Discover Silk Road incl. Gansu

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival, Xi'an

  Welcome to Xi'an, a 2,000-year-old city full of history! Meet your tour guide outside the arrival hall of Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an, and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel. Check in with the help of your guide, and then spend some time at leisure.

  • Xi'an

• Day 2: Xi'an

  The Terracotta Warriors makes the historic Xi'an more attractive to tourists from all over the world. This morning, marvel at the grand array with thousands of lifelike clay soldiers, horses, and chariots in life size. Observe them carefully and try to have a dialogue surpassing time and space. After the tour, drive about an hour back to the city. Climb the 14th-century City Wall to enjoy a better view of the old town of Xi'an, and then stroll through the bustling Muslim Street to catch a glimpse of Chinese Muslim culture.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 3: Xi'an - Tianshui

  Take a high-speed train to the west and you will arrive in Tianshui within 2 hours. This is the first important stop on the ancient Silk Road from Xi'an. There you will marvel at wooden paths hanging on a cliff, and be amazed by thousands of exquisite Buddhist sculptures and murals. That is the famous Maiji Mountain Grottoes. The construction of this great art gallery began at the end of the 4th century and lasted for over 1,600 years, so you will be feasted with different styles of Buddhist art in different eras.

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  • Tianshui

• Day 4: Tianshui - Lanzhou

  Tianshui is the hometown of Fuxi - the first mythical emperor of China. Pay a visit to Fuxi Temple to learn about the origin of the Chinese nation and then hop on another high-speed train to Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. On arrival, you'll be welcomed by your local guide and driver.

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  • Lanzhou

• Day 5: Lanzhou - Xiahe

  After breakfast, you will drive for about 4.5 hours to Xiahe, an ethnic Tibetan town in Gansu Province. Upon arrival, enjoy a local Chinese lunch, then explore the Labrang Monastery and feel the mysterious Tibetan Buddhism. Later, capture the beauty of the Sangke Grassland and taste the local life by visiting a Tibetan family.

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  • Xiahe

• Day 6: Xiahe - Lanzhou

  Drive back to Lanzhou. Take a relaxing city tour with the landmarks including Yellow River Waterwheel Park, the Yellow River Mother Sculpture and Iron Bridge of Yellow River. You may like to sample some delights of Chinese Silk Road fare such as Lanzhou beef noodles.

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  • Lanzhou

• Day 7: Lanzhou - Jiayuguan

  Continue your Silk Road adventure to Jiayuguan by a 6 hours' high-speed train. After that, your local guide will welcome and escort you to visit the Wei-Jin Tomb Murals, known as the largest subterranean art gallery. You can admire hundreds of murals showing various scenes of economic production and daily life at the time (220 AD - 420 AD), from banquet to travel, hunting, farming, sericulture, grazing, etc.

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  • Jiayuguan

• Day 8: Jiayuguan - Dunhuang

  Appreciate the famous landmarks of this small city, including the Jiayuguan Great Wall, the Great Wall Museum, Jiayuguan Pass, First Pier of the Great Wall and the Hanging Great Wall. Next, take a 5-hour drive to Dunhuang.

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  • Dunhuang

• Day 9: Dunhuang

  The Mogao Grottoes are the soul of Dunhuang. Today, explore these incredible caves hidden in the desert, and other important sites in Dunhuang, including Mingsha Shan (Singing Sand Mountain), Crescent Moon Spring. After that, enjoy some relaxing time to recharge your batteries.

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  • Dunhuang

• Day 10: Dunhuang, Departure

  It's time to say goodbye! You will have some free time before being transferred to the airport or railway station for your flight or train to your next destination. From Dunhuang, you can easily travel to Xinjiang or return to Xi'an.

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