China Silk Road holiday, Xi’an to Kashgar

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

Rail travel plays an important role in connecting the main destinations along this Silk Road route. The journey from Xi’an to Jiayuguan and the journey from Liuyuan to Turpan are both made by high-speed train rather than domestic flight, while an overnight train connects Urumqi with Kashgar. For these long-distance sections, travelling by rail avoids additional flight sectors and the associated airport transfers, while also making the journey itself part of the overland Silk Road experience.

The itinerary includes walking and cycling as part of the exploration in several destinations. In Xi’an, for example, travelers can cycle along the Ancient City Wall, while the Great Wall, desert landscapes and historic sites along the route are explored on foot.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Much of the natural scenery along this route is experienced outdoors and at a human pace. The itinerary includes walking around the Jiayuguan and Overhanging Great Wall, exploring the desert landscapes around Dunhuang, and visiting the Flaming Mountains and Karakul Lake. These activities focus on viewing and experiencing the landscape rather than adding motorised activities to the natural sites.

The Karez Irrigation System in Turpan adds an environmental dimension rooted in local history. Its underground channels were developed to bring mountain snowmelt to settlements and farmland in the dry Turpan Basin, and parts of the traditional system remain in use today. Visiting the irrigation system provides a direct look at how water has been managed in an arid environment for centuries.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Local markets, workshops and family visits give the itinerary a strong connection to locally produced goods and services. In Kashgar, the Ancient Art Street brings travelers to workshops and stalls producing embroidery, jewellery, woodwork and brassware, while the local bazaars offer regional food and handmade goods. These visits provide opportunities to buy directly from local traders and craftspeople.

The itinerary also includes two family-based experiences: a Uyghur family visit in Turpan and a Kyrgyz family visit in the Pamir region. Sharing tea, homemade food and everyday customs in a family setting allows local households to be part of the travel experience and gives travelers access to forms of hospitality that are rooted in the communities themselves.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

Local knowledge and traditional skills are an integral part of several experiences on the route. Travelers can meet a traditional seal carver in Dunhuang, visit handicraft workshops in Kashgar, and spend time with Uyghur and Kyrgyz families. These encounters allow local practitioners and residents to explain their own traditions, skills and daily lives directly.

Cultural diversity is particularly visible as the journey moves westward along the Silk Road. Xi’an introduces the historic Chinese heartland, while Turpan and Kashgar reveal Uyghur cultural traditions through architecture, food, crafts and family life. Further into the Pamir region, a visit with a Kyrgyz family offers another perspective on local mountain and nomadic traditions. The route therefore presents the Silk Road through the different communities that continue to shape its cultural landscape today.