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area journey

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 6 months ago

Travel routes:

China: Beijing / Urumqi / Kashgar / Yarkand / Aksu / Kuqa / Turpan / Dunhuang / Xian.

ITINERARY

Day 01 Arrive at Beijing

 

   Arrive at Beijing. Met by SRA driver at airport then transfer to hotel for overnight. There is No meal arrangement and sightseeing for today. Overnight Hotel.

Day 02 Beijing / Urumqi / Kashgar by Air

 

   Western buffet breakfast at Hotel. drive to airport to get the morning flight CZ6904 to Urumqi (09:20 – 13:30). On arrival, connect the flight CZ6801 to Kashgar (19:35 – 21:20).There will be extra flights with more appropriate timing that we can use during the season. If not, we drive to downtown of Urumqi for a quick city tour. Overnight at Kashgar.

Day 03 Kashgar

 

   Kashgar is an ancient city with the history of more than 2000 years. It was the meeting point of South and middle routes of the silk road. Today, we start our tour with the legendary Kashgar Sunday Bazaar where each Sunday the country comes to town at the colorful covered Bazaar as villagers and towns people mix to trade, barter and buy. It is said locally that "you can find everything at Kashgar Bazaar but not rooster's milk". This lively tradition is a carry over from ancient times when Silk Road trade goods flooded into Kashgar from the four corners of central Asia. In the afternoon we visit historic Eidkah Mosque, built in 1442 and still China 's largest mosque. Our introduction to ancient Kashgar's Uyghur history is concluded with a visit to the 11th century Mausoleum of poet and scholar Yusuf Has Hajib. We take lunch in the old city in a local Restaurant and have dinner at a fruit orchard restaurant. Overnight at Kashgar.

Day 04 Kashgar

 

   AM visit to the Mausoleum of Abakhoja, a sufi leader of old Kashgaria (1600 – 1694). There are 72 tombs from five generations including the latest one, Lady Ipar Khan, the concubine of the emperor Qianlong of Qing dynasty. A leisurely walk along the crafts street where people make and sell all kinds of handcrafts in their shops by the road side. PM free for you to write postcards, rest and relax. Overnight at Kashgar.

Day 05 Kashgar / Artush / Kashgar by Bus

 

   We take 4WD Jeeps to drive to ruins of ancient city Hanoi, 35 kms on the east of Kashgar. Nothing left from the ancient city but only one pagoda called by the local people as “Mora” which means chimney in English. Further drive to the north side over a hill, we come down to the Mash’at village of Artush city where the second emperor of Karakhanid dynasty Sultan Sutuq Bughra Khan had rested. Then after, drive 25kms through the small villages of Artush oasis to the upper Artush village on the way to Kyrgyz border. Lunch at a local farm house in the village (Hor Nan – steamed bread with cheese, butter and other ingredients is so delicious together with home made yogurt and Kordak - mixtures of all vegetables). After the lunch, we drive another 20 kms in to the mountains along the riverbed, then hike and climb up to the Shipton’s Arch that supposed to be the largest one in the world with the height 1200 feet. Those who are not physically fit to do the climbing may spend their time at the car parking in the mountain. Drive back to Kashgar for dinner and overnight.

Day 06 Kashgar / Yarkand

 

   Drive to Yarkand, 200kms on the south of Kashgar to visit the Mausoleum of musician, poet, Queen Amannisa Khan, royal cemetery of Yarkand kingdom and downtown. After the lunch, drive to the north for 45 kms to the Karasu village where located at the edge of the desert. Hiki in to the desert for couple of kilometers to enjoy the sunset, feeling the strong contrast of the deadly desert and lively oasis.

Dinner and overnight at Yarkand hotel.

Day 07 Yarkand / Serikbuya / Aksu by Bus

 

   Drive to Serikbuya village en route to Aksu via Bachu town. This is the largest village Bazaar in west China, lasted since hundreds years. The Bazaar is every Thursday (weekend in Muslim regions) and farmers from Makit, Bachu, Jiashi (Payzi Abad) gather here for trade. After lunch at Serikbuya drive to Aksu along the north edge of the desert. Overnight Aksu.

Day 08 Aksu / Kucha by Bus

 

   Drive to Kucha via Baicheng town. En route visit to Kizil Buddha grottoes, one of the oldest grottoes along silk road with more Indian Buddhism influence. It has a great value in Buddhist study of silk road although most of the paintings and frescoes taken away by foreign devils in late 19th and early 20th century. Arrive at Kucha and late pm sightseeing to ruins of Subash ancient city and downtown area including the grand mosque. Overnight Kucha.

Day 09 Kucha / Turpan by Bus

 

   It is a long drive today to Turpan over Tianshan mountain. It takes 09 to 10 hours to cover the 660kms distance. The road up to Turpan is in perfect condition. The scenery along the road is not enough attractive, even a bit boring with endless desert and giant rock mountains of Tianshan. The altitude comes from 2000 meter to below sea level when we reached at Turpan. It is the second lowest depression in the world next to the death sea. Climate here is absolutely dry with around 20ml annual rainfall and extremely hot! Thus, our air conditioned rooms are appreciated more than elsewhere in China. Overnight Turpan Oasis Hotel.

Day 10 Turpan

 

   Western buffet breakfast at the Caravan Café of the hotel then drive to Tuyuq valley, 90kms one way on the east of Turpan city. The landscape is very picturesque and we visit the newly discovered Buddha caves, and village. (This is the village where Von Lecoq stayed during his expedition). After having some grape and melon at the local village houses here, we drive to ruins of Gaochang ancient city, the capital city of Idikut Uyghur Kingdom from late 9th century to early 14th century and Astana graveyard. Lunch in small village Restaurant (bread, Kebab, fruits etc). PM visit to the ruins of Jiaohe ancient city, an army garrison built in first century BC and destroyed by in 14th century. Overnight Oasis Hotel.

Day 11 Turpan/Urumqi by Bus

 

   Breakfast at the Café. Check out then drive to Emin minaret, the only Islamic relic in Turpan area built in 1777. End the tour after the visit to the underground irrigation system of Turpan, the Karez wells. Drive to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. 200kms express highway will take 2.5 hours including the break stop. Lunch at traditional Uyghur Restaurant Jam. PM visit to Xinjiang museum where we can get a good information about ethnics of Xinjiang and visit the 3000 years old corpus excavated from the ancient cities buried under the Taklamakan desert. Overnight Hotel.

Day 12 Urumqi/Heavenly Lake/Urumqi/Dunhuang by Bus &Train

 

   Western buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive 120kms to Heavenly lake (Bogda lake) on Tianshan mountain. There are cable car and shuttle bus service for five kms from bus parking up to the lake. Those who may not be able to hike for 5kms, may take a shuttle or cable car up to the lake side and do some reading under the pine trees while waiting the hiking team. It is a leisurely hike along the trails for more than an hour. You find a huge crowd of domestic tourists at the lake side and will be happy to go up higher to find a Kazak yurt in a peaceful, less crowded part of the lake. The nomad Kazak man, the owner of the yurt, makes our picnic lunch. PM drive back to Urumqi to get the train to Dunhuang departs at 19:20. Overnight on train (soft berth).

Day 13 Dunhuang

 

   Early morning arrive at Dunhuang railway station at 07:53. Drive 120kms to the city of Dunhuang. Check in to the Hotel and visit to the world cultural heritage site Mogao Grottoes, late afternoon visit to Mingshashan sand dunes to have a camel ride to the crescent moon lake. Breakfast at station and lunch at hotel. We can explore the food stalls of night market of Dunhuang for dinner. Overnight at Dunhuang Hotel.

Day 14 Dunhuang/Jiayuguan /Lanzhou by Bus &Train

 

   Western buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive to Jiayuguan along the newly rebuilt road of 380kms. The terrace along the way is stone desert that we call in Chinese Gobi. Oasis of Anxi, Yumen appears on the road from time to time. Upon arrival, visit to the Fort and edge of the Great Wall then take the train T658 departs at 21:48. Lunch will be at Anxi town on our way to Jiayuguan and dinner at the restaurant before heading for station. Overnight Train (soft berth).

Day 15 Lanzhou

 

   Arrive at Lanzhou at 06:52, transfer to Legend hotel to check in and breakfast. Start the tour to Bingling temple at 09:00. It takes 90 minutes to Liujiaxia reservoir where we take a cruise for an hour to reach the temple. After a late lunch at the lake side, return to the city to have a walk along the Yellow River before the dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Legend Hotel.

Day 16 Lanzhou / Xian by Air

 

   Western buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive to airport to fly to Xian by late morning flight. Transfer to Xian Aurum International hotel or similar. Xian being the ancient capital of China for thousand years from 3rd century BC to 10th century, left many valued historical relics. Underground of the whole city considered as a huge Museum (this is one of the reason why Xian can not have metro yet). It is also the starting point of ancient Silk Road. We start our tour today with a visit to Shanxi provincial museum, considered as one of the best in China. Visit to the Grand mosque, a good combination of Islamic and Chinese architectural character and lively Bazaar at its surrounding. A dumpling banquet at Defachang Restaurant nearby the Bell tower and walk back to hotel after the meal. Overnight at Aurum International hotel.

Day 17 Xian

 

   Western buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive to Terra Cotta Army, built in 3rd century BC by first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, world heritage site and one of the eight wonders of the world. A quick lunch at a tourist Restaurant to save some time for pm visit to Wild goose pagoda built in Tang dynasty, take a leisurely stroll on the city wall which had been restored during the Ming dynasty. Dinner at the local Restaurant Jin Hai’an to taste its delicious food and excellent service in a real Chinese atmosphere (noisy). Overnight at Aurum International hotel.

Day 18 Xian / Beijing By Air

 

   Western buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive to airport to get the flight to Beijing and transfer to hotel to check in. PM a light program to Summer Palace with an option boat ride in Kunming lake then visit to the heavenly temple Tian Tan where dynastic Chinese rulers historically worshipped the emperor of heaven. Lunch and dinner at local Chinese Restaurant. Overnight Hotel.

Day 19 Beijing

 

   Western buffet Breakfast at hotel. Start the tour with a visit to Tian anmen square, mausoleum of Chairman Mao if you want to see him in his glass coffin. Visit to Forbidden city where Chinese emperors have been stayed from 13th century to early 20th century. A tour to old streets of Beijing called Hutong, you may take an optional rickshaw ride. At the end we visit to the Silk Market where you can by some gifts back home. Lunch and dinner at local Chinese Restaurant.

Day 20 Beijing

 

   Western buffet Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Badaling Great Wall to have a walk at some of its 5000kms!. Then drive to imperial graveyard of Ming dynasty, walk along the sacred way that guarded by statues of different kind of beasts. Lunch at the tourist spot and back to hotel by early afternoon. Rest of the day free for you to take a rest or pack up. You are requested to be a bit formal for dinner since it is the last group dinner and we arrange it at the banquet standard. Overnight at hotel.

Day 21 Departure

   Western buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive to airport to depart. Those who fly late in the afternoon can be on their own and we meet them at hotel lobby for airport transfer 3 hours before their flight departure. End of SRA service.

 

 

 

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