Silk Road tours in China
| country: | China |
| location: | Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Silk Road |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2009: 4 Apr, 9 May, 30 May, 20 Jun, 11 Jul, 29 Aug, 5 Sep |
| price: | From £1500 (17 days) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary, based on twin share. Group size 4-15 people. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
If you enjoy the romance of train travel and want to experience one of the world’s great overland journeys, this is the perfect adventure.
The Silk Road is a historic trade route that linked the people of the Far East to those in the West. For centuries it was used by traders and travellers, including Marco Polo, who left a wealth of historical treasures in their wake. The route is studded with splendid oasis towns, ruins of abandoned ancient cities and mighty fortresses. Along the way, snow-capped mountains form a startling backdrop to the stark desert scenery.
Kashgar is a melting pot of central Asian cultures and the Sunday Market is enormous, with over 50,000 people gathering each week in an amazing spectacle. Your journey includes a detour to the mystical Tibetan Monastery town of Xiahe and also takes in the highlights of Beijing and Xian. Includes: tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, accomodation (10 nights comfortable hotel, 2 nights basic hotel, 4 nights overnight rail), some meals (12 breakfasts, 1 lunch), transport, sightseeing and enterance fees.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
The Silk Road is a historic trade route that linked the people of the Far East to those in the West. For centuries it was used by traders and travellers, including Marco Polo, who left a wealth of historical treasures in their wake. The route is studded with splendid oasis towns, ruins of abandoned ancient cities and mighty fortresses. Along the way, snow-capped mountains form a startling backdrop to the stark desert scenery.
Kashgar is a melting pot of central Asian cultures and the Sunday Market is enormous, with over 50,000 people gathering each week in an amazing spectacle. Your journey includes a detour to the mystical Tibetan Monastery town of Xiahe and also takes in the highlights of Beijing and Xian. Includes: tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, accomodation (10 nights comfortable hotel, 2 nights basic hotel, 4 nights overnight rail), some meals (12 breakfasts, 1 lunch), transport, sightseeing and enterance fees.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Beijing and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2-4: | The Forbidden City, built 500 years ago and off limits to commoners for almost all that time, is truly an amazing place, every square metre is interesting, ranging from intricately carved walkways to colourful, painted ceilings. We also visit Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. Visit the Great Wall at Simatai, a largely unrestored and, as such, more authentic section of the Great Wall, not crowded with hordes of other tourists. Overnight train to Xian. |
| Day 5-6: | Xian is widely regarded as the first capital of a united China. See the Terracotta Warriors, one of the archaeological finds of the 20th century. Overnight train to Lanzhou. |
| Day 7-8: | Bus to Bingling Temple to view some fascinating Buddhist Caves. Our journey then continues on to Xiahe, a major centre for Tibetan Lamaism. Walking tour a highlight of which is a visit to Labrang Monastery. |
| Day 9: | Drive to Lanzhou. Overnight train to Jiayuguan, the last outpost of the Han Chinese Empire. |
| Day 10: | Visit Wei-jin Dynasty Tomb, Hanging Wall, Jiayuguan Fort, which marks the end of the Great Wall. |
| Day 11-12: | Bus to Dunhuang. Visit Crescent Moon Lake, Singing Sands (sand dunes), Mogao Caves, which house some of the best Biddhist murals in the world. Drive to Liuyuan, overnight train to Daheyan. |
| Day 13: | We visit the delightful oasis town of Turpan. The Turpan Depression is second only to the Dead Sea in Jordan as the lowest point on Earth. Astana Graves, Gaocheng Ancient City, view of Flaming Mountains, Grape Valley, Emin Minaret. |
| Day 14: | Turpan - Jiaohe Ancient City, Karez Wells, Turpan Museum. Drive to Urumqi. |
| Day 15: | Lake of Heaven (Tianchi), a place which resembles a little piece of Switzerland, hills covered by fir trees and the area dotted with tiny Kazak settlements. Fly to Kashgar. |
| Day 16: | Explore Kashgar, the city at the end of the spectacular Karakoram Highway. The great Genghis Khan occupied the city in 1219, and Marco Polo was reputedly a visitor here in 1265. We visit the Old Town, Abakh Hoja’s Tomb, Id Kah Mosque, Bazaar. |
| Day 17: | Trip ends in Kashgar this morning. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Travel on the Silk Road and experience this epic journey with the help of your local Chinese tour leader, who gives you a first-hand insight into the amazing diversity of this remarkable region. The Uyghurs are a Turkic race of people and make up the majority of the population in western China. You pay a visit to the home of a Uyghur family and learn about their unique lifestyle, as well as understand the need to preserve their customs and traditions in the face of a rapidly homogenised world. You are also treated to demonstrations of some of their unique skills, such as pottery making, weaving and wine producing.
 There is much to see along the Silk Road that documents the area's colourful and turbulent past, when it was the main highway connecting East to West in both physical as well as cultural terms. By visiting fragile historic sites such as Mogao Caves and the ancient cities of Jiaohe and Gaochang, travellers are made aware of the importance to preserve and protect such delicate relics so that they can be appreciated by future generations. In supporting a program in this part of the world this operator is also training our tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |