The Silk Road

Day 1 Depart London
You board your overnight flight from London to Beijing.

Day 2 Arrive Beijing
You arrive in Beijing today, where you’ll be met by your local guide and taken to your hotel, the Novotel Xinqiao. This afternoon you’ll take an escorted visit to Tiananmen Square and the palace complex of the Forbidden City that was reputed to have 9,999 rooms. Home to the Ming and Qing dynasties for over 500 years, you’ll see secret gardens, elegant pavilions and a treasure trove of ceramic and jade.

Day 3 Beijing – Urumqi – Kashgar
Today you fly west towards China’s western border with Uzbekistan via the mountain town of Urumqi to reach the frontier town of Kashgar; once one of the most important staging posts on the Silk Road. From Urumqi your flight takes you over the 7000m high jagged peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains and vast tracts of swirling desert sands before you reach the oasis-like town of Kashgar which has a decidedly Eastern flavour with its mud brick houses and opulent mosques. You’ll then be taken to your base for the next 3 nights, the centrally located Tianyuan International Hotel which overlooks the old town. You are free to eat in the hotel’s excellent restaurant or there is a good choice of local restaurants nearby.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Kashgar
This morning you’ll experience the sights and sounds of Central Asia’s largest market as Kashgar’s streets are taken over by farmers and merchants from all over the province plying their wares. You can buy everything here; from colourful woven hats to mountain goats. A highlight is watching the young men ‘try out’ horses on the makeshift sand race track and wandering through the avenues of spices and fresh vegetables spilling out of canvas sacks. In the afternoon you’ll visit Idkah Mosque, the largest mosque in China, to admire its pine-shaded courtyard and blue-columned pavilions. Then tour the 17th century mausoleum of a local trader, Abjak Hoya, which is a remarkable example of local Uyghur Islamic architecture. You’ll then return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 5 Kashgar
Today you’ll enjoy a guided walk through Kashgar’s old town; a honeycomb of low mud-brick houses and twisting alleyways that reveal rooftop gardens where pigeons coo and internal courtyards where ladies stitch the traditional doppa hats. The best preserved example of Islamic architecture in Central Asia, you’ll spot traditional blacksmiths, carpet makers and fruit sellers as you wander through this piece of living history. After a delicious lunch in the historical centre, you’ll visit the village of Artosh and meet a local family to learn more about the local Uyghur culture; as well as touring the Sultan Mosque. You return to Kashgar in time for dinner on your last night in this fascinating city.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 Kashgar – Urumqi – Turpan
Another panoramic flight over the desert sees you back into Urumqi where you’ll break your journey with lunch in a local restaurant before driving through the desert to reach Turpan. A fascinating blend of Eastern and Western culture, this ancient trading post where camel trains would rest on the Silk Road is encircled by lush fruit fields and the famous Grape Valley; where dozens of varieties of grape flourish the warm summers. After checking into your base for the next 2 nights, the Turpan Huozhou Hotel, you’ve time for dinner at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 7 Turpan
This morning’s tour starts with a visit to the stunning 18th century Emin Minaret, the tallest in China. You’ll then enjoy a walk through the ancient heart of the city; the Jiaohe district, where the locals still live in mud brick houses to see its colourful bazaars and donkey taxis. After a lunch of roast lamb or Zhua Fan (local rice dish eaten by hand) perhaps, in the afternoon you’ll explore the tunnels and wells of the Karez Irrigation System that were hollowed out over 2000 years ago, guaranteeing Turpan its lifelong prosperity as a trading post .

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 Turpan – Dunhuang (by night train)
Heading out into the Gobi Desert you reach China’s hottest place, the wind-sculpted peaks of the Flaming Mountain; where you’ll find the ruins of the 1st century city of Goachang. After exploring its old city gates, temples and former monks’ houses you’ll then head onto Toyuk, a traditional Uyghur village set in a lush valley for an authentic local lunch. You’ve time to explore its adobe-walled houses with smooth domed roofs and verandas this afternoon. In the evening you’ll board the overnight sleeper train to Dunhuang. You cabin is a 4-berth soft-sleeper.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 Dunhuang
This morning you’ll wake up in the desert oasis of Dunhuang. Where your local guide will meet you at the railway station and take you to your hotel for the next 2 nights, the Jinye Hotel. After a lunch at leisure, this afternoon you’ll enjoy a trip into the desert to the 2,000 year old Crescent Lake, a teardrop shaped oasis that has fed the town with water for two millennia. From here, you’ll enjoy a camel ride into Echo Sand Mountains, where the ever shifting sands resound with drum beat sounds as you travel across them. You’ll then return to Dunhuang in time to sample some local cuisine in one of the town’s restaurants.

Meals: Dinner

Day 10 Dunhuang
Dunhuang’s most famous attraction, the UNESCO-acclaimed Magao cave network is the highlight of this morning’s tour. Carved into the rock above the Dachuan River are 492 cave sanctuaries which house over 1,000 years of Buddhist art. The largest and most richly endowed Buddhist artistic treasure trove in the world, you’ll get to see some of the most remarkable cave murals and statues during your visit. After lunch in Dunhuang, you’ve time to see more treasures from Magao independently if you wish, at the excellent Dunhuang Museum. Or simply take a stroll around this elegant town that was once dubbed ‘Pearl of the Silk Road’ before spending your final night here with a dinner at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Dunhuang – Xian
This morning you say goodbye to Dunhuang as you are taken to the airport in time for your internal flight south to Xi’an. The fabled end to the Silk Road, until the 10th century this exciting cultural melting pot was once alive with caravans unloading their wares and merchants warehouses. After checking into your hotel, the Grand New World Hotel where you’ll spend the next 2 nights, this afternoon you’ll enjoy a walking tour of its city walls. Encircled by a moat, they date back to the 14th century are the most extensive in all of China. This evening you are free to spend your first evening in Xi’an at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 Xian
Today you’ll visit Xian’s most famous attraction, the awe-inspiring collection of 7,000 terracotta warriors, horses and chariots that have been silently guarding the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, for over 2,000 years. Only discovered in 1974, they represent one of the greatest archaeological finds in the world. Set in battle formations, this mute immobile army provides a fascinating insight into life in Ancient China. After lunch, you’ll head on to admire another of the city’s most famous sights. Built in the early 8th century, the Small White Goose Pagoda is seven stories high. From the top, you are rewarded with breathtaking views, with the ancient and modern city laid out before you.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 13 Arrive London
You’ll transfer to Xian airport for your return flight to London landing the same day. Alternatively extensions can be arranged to other parts of the country. We recommend a 3 night stay in the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai.

Meals: Breakfast.

Tour includes:

All flights specified
Private transfers
Local expert guides in resort
Inspirational sightseeing programme
10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 2 dinners
Kashgar market
Camel riding in the desert
Unique local dishes

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”