ALONG THE SOUTHERN SILK ROAD OF XINJIANG

Day 1 : Arrival Urumqi

After arrival at Urumqi Airport, you will be greeted by a guide and transferred to the hotel.

You can then take the day to explore this destination at your leisure. This tour will provide an insight into the travelling conditions merchants faced on the Silk Road. During this inspirational excursion, we will meet Kazakhs at the foot of a stunning mountain range and visit preserved ruins in a sunken landmass. The oasis of Bosten Lake seems a paradise, but not far away Lop Nur serves as a reminder that the desert is a relentless place. The Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves hold some of the most impressive Buddhist art in Central Asia. Sand dunes and stupas will also amaze as we traverse the Taklamakan Desert.

We also visit one of the largest mosques in China and then it is time for one of the world’s great road trips on the Karakoram Highway. Ahead of all this adventure.

Overnight in Urumqi Grand Mercure Hotel 5*.

Day 2 : Urumqi - Turpan (B / L / D)

Today’s exploration takes us to a unique geographical destination.

After breakfast we drive to ancient Turpan, an oasis town 154 metres below sea level. This location is part of a depression bounded by faults in the Earth’s surface, making it one of the hottest and driest areas on the planet during the summer months.

Upon arrival, we visit the amazing Karez underground irrigation system. This is considered one of the three great ancient projects in China. Next, we check-in to the hotel, followed by lunch in the hotel restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit the Jiaohe Ruins, a unique attraction of an ancient city dug out from Turpan’s yellow desert siltstone. Dinner is at a local Uighur family’s home and this authentic experience includes a cultural show. Overnight is in Turpan.

Overnight in Turpan Mercure Hotel Turpan 4*.

Day 3 : Turpan (B / L / D)

Today we head to the land of fire and desolation! Our journey begins at Aydingkol Lake, 50-km from Turpan.

This is at the bottom of the deepest depression in China’s land mass, known as Turpan Pendi and this is 155 metres below sea level. A local attraction, Flaming Mountain, is so named because it is the hottest place in China, with a recorded surface temperature of over 70°C on one day in a past summer month.

We then explore the Gobi Desert and the preserved ruins of Gaochang city. This destination shines like a jewel on the Silk Road, with some of the best-preserved ruins in China. Tuyoq Village is an oasis that boasts vineyards, orchards, narrow streets and irrigation channels tumbling between ancient mud brick buildings.

We finish at the Emin Minaret, a structure made of mud brick that has stood the test of time for 232 years because of the drought conditions. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Turpan.

Overnight in Turpan Mercure Hotel Turpan 4*.

Day 4 : Turpan - Korla (B / L / D)

The sojourn to Korla takes us past Tianshan Mountain and Bosten Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in China. The lush reeds and wild lotus make the lake a paradise for waterfowl amid the desert. Fishing boats shuttle back and forth on the water, with birds ever-present in the air. However, in the winter it becomes frozen over.

Upon arrival, the first stop is Lop Nur village to learn about the lost kingdom of Loulan and the origins of the Tarim Basin. In Mongolian, Lop Nur means ‘vast lake’. The kingdom was lost because of desertification and excessive human economic activities. Lop Nur was once the second largest inland lake in China and an important stop on the Silk Road.

We then transfer to Korla where we overnight. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants.

Overnight in Korla Kangcheng International Hotel 5*.

Day 5 : Korla - Kuqa (B / L / D)

Today we explore the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Kucha. This is a centre of Hinnayana Buddhism and formerly an important trade route.

The Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves contain some of the most impressive Buddhist art in Central Asia and these artefacts date back to the third century. This is also one of the earliest Buddhist cave complexes in China. There are 236 coded caves and these extend over a distance of 3-km, though only a few are open to exploration. The drive to the caves reveals bleak and empty landscapes, followed by a scene of mulberry and poplar trees, making for a pleasant afternoon on the northern bank of the Muzat River. Kucha was a major destination on the Silk Road and had a diverse population, hence the creation of murals inspired by Afghan, Persian and Indian travellers.

We then transfer to Kuqa where we overnight. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants.

Overnight in Kuqa Grand Hotel 4*.

Day 6 : Kuqa – Khotan (B / L / D)

Today we undertake more exploration of the great outdoors with a 650-km journey through the Taklamakan Desert.

En route we drive over sand dunes and take a course near the Tarim River, the longest inland river in China. The ruins of Rawak Stupa in this area are thought to be of the earliest pagoda in China.

This is the only temple that has a Gandhara style (similar to an Indian temple) and this is wellpreserved. The stupa and some other structures form a three-dimensional mandala. The unforgiving Taklamakan Desert is called the ‘sea of death’ by the locals because of the harsh conditions.

Upon arrival in Khotan, we check-in to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants.

Overnight in Khotan West Lake International Hotel 4*.

Day 7 : Khotan (B / L / D)

Today’s adventure involves exploration of some amazing antiquities.

We take a 130-km morning drive to Qira County to view some globally renowned archaeological sites on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. At the end of the 19th century many explorers came to this area to view the antiquities. These consist of a 5th century Buddhist temple with wellpreserved murals, the reputed smallest Buddhist temple in the world and some ancient paintings.

After viewing this site, we head back to the local Uygur silk village of Jiya where we view local family workshops that produce tie-dyed silk and jade carvings and locally produced carpets. Lunch is at a local village restaurant.

Overnight in Khotan West Lake International Hotel 4*.

Day 8 : Khotan - Kashgar (B / L / D)

Today’s excursion gives us the best opportunity to imagine caravans traversing down the Silk Road in past times.

We undertake a 10 hour journey with a break en route to visit the Tomb of the King of Shache, a site that dates back to 1533. The most well-known person interred in this burial place is the princess, poet and musician Amannisahan who composed the Twelve Mukam. The tomb is famed for its exquisite decoration. Though there has been damage to the site over the centuries, the wall decorations and structure are still in good shape. The music from this region was considered unique in human history in the past. Yarkand sits at a fertile oasis fed by the Yarkand River.

Upon arrival in Kasghar, we check-in to the hotel and if you still feel energetic after the long drive, you can take a walk around the city centre. Lunch is at a restaurant in Yarkand and dinner is at a restaurant in Kashgar.

Overnight in Kashgar Xingyue Jinjiang Hotel 4*.

Day 9 : Kashgar (B / L / D)

The Muslim heart of Kashgar is the focus of today’s inspirational tour. Of significance is the Id Kah Mosque., a site built by Saqsiz Mirza in 1442 on a 10th century mosque site. Id Kah is one of the largest mosques in China and can accommodate up to 20,000 people.

The original mosque was built during the golden age of Kashgar, when it was one of the capitals of the Kara-Khanid Khanate, between the 10th and 13th centuries. The shrine was destroyed when Kashgar was ransacked by famed Turco-Mongol conqueror Tamerlane in the 14th century. The city at that time had been a multi-faith community with Buddhists, Muslims and Nestorian Christians resident in the area. By the time of Saqsiz Mirza, the Nestorian Christians and Buddhists had moved on and the town had become a Muslim settlement.

After absorbing this fascinating history, we visit the market where thousands of donkeys, camels and sheep are for sale, as well as a huge range of merchandise. In the late afternoon, we take a walk around the old quarter of Kashgar. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Kashgar.

Overnight in Kashgar Xingyue Jinjiang Hotel 4*.

Day 10 : Kashgar - Tashkhorghan (B / L / D)

Today we experience one of the world’s great road trips. The highlight is a 200-km drive along a section of the Karakoram Highway. This renowned 1,300- km route extends from Punjab province in Pakistan to the Khunjerab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan, where it crosses into China and becomes China National Highway 314. The highway is considered the highest paved road on the planet and it travels through three monumental mountain ranges. It was opened to the public in 1985 and is part of the former Silk Road, which we have been roughly following for most of this tour.

Our excursion takes us to Karakul Lake, which is flanked by the snow-capped Muztagh Ata and Kongur mountains, both exceeding 7,000 metres in elevation. We will take in the spectacular glaciers the lake and the mountain backdrop.

We continue to Tashkurgan, the last big town before the border with Pakistan. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Tashkurgan.

Overnight in Tashkhorgan Crown Inn 3*.

Day 11 : Tashkhorghan - Kashgar (B / L / D)

Today’s exploration is focused on Tashkurgan and the ancient Stone Fort. This complex dates back 2,000 years and it was a major caravan stop for merchants travelling along the Silk Road and it was also the capital of multiple kingdoms. We will hike through the grasslands at the foot of the Fort and then transfer to Kashgar, with a stop en route to absorb the beauty of Karakul Lake.

We will undertake a short trek in this destination located in the Pamir Mountains in the National Park of Tajikistan, an extremely remote area. This is the highest lake in the country at an elevation of 3,900 metres and the highest saltwater lake in Central Asia.

Lunch is at a local restaurant and we enjoy a farewell dinner, with a whole roasted lamb, in the evening.

Overnight in Kashgar Xingyue Jinjiang Hotel 4*.

Day 12 : Kashgar (B / - / -)

After breakfast, we transfer to Kashgar Airport for the flight home and the conclusion of this varied and enlightening 13 day tour that has revealed the history, heritage and modern day links to the Southern Silk Road.

End of the Tour.