.
Drive through the Gobi to the Flaming Mountains, 100km of crimson sandstone ridges shaped by 100 million years of erosion. Pose beside the thermometer marking China’s highest recorded temperature (80°C). Continue to Tuyuq Village, a 1,700-year-old Uyghur oasis where cliffside Mazha Tombs overlook grape-drying houses. Sip rose tea with locals in vine-shaded courtyards. After lunch, explore Bezeklik Caves, where Tang Dynasty murals depict Sogdian merchants and Tocharian Buddhist donors.
Overnight: Turpan
Day 4: Turpan → Kuqa (Overnight Train)
Highlights: Jiaohe Ruins, Karez Wells, Emin Minaret.
Wander Jiaohe Ruins, a 2,300-year-old adobe city carved into a river island. Explore its Buddhist monastery’s underground meditation cells and necropolis with intact burial urns. Descend into Karez Wells, a 2,000-year-old underground irrigation system where tunnels channel Tianshan snowmelt to vineyards. Admire Emin Minaret’s 44m brick tower, its 14 geometric patterns symbolizing Quranic chapters. Evening transfer to Kuqa by train.
Overnight: Train
Day 5: Kuqa Tour
Highlights: Kezil Caves, Tianshan Grand Canyon, Kuqa Old Town.
Drive to Kezil Thousand Buddha Caves, a UNESCO site carved into Tianshan cliffs between the 3rd–8th centuries. Marvel at murals blending Hellenistic drapery and Indian Buddhist motifs. Hike Tianshan Grand Canyon’s 5km trail, passing the “Karma Rock”—a heart-shaped boulder balancing precariously. Evening stroll through Kuqa Old Town, sampling tonur kebab (clay-oven lamb) and browsing rosewood prayer beads at the bazaar.
Overnight: Kuqa
Day 6: Kuqa → Hotan via Taklamakan Desert Road (550 km, 8–9 hrs)
Highlights: Taklamakan Desert Highway.
Traverse the Taklamakan Desert Highway, a 550km engineering feat crossing shifting dunes and Populus euphratica forests. Learn how ancient caravans skirted the desert’s “Place of No Return,” leaving buried cities like Loulan beneath the sands. Stop at desert poplar groves to photograph gnarled trees surviving extreme aridity.
Overnight: Hotan
Day 7: Hotan Tour
Highlights: Hotan Carpet Factory, Silk Workshop, Night Market.
Visit a Carpet Factory where artisans knot 1.2 million threads per carpet using indigo and walnut dyes. At a Silk Workshop, watch silkworms spin cocoons and threads hand-reeled into Uyghur ikat scarves. Evening exploration of Hotan Night Market—Xinjiang’s largest—featuring sangza (fried dough twists), pomegranate juice, and jade stalls lit by lanterns.
Overnight: Hotan
Day 8: Hotan → Kashgar (500 km, 7–8 hrs)
Highlights: Yarkand Amanisha Khan Tomb.
Drive through oasis villages flanked by cotton and pomegranate fields. Lunch in Yarkand, then visit Amanisha Khan Tomb, a hexagonal mausoleum with a 22m dome. Inscriptions of Persian poetry adorn its walls, honoring the 16th-century queen who ruled the Yarkand Khanate.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 9: Kashgar Tour
Highlights: Livestock Market, Idkah Mosque, Apak Hoja Tomb, Old Town.
Start at Kashgar Livestock Market, where Uyghur herders barter sheep with secret hand signals. Drive to Apak Hoja Tomb, its turquoise domes and floral mosaics reflecting Persian-Uyghur artistry. After lunch, visit Idkah Mosque, China’s largest Islamic complex, to observe prayers under 140 poplar-wood columns. Wander Kashgar Old Town’s clay alleys, where coppersmiths hammer teapots and bakers pull nan bread from tandoor ovens.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 10: Kashgar → Tashkorgan (300 km, 6 hrs)
Highlights: Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata, Opal Village.
Depart early along the Karakoram Highway, stopping at Opal Village to buy walnut-stuffed nan bread. Traverse Oytagh Valley’s rust-red cliffs, scanning for Bactrian camels. Arrive at Karakul Lake, where Muztagh Ata (7,546m) reflects in glacial waters. Share laghman noodles in a Kyrgyz yurt before sunset in Tashkorgan.
Overnight: Tashkorgan
Day 11: Tashkorgan → Kashgar (300 km, 6 hrs)
Highlights: Stone City, Golden Grassland.
Explore Stone City, a Tang Dynasty fortress where soldiers lit beacon fires to warn of invaders. Scout for pottery shards along crumbling walls. Visit Golden Grassland, photographing amber-hued meadows (autumn) or summer yurt camps. Return to Kashgar via the Karakoram Highway.
Overnight: Kashgar
Day 12:
Kashgar Departure
Transfer to Kashgar Airport. Optional last-minute shopping for camel-bone knives or silk scarves.
More about Xinjiang
More about this tour
Customizable Itineraries
Your Journey, Your Way
Craft the perfect adventure with our fully flexible tours! Add or remove days, swap activities, or request unique experiences—we’ll tailor every detail to match your interests. Simply share your vision via email, and our experts will design a bespoke itinerary just for you.
Accommodation Options
Stay Your Way
Choose from a curated selection of lodgings to suit your style:
Luxury: 5-star international hotels in major cities.
Comfort: 4-star hotels with modern amenities.
Authentic: Charming 3-star stays for a local vibe.
All bookings include daily breakfast.
Private Transportation
Travel in Comfort and Style
Enjoy seamless journeys with our private vehicle fleet, tailored to your group size and route:
SUVs (1–2 guests)
MPVs (2–4 guests)
Vans (4–8 guests)
Coaches (9+ guests)
Need special requests? Just ask—we prioritize your safety and comfort.
Dining Flexibility
Savor Local Flavors, Your Way
Included: Daily breakfast at your hotel.
Lunch & Dinner: Explore freely! Our guides will recommend top restaurants based on your preferences
Let us know dietary needs or must-try dishes—we’ll ensure every meal delights.
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