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Tour Package: 12 Days, the Silk Road
Beijing - Xi'an - Dunhuang - Urumqi - Beijing

12 nights of 4-star hotel accommodation with 12 days of sightseeing. Beijing (2N) - Xi'an(3N) - Dunhuang (1N) - Urumqi (3N) - Beijing (3N).

Day 1 Beijing

Upon your arrival at the Beijing Capital International Airport, you'll be escorted to your hotel. You can then either relax at hotel to recover from the jet-lag or explore our city on your own. A welcome dinner in the evening.

Day 2 Beijing

Today, we take you for a stroll in the world's largest square, Tiananmen Square, which is bordered by the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese History, Mao's Mausoleum and the Gate of Heavenly Peace. Then we go to visit the Forbidden City, a complex of imperial palaces which were home to the emperors for over 500 years in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Some of the grand halls are now museums for fine collections of Chinese paintings and calligraphy and other treasures. After a Chinese lunch, we visit the Temple of Heaven, an exquisite example of Ming architecture, where the emperors performed the annual rites believed to be essential to the well-being of the nation.

  Day 3 Xi'an

After one and a half hours flight, we arrive in Xi'an - one of the oldest cities in China. After checking in at your hotel, we go to visit the Old City Wall on which we can see the whole downtown area clearly. Then, we visit the famous Big Wild Goose Pagoda built in the Tang Dynasty. In the evening, we will enjoy the Tang Dynasty dinner and cultural performances.

  Day 4 Xi'an

The tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, is one of the greatest archaeological findings of the century. Guarding the burial place is a vast Terra-cotta Army of 6,000 life-size figures, individually crafted and complete with chariots and horses. It is an unforgettable sight. We also visit the new Provincial Museum where we can see how China has developed from the ancient times. Then, we go to see the beautiful Huaqing Hot-Spring Palaces surrounded by lakes, pagodas and temples. For dinner we will taste and be surprised with a variety of Chinese dumplings.

  Day 5 Dunhuang

Having enjoyed the charms of Xi'an, we fly to Dunhuang, the most well-known tourist attraction on the Silk Road in the northwest of China.

  Day 6 Dunhuang

A full day tour to the Mogao Caves to learn about the stories of the great flowering of the Buddhist art in China. The Buddhist sculpture and painting, which date back to as early as the 4th century, include 45,000 square-meters of mural paintings, which means more than ten acres of walls and ceilings covered with brightly colored pictures of men and gods and speculations about eternity, along with more than 2,000 fantastically painted sculptures.

  Day 7 Train Ride to Urumqi

Today we leave for Urumqi by an overnight train - a peculiar and interesting journey.

Day 8 Urumqi - Kashi

After a little rest upon arrival in Urumqi, a short flight brings us to Kashi at the foot of the Pamirs, one of the westernmost points of China recently opened to foreign visitors. A key trading post on the Silk Road, Kashi has kept many of its relics intact due to its geographical and political remoteness. We will prove that during our stay here.

  Day 9 Urumqi

In the afternoon we fly back to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Autonomous Region. We have a full program of excursions here that include the city museum and the Heavenly Lake.

  Day 10 Beijing
After a free morning we fly back to Beijing in the afternoon. Have a special Peking Duck Dinner in the evening.

  Day 11 Beijing

Escorted by our guide, you will visit the world-famous Great Wall. You can climb up one or two of its majestic  watchtowers and enjoy a unique view of the Wall winding among the undulating mountains. After lunch, we go to visit the Ming Tombs, where 13 Emperors of the Ming Dynasty were buried.

  Day 12 Beijing

In the morning, we take you to visit the Lama Temple, the largest and most complete of its kind outside Tibet. The temple halls are set in enclosed courtyards and are adorned with magnificently carved statues of Buddha, the largest of which is 18 meters high, carved from a single piece of sandalwood. After lunch, we visit the Summer Palace, where the emperors used to live during summer to escape the heat. After a Chinese dinner in the evening, you have a chance to enjoy Beijing Opera performances.

  Day 13 Flight Home

Transfer to airport for flight home.

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