Silk Road 11-Day Journey: Desert Oases & Pamir Peaks

Xinjiang (Urumqi Bosten Lake Kuche Taklamakan Desert Hotan Shache Kashgar Mustag Peak 11 day tour) itinerary introduction
Day 1: Urumqi airport pick-up
Meal: Dinner
On the first day, we arrived in Yining City. When your plane lands, our local professional tour guide and experienced driver will greet you at the airport's arrival hall and escort you to the hotel to rest and recover from the time difference. In the evening, we will hold a warm welcome dinner and watch ethnic minority dances, allowing you to taste authentic Xinjiang cuisine while getting to know your fellow travelers. Our tour guide will also provide you with a detailed introduction to the exciting itinerary for the next few days.

·Our guests' privileges:
We have reserved a seat near the stage for you during dinner, where you can watch the song and dance performance up close and interact with the actors while dancing.
When checking in, the tour guide will give everyone a disposable item bag as a gift.

The next day: Urumqi → Bosten Lake → Korla City
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attraction: Lake Bosten
After breakfast, the tour guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and depart from Urumqi to go to Lake Bosten. It is the largest inland freshwater lake in China and an unexpected "water town dream" in the arid southern Xinjiang. The highlight lies in appreciating the boundless reed wetlands, blooming water lilies, and flocks of waterbirds. This strong ecological contrast constitutes an excellent theme for photography.

In the evening, we arrived in Korla, the capital of Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, and checked into a hotel.

Day 3: Korla → Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon → Kuche Old Town → Kuche (Guizi Music and Dance Performance in Danang City)
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attractions: Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, Kuche Old Town
Explore the mysterious Tianshan Grand Canyon in the morning. Strolling through the reddish brown mountain range, one can experience the enormous geological wonders formed by wind and water erosion over billions of years. The sunlight shines through narrow gaps, and the light and shadow change, as if traveling to another corner of the planet.
Lunch can be enjoyed by oneself, and our tour guide will be happy to assist.
In the afternoon, stroll through the old city of Kuche and experience the rich Uyghur lifestyle. In the evening, take a stroll around the city of Danang and taste Kuche Danang, which is bigger than your face. You can also enjoy the joyful Kucha music and dance performance at your own expense, which is a visual and auditory feast that travels back to the ancient Silk Road.

The fourth day: Kuqa → Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave → Alar
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attraction: Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave
After breakfast, the tour guide and driver will lead everyone to visit the Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave. This is a Buddhist grotto site with a longer history than the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, and it is the earliest and westernmost large-scale grotto group in China. In 2014, it was successfully included in the The World Heritage List as a site on the Silk Road. Our tour guide will provide you with a detailed explanation of the exquisite art of murals and the Buddhist stories behind them. This is an unmissable stop to learn about the cultural integration of the Silk Road and the history of Buddhism's spread to the east. Its historical and artistic value is immeasurable.

Day 5: Alar → Taklamakan Desert Highway → Desert Poplar → Hotan
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attractions: Taklamakan Desert, Yotkan Ancient City
Today will be an epic day. We will enter the hinterland road of the Taklamakan Desert. The Taklamakan Desert is the largest desert in China and the second largest mobile desert in the world. In Uyghur language, "Taklamakan" means "entering but not coming out", also known as the "Sea of Death", reflecting the harsh desert environment. On this journey, we can experience the ultimate beauty of vastness and loneliness of the 'falling Japanese yen in the long river'. Appreciate the tenacious growth of desert poplar forests along the way, and feel the vitality of these "desert heroes" who "live for a thousand years without dying, die for a thousand years without falling, and fall for a thousand years without dying" in extreme environments.

Arrive at Hetian in the evening, explore the ruins of the ancient city of Yotken, and feel the glorious history of ancient Khotan and the long history of Hotan Jade culture. Hotan is renowned as the "Hometown of Melons and Fruits" nationwide, producing grapes, melons, and apricots; At the same time, it is also a world-renowned "land of gold and jade", especially Hetian sheep fat jade, which is renowned both at home and abroad, and tourists also experience the joy of picking up jade here.
·Dinner suggestion:
Hotan Night Market is full of fireworks and rich in food types. Its specialties include roast eggs, yogurt Zongzi, red willow barbecue, etc.

Day 6: Hotan → Shache → Kashgar
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attractions: Shache Ancient City, Kashgar Ancient City
Afterwards, we went to Shache. Shache Ancient City has a long history of over 3000 years and was once the capital of Shache Kingdom, one of the 36 Western Regions, as well as the capital of Yarkand Khanate. It is a key point and military garrison on the ancient Silk Road. The style of the Yarkand Khan's palace is magnificent and full of strong Islamic charm. Its rich but undeveloped historical and cultural heritage includes the Twelve Muqam, which has been included in the World Intangible Cultural Heritage List and the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. It can bring you a more authentic experience.

Arrive at the cultural core of this journey in the evening - Kashgar. The earliest original record of Kashgar ancient city dates back more than 2100 years ago, recorded by Zhang Qian, and was called "Shule City" at that time. At the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Kashgar was the territory of Shule and other states in the 36 Western Regions. In 60 BC, the Han Dynasty established the Western Regions Protectorate in Xinjiang, and Kashgar was officially included in China's territory. In the Ming Dynasty, Kashgar was one of the four major cities in the Western Regions. Before the opening of the sea route in the 15th century, Kashgar was a transportation hub on the Silk Road.

Day 7: Kashgar
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attractions: Kashgar Ancient City, Aitigar Mosque, Xiangfei Garden
Explore Kashgar in depth throughout the day. The opening ceremony of the ancient city of Kashgar in the morning is not to be missed. Lost in the maze like old city of Kashgar, feel the pulse of China's most Uyghur style city. There are many folk artists in the ancient city who inherit ancient skills, such as pottery firing, ethnic musical instrument making, hand embroidery, wood carving, etc. Everyone can watch their production process on site and experience the charm of traditional handicrafts. The scenic area will regularly hold exciting performances such as opening ceremonies, camel parades, and the selection of Western Regions princesses. Tourists can enjoy traditional Uyghur songs, dances, music, and other performances here, and deeply experience the local folk culture.

In the afternoon, head to Gaotai Residence. This is the essence of Kashgar, a high-rise residential complex with a history of over 600 years, which is the oldest surviving group of primitive buildings. Here, there are many craftsmen who have been passed down from generation to generation. They have been making a craft for their entire lives, including pottery, bronze, and wooden products.
Next, we will visit the Aitigar Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Xinjiang and one of the few mosques in Xinjiang that is open to the outside world. It was once an important institution for cultivating Islamic talents and has a high influence and reputation in the religious community both domestically and internationally. Avoiding Friday worship days, the temple is shaded by green trees, and the entire temple is dominated by greenery, giving people a sense of tranquility and coolness.

Day 8: Kashgar → Oyitak Red Mountain → Baisha Lake → Karakule Lake → Ta County
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attractions: Oyitak Red Mountain, Baisha Lake, Karakule Lake
After enjoying a buffet breakfast at the hotel, the private tour guide and driver are waiting in the hotel lobby. We drove to Tashkurgan County on the Pamir Plateau.
Firstly, we will see the Oyatak Red Mountain. The mountain is mainly composed of red sandstone and mudstone formed from the Jurassic to Paleogene periods (about 150 million years ago), rich in iron oxide elements. Over the long geological years, it has weathered and eroded, presenting varying shades of red. From a distance, it looks like flames burning, hence it is also known as the "Southern Xinjiang Flame Mountain".
After driving for another hour, we will see the first lake on this trip - Baisha Lake. It is a glacial lake formed by glacial action, with its water sourced from melting snow from snow capped mountains and groundwater, at an altitude of 3300 meters. The lake water is clear and transparent, and its color changes with the seasons, weather, and lighting. On sunny days, it appears Tiffany blue, on cloudy days it turns emerald green, and when exposed to sunlight it turns milky white, making it particularly beautiful.
Departing from Baisha Lake for half an hour, arrive at Karakule Lake surrounded by numerous snow capped mountains. It is an important scenic spot on the China Pakistan Friendship Highway. To the east of the lake is the "father of glaciers" Mount Mustag, while to the west lies the winding Sarkuole Mountains. To the south are Mount Gonggeer and Mount Gonggeer Jiubie. The snow capped mountains and the lake complement each other, creating a picturesque scenery.

Arrive at Tashkurgan County in the evening and check into a hotel. Tashkurgan has an average altitude of over 4000 meters, making it the highest county in Xinjiang. It borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, with a border of nearly 800 kilometers, and has a unique location advantage of "one county adjacent to three countries, two ports connecting two Asia".

·Our guests' privileges:
To enhance your travel experience, we have arranged a camel riding activity for you next to Lake Karakule.

Day 9: Ta County → Bandair Blue Lake → Panlong Ancient Road → Ta County
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attractions: Panlong Ancient Road, Bandier Blue Lake, Ta County
After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we will depart for Panlong Ancient Road and pass by Bendil Blue Lake on the way. This is an artificial reservoir, and standing on the bridge, we can have a panoramic view of the entire Blue Lake. With the blue lake water and distant snow capped mountains as the background, it is a great place to take panoramic photos. Drive forward for another half an hour to reach Panlong Ancient Road. Panlong Ancient Road is open around March and closed around November every year, with a total length of 36 kilometers, 608 bends, an altitude of over 4100 meters, and a maximum drop of over 1000 meters. From the sky, the road winds down and is built along the mountain ridge, resembling a black dragon coiling around the mountains, hence it is called the "Panlong Ancient Road" or the Wacha Highway.

Day 10: Ta County → Mustag Peak Glacier Park → Kashgar
Meal: Breakfast
Today's attraction: Mustag Peak Glacier Park
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and the tour guide will lead everyone to the Mustagh Peak Glacier Park. It is located under the world-renowned "father of icebergs" - the Mustagh Peak Skirt. We can enjoy the magnificent scenery of glaciers from the observation deck, or take cable cars or walking cable cars to view glaciers, ice towers, ice caves, and ice lakes from different angles; You can also walk along the hiking route, get up close to the glacier, touch it with your own hands, and feel its cold and hardness.

In the afternoon, we returned to the city center of Kashgar. You can visit Bazaar and purchase the most authentic dried fruits, scarves, and handicrafts, choosing unique gifts for your family and friends.

Dinner suggestion:
If you are looking for a place to try authentic local specialty cuisine, don't miss the Khan Bazaar Night Market. There are various Xinjiang specialties, such as pilaf, barbecue, Lamian Noodles, roast eggs, Dapan chicken, which make people feast on their mouths.

Day 11: Delivery to Kashgar
Meal: Breakfast
According to your flight schedule, our private tour guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and escort you to the airport on time. Wishing you a pleasant journey, thank you for traveling with us.
If your flight is later in the day, our travel consultant will be happy to provide you with some advice to further explore the city.

The cost includes:
1. Hotel accommodation with breakfast included
2. A private tour guide who can speak English
3. Private drivers and air-conditioned vehicles
4. Welcome banquet
5. Tourist attraction tickets
The cost does not include:
1. Air or train tickets for arrival and departure
2. Entry visa fee
3. Tips for tour guides and drivers