Silk Road Travel Tips
Major Cities on the Silk Road
1. Xi'an is one of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals and the home of the famous Terracotta Army.2. Xinjiang is praised highly as the "Home of Singing and Dancing" for its unique folk culture and customs.
3. Luoyang is one of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals.
4. Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, has a history of more than 2,000 years.
› All Cities on the Silk Road
10 Days Silk Route Adventure
Destination:
Xian-Dunhuang-Turpan-Urumqi-Kashgar
Price From: $ 2722 p.p
Weather on the Silk Road
1. Affected by its extremely inland location, the Silk Road becomes drier as it goes west in China. There are desert areas and mountainous areas, so be prprepared for extremes of temperature. In Turpan it can reach 40°C in summer and -20°C in January.
2. The period from May to October is the best time to travel. Weather conditions are pleasant from late spring to early autumn is pleasant with the average temperature of 15°C. Although summer weather can be scorching, it is a dry heat, so more comfortable than in the tropics. The scenery is the best when the fruit becomes ripe, with flowers in full bloom and green grass in the grassland areas.
Things to bring
1. Bring warm clothing even in hot summer as the temperature can differ greatly between day and night in some places on the route. Jiayuguan, between high mountain ranges, can be decidedly cool in summer after a snowfall on the peaks.
2. Bring shoes suitable for walking.
3. It is advisable to use sunscreen, sunglasses and lip creams to protect your eyes and skin. You may also want to bring a moisturizer as the air is very dry in the desert areas.
4. Prepare some medicine at handy for diarrhea and heat stroke.
Food on the Silk Road
1. Xinjiang grows a rich of variety of fruit. People traveling there in autumn are provided the chance to try the sweet fruit that are available in that region. Grapes, a speciality of the region, are always available.
2. Xinjiang is home to most of China's Muslim population and eating pork is forbidden according to the Qur'an. Local people are used to eating beaf, mutton and noodles, so the cuisine is heavy and filling. At Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar, it is possible something could be found to fit Western tastes, but in rural areas, visitors will need to make do with local food.
3. Do not eat too much meat and fruit, otherwise your digestion system might be disturbed.
Living on Silk Road
1. For hotels, there is clear division for peak (Jun. to Oct) and low season (the rest). If you are traveling during Mar. hotels would offer few kind of sorts for breakfast, even cut off air-condition service because of 5-10% occupancy only. And when traveling around the rude area (eg:Kuche, Hetian), there might be only 1 or 2 hotels could serve foreigners loging in with basic facility-standard room with private washing room and simple breakfast, no more.
2. The daytime lasts for as long as 12 hours, and it gets dark very late at about 23:00. It is suggested that you follow your daily routines to sleep and rise, otherwise you might easily get sleepy and tired the next day.
Tour Guide
1. Most of our guides are minority, all of them are graduated from university, but limited by the economy and education developing, their spoken English might be not as fluent as the ones in Beijing and Shanghai, but they are always zealous and hospitable. Moreover, they know the local people and area well than Han. You will be appreciated with them when you are visiting the local minority family.
2. Our guides are pleasant to take you to some local small market (Bazzar), and to avoid long time driving. We also stop to visit some local scenic spots, which are not worth of visiting as Heaven Lake or Kezier Thousand Buddhist Caves, but it is a good chance to get off for rest. Simple toilet serves on way, even you need go out of sight to work out. Pleasr bring your own tissue since there is no water and toilet paper.
Culture Issue
1. Please do not talk about sensitive issues such as religions and politics when in Xinjiang.60% of the total popular of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous is minority, who are mainly belief in Muslem, please do respect their custom (no pork), and follow your guides' advice when visiting the specified family or entering into mosque.
2. When visiting religious sites such as mosques, women should wear long-sleeve clothes. At certain time women are not allowed to enter mosques.
3. It is forbidden to take photos at some attractions, please follow your tour guide's lead. When you shop at the market, it is a taboo to bargain if you do not intend to buy.
Road Condition
Xinjiang is 1/6 of entire Chinese territory, so there are long distances between cities. When you are traveling to south part of Xinjiang province (Kuche, Kuele, Hetian), visitors have to spend more time in van moving from one to next. But the road condition is good. Here gives the general idea the distance and hour between cities.
| Route | Miles (one way, km) |
Driving hours |
|---|---|---|
Urumqi-Heaven Lake |
110 |
1.5-2 |
Urumqi-Nanshan |
150 |
2-2.5 |
Urumqi-Turfan |
200 |
3-3.5 |
Urumqi-Hami |
610 |
8-9 |
Hami-Dunhuang |
420 |
5-6 |
Kashgar-Lake Karakuli |
396 |
5-5.5 |
Kashgar-Tashkurghan |
588 |
7-8 |
Kashgar-Yarkent |
396 |
5-5.5 |
Yarkent-Hetian |
644 |
7-7.5 |
Kashgar-Akesu /Aksu |
468 |
5.5-6 |
Hetian-Minfeng |
323 |
4-4.5 |
Minfeng-Kuche/Kucha |
780 |
8-9 |
Kuche-Kuerle /Kurla |
300 |
3.5-4 |
Kuerle /Kurla-Turfan |
400 |
4.5-5 |
Kuche-Akesu/Aksu |
289 |
3-3.5 |
Hetian--Akesu /Aksu |
460 |
5-5.5 |
