20 days Silk Road Culture Tour

The Forbidden City:

Olympic Stadium (Bird Nest):

The nest-shaped elliptic steel structure is hailed as "an icon of the Beijing 2008 Olympics" and has become a recognized landmark worldwide.

National Aquatics Center

(Water Cube):

This temple complex was ever a place for the emperor to worship heaven; an architectural wonder featuring the triple-roofed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest.

Leaving the bustling city streets, stepping into the maze-like hutongs and deep courtyards, you'll get a true taste of Beijinger's life and seem to travel back in time.

Built in a modern style enhanced by local architectural features; one can view the entire city of Urumchi from its central dome of 30 meters high; famous for its rich collections of silk artifacts from many periods of history.

An essential place to experience the life of the minority region, offering all kinds of ethnic food and souvenirs; dinner show is a highlights, a cast of 300 singers and dancers from Uygur, Kazak, Turkoman and Han people.

A symbol of Urumqi, owing to its uniqueness-the body of the mountain, made up of aubergine rock, has a reddish brown color, hence the name; featuring a spectacular part of the Urumqi landscape.

Nestling high in the magnificent Tianshan Mountains; on clear days, the snow-capped peaks glistens in the sun and finely contrasts with blue lake water and steep forested hills.

An oasis in desert, also an ancient town with a history of 2000 years; 500-year old remnants of the city wall, narrow lanes and colorful multi-ethnic crowds combine to make Kashgar's historic district a highlight of any visit to the city.

The most lively picture of the local life and intoxicating culture; a market like one of the thousand and one nights of the Arabian Tales; may seem noisy, crowded and confusing, but the finest goods can also be found.

First built in 1442, a stark contrast to the many Chinese-style mosques, and much associated with mosques in Pakistan or Afghanistan; the largest mosque in China, attracts as many as 10,000 worshippers on prayers days...

The most magnificent tomb in Kashgar; a well-preserved Islamic architectural complex; served as the family tomb of Abakh Hoja, a powerful ruler of Kashgar in the 17th century.

A beautiful and fertile pasture where the pastoral Kazakh inhabit; graceful peaks standing with snow on tops all year round; pasture animals and livestock scatters here and there in the nature valleys.

An elegantly shaped Muslim minaret, combining both Chinese and Islamic features; decorative wall bricks are carved into intricate and delicate patterns, full of loacal traits.

A vast land covered with layer upon layer of grapes to form a green paradise; a tranquil oasis in desert underneath blue skies in the day and a milky way at night.

The secret to Turpan's survival—an elaborate and magical irrigation system, nourishing the extremely dry but rich soil to grow the best grapes and honey melons in the whole country.

Endures desert hardships for 2300 years, rare even in the entire world; a grand military garrison and important stop of the Silk Road, featuring a really special architectural style.

A series of underground tombs about 40 km to the southeast of Turpan; built around the 3rd to 8th century AD some 1,700 years ago; more than ten thousand cultural relics excavated, including books, epitaphs and well-preserved mummies.

In novel, the battlefield where "Monkey King" fights evil monsters; in reality, a mountain seems on fire in strong sunlight, perhaps as red as the Ayers Rock of Australia.

The spring at the north of the mountain; an impressive oasis landscape with a crystal clear spring in crescent shape and an interesting mountain echoing the roaring sound of wind.

A most celebrated rock grotto in China, and also the largest, best preserved and richest treasure house of Buddhist art in the world.

Together with Yumenguan Pass, Yangguan Pass was the two most important passes protecting Dunhuang from invasion in ancient times; the museum offers a glimpse of the grandeur of the past...

Once an important military pass and a vital route on the Silk Road—treasured jade was transported to China through it; still standing as a landmark nowadays to guide the exploration for deep and wild China…

Song dynasty-immitating sand city:

Located right in the middle of the Gobi Desert about 25km southwest of Dunhuang, a huge movie set made to resemble the Song Dynasty city of Dunhuang; created to film the movie "Dunhuang" in 1987 by both Chinese and Japanese filmmakers...

Dunhuang Museum:

Reflects the flourishing social development and cultural exchange between China and the West during the time when Dunhuang was a major center along the Silk Road; offering keen insight to the Silk Road civilization.

Located about seven miles away from Luoyang city, surrounded by leafy old trees; solemn and tranquil, regarded as the "originating court" and the "cradle of Chinese Buddhism" by the Buddhist disciples...

Situated to the west of Mogao Caves; the two are closely related, sharing similar architectural structure and painting themes; ranking among the finest sources of Buddhist art in China...

Built during the Qing Dynasty as a military fortress; just ruins remains nowadays; the whole city featuring a dim yellow color just like that of the desert, another loss of civilization of an oasis in desert...Tourists may have a break on the way from Dunhuang to Jiayuguan Pass, visiting the ancient town while sampling watermelon.

A museum by highway near the ancient city of Qiaowan, displaying specimens of wild animals and plants, dried-up corpse as well as 80 relics…

Known as the "Fresco Tombs" and "underground painting gallery", since the brick walls of the tombs are filled with fresco describing vividly the life of people lived along the Silk Road.

An extended part of the Jiayuguan Pass, and was once an important component in the medieval military defense system; winding through the Gobi dessert to a steep mountain, the wall seems to hang over the cliff, hence its name.

A significant gateway of the ancient Silk Road; wildly recognized as "the first and greatest pass under heaven", linking the Great Wall to form a strongly fortified defensive system.

These are some of the oldest caves in China, despite their age, they still contain many well preserved Buddhism statues and murals.

The monastery today is an important place for Buddhist ceremonies and activities. The monks there are pretty friendly to travelers around the world.

Undergone a long-term forestation the park now has taken a rather greenly outlook with plantation of luxuriant trees and plants of various kinds.

The natural beauty of the five springs is enhanced by verdant groves while the temples make it a famous religious destination.

The sign of Xi'an. It is the largest and best-preserved bell tower in China, and used for as timer and alarm in ancient China.

It is an extension of the old Tang Dynasty structure boasting the most complete city wall survived in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.

Tell you how do people live and work in a typical Matriarchal Clan Community Village 6000 years ago. Cradle of Chinese civilization.

As the eighth wonder of the ancient world, it has the history of more than 2200 years. Oriental mummies await you to discover its mystery.

Outstanding design in Chinese pavilion architecture history and containing many Buddhist relics that brought by Master Xuan Zang 1000 years ago.