Silk Road tours in China
| country: | China |
| location: | Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Silk Road |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 3 Apr, 8 May, 29 May, 19 Jun, 10 Jul, 28 Aug, 4 Sep 2011: 2 Apr, 7 May, 28 May, 18 Jun, 9 Jul |
| price: | From £1865 (18 days) excluding flights. Domestic flights £465. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
For centuries, traders have plied the so-called 'Silk Road', a long and hazardous adventure linking the markets of western Europe to the ancient Chinese capital of Xian. This tour re-traces part of that epic journey, travelling along the fabled Hexi Corridor, then out across the deserts of western China, with a detour to amazing Xiahe, a place of pilgrimage for Tibetan Lamaism.
Many spectacular sights are witnessed during this journey, including the awe-inspiring Forbidden City in Beijing, various sections of the Great Wall of China, the renowned Terracotta Warriors and the superb Buddhist painting at Dunhuang. The scenery is varied and even hostile in places, but always hauntingly beautiful. Most of all, this tour represents a cultural odyssey. From the heart of the Han Chinese homeland, you travel west, meeting numerous ethnic groups such as the Mongols and the Turkish-speaking Uighurs of central Asia, en route to the remote oasis town of Kashgar.
Many spectacular sights are witnessed during this journey, including the awe-inspiring Forbidden City in Beijing, various sections of the Great Wall of China, the renowned Terracotta Warriors and the superb Buddhist painting at Dunhuang. The scenery is varied and even hostile in places, but always hauntingly beautiful. Most of all, this tour represents a cultural odyssey. From the heart of the Han Chinese homeland, you travel west, meeting numerous ethnic groups such as the Mongols and the Turkish-speaking Uighurs of central Asia, en route to the remote oasis town of Kashgar.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | (Sat) Arrive in Beijing and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2-4: | Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Great Wall. Overnight train to Xian. |
| Day 5-6: | Terracotta Warriors. Overnight train to Lanzhou. |
| Day 7-8: | Bus to Bingling Temple (Buddhist caves), then on to Xiahe. Walking tour of Labrang Monastery. |
| Day 9: | Drive to Lanzhou. Overnight train to Jiayuguan. |
| Day 10: | Visit Wei-jin dynasty tomb, Hanging Wall and Jiayuguan Fort. |
| Day 11-12: | Bus to Dunhuang. Visit Crescent Moon Lake, Singing Sands and Mogao Caves. Overnight train to Daheyan. |
| Day 13: | Turpan - Astana Graves, Gaocheng Ancient City, view of Flaming Mountains, Grape Valley and Emin Minaret. |
| Day 14: | Turpan - Jiaohe Ancient City and Karez Wells. Drive to Urumqi. |
| Day 15: | Visit Lake of Heaven and Urumqi museum. Fly to Kashgar. |
| Day 16: | Explore Kashgar - Old Town, Abakh Hoja's Tomb, Id Kah Mosque and Sunday bazaar. |
| Day 17: | Flight to Urumqi and connection to Beijing. |
| Day 18: | Trip ends in Beijing this morning (Tue). |
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. |