How to book a tour
Explore Taklimakan Desert
Tour code: XJ013
Duration: 16 days
Route: Beijing, Urumqi, Korla, Kucha, Aksu, Kashgar, Hotan, Minfeng, Korla, Turpan, Urumqi
Attractions: Silk Road is a historically important international trade route and a splendid cultural bridge between the East and the West. Kashgar is the largest oasis city in Chinese Central Asia. For centuries, Hotan was an important supplier of jade, silk, and carpets on the Silk Road. The sun rise in the Taklamakan Desert will be a scene you may never forget.
Itinerary:
Day 1 Arrival / Beijing
Transfer via: by air-own arrangement
Arrive at Beijing airport. You will be met by our guide at the Beijing international airport. Transfer to the hotel for the rest of the day.
Day 2 Beijing (B,L)
After breakfast we will drive for exploring Badaling Great Wall, followed by a visit of Ming Tombs. Watch the Peking Opera in the evening.
The Great Wallof China is the longest structure ever built. It is about 4,000 miles long, and it was built entirely by hand. About 1, 200 - 1, 500 miles of the Great Wall were built during the reign of Emperor Shi Huangdi (Qin Dynasty). The Great Wall crosses northern China from the east coast to the central part of China.
The Ming Tombs, the resting places of thirteen emperors and their splendid treasures, passing down the Spirit Way, a road lined with statues of dignitaries, as well as huge elephants, lions, camels and horses, you will encounter the marble tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors. Visit one of the spectacular tombs- Dingling featuring an underground palace.
Day 3 Beijing / Urumqi (B,L)
Transfer via: by air
Visit Forbidden City, one of the well kept secrets of Emperial China. Afternoon transfer to Beijing airport for the flight to Urumqi. Arrive in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, meet at airport and transfer to hotel.
Forbidden City, the inner sanctum and palace where for centuries Chinese emperors ruled their world. It has 9000-room maze of courtyards, places, and ceremonial halls, where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was indeed a forbidden place, where commoners were kept out for nearly 500 years in the past. Tour the palace and imagine the mystery, intrigue and incredible power that reigned here.
Day 4 Urumqi / Korla (B,L)
Early morning drive 477 km from Urumqi to Korla, en route sightseeing ancient beacon towers, desert, oasis, gobi.
Day 5 Korla / Kucha (B,L)
Drive 285 km from Korla to Kucha, en route sightseeing primitive diversiform-leaved polar forest, oasis, ruins of Kusan ancient town, Zhaogul temple ruins, farmer home and apricot orchard.
Day 6 Kucha / Aksu (B,L)
Drive 284 km from Kuqa to Aksu, en route sightseeing Kizil buddist carve, strange stones and mountains.
Day 7 Aksu / Kashgar (B,L)
Drvie to Kashgar (510Km) which is a long drive with spectecular views of gobi deserts, poplar trees.
Day 8 Kashgar (B,L)
Full day sightseeing tour of Kashgar.
Kashgar is the largest oasis city in Chinese Central Asia. We schedule our arrival to coincide with the Sunday morning bazaar, a massive gathering of farmers and merchants from across the area. This colorful and lively market provides a great opportunity to pick up some of the Silk Road's most interesting souvenirs, from hand made leather boots, to traditional musical instruments, to bags of fresh images/upfile/200661615255945864.jpges.
Kashgar is also the heart of Islam within China, and thus we pay a visit to the Id Kah Mosque, the largest in mosque in China. This beautifully decorated mosque more closely resembles a mosque in Pakistan or Afghanistan than China, and will attract up to 10,000 worshippers for Friday prayers. In the evening, we enjoy a Tajik dance performance.
The Idigar Mosque: The mosque was built in 1426. It is the largest mosque in Xinjiang and the centre of the Moslem activities, as well.
The Abakh Khoja Tomb: The tomb served as the family tomb of Abakh Khoja, the powerful ruler of Kashgar in the 17th century who was revered as a prophet and second only to Mohammed.
Day 9 Kashgar / Hotan (B,L)
We rise early to drive across the desert to Khotan .The modern conveniences of air conditioned vehicles provides a much more comfortable alternative to traversing this route on camel back.
The road to Kotan is lined with many small oasis towns, and occasionally we stop to visit the local mosques and bazaars. Yarkand (Shache), for example, once had a larger bazaar than Kashgar and today retains the quaint atmosphere of a small trading town. If you're up for a bit of a culinary adventure, you can sample some of the traditional specialties such as laghman, a kind of noodle, poluo, a tasty fried rice pilaf, or even goat's head soup! Of course, the most popular food, lamb kebab seasoned with Xinjiang images/upfile/200661615255945864.jpges, is everywhere. In the late afternoon, we arrive at Khotan, and explore the city on donkey-drawn carts.
Day 10 Hotan (B,L)
For centuries, Hotan was an important supplier of jade, silk, and carpets on the Silk Road. These goods - such as the traditional hand woven Aidelaixi silk, and intricately embroidered wool carpets - were treasured in China and Central Asia for their outstanding craftsmanship. We visit one or two family workshops to see how carpets, silk, and other handicrafts are traditionally made, and go to see the king trees of walnut and fig.
Day 11 Hotan / Minfeng (B,L)
Drive to Minfeng, 320Km. On arrival tranfer to hotel. rest of the day free at leisure .
Day 12 Minfeng / Korla (B,L)
This is a day you can enjoy fabulous views of the Taklamakan Desert while we driving the Desert highway crssing the heart of the taklamakan desert. The sun rise in the desert will be a scene you may never forget. Thanks to the desert highway which made the crossing the Taklamakan Desert a soft adventure, the highway is built recently due to the rich oil resources found this region.
Day 13 Korla / Turpan (B,L)
Drive from Korla to Turpan which is one of the famous city with its dried mummies and many other historical sights.
Day 14 Turpan / Urumqi (B,L)
Sightseeing for Jiaohe Ancient City. Later drive to Urumqi.
Day 15 Urumqi / Departure (B)
Transfer via: by air-own arrangement
Transfer to Urumqi airport and take your flight for your next destination.
Service ends.