17 Day China Grand Silk Road & Southern Xinjiang Tour the 11th May 2026
Tour Code: CXT
ON SALE
Duration:
17 days
Price From:
$4,880
Single Supplement: $1,120
Pay only $400 per person to secure your tour today.

Summary

Description

Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo and explore the highlights along Silk Road and South Xijiang on this 17-day private guided tour from Urumqi, Kashgar, Tashkurgan, Aksu, Kuche, Koala, Turpan, Dunhuang and Xi’an. Discover the scenic, cultural, religious and historic highlights, including Urumqi Grand Bazaar, Heavenly Lake, Urumqi Regional Museum, Cara Cooley Lake & Stone City in Tashkurgan, Id Kah Mosque and old town of Kashgar, Tianshan Grand Canyon in Aksu areas, Taklimakan Desert in Koala, Jiaohe ancient town ruin, Karez Wells, Flaming Mountain and grape valley in Turpan, Mingsha Mountain, the Crescent Spring, Yumen pass, Hecang ancient city ruin, Han Dynasty great wall ruin; Mogao Grottos in Dunhuang and its nearby areas and City Wall and Drum Tower of Xi’an. You will enjoy this guided tour, which will leave an everlasting memory with you for your lifetime.

Route:

Sydney/Melbourne - Shanghai - Urumqi - Kashgar - Tashkurgan - Kashgar - Aksu - Kuche - Koala - Turpan - Dunhuang - Xi'an - Sydney/Melbourne

Itinerary

Depart to Shanghai in the morning and arrive in the evening. Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to hotel.
Flight Details:
  1. MU 562, Sydney – Shanghai 11:00/19:15
  2. MU 738, Melbourne - Shanghai 11:00/19:50
Accommodation: Shanghai Ramada Plaza Shanghai Pudong Hotel**** or similar
You are at leisure in the morning. After lunch, you are transferred to airport for your flight to Urumqi. Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Flight Details:
  1. FM9219, Shanghai – Urumqi 14:10/19:20
Accommodation: Mercure Urumqi Dehui Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, travel to visit Heavenly Lake. It will take one hour ride to Heavenly Lake, which is located on the north side of the Tianshan Mountains to enjoy fantastic mountain views and serene lake scenery. Afterwards, return to Urumqi to visit Xinjiang Regional Museum. Stay overnight in Urumqi.
Accommodation: Mercure Urumqi Dehui Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, enjoy your visit to the grand Bazaar. After that, you are transferred to Urumqi Airport to have your flight from Urumqi to Kashgar in the afternoon. Arrive in Kashgar in the afternoon. You are met in the airport and transferred to hotel. (If China Easter doesn't fly, we will use China Southern Airlines instead.)
Flight Details:
Accommodation: Kyriad Marvelous Hotel **** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.D
After breakfast, we are going to visit the famous Flea Market in Kashgar to experience the trading in local culture. And then, drive to Tashkurgan County. We can see the Uygur farmers in rural scenery. Overlooking the southern Flaming Mountains and the beautiful scenery, enjoy an altitude of 7546 meters of the snow mountain and Cara Cooley lake. After lunch drive to Tashkurgan County. Stay overnight in Tashkurgan.
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Chogori**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast we drive to Stone City, this is one of the thirty-six kingdom location named puli kingdom in the western regions before 2000 years ago. After that we return to Kashgar. Stay overnight in Kashgar.
Accommodation: Kyriad Marvelous Hotel **** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
Kashgar is the center of southern Xinjiang and an important city along the Belt and Road. Kashgar City is located in the alluvial plain formed by the Kashgar River System. It is one of the oldest and most fertile oases on the western edge of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang. It is known as "Hometown of Melons and Fruits". Visit ld Kah Mosque, Abakh Hoja Mazzar, Kashgar old town, giant bazaar and handcraft street. Stay overnight at Kashgar Hotel.
Accommodation: Kyriad Marvelous Hotel **** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, we drive to Aksu. We will visit Fengquan River Park and have a walk in the Fengquan River Park. Fengquan River Park is located in the southwest of Aksu City, with a total length of 1,900 meters from north to south, covering a total area of 138 hectares. It is a national 3A tourist attraction. Stay overnight in Aksu.
Accommodation: Tianyuan International Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, we head to the Grand Canyon of Tianshan and experience the geological park which was formed 25 million years ago. Afterwards drive to Kuche and stay overnight there.
Accommodation: Kucha Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, we drive to Luntai desert road, the longest desert road in the word with a total length of 446km and cross the "dead sea" — Taklimakan Desert, known as the "the green Great Wall". You can enjoy the Millennium Populus Euphratica forest along the way, because rooted over 50 meters down the ground, they thrive in hostile environments, defying droughts, sandstorms and salinization, survive and multiply in the desert. It was praised as "desert hero tree", we will drive one part of the desert road to make sure everyone can appreciate this magnificent "Dead Sea". After that travel to Korla and stay overnight there.
Accommodation: Korla Jinjiang Metropolo Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, we travel to visit the ancient pass – Tiemenguan. At noon in Tokxun County to taste Xinjiang noodles. After that, travel to Turpan, where we will visit Jiao He ancient town ruin. Stay overnight in Turpan.
Accommodation: Mercure Hotel Turpan Downtown*** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
Enjoy a Turpan day tour today. We are going to visit the greatest irrigation system in Xinjiang and entire central Asia: Kariz Wells. Kariz is a kind of underground canal to protect water from snow mountains away from dry out when running through desert. After that, we will pass by flaming Mountain (Huoyanshan) and visit grape valley. You can experience local style life there. Lastly we are going to visit Sugong Tower. Visit Turpan night market and try local BBQ in the evening. Stay overnight in Turpan city.
Accommodation: Mercure Hotel Turpan Downtown*** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
In the morning, we are travelling by high-speed train from Turpan to Liuyuan train station (Reference train: 09:15 – 12:43). Upon arrival, we will be met and drive to visit Mingsha mountain, where the sandhills coexisted with the springs, and were named for the sound of sand. Here we can climb sand hills, overlook the Crescent Spring, enjoy the desolate vastness of the northwest desert on the top of the mountain, ride camels, and enjoy the intoxicating sunset of Mingsha Mountain. And then drive to Dunhuang and stay overnight in Dunhuang.
Accommodation: Dunhuang Tianrun Yibo Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
In the morning, we are going to visit Yadan demon city and then visit Yumen pass, Hecang ancient city ruin and Han Dynasty great wall ruin in the Gobi Desert. We will be back to Dunhuang in the afternoon to enjoy Dunhuang night market. Stay in Dunhuang overnight.
Accommodation: Dunhuang Tianrun Yibo Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
After breakfast, visit Mogao Grottos. These are the most famous and best-preserved grottos in the world. After that, you are transferred to airport for your flight from Dunhuang to Xi’an. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to hotel in Xi’an.
Flight Details:
  1. MU2216, Dunhuang – Xi’an 15:30/17:40
Accommodation: Novotel Xi`an The Bell Tower Hotel**** or similar
Meal Inclusions: B.L.D
You are taken to visit the city wall and drum tower in Xi’an. After lunch, you are transferred to airport for your flight to Sydney from Xi’an and fly overnight.
Flight Details:
  1. MU 2176, Xi’an – Shanghai 5/08:30 (26 Sep.)
  2. MU 561, Shanghai – Sydney 20:20/09:00 (next morning)
  3. MU 737, Shanghai – Melbourne 20:15/09:00 (next morning)
Meal Inclusions: B
Arrive in Sydney or Melbourne in the morning. Your unforgettable China Xinjiang tour ends.

Inclusions

1. China Eastern economy class air-tickets: Sydney or Melbourne – Shanghai – Urumqi //Dunhuang – Xi’an – Shanghai – Sydney or Melbourne, airport tax and fuel surcharge.
2. Chengdu Airlines Urumqi – Kashgar with airport tax.
3. Second class high-speed train ticket from Turpan to Dunhuang (Liuyuan South).
4. 15-night accommodation at 4* hotels as indicated in the itinerary or similar.
5. Transfers and transport.
6. Meals as indicated, 15 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 14 dinners (B = breakfast, L = lunch and D = dinner).
7. Sightseeing with entrance fees as mentioned.
8. Professional English-speaking guide.
9. Gratuities to guides and drivers.
10. One bottle of spring water per person per day

Exclusions

1. Travel insurance.
2. China visa if applicable ($120 per visa).
3. Meals not mentioned in the itinerary.
4. Personal expenses.

Dates & Prices

Departure Date
Return Date
Price
Mon
11 May 2026
Wed
27 May 2026
$4,880

Reviews

Average Rating:
Based on 2 reviews from ADT clients.
by Denis and Sylvia Murphy
May 19, 2025
17 Day China Grand Silk Road & Southern Xinjiang Tour the 11th May 2026

17 Day China Grand Silk Road & Southern Xinjiang Tour

Ella,

Everyone here would like to thank you for the role you have played in being our guide. We have all loved you dearly and we are so grateful for the tender and individual care you have shown us all.

You have been an excellent guide, and we have been glad to help you by being a really good group. We have listened, we have been obedient, and we have been on time, so we hope that would make your job easy.

Ella, importantly, you are the voice of China. When all travelers from your groups return home, they will remember your words, your love and care and they will remember you.

You are everything China would like to be:
You are the shining moon; you are the tall pine; you are the flowing water.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Denis and Sylvia Murphy

by Michele Edwards
May 28, 2025
17 Day China Grand Silk Road & Southern Xinjiang Tour the 11th May 2026

17 Day China Grand Silk Road & Southern Xinjiang Tour

Good morning, Allan

Returned from the above tour last Saturday

Overall a good tour with great tour guides especially Ella who accompanied us for the first 12 days in Xinjiang. She’s the best! Orlando in Dunhuang and Lola in Xi’an are both good as well

Hotel accommodations excellent especially the Home2 suites by Hilton in Kashgar. Staff generally helpful and friendly with translation help from tour guides and fellow Travellers

Food was very good and plenty of choices. We tried local cuisine in some beautiful Uyghur restaurants as well as Han food. We were taken to some very nice restaurants. Our group absolutely loved the buffet dinner in Xi’an. It was an excellent choice for our last dinner.

Local people especially in Xinjiang are very welcoming and friendly

Thanks again, Allan, for organizing this tour and look forward to travelling with Asia Discovery Tours in the near future

Best Regards

Graham & Michele

ON SALE
Duration:
17 days
Price From:
$4,880
Single Supplement: $1,120
Tour Route: Sydney/Melbourne - Shanghai - Urumqi - Kashgar - Tashkurgan - Kashgar - Aksu - Kuche - Koala - Turpan - Dunhuang - Xi'an - Sydney/Melbourne
Pay only $400 per person to secure your tour today.