Dunhuang Trip Overview
This 5 nights classic private tour takes you to explore Chinese section of ancient Silk Road northern route from Dunhuang to Urumqi. You will travel the path of thousands of merchants and camel caravans and witness its changes in modern days. Attractions you will visit during this tour includes Mogao Grottos, Turpan Oasis, Loulan Mummies, and Heavenly Lake located on the northern side of Tianshan Mountains.
Additional Info
Duration: 6 days
Starts: Dunhuang, China
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Dunhuang Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Dunhuang, Gansu, China
This 5 nights classic private tour takes you to explore Chinese section of ancient Silk Road northern route from Dunhuang to Urumqi. You will travel the path of thousands of merchants and camel caravans and witness its changes in modern days. Attractions you will visit during this tour includes Mogao Grottos, Turpan Oasis, Loulan Mummies, and Heavenly Lake located on the northern side of Tianshan Mountains.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving Dunhuang
Pass By: Silkroadtrips, Urumqi 830000 China
tour operator
Stop At: Shazhou Nightly Market, Yangguan East Road, Dunhuang China
Upon arrival at Dunhuang Airport or Dunhuang Rail Station, meet your guide at arrival lobby and go to the hotel for check-in. You may spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the streets of Dunhuang. Be sure to explore the night market nearby the hotel in the evening!
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: 4-Star Dunhuang Hotel
Day 2: Dunhuang – Liuyuan (via bullet train) – Turpan
Stop At: Mogao Caves, West of Hexi Zoulang, Dunhuang 736200 China
You will visit the highlight of Silk Road today. Mogao Grottoes (Caves of the Thousand Buddhas), where you will be impressed by the fresco and statues in the caves. These caves are examples of rock-cut architecture of soft gravel conglomerate not suitable for either sculpture or elaborate architectural details. In the afternoon, you will catch a bullet train to Turpan arriving in approximately 4 hours and be transferred to hotel in about 30 minutes.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 4-Star Huozhou Hotel, Turpan
Day 3: Turpan
Stop At: Emin Minaret (Su Gong Ta), Munage Village, Putao Country, Turpan 838000 China
After breakfast, you will start to visit Turpan, the centre of a fertile oasis and an important trade center along the Silk Road that was once adjacent to the kingdoms of Kroran and Yanqi. You will visit Emin Minaret which is the symbol of Turpan before sampling an authentic local lunch at a Uyghur home under the grape vine in open air.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Ancient City of Gaochang (Kharakhoja), Sanpu Country, Turpan 838000 China
Later in the afternoon, you will explore the Ancient City of Gaochang
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Gaochang District, Turpan, Xinjiang, China, 838015
More than 100 caves were hewn out of this cliff face between the 6th and 9th centuries by Buddhist monks who farmed the valley below.There are 77 rock-cut caves at the Bezeklik Caves. Most have rectangular spaces with rounded arch ceilings often divided into four sections, each with a mural of Buddha. The effect is of entire ceiling covers with hundreds of Buddha murals. Some ceilings in Bezeklik Caves are painted with a large Buddha surrounded by other figures, including Indians, Persians and Europeans. The quality of the murals varies, with some being artistically naive while others are masterpieces of religious art.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Astana-Karakhoja Tombs, Asitana Village, Huoyanshan Country, Turpan 838000 China
The Astana-Karakhoja Ancient Tombs are part of the Underground Museum of Turpan and the Living Archives of Gaochang. Astana means capital in Uigur; Karakhoja was a Uigur hero who protected his people from a vicious dragon.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Karez System, Xincheng Ximen Village, Ya’er Country, Turpan 838000 China
Karez Irrigation System was created by ancient Uygur people at the second half of 18th century. It can mainly be found in the area of Turpan, Hami and Helei. If connecting all these underground channels together, the total length will reach more than 5000 km, so it is regarded as one of ancient China’s greatest public projects.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: 4-Star Huozhou Hotel, Turpan
Day 4: Turpan – Urumqi
Stop At: Xinjiang Regional Museum (Qu Bowuguan), No.132 Xibei Road, Urumqi 830000 China
After breakfast, you will take a 3-h ride to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The impressive stop of the day is Xinjiang Museum where well-preserved Chinese mummies are exhibited. Among which, you will find the spectacular one standing out from the rest named “Beauty of Loulan,” who was buried 4,000 years ago near the town of Loulan in Taklimakan Desert. “Beauty of Loulan” was remarkably preserved in an open coffin under hot desert sands of the Takliamakan when she was excavated.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Erdaoqiao Market, China, Xin Jiang Wei Wu Er Zi Zhi Qu, Wu Lu Mu Qi Shi, Tian Shan Qu, 二道桥民俗风情一条街 邮政编码: 830094
Later, you will head to stroll through the wonderful Erdaoqiao Bazaar before driving back your hotel.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi
Day 5: Urumqi – Heavenly Lake – Urumqi
Stop At: Tianshan Tianchi Lake, Within Tianshan Scenic Resort, Urumqi 830002 China
Today you will take a one hour ride to Heavenly Lake, which is located on the north side of the Bodga Shan range of the Tianshan Mountains to enjoy fantastic mountain views and serene lake scenery. Then you will be taken back hotel.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 4-Star Xiangjiang Lihua Hotel, Urumqi
Day 6: Departing Urumqi
Stop At: Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport, 1341 Ying Bin Lu, Xin Shi Qu, Wu Lu Mu Qi Shi, Xin Jiang Wei Wu Er Zi Zhi Qu, China, 830000
Transferred to?Urumqi Airport where the tour ends.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
