Classic China Silk Road Tour
15-Day China Private Tour: Beijing– Urumuqi– Turpan–Liuyuan–Dunhuang–Zhangye–Lanzhou–Xiahe–Xi'an
Immerse yourself in the rich history and vibrant culture of China, discover the ancient Silk Road in Urumuqi and Turpan, witness the magnificent sand dunes in Liuyuan and Dunhuang, marvel at the colorful Danxia landforms in Zhangye, and explore the cultural gems of Lanzhou, Xiahe, and Xian.
The itinerary below is only one possibility. Tips to tailor-make your trip are offered as inspiration. Send us details of your preferences and our travel experts will customize this trip to suit your interests, tastes, and budget.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Take a scenic boat cruise across the breathtaking Heavenly Lake (Tian Chi)

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the Mogao Caves

Explore the mesmerizing Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park

Learn from a local artisan how to make Terracotta Warriors

Why Choose Us

Your Wellbeing is Our Priority.
- 1-to-1 travel expert
- Vaccinated guides
- Private Rides

Your Trip is Perfectly Planned.
- Less crowded
- Exclusive Exciting Experiences

Your Booking is Risk-Free.
- No cancellation fee (up to 22 days before departure)
- Free changes
Finish Your Booking in as Quick as 1 Day
1. Tell us your dream travel idea
2. Work out your unique plan with 1 to 1 expert advice
China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.


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Der Partner für eine individuelle China Reise
Die Agency (in unserem Fall vertreten durch Tutu Sun) hat für uns eine perfekte Reise organisiert. Sehr gute Kommunikation im Vorfeld der Reise und vor Ort. Zu 100% verl?sslich, immer pünktlich und an jedem Ort sehr freundliche und engagierte Guides. Wir k?nnen eine Buchung bei diesem Unternehmen absolut und uneingeschr?nkt empfehlen. In Beijing hatten wir mit Herrn Chen 3 interessante Tage inklusive einer sehr spannenden individuellen Wanderung auf der grossen Mauer. more
Aug 2023,
Jeanne K
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Beijing Tour
Bruce was an amazing guide and very knowledgeable. He got me past ALOT of long lines fast and knew all the best places to go to take pictures! Also provided good recommendations for additional activities! If you get Bruce you’re in good hands! more
Aug 2023,
Anthony L
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Great two weeks in China with China Highlights
The trip included Shanghai where Kris was our amazing guide, Guilin and Yangshuo with Gary who did an amazing job at adjusting the schedule to meet our needs given the incredible heat, Chengdu with Helen who shared her passion for the Pandas with us, had fun in the peoples park with us and introduced us to the local opera which was fascinating and ensured we were able to taste amazing Sizhuan food without burning up! We then moved on to Xian with Jenny who ensured we got to the Terracotta army early enough to get an amazing view, took us to try our hand at making our own warriors, was very knowledgable about the history of Xian which was very interesting and lastly allowed us to try making dumplings which we all loved. Our final stop was Beijing. Ethan was our tour guide and he again did an amazing job ensuring we got to the Great Wall of China early enough to see the amazing wall without too many people and whilst it was still relatively cool, share his great knowledge of the Forbidden City and Summer Palace with us, introduced us to the Beijing Hot Pot and importantly ensured we were able to celebrate our sons 18th birthday in style and with his favourite Chinese food!! Thank you again for making our 2 weeks so special and we will for sure be back very soon. more
Aug 2023,
Sandra
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There is tour guides and there is felix
I had a blast with this tour! Felix is such an amazing person and so knowledgeable! He understands how to share knowledge and make us interested! Me and my friends had a wonderful day with Felix around the city I highly recommend China Highlights and would most likely recommend felix!!! more
Aug 2023,
PrettoMauricio
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Jennifer is an awesome guide and the…
Jennifer is an awesome guide and the tours were great! more
Aug 2023,
Renan Santos
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Beijing2023 a not to be missed experience!!
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Jennifer as our tour guide. The Great Wall, Forbidden City and the Summer Palace were all amazing, the Hutong tour was very interesting and we enjoyed seeing a typical home from that era. Jennifer was a wealth of information in Chinese history with names and date’s giving us insight into what we were seeing and the historical significance. She was warm, friendly, kind and professional and I would highly recommend her to enhance your trip more
Aug 2023,
Rita A
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Amazing Time at Honk Kong, Beijing and The Great Wall
We were a group of 10 people, our trip started at the beautiful Hong Kong, we had the best guide ever, Ken Ku, a really polite man and He always was worried for our needs. We met the Abeerden harbour, the beach side, the grand Buda, beautiful templesVictoria Peak, Temple Street, Jade market and lots of amazing places. Also we spend some days at Beijing and there we were in the main places you should go. The Summer Palace, Tiananmen Place, Chaoyang theater and spectacular show. We also travelled to the Mutianyang area to see the unveliable Great Wall, we eat in spectacular restaurants, we had a comfortable and fresh bus to travel all places. I tried to resume everything but still missing things. Thanks to all the team and our guide Lluvia in Beijing, She was so sweet. more
Aug 2023,
Community Manager
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High quality and flexibility
Bruce has been a very good guide to us. We spent different days with him, trekking on the great Wall, visiting forbidden City, hutong, summer palace and many other places in Beijing. He was also able to arrange for me a last second calligraphy class in a school as well. I strongly recommend him to anyone visiting the city. more
Aug 2023,
Isabella L
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Amazing 3 day tour in Beijing with Linda
We are from France and arrived in the best conditions. First of all, Linda, our Beijing tour guide came to pick us up, and we knew straight away that the 3 next days would be amazing. She is incredibly kind, so professional and very passionate. We’ve learned so much with her, from the Great Wall to the Summer Palace, through the hutong and more for you to discover! We are so grateful to have met her and we highly recommend her for your future journey to Beijing. Thank you some much Linda and hope to see you again soon! more
Aug 2023,
Remi Crozet
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Amazing 3 days in Beijing with Linda
We are from France and arrived in the best conditions. First of all, Linda, our Beijing tour guide came to pick us up, and we knew straight away that the 3 next days would be amazing. She is incredibly kind, so professional and very passionate. We’ve learned so much with her, from the Great Wall to the Summer Palace, through the hutong and more for you to discover! We are so grateful to have met her and we highly recommend her for your future journey to Beijing. Thank you some much Linda and hope to see you again soon! more
Aug 2023,
Alain
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Amazing Trip
We had a great experience with china highlights. Very helpful and careful. Our trip was splendid, very comfortable and safe cars. Our guide Jack gave us good tips and knowledge. more
Aug 2023,
Allan Lima
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Our Amazing China Trip with China Highlights…
Our China Trip with China Highlights was absolutely and truly remarkable. The service we received from China Highlights guides (Jack in Beijing, Mervyn in Xi'an, William in Guilin and Martin in Shanghai), drives and their office team was second to none. more
Aug 2023,
Somma Mohammadi
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China, beyond what you hear!
Beijing: A mega-historical city. Our tour guide, Jack welcomed us in the airport with a big smile. We stayed at a nice hotel in CBD. In China, if I want to name a problem, it would be language barrier that hardly you can find people who can speak English. Thanks to our tour guides we did not have any issues in our trip. Also, with so many free apps for translation, there is zero problem even we don’t speak any Chinses. Beijing, with the combination of old and new buildings, living side by side, you feel the city is transiting from old to modernism with a high speed. But with the rich history inside the town, I got distracted to chase signs of modernism and rather preferred to sink in the deep well of this ancient history. The resting time inside my 5 star hotel, was a place to think of the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and waiting to see the next wonder which was expecting us in the next day. Amongst all the famous and popular areas that you are expected to visit, I was most impressed when the tour introduced us to a local family in a traditional part of the town to have an afternoon tea with them. That provided us the opportunity to know how traditional people still live. How hospitable these people were. The tour always got our opinion for foods and our answer always was Chinese food. Local Chinses Food. Diversity of the menu is big and everyone can choose multiple options. Meats, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetarian… you name it. After 3 days we went to Xi-An with “bullet train”. This was another careful choice by the tour to give us the opportunity to see the cities and villages on our way. The train with a speed of 310 km/hr was very convenient and clean. On the way, I could see the fast tracking of new construction sites and developments. One think that was interesting for me, most of the machineries that were being used, seem to be “made in China”. Xi-An We arrived at Xi-An at a night maybe 9 pm. This city is the starting point of The Silk Road. Welcomed by our tour guide Mervyn, we entered a smaller city than Beijing. You could see that Xian was more regulated than Beijing. The city was live with many people walking around. We inspected the mysterious Terracotta Warriors where the venue was overly populated by visitors. But what completed the experience for us, thanks to our tour, was meeting a local artist who taught us how these warriors were made with clay. Each of us, even kids, was given some clay and moulds and we made our little statues. After that we visited the city museum where I could see how Chinese were using nice plates and bowls 1500 years ago, some were as fashionable as those we use today. I also visited Muslim district. It was interesting how different religions live peacefully next to each other inside this ancient city. And the surprise here, was visiting a busy street and trying street foods by our choice, and it was all shouted by China Highlights . Oh, I cannot say how much we loved this. Mingling with people and nice shop keepers, taking photos, testing the foods, … Guilin And then we flew to Guilin. Which is a smaller city in East China. It was night. We were welcomed by our tour guide, William. Friendly man with some sense of humour which we all loved it. At night we could not see much comparing to Beijing and Xian. Full of little restaurants on each side of the street and people all out, like it is a national celebration. Later William told us, how people in this city like to enjoy their time. We stayed in Shangri-La in Guilin, very high quality in foods, accommodation and entertainment. This hotel really respects its brand regardless of the location. In the morning when I opened the curtain, I wasn’t sure if the scene in front of me is a minotaur or a natural scenery. Series of mountain peaks, sitting next to each other, like those that you see in cartoons. So, first day we started going to rice terraces in the rural area of Guilin. The extent of beauty cannot be described in writing, but feel free to google “rice terraces, Guilin” and trust your eyes. After some hiking through the terraces, we got to this small village, without proper modern access but all narrow footpaths. We entered a local house and tried local food. Sticky rice cooked and smoked in bamboo, that we learn and prepared it ourselves. Beef, pork, vegetables, rice wine… It was a feast better than those you can find in any luxury restaurant in the cities. The next day we boarded on a ferry to flow on the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. Here I witnessed the peaky range of mountains that I had seen from my hotel window yesterday. It was close to 40 degrees outside, but it couldn’t stop me from staying on the roof deck and enjoying the scenery. Day after, we were off to next destination, Shanghai. Unfortunately, the flight had major delay that night. But few interesting things happened in the airport that I cannot miss to add them. First and for most, was the continues support of our tour guide, William, who checked on us until 1:15am when the plane eventually took off and even, I saw his later follow up to make sure we landed safe and been handed to the next guide in Shanghai. This is beyond normal responsibility that you expect. On top of that, we had Kimi, our tour supervisor who kept checking on us. Kimi kept updating us of his follow up with the airline which was happening in the background. In addition to that, kids liked to have KFC which was only available on the other side of security gate. In China, rules are strict and if you have passed the security checks, it is very difficult to cross the gate and start it again. But here, police were so nice and helpful, who kindly helped my family to get their food, stayed with them and after some formalities, escorted them to pass the security gate without any hassle. Maybe 2 or 3 policemen and women, spent 45 minutes of their time to make sure, visitors are in comfort inside the airport and in response to our appreciation they told us, we are just doing our normal work! Oh, I remembered, in China police does not carry guns, when walking on the streets. This is the level of safety! Shanghai Around 4 am, we landed in Shanghai. Welcomed by our very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide, Martin. When we arrived to the hotel, we just went to bed and rest. In the morning, I thought the beds are smaller than King Size as we had in our contract. I checked it with Martin. He double checked with hotel and explained to us the standards are bit different in each hotel. But never the less, they upgraded our rooms to sweets to ensure of our comfort. The new rooms were generously large, double bathroom and shower and high level… it was a heavenly gift mostly for the kids. Next day, we had a walk through the city. Where I was amazed by the tall buildings, modern urban design, strict traffic rules and in one word, a modern city with its high-class citizens. What amazed me even more, was that all these had happened in the last 30 years. We tried to visit the Shanghai Tower, but the queue was more than 3 hours wait, so we gave up. Next day we went to Disney Land. The “Promised Land” for the kids, from the minute we decided to visit China. I, personally am not a fan of manmade excitements, but even me spent 11 hours in Disney Land and enjoyed my time like everyone. This was a good example of cross-cultural understanding between China and the West. And last day, we did some walk around the city before we are taken to the airport. And here was a catch of the day as we have had in every other city. Martin came to us and said he has arranged to visit the restaurant-bar of J- Hotel in level 120 of Shanghai Hotel which is even 2 floor higher than the public observatory that we could not visit yesterday. We were shouted by China Highlights to spend some time in this most luxurious bar! And this is how we left China with the most unforgettable memories. And by the way, we had our two young children with us, 6 and 8 years old. And not that they have been practicing hiking or walking in the past. Like other kids, they prefer watching TV and games, but the walks and places were so attractive to drag them all way with us for 110km walking in 12 days. more
Aug 2023,
Shaha R
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At rather short notice Carol organised…
We were appreciative of all our guides (Jenny, Jacob, Helen, Nur, Karem and Felix) who all spoke good English, were mindful of our needs and flexible in their approach. We really enjoyed our journey out west along the ancient Silk Road and while it had some challenges we have returned with so many great memories. more
Jul 2023,
Gary McPhee
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Trip Beijing - Shanghai 9 days
After hearing that China was opening its doors for tourists, even though our tour schedule is for next year, Roger Li convinced us to book early because the price was affordable and if it turns out that we cancel the booking, China Highlights will return the full down payment His expertise, patience, and insightful suggestions have been invaluable in work out our itinerary. Roger has been diligent in addressing all our queries, making this planning phase a breeze. Roger Li has been great at working with us and our changing agenda. He is very responsive and very professional Highly recommend his services . Georges N. more
Jul 2023,
Georges
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a happy tour in Beijing
My son Taylor booked the tour for us from chinahighlights. we stayed in Beijing for four days.Bruce was our tour guide. He spoke fluent English and there was no barrier between us. He was very patient, he met us at the airport and our flight was delayed for three hours, but when I met him, he was smiling and very warm. He was very professional, He explained every scenic spot to us carefully. We learned a lot about Chinese history from him.We had planned to visit a local Beijing family to learn how to make some Chinese food, but because they were traveling, we couldn't. Bruce rearranged the itinerary for us, and we went to the Confucian Temple and the Imperial College, which was a great place to visit. more
Jul 2023,
lois A
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China Highlights goes above and beyond!
Beijing would take a lifetime to fully explore, but we only had 2.5 days. Fortunately, Cactus, our amazing China Highlights tour guide got us up and going early (the July heat was unbearable!) and guided us through the city and it's treasures. It's was clear she loved history as much as we did and she gave us insight into the rich physical and cultural past, present, and future of the city, country, and all of the dynasties. She answered our questions, fed us well, and even parted us with a beautiful gift that we will cherish for a long time. A few days after our tour, we had a few lingering questions and she helped us find what we were looking for and she even made a reservation at a restaurant for us that we were struggling to do with our limited language skills. She went above and beyond. Anyone traveling in Beijing would be lucky to tour the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and so much more and even luckier to have Cactus as their guide! more
Jul 2023,
Kaila W
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Great day with our guide Tom
We had an amazing tour with our guide TOM. Everything ran smoothly from the pick-up from our hotel and all the transport between the sites. The tour is well organized and completely hassle free as all of the tickets for the sights are arranged by your tour guide and we had just the right amount of time at each sight with the option to spend more time at each if we liked. Our guide TOM was so knowledgeable about all the sites we visited and answered all of our questions. We got a cable car up to the Great Wall which was lovely and scenic, we also weren’t too tired to walk along the wall when we reached the top. It was honestly the highlight of our trip to Beijing. Thanks to China highlights,we highly recommend to everyone for China highlights and best tour guide TOM more
Jul 2023,
Aline F
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A reimagined schedule leads to fantastic 2 day tour
We booked a 2-Day tour and were assigned Olivia Tian as our tour guide. She was excellent. Very knowledgeable about the sights we did see and made sure to keep everyone informed. Both my Chinese in-laws and myself (American) had great time. Olivia also made the most of our time by rearranging our schedule a bit to take advantage of the weather and time. The original plan was Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall on Day 1 and Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace on Day 2. Instead, we did the Great Wall first time on day 1, which meant it was cooler for the hiking. And we did a bit of a faster tour through the Temple of Heaven to be able to catch a theatrical show Olivia recommended. If you enjoy performing arts, the $40-55USD per person tickets are well worth this 60 minute show, the Golden Mask. Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and the Golden Mask Show made up the 1st day. Day 2 was Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace. All were great and Olivia was awesome at knowing some shortcuts and getting us by some of the lines where she could. The day ended sort of early (around 330pm) but depending on how much hiking you did at the Great Wall, (and how fit you are), this might be just what you want. Overall, Olivia provided an excellent touring experience and I can't help but recommend her to others looking for a trip to Beijing. more
Jul 2023,
Jonathan M.
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A reimagined schedule leads to fantastic 2 day tour
We booked a 2-Day tour and were assigned Olivia Tian as our tour guide. She was excellent. Very knowledgeable about the sights we did see and made sure to keep everyone informed. Both my Chinese in-laws and myself (American) had great time. Olivia also made the most of our time by rearranging our schedule a bit to take advantage of the weather and time. The original plan was Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall on Day 1 and Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace on Day 2. Instead, we did the Great Wall first time on day 1, which meant it was cooler for the hiking. And we did a bit of a faster tour through the Temple of Heaven to be able to catch a theatrical show Olivia recommended. If you enjoy performing arts, the $40-55USD per person tickets are well worth this 60 minute show, the Golden Mask. Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and the Golden Mask Show made up the 1st day. Day 2 was Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace. All were great and Olivia was awesome at knowing some shortcuts and getting us by some of the lines where she could. The day ended sort of early (around 330pm) but depending on how much hiking you did at the Great Wall, (and how fit you are), this might be just what you want. Overall, Olivia provided an excellent touring experience and I can't help but recommend her to others looking for a trip to Beijing. more
Jul 2023,
jkjmueller
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your private guide will be ready to meet and greet you at the arrival hall in Urumqi. A comfortable private car with an experienced driver will transfer you directly to your hotel. Your guide will help you to check-in.
Explore the vibrant Erdaoqiao Bazaar, Urumqi's largest market. Discover a bustling hub filled with a wide range of goods, from fruits and clothing to crafts and carpets. Sundays are particularly vibrant, offering an abundance of stalls and products. Don't miss the charming old streets surrounding the bazaar for an authentic local experience.
Next, visit the modern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Museum. This 11,000-square-meter building houses a remarkable collection, including silver art, ancient stone steles, coins, ceramics, wooden articles, and captivating paintings. The museum's highlight is its well-preserved exhibit of 4,000-year-old corpses discovered along the Silk Road.
Embark on a scenic boat cruise (40 minutes) across the breathtaking Heavenly Lake (Tian Chi), offering a unique perspective of this stunning destination. Don't forget to pack a warm jacket for your cruise on Heavenly Lake, as it can get a bit chilly.
Heavenly Lake, also known as Tian Chi, is a captivating mountain lake adorned with serene blue waters. Immerse yourself in the tranquil ambiance as you take in the picturesque surroundings of lush forested hills, vast meadows, and snow-capped peaks of Heavenly Mountain.
Explore the mesmerizing Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City. Built by the ancient Cheshi people during the Qin and Han Dynasties, this city is perched on a 30-meter-high island in the Yarnaz Valley, offering breathtaking views of surrounding vineyards, orchards, and the desert beyond.
Discover the remarkable Karez Wells, an intricate underground irrigation system that sustains lush fruit and vineyards. Visit the Karez Wells Folk Garden and Museum to learn about their fascinating history, construction, and experience firsthand the channels beneath the ground.
Witness the grandeur of the Suleiman Minaret, the largest ancient tower in Xinjiang and the only ancient Islamic minaret in China. Located just 2 kilometers southeast of Turpan's center, it stands as a testament to the region's rich heritage.
Discover the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty, an ancient marvel built to defend against the nomadic Xiongnu during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). Immerse yourself in its rich history and admire its enduring architectural grandeur. Walk along this iconic structure, soak in the breathtaking views, and appreciate the ingenuity of ancient Chinese civilization. A visit to the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty offers a memorable glimpse into China's remarkable past.
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the Mogao Caves on a guided tour. Available in multiple languages (English, German, French, and Japanese), your knowledgeable guide will lead you and other tourists through approximately 10 of the 30 caves open to the public. These selected caves provide a captivating representation of the entire complex, offering a glimpse into the rich history and artistry within.
Next, explore the Singing Sand Mountains and Crescent Spring in Dunhuang. Located 6 kilometers (4 miles) south of the city, Crescent Spring, nestled in the desert, forms a crescent-shaped lake surrounded by massive sand dunes. Despite the arid conditions, this oasis remains a captivating sight.
Don't miss the opportunity to ride a camel and immerse yourself in a truly unique experience (video). Traverse the mesmerizing desert landscape of the Singing Sand Mountains, marveling at the undulating yellow dunes against the azure sky. As you ride, envision yourself traveling the ancient Silk Road and listen for the hauntingly beautiful "singing" of the sand.
Our guide and driver will escort you from Dunhuang to Liu yuan, Train station to Hotel Transfer (Zhangye)
Explore the mesmerizing Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, also known as the Rainbow Mountains. Located in Kangle Township, approximately 40 kilometers from Zhangye, this park showcases the extraordinary Danxia landforms, which are unique to the arid regions of Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
Comprising two parts, Qicai Danxia Landforms and Binggou Danxia Landforms, Zhangye Danxia Geopark has become a beloved destination for photographers and nature enthusiasts alike. Qicai Danxia features picturesque hills adorned with vibrant colors, resembling undulating waves. The magnificent sight of rock strata in graceful disarray creates a stunning and imposing landscape. These dry and vegetation-less formations are often referred to as "window lattice and palace-shaped Danxia topography" by geologists.
Discover an extraordinary collection of cultural treasures at the Museum, featuring an impressive array of 75,000 artifacts that span from fossils to historically significant objects. Among the remarkable relics are over 110 pieces classified as of the utmost importance, including Gansu color-painted pottery and bamboo medication slips from the Han era. Notably, the museum proudly preserves the iconic bronze Galloping Horse of Wuwei from the Han Dynasty, accompanied by a captivating assortment of chariots and carriages.
Ascend White Pagoda Hill, located on Lanzhou's north bank of the Yellow River. The hill derives its name from the white pagoda perched atop, originally built during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). Embark on a half-hour climb, or choose a cable car ride over the Yellow River for a shorter journey, and be rewarded with spectacular panoramic views of Lanzhou and its surrounding mountains.
Next, marvel at the Yellow River Iron Bridge, a testament to technological marvel. While the first bridge was constructed in 1372, it was later rebuilt entirely with iron in 1909. Stretching approximately 200 meters in length, this remarkable bridge showcases the engineering prowess of its time. Situated at the foot of White Pagoda Hill, it is also known as Zhongshan Bridge.
Embark on a captivating journey to the Bingling Temple Grotto, an extraordinary complex of caves extending over 200 meters. Constructed during the Western Qin, North Wei, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties (between the 3rd and 18th centuries), these caves hold immense historical and artistic significance. Valued for their contribution to the study of Chinese painting and the dissemination of Buddhism during that era, the Bingling Temple Grotto offers a remarkable window into the past. To facilitate exploration, steps have been skillfully carved into the rock face, allowing for easier access to appreciate the stunning architecture and ancient artistry within these caves.
Experience the spiritual Labrang Monastery, a vital center of Tibetan Buddhism outside of Tibet. Accompanied by an English-speaking monk, explore six halls and witness intricate sculptures made of colorful yak butter. Beyond the monastery, immerse yourself in the majestic Sangke Grassland. Ride on horseback, revel in the pastoral beauty, and soak in the vibrant colors of wildflowers against the vast blue sky. Discover the essence of Tibetan culture and natural serenity on this unforgettable journey.
Discover the elegant brick Pagoda in the grounds of the Da Ci'en Temple, a major Buddhist site. Built in the 7th century, it housed Buddhist materials brought back from India by Xuanzang. Explore the temple complex with its grand halls, exquisite Buddhist statues, and captivating murals. In the scenic spot, find your Chinese zodiac information and browse a shop offering Chinese calligraphy and paintings.
Visit the lively Muslim Quarter, a bustling area just west of the Bell Tower in downtown Xi'an. Stroll along the 500-meter-long avenue lined with unique stalls, souvenir shops, cafes, and bars, predominantly run by the Muslim community. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere as both local and international tourists come to shop and explore.
Marvel at the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, a fascinating army consisting of 7,000+ soldiers, horses, and chariots discovered in 1974. These meticulously crafted figures protected Emperor Qin's tomb since 210 BC. Explore three excavation pits protected by huge hangars, where ongoing preservation work is carried out. Don't miss the excellent museum and film nearby, offering insight into the vaults' history. Remember to wear comfortable shoes and take photos (no flash permitted).
Get a firsthand experience of the creation process by visiting a cave dwelling family workshop in the countryside. Learn from a local artisan how to make Terracotta Warriors, gaining knowledge about the intricate steps involved. Engage in interactions with the welcoming community and witness the detailed craftsmanship in action.
Experience the breathtaking Huashan Mountain, famous for its precipices and located near Huayin city in Shaanxi Province. As one of China's Five Mountains, it offers five stunning peaks, including the south, east, west, north, and middle peaks.
Begin your adventure with a cable car ride to the north peak, followed by a thrilling 2-hour trek on the Canglongling range. Marvel at the essence of Huashan while enjoying approximately 2 hours of free time to explore. Your guide will be waiting at the cable car to join you on the return journey.
Embark on an unforgettable hike on Mount Hua (4 hours), known for its precipices. Start with a cable car ride to the North Peak (15 minutes) and then trek to the East Peak, West Peak, and South Peak. The hike to the famous East Peak, where you can witness a mesmerizing sunrise, takes approximately 2 hours. Don't forget to bring snacks, and note that there are shops available on the mountain.
Explore the historic Xian City Wall with a bicycle (1.5 hours). This well-preserved 13th-century defense system offers a captivating journey. Bike along the 13.74 km perimeter, admiring the black brick road and ancient watchtowers. If biking conditions aren't favorable, visit the Bell Tower instead. Note that bike rental fees are included, and you can choose to walk or use a club car instead. Enjoy the flexibility of this itinerary, ensuring a memorable experience for all.
Tour Price
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: cht-cx-17
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.