Tibetan Odyssey: Lhasa & Yamdrok Lake
A 19-Day Journey Through China's Ancient Trade Routes and Cultural Crossroads
Eastern Heritage & Modern Wonders
Day 1: Arrival in Beijing - Gateway to China
Activities: Airport transfer and hotel check-in
Accommodation: Beijing hotel
Meals: No meals included
Arrive in Beijing, China's capital city, where you'll be met and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free for rest and acclimatization.
Day 2: Beijing's Imperial Grandeur
Activities: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
Optional: Peking Opera performance
Accommodation: Beijing hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore the world's largest urban square at Tiananmen, then enter the magnificent Forbidden City, the world's largest imperial palace complex. Conclude at the Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for good harvests.
Day 3: The Great Wall Experience
Activities: Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs (Changling Tomb)
Optional: Peking Roasted Duck dinner
Accommodation: Beijing hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Walk the magnificent Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, then visit the imperial burial grounds at Ming Tombs.
Day 4: Ancient Lanes to Historic Xian
Activities: Hutong tour by rickshaw, high-speed train to Xian
Accommodation: Xian hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Experience traditional Beijing life with a rickshaw tour through ancient hutongs before boarding a high-speed train to Xian.
Western Frontiers & Buddhist Heritage
Day 5: Xian's Terracotta Legacy
Activities: Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Ancient City Wall
Optional: Tang Dynasty Show with Dinner
Accommodation: Xian hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Marvel at the incredible Terracotta Army, visit the historic Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and walk the massive ancient city walls.
Day 6: Tibetan Cultural Immersion in Xiahe
Activities: Flight to Xiahe, Sangke Grassland visit
Accommodation: Xiahe hotel near Labrang Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Fly to Xiahe and experience the beautiful Sangke Grassland, known for summer flowers and Buddhist ceremonies.
Day 7: Labrang Monastery to Lanzhou
Activities: Labrang Lamasery, private transfer to Lanzhou
Accommodation: Lanzhou hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit one of Tibetan Buddhism's six great monasteries at Labrang before traveling to Lanzhou.
Gansu Corridor & Desert Treasures
Day 8: Lanzhou's Cultural Gems
Activities: White Pagoda Hill Park, Gansu Provincial Museum, transfer to Wuwei
Accommodation: Wuwei hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore Lanzhou's cultural highlights including White Pagoda Hill and the provincial museum before continuing to Wuwei.
Day 9: Wuwei's Ancient Relics
Activities: Leitai Tomb, Wuwei Confucian Temple, Tiantishan Grottoes, transfer to Zhangye
Accommodation: Zhangye hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Discover Wuwei's archaeological treasures including the Leitai Tomb and ancient grottoes before traveling to Zhangye.
Day 10: Rainbow Mountains & Grand Buddha
Activities: Wooden Tower, Grand Buddha Temple, Zhangye Danxia Landform Park, transfer to Jiayuguan
Accommodation: Jiayuguan City hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit Zhangye's ancient Wooden Tower and the reclining Buddha temple before marveling at the colorful rainbow mountains of Danxia geological park.
Day 11: Great Wall's Western End
Activities: Jiayuguan Pass, Overhanging Great Wall, transfer to Dunhuang
Accommodation: Dunhuang hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore the western end of the Great Wall at Jiayuguan Pass and the dramatic Overhanging Great Wall section.
Day 12: Desert Passes & Yadan Landscapes
Activities: Yumenguan Pass, Dunhuang Yadan National Geologic Park
Accommodation: Dunhuang hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Journey to the strategic Yumenguan Pass on the ancient Silk Road, then experience the spectacular Yadan geological formations.
Xinjiang's Oases & Westernmost Outposts
Day 13: Buddhist Art to Turpan Oasis
Activities: Mogao Grottoes, train to Turpan
Accommodation: Turpan hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Discover the magnificent Buddhist art at Mogao Grottoes before taking a bullet train to the oasis city of Turpan.
Day 14: Turpan's Ancient Engineering
Activities: Emin Minaret, Karez Well, Jiaohe Ancient City ruins, transfer to Urumqi
Accommodation: Urumqi hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore Turpan's Islamic architecture at Emin Minaret, ancient irrigation systems at Karez Well, and the remarkable ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City.
Day 15: Heavenly Lake & Urumqi Culture
Activities: Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), Xinjiang Regional Museum, Erdaoqiao Bazaar
Accommodation: Urumqi hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit the stunning Heavenly Lake nestled in the mountains, then explore Xinjiang's cultural heritage at the regional museum and local bazaar.
Day 16: Kashgar's Islamic Heritage
Activities: Flight to Kashgar, Zhiren Street, Id Kah Mosque, Apak Hoja Tomb, Local Bazaar (Sunday)
Accommodation: Kashgar hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Fly to Kashgar and explore its rich Islamic culture through ancient streets, magnificent mosques, and traditional markets.
Day 17: Karakul Lake & Pamir Mountains
Activities: Karakul Lake, Muztagh Ata mountain views
Accommodation: Kashgar hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Travel along the Karakoram Highway to the breathtaking Karakul Lake, surrounded by the stunning Pamir Mountains.
Modern Contrast & Journey's End
Day 18: Western Frontier to Eastern Metropolis
Activities: Flight to Shanghai, hotel transfer
Accommodation: Shanghai hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Bid farewell to Kashgar and fly to Shanghai, China's modern financial hub, for your final overnight stay.
Day 19: Departure from Shanghai
Activities: Airport transfer
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy free time until your transfer to Shanghai airport for your departure flight, marking the end of your Silk Road adventure.