17 Days China Silk Road Tour (Deluxe)

Day 01 Beijing arrival

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport outside the luggage claim area with your name displayed and then transferred to the 5-star Raffles Beijing Hotel.

Day 02 Beijing (B, L)

Today's highlight is a visit to Forbidden City, which was served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government for almost five centuries. Our expert will guide you to appreciate the history and beauty of Forbidden City. Afternoon features the Summer Palace, once served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi. In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace an "outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole." It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park. Lunch will be arranged at Jiangnafu Restaurant which is famous for its Hangzhou style cuisine.

Day 03 Beijing (B, L)

Morning program takes you to the Mutianyu Great Wall, which stands as a monument to both the strength and the weakness of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. You will learn, touch, and explore the history of a wall built over 300 years ago, yet which remains largely intact as it snakes endlessly across the mountain ridgelines. You will have lunch at Xiaolumian restaurants, a family style one in Huai Rou district. And then drive to enjoy the 798 Art Zone, which houses a thriving artist community, among 50-year old decommissioned military factory buildings of unique architectural style. It is often compared with New York's Greenwich Village.

Day 04 Beijing (B, L)

Today you will be dazzled by the murals in Fahai Temple, which are represented by the mural painting the auspicious clouds behind the three-life Buddha, the mural painting the Buddhists attending a meeting, the mural behind the shrine painting the three Masters and the mural on the back wall depicting Brahma worshiping the Buddha. They all adopt the traditional Chinese realistic painting method characterized by fine brush work and close attention in detail. Fine, delicate strokes, meticulous painting and exquisite coloring have made the murals distinguished among murals found in Beijing. Spend the afternoon exploring the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology, a highlight of Peking University’s verdant campus. It offers not only a wealth of treasures but also well-cured exhibits. With over 10,000 objects, it presents many collections as they were excavated. Today you will have your lunch at Lulu’s Restaurant to taste a Shanghai style cuisine.

Day 05 Beijing / Urumqi (B, L)

In the morning, you will fly to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region. Check into the 5-star Kempinski Hotel Urumqi. After lunch at Hui's family restaurant, pay a visit to the local family to experience their daily life. And then stroll around the Bazaar- local market.

Day 06 Urumqi (B, L)

Take full day tour to the Heaven Lake. You will be struck by the grandness of the natural environment and to truly enjoy the splendor of the lake. If time permits, you will visit the Museum of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It presents a wonderful collection of items from the local area as well as items from other areas on the ancient Silk Road.

Day 07 Urumqi / Turpan (B, L)

In the morning, you will drive to Turpan, the second lowest place and the oasis in the desert. Pay a visit to Turpan Museum, the second largest museum in Xinjiang. It shows relics from the Silk Road, mummies from the Astana Graves, silks from the early period of transcontinental trade and funerary objects. Check into the local best Tuha Petroleum Building. Today you will have your lunch at the Oasis Hotel.

Day 08 Turpan / Dunhuang (B, L)

Today you will visit the Ancient City of Jiaohe. It is the site of an ancient oasis city built on the northern rim of the inhospitable Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang, China. A busy trading center, it was a stopping point for merchant traders traveling on the Silk Route. And then continue to visit Astana ancient tombs, Bezeklik, Thousand Buddha Cave and Emin Minaret. In the evening, you will travel to Dunhuang by overnight soft-sleeper train.

Day 09 Dunhuang (B, L)

In the morning, arrive in Dunhuang. Check into the Local Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel. Today's activities feature the Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Moon Lake. The Singing Sand Dunes are located just 3km outside Dunhuang and offer idyllic views of sand dunes and desert landscape. During windfall, the sand dunes would create different tunes of sounds like singing and therefore it is so named. Crescent Moon Lake is a picturesque lake located in the Singing Sand Dunes. You can also climb a fairly steep 250m up the sand dunes to view to lake and enjoy a striking view of the desert landscape. Lunch will be arranged inside the hotel.

Day 10 Dunhuang (B, L)

Morning tour takes you to the famous Mogao Grottoes where contains over thousand pieces of frescoes and Buddha status. It started from 220 BC and over 500 caves remained. Now it is the largest treasure house of Buddhism in the world. Our expert will lead you to visit some caves which need special permit (depend on government's policy at spot). Have your lunch at Caigenxiang Restaurant to enjoy a Northwest China cuisine. A visit to Dunhuang Museum will provide you an opportunity to understand Chinese history and culture. It focuses on historic cultural relics. The present cultural relics housed in the museum are more than 4000 pieces. And then visit the Baima Tower or the White Horse Tower, which was constructed in 386 A.D. The Tower is a nine-storied structure, about 12 meters high and 7 meters wide in diameter. After several times of renovation, the tower now regains its splendid outlook of the past and becomes a good place for sightseeing in Dunhuang.

Day 11 Dunhuang / Xian (B, L)

Fly to Xian in the morning. Upon arrival, check into the 5-star Shangri-la Xian to have a rest. Enjoy your lunch at a famous Sichuan Cuisine restaurant—Sichuan Huiguan. In the afternoon, you will visit the Shaanxi History Museum, the first huge state museum with modern facilities in China. It has been called the "bright pearl of ancient city, treasure house of China.

Day 12 Xian (B, L)

A full day of sightseeing features one of tour highlights, the army of Terra-cotta soldiers, created 2,200 years ago to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. Today you will have your lunch at the Old Xian Restaurant, a famous one for its Shaanxi local cuisine. Pay a short visit to the local family to experience their daily life. After lunch drive back to the city and visit the Great Mosque, one of the oldest and most renowned mosques in China. It is really well worth a trip to see the Great Mosque, not only for its centuries-old history but also for its particular design of mixed architecture - traditional Muslim and Chinese styles.

Day 13 Xian (B, L)

Today you will have the chance to further expose to cultural relics by joining the white-grove activities in Small Pagoda Museum. You will have your lunch at the luxury decorated Chinese Restaurant: True Love Restaurant, which serves the Shaanxi local cuisine. The rest of day is free for you to explore this city by yourself.

Day 14 Xian / Shanghai (B, L)

In the morning, fly to Shanghai, the biggest city and commercial heart of People's Republic of China. Check into the 5-star Le Royal Meridien Hotel for rest and then have lunch at Shanghai Uncle Restaurant, a cavernous and brash red-themed restaurant in the basement of the Bund Center where old Shanghai favorites are given a modern makeover. And then take a city tour to visit the city's major attractions and get a general understanding of this city. You will enjoy a wonderful tour to Yu Garden, one of the four finest Chinese gardens, and Bund area, the former French Concession area.

Day 15 Shanghai (B, L)

If you are exhausted with the fast life and tall modern skyscrapers of Shanghai, today you will enjoy the real Chinese town by visit Zhujiajiao. It is located in suburb of Shanghai. It was found almost 1,700 years ago. About 10,000 homes flank the riverside, forming an elegant and graceful ink painting. The unique houses, quaint streets and rustic folk customs are always attractive to visitors. Enjoy a local flavor lunch at this ancient town. When you are back in Shanghai, you will also have a chance to experience the local life of Shanghai people by visiting the unique Shikumen, the traditional houses for them.

Day 16 Shanghai (B, L)

Today you will roam in the art paradise by visit the Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Art Museum. As a museum of ancient Chinese art, Shanghai Museum possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. Located on busy Nanjing Road in People's Square, Shanghai Art Museum has 12 exhibition halls, covering more than 5,000 square meters. The building itself is a charming area to walk around as it used to be the club house of Shanghai's Race Club built in the 1930's. Whilst enjoying the architecture, you can also peruse the different exhibits that change throughout the year. A lavish lunch will be arranged at Kathleen's 5 Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, combines fine dinning with a spectacular view of People's Square. And then you will also have a chance to experience the local life of Shanghai people by visiting the unique Shikumen, the traditional houses for them.

Day 17 Shanghai (B)

After breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for your homebound flight. Service ends.