SILK ROAD     Day to Day itinerary

DAY 1. Departure from Heathrow airport on direct flight to BEIJING.

DAY 2. On arrival transfer to your  downtown hotel for a 3 night stay. After checking-in and a rest meet your fellow travelers in the evening at a welcome dinner./D

DAY 3. Full day sightseeing today which includes Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. After lunch ,enjoy an Included rickshaw ride through the Hutongs of the old part of Beijing and experience the daily life of the local inhabitants.      B/L/D

DAY 4. The highlight today is a full-day excursion to the Mitanyu section of The Great Wall. In the afternoon you will also visit the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs. Returning to Beijing for a special Beijing Duck Dinner.             B/L./D

DAY 5. After checking-out our hotel we transfer to the airport for the flight to Xian. On arrival we will have a sightseeing tour and visit the City Wall and the Tang Art Museum.  Transfer to our hotel for 2 nights.   Free Evening.     B/L/D

DAY 6. Today's highlight is the Terracotta Warriors Museum, home of more than 6,000 life size terracotta warriors and horses excavated from the tomb of the first emperor of China. On return to Xian we will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the famous Shaanxi Provincial Museum. In the evening we attend a Tang Dynasty cultural show with a dumpling dinner.            B/L/D.

DAY 7. In the morning we continue sightseeing in Xian which includes the Forest of Steles and the Muslim quarter. Later in the day we take the flight to Dunhuang and have a city tour on arrival.  Transfer to our hotel for 2 nights   B/L/D

DAY 8.Morning visit to the incredible sand dunes at Mingsha and later a visit to the stunning The Mogao Grottoes,populary known as the "Thousand Buddha Caves". Then visit the Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Spring   B/L/D

DAY 9.After checking out we drive along the old Silk route to observe the ruins of the Custom House and Jade Gate Pass, also you will see the very western extremity of the Great Wall at Jiauguan and the Heavenly Mountains. Afternoon free in Dunhuang before transferring to Liyuan railway station to catch the overnight train to Turpan.  Accommodation in first class on the train is 4-berth compartments ,each coach features a seperate toilet and washroom. The facilities are modern and clean and the journey approx. 10 hours. 

DAY 10.  Arrive in Turpan, famous for it's melons and vineyards. After a short rest, go to visit  Bezeklik Thousand Buddha caves whose walls are adorned with Buddhist frescos and the legendary Flaming Mountains. Stop at the underground tombs of Astana, and Karez Well an underground irrigation system in the region. Overnight stay at the hotel.     B/L/D

DAY 11.Today visit the Minaret of Sultan Imin and Jiaohe City ruins. We then drive to Urumqi and transfer to the airport for the flight to Kashgar.                       Overnight in the hotel   B/L/D

DAY 12.Visit Sunday market of the city bazaar in Kashgar. We also visit Abak Hodja Mausoleum, Id Kar mosque and a kindergarten of minority nationalities.   Overnight stay in the hotel   B/L/D

DAY 13.  Today we have a full day excursion to Karakuli Lake  ( 3600metres above sea level)  which is surrounded by snow mountains. We then transfer to the airport and take the flight to Urumqi.   Transfer to the hotel for 2 nights.   B/L/D

DAY 14. Today, some leisurely sightseeing in Urumqi including a visit to the regional museum and free time to explore the city.  B/L/D

DAY 15.We transfer to the airport for the long flight to Shanghai. On arrival we have a sightseeing tour which includes the Bund ,Shanghai Museum and People's Square.   Transfer to our hotel for 3 nights.     B/L/D

DAY 16.  Full day sightseeing in Shanghai and we make a visit to Yu Gardens,Shanghai old town and Nanjing Road shopping area. We also go to Xintandi shopping mall.a chic shopping area which is rebuilt from the former French concession. Tonight we have an included Shanghai Acrobatic show.    B/L/D

DAY 17.   After a long tour, today we have some free time in Shanghai to relax. Maybe take a short cruise on the Hungpu River? visit the JingMao Tower or just stroll along the Bund?. or even a full day tour to the Gardens city of Suzhou.  In the evening we have a farewell dinner in one of our favorite restaurants.  B/L/D

DAY 18    We check out and transfer to Shanghai airport for our return flight to UK.

OUR HOTELS: BEIJING :     Qiananmen Hotel       XIAN:    Xian Garden Hotel               DUNHUANG:   Dunhuang Hotel                          

                      TURPAN:     Oasis Hotel          KASHGAR: International Qinbagh Hotel          URUMQI: Holiday Inn       SHANGHAI:  Swan Hotel

Please note that on this tour the quality of hotels of a superior standard is very limited in the Western regions but we accommodate you in the best that is available.

In some cases a substitute hotel to those mentioned above may be used but you can rest assured that they will be of the same standard (or better)