Silk Road Tour with Pearl Cities

Our Guide will hold your name sign and wait for you at the airport. And then you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day will be yours. China Silk Road starts from Xi’an. And Xi’an is also one of the four ancient capitals in the world.

Today we will first take you to visit the world-famous Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. It is also called the No.8 wonder in the world. Even we can see more than 8,000 terra-cotta warriors now, it is still a small part of the whole. Limited by technical factors, the colorful terra-cotta warriors turned to grey after it is excavated. That is why most part of the terra-cotta warriors is still buried underground. After that you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This is a seven-storey square pagoda. The Buddhist scriptures which are brought from India by Buddha Xuanzang are stored here. This Pagoda also reflects that the Indian Buddhism temple architecture was introduced to China with Buddhism.

This morning we will first take you to visit the ancient City Wall. The total length of the Xi’an City Wall is 13.7 km. It is the most complete existing city wall in China. The main city area of Xi’an is surrounded by the city wall. Even the city wall is more than 600 years old, it is still strong now. After that, you will visit the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. In ancient times, people struck bells in the morning and drums in the evening to tell the time. Although we will not need the bell or drum for time anymore, the bell in the tower is still used to celebrate the new year. In the afternoon, you will visit the Great Mosque. It is a combination of Chinese culture and Islamic culture. The main architecture style is based on the Chinese building style. But the layout and decoration are in the Islamic style. The sculptures and patterns in the hall are in Arabic. It has been selected as one of the three World Islamic Relics. And then you will visit the Muslim Street. This is a famous shopping street in Xi’an. Come and choose some souvenirs for your friends.

Today you will take estimated G2025 9:12/12:27 to Lanzhou. Our guide will wait for you at the train station and then you will be transferred to your hotel. Lanzhou is an important city on China Silk Road. Lanzhou China Silk Road Festival will be hold here in every September.

This afternoon we will take you to visit Gansu Museum. This is a comprehensive museum with 3 permanent exhibition halls. One of them is the Silk Road culture exhibition hall. You will see more than 420 Silk Road relics and you will have a much deeper understanding of China Silk Road.

Today you will visit White Pagoda Temple. This temple is on the northside of the Yellow River. It got its name because there is a white pagoda on the mountain. The temple has survived several earthquakes and it is still intact. And then you will visit the Zhongshan Bridge. It is also called the First Bridge on the Yellow River. There used to be vehicles running on the bridge. But now it has become a footbridge. It is the landmark building of Lanzhou Tourism. After that, we will take you to visit the Lanzhou Waterwheel Exposition Park. Waterwheel originated in the Ming Dynasty and is the oldest irrigation tool along the Ancient Yellow River in Lanzhou. Lanzhou used to be the city of the waterwheel. At that time, there were eight times as many waterwheels in Lanzhou as in Hama, Syria. The water wheel has a long history and a peculiar shape. And then you will visit the Dazhong Alley. This is a famous food street in Lanzhou. Do not miss the delicious food here.

Today we will drive to Xiahe. And you will first visit Labrang Monastery. This temple is called the Tibetology University in the world. Stone, wood, earth, anise hemp are the main building materials of the temple. According to their different functions and grades, the temples are respectively painted with red, yellow, white and other earth pigments. The total building style is grand and magnificent. After that you will visit the Sanke Grasslands. The total size of these grasslands is about 70 square kilometers. It is a precious natural scenic area.

Today we will drive back to Lanzhou. You will be transferred to the airport and take estimated flight 9C6561 16:15/18:00 to Dunhuang. Our guide will wait for you at the airport and then you will be transferred to your hotel.

Today you will visit the world-famous Mogao Grottos. Mogao Grottos is located in Dunhuang which is an important city on the Silk Road. It is famous for its caves, frescoes and clay sculpture. The World Heritage Committee has commented that it shows Buddhist art that has lasted for thousands of years. And then we will take you to visit the Echoing-Sand Dune and the Crescent Spring. They are famous scenic spots in Dunhuang. You will hear a special sound when the wind blows on the Echoing-Sand Dune. And the Crescent Spring is just like jade in the desert. Although it is surrounded by sand for thousand years, it is still clear and clean.

This morning, you will visit the Yumen Pass. It is the heritage of the ancient China Silk Road. Trading of Jade and porcelain is through this pass in ancient time. Although there is no more trade caravan pass here now, we can still imagine how bustling it is at that time. And then we will take you to the train station and take estimated train D2701 15:21/18:36 to Turpan. Your guide will wait for you at the train station.

Today we will take you to visit Gaochang Ruins. It is a city ruins with more than 1,000 years old history. There are lots of palace relics and religious relics inside. After that we will visit Flaming mountain. It is the most famous sightseeing point in Turpan. Because of its special rock, it is russet and will be gleamy under the sun. Looking from distance, it is just like fire. That is how it got its name. And then we will visit Sugong Pagoda. This is an Islamic building with a unique shape. It is mainly made of brick instead of wood. There are 14 kinds of pattern on the pagoda, and all of them are typical decoration in Islamic culture.

Today you will take estimated train T307 8:27/9:58 to Urumqi. And then you will be transferred to the airport and fly back to your sweet home.