Day 1
Arrive in Kashgar
- Activites: pick you from airport and transfer to the Hotel.
- Meals: not included
- Hotel: Tianyuan International Hotel or similar (4-star)
Details Our professional guide and experienced driver welcome you at Kashgar airport with your name and accompany you to your hotel, our guide also share the general information about Kashgar on the way to the hotel. you are given English map of Kashgar city and Uighur Phrasebook which helps you walking around city when you have free time.
Day 2
Kashgar city tour
- Activites: Drive along Today’s special tour arrangements begin with Kashgar’s famed livestock market and Sunday bazaar, then have lunch and a visit to Apak Hoja tomb, Old city and Idkah mosque in the afternoon. Your evening dinner will be a special one spent dining with a Uyghur family in a village outside the city.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
- Hotel: Tianyuan International Hotel or similar (4-star)
Details Life stock market. This market happens every Sunday is sure to be the mostinteresting highlight of your tour today. It provides a great opportunity to take photos of the faces of local people, study traditional local market culture, test-drive a donkey or horse or even make their shoes. Like opening a window, today is a real glimpse into a time lost in the annals of the Silk Road’s past and an opportunity not to be missed. Sunday Bazaar: It is said “you can find everything except chicken milk at this bazaar” as this bazaar is the largest in Central Asia. “From fluffy sheepskin hats to rugged camel-hide boots, not to mention beads, buttons and buckets of local lard, everything - including plenty of kitchen sinks - is for sale at this fairytale bazaar. It is the best to chance to practice your bargaining skills.” Apak Hoja Tomb: Another name for this sight is Xian Fei Mu (the tomb of theFragrant Concubine). It is said that a total of 72 people belonging to one family of five generations were buried here and it has since been a holy place for local Muslims for more than 350 years. The construction here is really outstanding as it combines a local Uighur style with Arabic and Persian styles. Idkah Mosque: The largest mosque in China and the symbol of Kashgar. Usually, 5,000 people gather to pray here five times a day during the week, though this increases to 10,000 on Fridays and between 50,000 and 60,000 at festivals. Kashgar Old City: With a history of more than 2000 years, Uighur people have lived here for generations carving out a splendid society in the process. Kashgar old city was the renown center at the crossroads of the Southern and Middle Silkroads in the past. Today, Kashgar Old City is still a cradle of culture, a burning torch to the memories of the past. It is without doubt a step-back into the past in which you are a living part. L Local Family Visit: Kashgar village population comprises 90% of the total population of Kashgar and we finish today with a visit to there. It is the best way to taste local family style foods and experience real life and culture at the end of your day.
Day 3
Kashgar to Karakul lake
- Activites: Drive along the KKH, Stop at Opal Village, Oytagh Kunlunshan Colorful mountain range, Gaz Valley and check point,Ancient Caravan Saray, Bulungkol Valley (white sand mountain), Karakul lake and local Kyrgyz family visit.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
- Hotel: Local family Yurt
Details Our experienced guide and driver will meet you in the lobby of your hotel at 7:00am local time (9am Beijing time) or any desired time you prefer. From there, we’ll set out along the Karakoram Highway, the highest paved international road in the world. First, we’ll stop at Opal village to purchase fresh naan-bread for our journey. Monday is market day in Opal, so we recommend travelling on this day to really experience local village life. After driving 30 minutes, we’ll pause at a scenic spot to take photos of the spectacular snow-capped scenery of the Kunlun Shan before continuing on to Oytagh valley and it’s ‘oasis village.’ Pushing on, we’ll follow alongside the Gaz river to reach our first checkpoint under the sweeping shadow of Konger Shan. As ancient silk road caravans have done since time began, we’ll call at an original caravan sarai campsite under the backdrop of the Konger Mountain range. Following our caravan stop, our journey then passes through the dramatic surroundings of Kumtagh, known locally as the white sand mountain. Here, we also meet the rolling grasslands of Bulungkol valley dotted with sheep, goats and cows. On a good day, we can also see the reflection of the nearby white sand dunes in Corner Lake. By lunch time, we’ll reach Karakul Lake and have lunch at a lakeside restaurant or with a local Kyrgyz family. The lake sits at the feet of the notorious, Muztagh Ata (7546m) and Gongur (7719m) mountains. ‘Muztagh Ata’ means Father of the Ice Mountain and is one the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in the world. Your afternoon stay at the lake is your time for riding camels, horses, taking photos or simply hiking around lake to your hearts content. In the evening, you may decide to stay overnight in the yurt of a local Kyrgyz family, which is a great opportunity to experience the life of local people and experience a simpler way of living
Day 4
Karakul Lake to Tashkorgan
- Activites: Keep driving KKH through Subash Pass (4100m), Tagharma village and visit stone Fort, Tashkorgan grassland, Tajik family visit and Tashkorgan museum
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
- Hotel: Crown Inn (4 star standard)
Details For the traveller, a journey along the KKH is one wonder and self discovery.Its’ soaring peaks and untamed wilderness truly dramatizes a sense of life without limits and yet still hold the promise of more to come. Wake up along the whispering shores of a jewel among sleeping giants. Today, we welcome another beautiful day with a sunrise between Muztagh Ata and Konger Shan, the two highest peaks on the KKH. After breakfast, we keep driving along the Karakoram Highway till Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county which was once an important hub on the old Silk Road. The area borders Pakistan and Afghanistan and is connected to them via the Kunjerab Pass. On the way we drive through Subash Pass from where you can see better view of the valley and beautiful peaks of Muztagh Ata and Konger. If you prefer, our driver and guide stop in Tagharma village with beautiful grassland and colorful tress for visiting a local Tajik family. After arriving at Tashkurgan, you'll have an opportunity to see the town's ancient stone fort - still standing after 1800 years! 'Tashkurgan' is a translation of 'Stone Fort.' Walking around Tajik neighborhoods, and pay a visit to Local Tajik families live around this historic town.
Day 5
Tashkorgan to Glacier park and Kashgar
- Activites: Drive back Kashgar and visit Oytagh Glacier Park on the way
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
- Hotel: Tianyuan International Hotel or similar (4-star)
Details After breakfast head back to Kashgar on the same way through the beautiful snow capped mountains and Tajik, Kyrgyz villages again. Hiking through the pine tress and trekking along the lowest Glacier at the base.Oytagh Glacier is a surprisingly little known corner of China that features a glacier and forest more representative of Kyrgyzstan than the barer mountain scenery typical of Southern Xinjiang. Oytagh boasts some of the best hiking in Xinjiang for outdoor-lovers. we stay here for about 2-3 hours and drive back Kashgar which takes about two ours.
