From Xi'an to Xinjiang
The Silk Road
Overview
For 2,000 years, the Silk Road was the principal artery for caravans traveling between China and Europe laden with textiles, spices, gold—and ideas, philosophies, and religions. On this adventure with veteran Trip Leader Roger Williams, we follow the footsteps of Marco Polo from ancient Xi'an, cradle of Chinese history, to fabled Kashgar in China's wild west, a vital hub when silk caravans passed this way a millennium ago. Our route embraces noted historical sites including Xi'an, home of the celebrated Terra Cotta Warriors; Dunhuang, where we explore the cliff-bound Mogao Grottoes, a priceless repository of Chinese Buddhist cave art long lost in the desert; Turpan, close to the ancient city of Gaocheng and the Bezeklik Caves, with their strikingly painted mural art; and the legendary Kashgar Sunday market. As we explore, we encounter a range of peoples, from Tibetan Buddhists to Uighur traders, and learn how their cultures and traditions are deeply tied to this mountain and desert realm. There's no other journey in the world quite like this adventure on the storied road across the Far East.
Arrive: Xi'an, China
Depart: Kashgar, China
Highlights
- Xi'an's Terra Cotta Warriors with private museum guide, the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, the bazaars of Kashgar, including the legendary Sunday Market
- The Silk Road oasis of Turpan, Urumqi's excellent Xinjiang Regional Museum with a private presentation by a senior museum expert
- Uighur home visit, lunch at the vineyard of a local family in Tuyugou
Itinerary
Xi'an, the cradle of Chinese history, is an ancient Silk Road metropolis that has witnessed the rise and fall of 14 imperial dynasties over two millennia. Our explorations here include the famed terra cotta warriors, an astounding army of 8,000 life-sized statues and their steeds buried underground in full regalia and arranged in battle formation. At the Shaanxi History Museum, we'll learn about the ancient Chinese civilization and appreciate some of the museum's very rare treasures. A side trip brings us to Luoyang, where we visit the White Horse Temple, the first Buddhist temple in China, and appreciate the precious Buddhist statues, steles, and ancient architecture from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
We visit the Shuilu'an Temple, which houses over 3700 clay Buddha sculptures, and also the Forest of Stone Steles and its finely-inscribed tablets. In Lanzhou, the provincial capital of Gansu, we visit the Gansu Provincial Museum, which features ancient treasures excavated along the Silk Road. Heading to Xiahe (9,186'), located in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, we explore Labrang Monastery and join the local people walking the pilgrimage route around the monastery before dinner at a Tibetan restaurant with local musicians. Returning to Lanzhou, we visit Binglingsi Caves, with its fascinating Buddhist statues and ancient murals set within a peaceful valley.
Set on the edge of the Takla Makan Desert, Dunhuang is a former terminus of the Silk Road. We visit magical Crescent Moon Lake, enjoy a camel ride at the lovely Mingsha Sand Dunes, a chance to watch a beautiful sunset over the desert, and explore the remote Mogao Grottoes, a World Heritage Site housing murals, Buddhist paintings, and statues. Nearby are the Yulin Caves, excavated on both cliffs along the Yulin River. Most of the Buddhist sculptures and mural paintings are works fashioned between the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
Turpan was a center of Buddhism until the 8th century, when Islam came to this part of western China. We'll visit the Bezeklik Caves, a cliffside complex of more than 75 rock-cut caves containing remarkable Buddhist murals dating from the 5th to 9th centuries. We also visit Tuyugou, one of the few authentic villages that maintains its old Buddhist traditions despite its conversion to Islam, and we'll have lunch at the vineyard of a local family. Nearby is the ancient city of Gaocheng (“King's City”), once a garrison town and later the capital of the Uighur people. We'll explore the vast site and fragments of the ancient city walls that were built over 2,000 years ago, then visit a keraz well, an ancient irrigation system from the Han Dynasty and considered to be one of the greatest engineering projects of ancient China.
At Urumqi's Xinjiang Regional Museum, we'll enjoy a private presentation on the region's archaeological discoveries and view terracotta figures, pottery, porcelain, weapons, silk, scriptures, and ancient mummies. Flying to Kashgar, an ancient Silk Road marketplace where great swathes of disparate groups from all across Asia once came to trade, we explore the Abakh Khoja, a masterpiece of Uygur Islamic architecture, and visit the legendary Kashgar Sunday Market by donkey cart. We'll have a chance to roam amid the aromas of fresh-baked breads, cumin, pepper, and grilled lamb, and watch the spirited negotiations of traders haggling over everything from camels, sheep, silk, spices, and fruits to household goods. Depart on Day 19.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate. While the trip is not expected to be physically strenuous, the long travel days and transportation conditions may be demanding. This is not designed as a hiking trip, but we do hope to have a few exploration walks of several hours during the journey.
Review Trip Level Details
Fall is a great time to travel along the Silk Road. The weather will likely be quite comfortable, with blue skies most days, but nights can be chilly. No matter what, at high altitude, the weather is unpredictable, and the effect of the wind-chill factor can create very cold conditions. Daytime temperatures range from 50-77°F in Xi'an to 42-80°F in Kashgar.
Overland travel is in minivans and small buses, depending upon the size of the group. Road conditions can be very basic, and trip members should be prepared for a few long drives. Our expedition travels to areas that have experienced very little tourism. We believe that the most important requirements are a spirit of adventure and the understanding that you are visiting a remote and fascinating region.
On this trip, you will spend a couple of days at approximately 9,186 feet, but most elevations will be between 1,000-6,500 feet. Individuals vary widely in their physical response to higher altitudes. It is not uncommon to experience mild headaches or sleeplessness for a day or two when you first arrive at higher elevations. Most people gradually adjust within a few days
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Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.