Silk Road Culture Diversity 20 Days Explore

Today we will visit the famous Mogao Grottoes and then we will send you to the railway station to catch the train to Turpan (D55, 16:10-19:53).

Mogao Grottoes: Also known as Thousand Buddha Grottoes, it’s located 25 km southeast of the center of Dunhuang. It’s an oasis strategically located at the religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road.

      

 

Today we will visit the Jiaohe Ancient City, The Flaming Mountain, Karez Irrigation System, Sugong Minaret, and Tuyoq Valley.

Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins: Also known as Yarhotto, it is viewed as one of the world's largest, oldest historic sites and the best preserved raw soil buildings with more than 2,000 years. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Silk Road Sites.

The Flaming Mountain: The Flaming Mountain is famously described in the classic Chinese mythological novel “Journey to the West”. This is the hottest place in China. The highest ground temperature is over 70 degrees Centigrade in summer. Many years of volcanic activity have formed the unique crisscrossing gullies and ravines.

Karez Irrigation System: Karez systems are the crystallization of ancient people's diligence and intelligence. At its peak, this irrigation system exceeded 5,000 km (3,106 miles) and was also referred to as 'the underground Great Wall'. By the way, it’s still in use today.

Sugong Minaret: Located in Mura Village 2km to the east of the city of Turpan, the minaret tower was built in the 41st year of the long reign of Qianlong Emperor. It is the embodiment of the ancient architectural arts of the Uighur people and is still the largest extant ancient Islamic tower in Xinjiang.

Tuyoq Valley: It is a Muslim religious pilgrimage site. The southern mouth of the valley has big Uighur mosques older than the Sugong Minaret and a cave thought by many to be described in the Koran. About a kilometer from the cave shrine is a group of grottoes that have some Buddhist and Nestorian artwork. It’s an ancient oasis village in the Taklamakan desert.

 

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive in the deep of Tianshan Mountain and Korla. Korla is known as the "City of Pears" and the "City of Petroleum", where we can enjoy the scenery of the Bosten Lake.

Bosten Lake: Bosten Lake is the biggest inland freshwater lake in China. It is 34 miles (55 kilometers) long from east to west and 15 miles (25 kilometers) wide from north to south, consisting of big and small lake districts.

 

 

Today we will drive to Kuqa and visit the Taklamakan Desert and the Tarim River in the Diversifolius Poplars Park.

Taklamakan Desert: It’s the biggest moving desert in the world and most of the people believe that it has buried most of good civilizations of central Asia. It occupies a land of more than 345,000 square km, making it slightly smaller than Germany.

Diversifolius Poplars Park: The park is located in the north of Taklimakan Desert, and the middle portion of Tarim River. We can appreciate the Tarim River, poplar trees, the desert and the oil industry complexes. It is a good resort for sightseeing, entertainment, adventure and vacation.

    

 

Today we will visit the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, Tianshan Great Canyon, Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, Subash Ruins and the Kucha Mosque. Afterwards, we shall take the overnight train to our next destination, Kashgar (K9787, 20:56-06:05+1).

Kizil Grottoes: Kizil Grottoes (Kizil being spelled variously as Qizil or Qyzyl) are the largest ancient Buddhist cave sites that are associated with the ancient Tocharian Kingdom. It’s a set of Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township in Baicheng County, Xinjiang. This area was once a commercial hub of the Silk Road.

Great Tianshan Canyon: Stretching 5.5 kilometers, Tianshan Grand Canyon can be deemed as the rare natural scenic spot across China, thanks to aeon-long denudation and scour of torrents. What makes Tianshan Grand Canyon charming is not only its magnificence and precipitousness, but also its tranquility, mysteriousness and serene.

Kizilgaha Beacon Tower: Located 10 km outside Kucha, the Kizilgaha Beaacon Tower provided security for traveling caravans on the Silk Road and prevented enemy invasions. Kizilgaha means “red beak” or “red checkpoint” in Uighur. This ancient military construction still remains majestic after over 2,000 years at the mercy of the elements. It is the oldest and best-preserved site on the Silk Road.

Kucha Mosque: It is located in the north of the old city of Kucha and covers an area of 1165 square meters. With a capacity of 3000 people, it is the second largest mosque in Xinjiang. The mosque consists of a main worshiping hall, a small worshiping hall, a minaret, a qubbah, a religious court and hostels, etc.

Subashi Ruins: It’s a key cultural site under state protection, located on the southern side of the Queletage Mountain northeast of Kuche County. These large area ruins reflect the temple's past brilliance.

 

 

We will meet you at the railway station and transfer you to the hotel. After check-in, we will take the city tour to explore the places.

Sunday Bazaar: This is called “Sunday” bazaar but it is open daily, even though it is busiest on Sundays. Streets near this big market are jammed with farmers and buyers arriving by donkey cart, truck, bicycle, horseback, ute, motobike, or on foot, with their animals.

Id Kah Mosque: This is the largest mosque in China, and the most famous mosque in Xinjiang. Every Friday, it houses nearly 10,000 worshippers and may accommodate up to 20,000. The buildings of Id Kah Mosque look magnificent and solemn, and display the artistic styles of Islamic mosque architecture.

Apakh Hoja Tomb: The site is also known as the Xiang Fei (Fragrant Concubine) Tomb in memory of Abakh Khoja's granddaughter, Iparhan, who was the Fragrant Concubine of Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty. It is the most complete Islamic tomb dating from the beginning of the Qing Dynasty.

Handicraft Street: It’s a fascinating place showing the distinctive custom and culture of Kashgar, with many full-time handicraftsmen working on the street and hundreds of workshops and booths alongside.

    

In the morning, we will head to Taxkorgan by coach to visit the White sand lake, Karakul Lake

White Sand Lake: The White Sand Lake is covered by the blown sand, and is always shining in the sunshine. This lake is on the way from Kashgar to the Karakul Lake.

Karakul Lake: Karakul lies within a circular depression interpreted as an impact crater with a rim diameter of 52 km. The lake is popular among travelers for its beautiful scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue.

   

In the morning we will visit the Stone Fortress, Afterwards we will return to Kashgar and take the flight to Urumqi.

Stone fortress: Located on a tableland northeast of the county seat of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, it covers an area of 100,000 square meters and consists of ruins of city and temple of the Tang Dynasty era and a Qing Dynasty government office.

  

 

Today we will have 1 full day in Urumuqi to visit the Heavenly Lake, The Erdaoqiao Bazaar and Xinjiang Museum.

Heavenly Lake: The Heavenly Lake is an alpine drift lake shaped in the Quaternary Glacier period, and was listed by the State as one of the key scenic spots in 1982. The Nature Reserve covers 380-odd square kilometers, including 18 modern glaciers,3 rivers,18 lakes of which the Heavenly Lake is the most famed one.

Erdaoqiao & International Bazaar: Here you will find a bustling market filled with fruits, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets, and almost anything that you can imagine. This is the largest bazaar in Urumqi, and is a place most welcomed by tourists.

Xinjiang Museum: The Xinjiang Regional Museum is a large integrated museum and a center for the collection and study of cultural relics in Xinjiang. 

   

 

In the morning we will send you to train station/airport according to the schedule. The epic Silk Road tour ends.