Day 1
Kashgar to Hotan
We set out from Kashgar after breakfast, stopping first in the ‘knife-town’ of Yengisar, well-known for its handmade Uighur knives. Here you can visit a local knife factory and see the artisans in action as they sculpt another perfect tool. Then it’s on to Yarkand for a few hours to enjoy local culture and do some sightseeing. For example, the Golden Mosque (built in 1533) and its graveyard which includes several hundred year old tombs. Yarkand was once the capital of many Uighur Kingdoms in ancient times and an important station on the old Silk Road. It has more than 2000 years of history. After Yarkand we’ll call at Kargilik another former hub on the Silk Road. The Tibet highway starts from Kargilik and we’ll stop off at the grand mosque (1533) here, before moving on to Hotan for the night.
Day 2
Hotan to Niya (Minfeng)
Sight-seeing in Hotan in the morning to see the ancient city of Malike Awat and visit local Carpet, Silk and Jade factories. These three handicraft exports are known only to Hotan. We see an old mosque and graveyard out in the Taklimakan Desert, a traditional paper making and oil producing Family.
After lunch, we set out for Niya, Our first stop is in Keriya town to enjoy the unique culture and traditional lifestyle of the local residents. Keriyan men wear a special kind of high cap while ladies here wear a hat, registered as the smallest in the world.
Arrive in Niya at around 7:00pm to rest overnight.
Total Distance covered: 400km (248miles)
Day 3
Niya to Qarqan
Leave for Qarqan early in the morning. drive along the Taklimakan desert. Picnic for lunch. Arrive Qarqan late afternoon and stay overnight. Visit an ancient tomb which is regarded as a very holy tomb by local people and kept visited by many people every day.
Day 4
Qarqan to Korla
leave for Korla after breakfast. sop at Qakilik for lunch. Arrive in Korla late afternoon and check in hotel. Today we stop at a very ancient village named Lopnur to enjoy the unique ancient culture of this village. This village is champion longevity village in China. you would meet some people who are over 100 years old and learn really history and culture from them.
Day 5
Korla to Turpan
Leave for Turpan after breakfast and visit Bostan Lake on the way. Bostan Lake is called ‘Bagrax, Baghrash Kol’ in both the Mongol and Uighur languages respectively. It is the largest inland fresh water lake in China with flourishing reed and wild lotus. The lake is a paradise for waterfall enthusiasts. After lunch we’ll continue driving to Turpan.
In Turpan, we’ll begin our local tour at the Yargul Ancient city which is one of the best preserved ancient cities in China. The ruins of the buildings are divided into temples, civilian dwellings and government offices. Workshops and residential houses in the streets are still visible and time there is time spent in a world long disappeared.
After an hour of walking around the city area, we’ll push on to see the world famous Karez irrigation system, unique to this part of the world. The system is considered as one of the three great projects in China with the other two being the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. Then visit the Emin Suliman minaret which is a magnificent combination of ancient Uighur and Islamic architecture. It is the tallest ancient pagoda in Xinjiang and the only Islamic ancient pagoda in the country. Locals call it “pure tower.”
We’ll finish our tour with a nice dinner and local folk dancing & singing in Turpan’s ‘Grape Valley’ in the evening. Spend the night in the Oasis Hotel.
Total Distance covered: 500km (311miles)
Day 6
Explore Turpan and drive to Urumqi
Following a hearty western breakfast at the Hotel we start our wonderful day in Turpan beginning with a visit the ancient city of Idikut (Gaochang). The city was first built in the first Century BC and later became capital of the Idikut (Gaochang) Uighur Kingdom in the 8th Century. You can take a donkey cart to visit the site if you like. We’ll stop in the city for about 40 minutes and then drive to Karakhoja Astana tombs, a Tang-dynasty burial ground which also known as the "Underground Museum". Astana means "capital" in the Uighur language and Karakhoja is the name of a legendary hero of the ancient Uighur Kingdom who conquered by killing a vicious dragon.
Moving on, we journey to Toyuq village, an old, beautiful and timeless village with a friendly Uighur community. Here we visit several local families and eat lunch with a local family in their home. This could quite likely be the highlight of your tour.. After lunch we visit Bizeklik Thousand Buddha caves which used to be an important center for Buddhist worship under the Xizhou Huigu government of the Idikut (Gaochang) Kingdom.
Total Distance covered: 350km (217miles)
Today is the last day of our tour, but it needn’t be the last. We strive to make every day of your time with us one that you’ll always remember and if you’d like to book a longer tour please contact us for more information.
