Silk Road Odyssey: Qinghai & Gansu Wonders
Discover Ancient Trade Routes, Stunning Landscapes & Cultural Treasures
Tour Overview
Experience the Best of Northwest China's Silk Road Heritage
This meticulously crafted small group tour offers the perfect introduction to China's mysterious Silk Road. Designed for travelers seeking both natural beauty and cultural immersion, this journey takes you from Qinghai's high-altitude wonders to Gansu's desert marvels. Travel with like-minded explorers through breathtaking landscapes, ancient Buddhist sites, and world-renowned geological formations that showcase the rich tapestry of Northwest China's heritage.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Xining - Gateway to the Tibetan Plateau
Meals: No meals | Accommodation: Xining Hotel
Begin your Silk Road adventure in Xining (2,261m altitude), the capital of Qinghai Province. After airport transfer and hotel check-in, acclimatize to the high plateau environment. Explore Xining's local cuisine and prepare for the journey ahead. The city's moderate climate features significant temperature variations, so warm clothing is essential.
Highlights: City orientation, local cuisine exploration
Day 2: Xining to Chaka - Monasteries & Azure Waters
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Chaka Hotel
Morning visit to Ta'er Monastery, one of China's six great Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and birthplace of the Gelugpa sect founder Tsongkhapa. After lunch, journey to Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake, often called the "Fairyland" for its stunning blue waters reflecting surrounding mountains.
Highlights: Ta'er Monastery, Qinghai Lake
Day 3: Chaka to Xining - The Mirror of the Sky
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Xining Hotel
Explore the breathtaking Chaka Salt Lake, a crystalline saline lake in the Qaidam Basin known as the "Mirror of the Sky" for its perfect reflections of mountains and clouds. The snow-white salt beds and turquoise waters create a surreal landscape before returning to Xining.
Highlights: Chaka Salt Lake
Day 4: Xining to Zhangye - Grasslands & Cultural Performance
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Kaoshan Mongolian Camp
Travel through Qilian Mountain Grassland, ranked among China's six most beautiful grasslands. Experience horseback riding at Shandan Horse Farm, the world's oldest and largest racecourse with 2,100 years of history. Evening cultural immersion in Danxia Town with local cuisine and the spectacular "Return to Zhangye" performance.
Highlights: Qilian Mountain Grassland, Shandan Horse Farm, Cultural Performance
Day 5: Zhangye Exploration - Buddhist Caves & Grand Canyons
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Zhangye Hotel
Discover Mati Temple Grottoes, a 1,600-year-old Buddhist site and one of the "three art treasures of Hexi Buddhism." Explore Pingshanhu Grand Canyon's spectacular geological formations, where winding rock walls and towering peaks create a mirage-like landscape.
Highlights: Mati Temple Grottoes, Pingshanhu Grand Canyon
Day 6: Zhangye to Jiayuguan - Rainbow Mountains & Great Wall
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Jiayuguan Hotel
Marvel at Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park's rainbow-colored mountains, the largest and most spectacular Danxia landform in arid China. Continue to Jiayuguan Pass, the magnificent western terminus of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, famously known as "The First and Greatest Pass under Heaven."
Highlights: Zhangye Danxia Geological Park, Jiayuguan Pass
Day 7: Jiayuguan to Dunhuang - Singing Sands & Crescent Moon
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Accommodation: Dunhuang Hotel
Journey to Dunhuang to experience the magical Echoing Sand Mountain and Crescent Spring, where singing dunes surround an oasis lake in perfect crescent shape. This natural wonder combines auditory marvels with stunning desert landscapes.
Highlights: Echoing Sand Mountain, Crescent Spring
Day 8: Dunhuang Departure - Buddhist Art Legacy
Meals: Breakfast
Final day exploration of Mogao Grottoes, one of China's three great Buddhist cave complexes featuring 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and 2,400 painted sculptures spanning a millennium of artistic achievement. This UNESCO World Heritage site represents the pinnacle of Chinese grotto art before airport transfer concludes your Silk Road journey.
Highlights: Mogao Grottoes