Private Tour

7-Day Private Silk Road Trip Urumqi to Dunhuang and Zhangye

Overview

Available languages

English

168 hours

Mobile ticket

This 6 nights classic private tour takes you to explore Chinese section of ancient Silk Road northern route from Urumqi to Dunhuang, then Zhangye. You will travel the path of thousands of merchants and camel caravans to witness its changes in modern days. Attractions you will visit during this tour includes Jiayuguan Fort, Mogao Grottos, Turpan Oasis, Heavenly Lake located on the northern side of Tianshan Mountains, and Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Mountain.

Additional Info

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

A current valid passport is required on the day of travel

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.<br>If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

What‘s Included

Local guide

Entrance fees

Lunch

Accommodation as per itinerary

Bullet train from Turpan to Liuyuan (Dunhuang)

Transport by private vehicle

Alcoholic drinks (available for purchase)

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Day 1

Arriving Urumqi

Accommodations

5-Star hotel, Urumqi

Silkroadtrips

tour operator

Admission Not Applicable

Upon arrival at Urumqi Airport or Urumqi Rail Station, your guide will send you to the hotel for check-in.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Day 2

Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Urumqi

Accommodations

5-Star hotel, Urumqi

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Xinjiang Regional Museum (Qu Bowuguan)

Visit Xinjiang Museum where well-preserved Chinese mummies are exhibited. Among which, you will find the spectacular one standing out from the rest named "Beauty of Loulan".(close on Mondays)

2 hours • Admission Included

Tianshan Tianchi Lake

After lunch, take a one hour ride to Heavenly Lake, which is located on the north side of the Tianshan Mountains to enjoy fantastic mountain views and serene lake scenery.

3 hours • Admission Included

Later, return to Urumqi and stroll through the Erdaoqiao Bazaar.

2 hours • Admission Included

Day 3

Urumqi - Turpan

Accommodations

5-Star hotel, Turpan

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

LUNCH

Lunch

Karez System

Take a 3-hour car ride to Turpan, the centre of a fertile oasis and an important trade center along the Silk Road. You will visit Karez Irrigation System that is old canal system to water the farm in Turpan.

4 hours • Admission Included

Ancient City of Gaochang (Kharakhoja)

Then you will head to explore the Ancient City of Gaochang, which used to be a huge city in the history.

1 hour • Admission Included

Then you will visit Bezklik Grottos, a pretty place with amazing frescos.

1 hour • Admission Included

Ancient City of Jiaohe (Yarkhoto)

Later you will move to ruin of ancient Jiaohe City that was once the capital of Anterior Jushi kingdom during 108 B.C. to 450 A.D. but abandoned in the 15th century.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Included

Day 4

Turpan - Liuyuan (via bullet train) - Dunhuang

Accommodations

5-Star hotel, Dunhuang

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Today you will catch 3-hour bullet train to Liuyuan and be transferred to Dunhuang in about two hours. Enjoy a fun hike on the sand dunes to visit the Crescent Spring Lake this afternoon. Be sure to explore the night market nearby the hotel in the evening!

2 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 5

Dunhuang - Jiayuguan by vehicle

Accommodations

5-Star hotel, Jiayuguan

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Mogao Caves

Visit the highlight of Silk Road today, Mogao Grottoes (Caves of the Thousand Buddhas). These caves are examples of rock-cut architecture of soft gravel conglomerate not suitable for either sculpture or elaborate architectural details. After lunch, you will take 5-hour car ride to Jiayuguan.

4 hours • Admission Included

Day 6

Jiayuguan - Zhangye by vehicle

Accommodations

5-Star hotel, Zhangye

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Jiayuguan Fortress

Visit Jiayuguan Fort that is called The First Pass Under Heaven, the western end of the Great Wall for Ming Dynasty.

2 hours • Admission Included

Zhangye Danxia Geopark

Then you will catch 2-hour car ride to Zhangye Rainbow Danxia, which is very colorful clay mountain.

2 hours • Admission Included

Day 7

Departing from Zhangye, tour ends.

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Zhangye

If time allows, visit Dafo Temple before heading to Zhangye Airport or station where the tour concludes.

2 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Tour Price

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

1 review

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

A very well organized trip
alicehL8612VQ,
Oct 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Silk Road (Ben) customized my itinerary for Silk Road and Yunnan. He was extremely patient, always quickly addressed any questions I had and make changes to itinerary if needed. Everything was well organized. The tour guides & drivers were very nice and professional and hotels were located in convenient areas.