Follow in the footsteps of ancient merchants and explore one of the world’s oldest and most historically important trade routes. Discover the stories of how the Silk Road influenced Chinese culture. In addition, see Shanghai, which is a living example to rapid cultural change.
Day 1 Shanghai-Beijing
Activities: Arrive in Beijing. Hotel check-in.
Meals: No meals
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
After your arrival in Beijing, you will be greeted by your CST Beijing local guide, who will then take you to your hotel. Your local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 2 Beijing
Activities: Mutianyu Great Wall (cable car fee is not included), Ming Tombs, Beijing Roast Duck Dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Transportation: Bus
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the Mutianyu Great Wall, the main section of the Great Wall that was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty. In ancient times, it was used as a strategic point of defense. Cable car fee is not included.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Ming Tombs, the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).
Enjoy a Beijing Roast Duck Dinner, considered to be one of the most delicious dishes in the world. A trip to Beijing would not be complete without trying it once!
Day 3 Beijing
Activities: Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, Temple of Heaven.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the Forbidden City, the architectural wonder and world-famous attraction that lies in the center of Beijing, north of Tian'anmen Square. It was home to 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties during its five centuries of use.
Next, proceed to Tian'anmen Square, which is the heart of modern China, the symbol of the People's Republic, and the center of Beijing's landmarks. The flagstones of Tian'anmen cover a staggering 440,000 square meters, enough space for a gathering of a million people.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Temple of Heaven. The temple was built between 1409 and 1420, and is one of Beijing's most impressive parks in terms of architecture and significance. The temple was used as a communication terminal for the Emperor to communicate directly with heaven.
Return to the hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 4 Bejing-Xi'an
Activities: Hutong Tour, Wangfujing Street. Fly to Xi'an. Hotel check-in.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you on the Beijing Hutong Tour, which is a "must-see" attraction if you want to really get a feel for the rich history and culture of the city. Seeing the Beijing Hutong today will show you the lifestyle and culture of historic Beijing.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, your CST local guide will accompany you to the famous shopping area, Wangfujing Street, where you will have free time until your CST local guide takes you to Beijing airport for your flight to Xi'an.
After your arrival in Xi'an, you will be greeted by your CST Xi'an local guide, who will then take you to your hotel. Your local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 5 Xi'an
Activities: Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Huaqing Hot Spring, Banpo Museum, Dumpling Dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Transportation: Bus
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to see the Terracotta Warriors & Horses, located in Jiangzhai Xichang Village, about one mile from Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum. There are about 8,000 of these warriors and horses covering a massive area of 20,000 sq meters. This area is divided into three pits for visitors to explore.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to Huaqing Hot Spring, situated 30 kilometers east of Xi'an at the foot of the Lishan Hills. The springs were a popular retreat with Emperors more than 2,500 years ago, many of whom enjoyed bathing in the crystal clear mineral water.
Proceed to Banpo Museum. It is located on the north side of Banpo Village on a site that dates to the Neolithic period, over 6,000 years ago. This site was just recently discovered.
Then your guide will accompany you to enjoy a Chinese Dumpling Dinner.
Day 6 Xi'an
Activities: Forest of Steles, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Medieval City Wall.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the Forest of Steles, which is a professional art museum that collects, studies, and displays various steles and stone sculptures. If you are interested in Chinese art and calligraphy, there are some interesting objects on display here.
Next proceed to Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a famous Buddhist pagoda situated inside Da Ci'en Temple, four kilometers south of Xi'an. Emperor Gaozong (628-683) commissioned the building of this temple in 652 during the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda's structure is simple but very sturdy and is regarded as a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Medieval City Wall, which is the most complete ancient city wall in China. It was built in the Ming Dynasty over 700 years ago. The city wall is based on old Tang Dynasty architecture and measures 12-14 meters across the top, 15-18 meters thick at the bottom, and 13.7 kilometers in length.
Return to the hotel. Your local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 7 Xi'an-Duhuang
Activities: Fly to Duhuang. Visit Dunhuang Museum.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
Your CST local guide will take you to Xi'an airport for your departure flight to Dunhuang.
After your arrival in Dunhuang, you will be greeted by your CST Dunhuang local guide, who will then accompany you to visit the Dunhuang Museum, located in downtown Dunhuang.
Return to the hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 8 Duhuang-Turpan
Activities: Mogao Grottos, Crescent Moon Spring, Singing Sand Mountains. Take an overnight train to Turpan.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Train (details: TBA)
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at your hotel and accompany you to the Mogao Grottos, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, which constitute one of the three major Buddhist grotto sites in China.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Crescent Moon Spring, which quite literally are an oasis in the desert. The spring is located 6km south of Dunhuang.
Next proceed to the Singing Sand Mountains, known for the sounds the wind makes when blowing over the dunes. The dunes are also famous for their size, some reaching 100m or more, and are relatively stable despite the fact that the dunes beyond the mountains shift frequently.
Your CST local guide will take you to the railway station for the overnight train ride to Turpan.
Day 9 Turpan
Activities: Thousand Buddha Caves, Bizaklik Astana-Karakhoja Graves, Gaochang Ruins, Flaming Mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus
After your arrival in Turpan, you will be greeted by your CST Turpan local guide, who will then take you to your hotel.
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the Thousand Buddha Caves. The caves stand high on the cliffs of the western part of Mutou Valley under the Flaming Mountain. Of the 83 original caves, 57 caves currently remain. The murals cover an area of over 1,200 sq km and stretch out over more than 40 caves.
Next proceed to the Bizaklik Astana-Karakhoja Graves, which are tombs of the ancient Gaochang residents, both aristocrats and commoners. The King of Gaochang's tomb has not been found yet even though 456 tombs have been excavated.
After a Chinese Lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Gaochang Ruins, located southeast of Turpan. It was a garrison town that was built in the 1st century B.C. that that later became a key point along the Silk Road. The city was burnt down around the 14th century, during a period of warfare that lasted for 40 years.
Next travel to the Flaming Mountains, situated in the desert on the northern edge of the Turpan basin, stretching over 100km long and 10 km wide. In the severe heat of July, the mountains seem to be on fire in the burning sun and become a purplish-brown color.
Return to the hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destinations for the rest of the day.
Day 10 Turpan-Urumqi-Kashgar
Activities: Heavenly Mountain, Heaven's Lake, Er Dao Qiao Bazaar. Fly to Kashgar. Hotel check-in.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at your hotel and accompany you to Urumqi to visit the Heavenly Mountain (Tianshan) and Heaven's Lake (Tianchi).
Next proceed to the Er Dao Qiao Bazaar in Urumqi, which offers a variety of shopping opportunities.
Your CST local guide will take you to Urumqi airport for your departure flight to Kashgar.
After your arrival in Kashgar, you will be greeted by your CST Kashgar local guide, who will then take you to your hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 11 Kashgar
Activities: Kalakuli Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to Kalakuli Lake, also known as Ka Lake, meaning Black Lake. The lofty snow-covered Mushitage Mountain is reflected in the lake, making it look even more impressive.
Return to the hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 12 Kashgar-Urumqi
Activities: Kashgar Grand Bazaar, Abakh Hoja Tomb, Id Kah Mosque. Fly to Urumqi. Hotel check-in.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the Kashgar Grand Bazaar. The market is a kind of agricultural market that has expanded to include anything you can think of, including clothing, knives, and more.
Next proceed to the Abakh Hoja Tomb, which is the most magnificent tomb in Kashgar, filled with history and symbolism.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Id Kah Mosque, the largest mosque in China and the religious center of Kashgar. The call to prayer booming from the mosque can be heard throughout the city center. The ornate structure visitors see today is based on the original mosque, which was built in 1442 for Shakesirmirzha, the ruler of Kashgar. It is constructed of yellow brick.
Your CST local guide will take you to Kashgar airport for your departure flight to Urmuqi.
After your arrival in Urmuqi, you will be greeted by your CST Urmuqi local guide, who will then take you to your hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 13 Urumqi-Shanghai
Activities: Southern Mountain Pasture, experience local family life in a yurt. Fly to Shanghai. Hotel check-in.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus, Air (flight details: TBA)
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the Southern Mountain Pasture, which is an lush natural grassland peppered with gullies and forests of spruce and pine.
Then get a taste of the local hospitality and experience family life in a yurt.
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, your CST local guide will take you to Urumqi airport for your departure flight to Shanghai.
After your arrival in Shanghai, you will be greeted by your CST Shanghai local guide, who will then take you to the hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 14 Shanghai
Activities: Yuyuan Garden, Chenghuang Market, the Bund, East Nanjing Road.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Transportation: Bus
After breakfast, your CST local guide will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to Yuyuan Garden, which is a famous classical garden located in Shanghai's colorful and bustling Old Town.
Next, proceed to Chenghuang Market to try the famous Shanghai steamed soup dumplings as well as shop at the old antiques market. Here you are sure to find some great bargains!
After a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to The Bund, also called Zhongshan East Road, which is Shanghai's famous waterfront. It is also the symbol of Shanghai. Walking along the Bund, which is the west shore of the Huangpu River, you can see the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Jin Mao Tower across the river in Pudong. It is one of the top attractions in Shanghai.
Then precede to China's first and foremost shopping street, Nanjing Road, which starts at the Bund in the east and ends at the junction of Jing'an Temple and Yan'an West Street in the west. Today, Nanjing Road is a must-see destination, attracting thousands of tourists and shoppers from all over the world.
Return to the hotel. Your CST local guide will suggest a restaurant option and shopping destination for the rest of the day.
Day 15 Shanghai
Activities: Departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Transportation: Bus
Fees
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Price of this tour
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1 person
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2-5 people
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6-9 people
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Single room supplement
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Standard
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US$3999
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US$3199
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US$2604
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US$385
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Deluxe
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US$4082
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US$3282
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US$2686
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US$457
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Super Deluxe
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US$4394
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US$3594
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US$2999
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US$728
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