Full Itinerary
Day 1: Los Angeles – Shanghai
Depart from LAX today aboard a spacious jet for your transpacific journey. When you cross the international dateline from east to west, you lose a day and you will “gain” the lost day back when you fly from China back to US.
Day 2: Arrival at Shanghai
Upon arrival at Shanghai, you will be met by the tour guide from Spring Tour who will help you check in the reserved hotel. After this long voyage, it will be a pleasure to settle into your luxurious accommodations.
Accommodation: Shanghai Hotel or similar class
Day 3: Shanghai – Urumqi
Today you will fly to Urumqi in the morning. Your wonderful Silk Road tour will start from today. The tour guide will meet you at the airport. In the afternoon, go to visit the azure 【Heavenly Lake】of the Tianshan Mountains.
Meal: B, D
Accommodation: Urumqi Hoi Tak Hotel or similar class
Day 4: Urumqi – Turpan
Today you will visit the 【Xinjiang Museum】, which contains rich collections from the archaeological excavations along the ancient intercontinental trade route that put Caesar in Rome in contact with the Han Emperor in China. Then visit the 【International Grand Bazaar】. After lunch, you will go to Turpan.
Dinner will be the local specialty – 【roast lamb】.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Tuha Petroleum Hotel or similar Class
Day 5: Turpan – LiuYuan
Turpan is located in the Turpan Basin, which is 80 meters (260 feet) below the sea level. There are many attractions you will explore: 【the Ruins of Jiaohe】 – a Han Dynasty garrison that was destroyed by Genghis Khan; 【the Karez Well】, an ancient sophisticated irrigation system devised by the Uyghurs (an Islamic Turkic people).【The Flaming Mountains】, with red sandstone slopes heavily striated from years of ancient erosion . After dinner, you will board the overnight train to Liuyuan.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: overnight on the train
Day 6: Arrival in Liuyuan
Your train will arrive at Liuyuan in the morning, where you will be met by the tour guide and transfer to Dunhuang. Check-in at the hotel and rest.
After lunch, you will go to visit 【Mogao Grottoes】, where legend purports that in the 4th century C.E., a Buddhist monk had a vision of 1,000 Buddhas, and began to carve on the sandstone cliffs of these grottoes, with subsequent additions of other art objects of Buddhist iconography. Many of the astounding wall paintings and artifacts are still preserved today at the Mogao Grottoes where you can still have a first-hand glimpse of their beauty and serenity.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Grand Soluxe Hotel Dunhuang or similar class
Day 7: Dunhuang – Yadan Geographic Feature
You will go to visit 【Mingsha Sand Dunes】 and【Crescent Lake】 in the morning. Here, you will mount a camel for a caravan ride to the sand dunes for outstanding views of desert scenery that awed ancient tradesmen from Central Asia, Persia and Arabia as well. After lunch you will go to visit the great Yadan. 【Yadan】 is a rock ridge feature caused by wind and water erosion, which is found in dried-up riverbeds and may also be found in deserts. They can form very unusual shapes and some resemble various objects, even people.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Grand Soluxe Hotel Dunhuang or similar class
Day 8: Dunhuang - Jiayuguan - Jiuquan
Today, you will go to 【Jiayuguan】 by bus. Jiayuguan is the first pass toward the westernmost end of the Great Wall of China (over 1,400 miles away from Beijing). Along with Juyong Pass and Shanhai Pass, it is one of the main passes of the Great Wall military fortification system used to thwart incursions by roving nomadic warlords. The pass is located at the narrowest point of the western section of the Hexi Corridor, 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) southwest of the city of Jiayuguan in Gansu Province. The structure lies between two hills, and was built near an oasis that was then on the extreme western edge of ancient China.
Afterward, you will be transferred to Jiuquan for your overnight stay.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Jiuquan Hotel or similar class
Day 9: Jiuquan - Zhangye
Today you will go to Zhangye and visit 【Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park】, which is known for its colorful rock formations.
After that, you will proceed to visit 【Giant Buddha Temple】.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Huachen International Hotel or similar class
Day 10: Zhangye - Xining
Today you will go to Xining by bus, which is the capital of Qinghai Province, near Tibet. On the way, you will visit 【Qinghai Lake】, which is the largest lake in China. Located in Qinghai province on an endorheic basin, Qinghai Lake is classified as a saline and alkaline lake. Both the Chinese name “Qinghai” and the older Mongolian name “Kokonor” translate to “Blue Lake” or “Teal Sea”. Qinghai Lake is located about 100 kilometers (62 mi) west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m (10,515 feet) above sea level. Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into Qinghai Lake, most of them seasonal.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Xining Qinghai Hotel or similar class
Day 11: Xining — Shanghai
Today you will visit the【Kumbum Monastery】, one of the six largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. It was here that the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Sect of Tibetan Buddhism was founded in 1583 by Tsongkhapa. It was ranked in importance as second only to Lhasa. Then, you will proceed to visit one of the major Islamic mosques in China. You will then fly to Shanghai in the afternoon.
Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Shanghai Hotel or similar class
Day 12: Shanghai
Whole free days on your own to explore Shanghai. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Meal: B
Accommodation: Shanghai Hotel or similar class
Day 13: Shanghai – Los Angeles
Today is the day of farewell to your classical Silk Road trip. After a pleasant breakfast, free at your own leisure till the assemble time for the transferring to airport for the flight back to your hometown or next destination.
Meal: B