17-Day Panorama Xinjiang Train Tour: Off-Road Hami Yardang, Hemu Village, Kanas Lake Cruise, Sayram Lake, Nalati Grassland and Duku Highway | Local Specialties and VIP Service

What you'll experience

Highlights

17 days

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 — Your residence - Xining (Altitude 2200m)

   Morning: The dedicated driver is waiting at your residence to escort you to the airport.
   Afternoon: Upon your arrival at Xining Caojiapu International Airport, the Silk Road Express butler team will be awaiting you with a welcome ceremony. Then, a dedicated driver andcarwill escort you to the hotel.
   Evening: Enjoy a special welcome dinner.

   Meals: B: Excluded, L: Excluded, D: Included(Welcome dinner)Stay: Wanda Vista Xining
2. 2

   Day 2 — Xining - Hami（Altitude 500m）

   【Plan A —— Classic One-Day Xining Tour】
   Morning: Drive to visit ★Kumbum Monastery (exclusive guide)(35km/45min), one of the  six major monastic centers of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism, is also a treasure land where Tibetan culture and art converge. It is renowned worldwide for its "Three Unique Wonders": butter sculptures, murals, and embroidered thangkas.
   Afternoon: Drive to visit the ★Tibetan Culture Museum (with exclusive guide)(38km/50min). As China's first comprehensive national-level museum dedicated to Tibetan culture-integrating collection, research, and exhibition - it serves as an authoritative cultural institution that fully showcases Tibetan history, religion, art, and folk customs. Its most distinctive and core exhibit, the 618-meter-long Color Painting Grand View (a giant thangka), stands as a concrete highlight and "treasure of the museum," manifesting its unparalleled status in the world.
   Evening: We will board the Silk Road Express and embark on a marvelous journey.
    
   
   【Plan B —— Child-friendly One-day Tour】
   Morning: Drive to visit the ★Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Zoo (with exclusive guide)(4km/10min). As the world's only high-altitude zoo specialized in displaying rare and endemic species of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it serves as a living textbook for visitors to closely understand the Plateau's wildlife wonders and its fragile ecosystem.
   Afternoon: Drive to ★Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau Natural Museum (8km/20min), currently the largest and most technologically advanced natural history museum in China with a plateau theme. The entire building is inspired by the concept of "melting snowwater from mountain peaks," featuring a silver-white exterior that appears as if carved by glaciers, blending seamlessly with the high-altitude environment.
   Evening: We will board the Silk Road Express and embark on a marvelous journey.
    
   
   【Plan C ——One-Day Regong Thangka Meditation & Art Experience】
   Morning: Drive to visit the ★Renjun Garden Thangka Museum (with exclusive guide）(170 km / 2.5 h). Founded by Xia Wujue, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Inheritor and National Master of Arts and Crafts, the museum features four exhibition areas: Mask Culture and History, Ancient Residence and Traditional Daily Utensils,Sculpture, Carving, and Appliqué Embroidery, Collection of Rare and Precious 
   Antique Thangkas.
   Afternoon: Experience the ★Private Thangka Painting Class with Master Monks. Under the guidance of Master Lobsang Nyizhi, an acclaimed Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor, embark on a journey of "art and spirituality united as one." You will participate in the authentic traditional rituals of Regong Thangka, including: Grinding natural mineral pigments, Practicing basic Thangka line techniques, completing a small Buddha outline on pure cotton canvas. Take home your very first personal Thangka artwork as a meaningful souvenir of your spiritual and artistic journey.
   Evening: We will board the Silk Road Express and embark on a marvelous journey.

   

   Kumbum Monastery

   Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Local specialties), D: Included(Local specialties)Stay: On the train (Plan A & Plan C), Wanda Vista Xining (Plan B)
3. 3

   Day 3 — Hami

   Morning: The train travels westward through the Qilian Mountains, offering ever-changing views that make the journey feel like a moving landscape painting.
   Afternoon: Off-Road Expedition through ★Hami Yardang.(72 km/1.5 h）
   With a professional off-road convoy, we will cross the lightly uninhabited area of the Hami. Yardang National Geopark. Our vehicles will navigate this otherworldly terrain, passing monumental Yardang peaks in reddish-brown and dark gray that rise like alien sentinels. 
   Journeying across the dried-up bed of an ancient sea, we'll follow routes reminiscent of the Silk Road. At dusk, the setting sun sets the mushroom rocks aglow. Under a canopy of countless stars, we'll drive with our headlights on, evoking the surreal sensation of piloting a time capsule to Earth's primordial past.
    

   Meals: B: Included(On the train), L: Included(On the train), D: Included(Local specialties)Stay: Hami Yizhou Huakai International Hotel
4. 4

   Day 4 — Hami - Urumqi - Beitun (Altitude 1,000m)

   Morning: Drive to Hami Station to board the Silk Road Express and continue west to Urumqi, enjoying the diverse and magnificent scenery at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains along the way.
   Afternoon: Visit ★Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (exclusive guide). 
   （8km/30min）This journey is a passage through time, housing the millennia-old breath of the Silk Road. From the timeless smile of the renowned "Beauty of Loulan" to the prophetic Han-dynasty brocade armguard inscribed with the characters "Five Stars Rise in the East, Benefit China," each artifact eloquently narrates the profound collisions and harmonious blends of ancient civilizations.
   Evening: Stroll through the ★Urumqi International Grand Bazaar (8km/30min) - a landmark of Western Region charm amid the vibrant atmosphere of the Silk Road. As the "Window of Xinjiang," it is the largest bazaar complex in the world. It integrates architectural art, folk cultural experiences, gourmet cuisine, and commerce, preserving the most vibrant memories of the Silk Road in the Western Regions. Here, you can trace the legacy of a thousand-year-old trading tradition while experiencing the dynamism of modern cultural tourism—making it a must-visit cultural landmark upon arriving in Urumqi.
    

   

   Urumqi International Grand Bazaar

   Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Brunch on the train), D: Included(Local specialties)Stay: On the train
5. 5

   Day 5 — Beitun - Hemu (Altitude 1,200m)

   Today: Drive to ★ Hemu Village (Exclusive scenic shuttle bus) (250 km/5 h). As the morning sun pierces the forest haze, the village awakens amidst the soft glow and rising chimney smoke. Traditional Tuvan log cabins, scattered like pine cones along the Kanas River, blend seamlessly into the landscape. The rhythmic clatter of horse hooves on the wooden boardwalks disturbs herds of cattle drinking from the streams. From the viewing platform, the entire river valley unfolds like a scene folded by the gods-one half a tapestry of human habitation, the other a perfect reflection of ethereal beauty.
    

   

   Hemu Village

   Meals: B: Included(On the train), L: Included(At the scenic area), D: Included(Specialty Clay Pot)Stay: Holiday Inn Resort Kanas Hemu by IHG
6. 6

   Day 6 — Hemu - Kanas (Altitude 1,300m)

   【Plan A —— Kanas Lake Cruise + Fish Watching Pavilion】
   Morning: Drive to ★ Kanas Lake Cruise Pier (Exclusive scenic bus)(100 km/3h). Upon arrival, embark on a cruise across the enigmatic waters of Kanas Lake. The vessel plowsthrough the pristine, ribbon-like jade waters, its wake rippling and shattering the mirrored reflections of snow-capped peaks, spruce trees, and drifting clouds into a living impressionist painting. The lake's color shifts on a magical spectrum-from emerald green to deep indigo-as if revealing precious stones dropped by a goddess.
   Afternoon: Take the standard scenic area shuttle bus to visit ★ Kanas FishPavilion(Guanyutai). Ascend to overlook Kanas Lake. Standing atop the Fish Viewing Pavilion is like being at the axis where heaven and earth meet. Looking down, the lake transforms into a crescent moon, nestled peacefully in the embrace of the Altai Mountains. Legends linger in the deep valleys below, with every ripple seeming to whisper untold secrets. When the mountain breeze passes, all falls silent, and you feel yourself standing at the threshold between a fairyland and the mortal world, partaking in an eternal, wordless communion.
    
   
   【Plan B —— (Paid Premium Selection) Kanas Hidden Gem: Tubieke Village (Including 60-mins-long round-trip hiking)】
   * Note: This destination is a border military control zone. Should access be prohibited due to special operations, the itinerary will automatically switch to Itinerary A with acorresponding fee refund.
   Full day: Nestled in the heart of Kanas, ★ Tubieke Village (exclusive scenic bus & full-chartered boat) is a corner of the world forgotten by time. The journey begins with a chartered boat ride across the lake, feeling like the start of a rite of passage into a hidden realm. Only seven Tuvan families remain here, their rustic log cabins-weathered to a greyish-brown—dotting the forest edge against a vibrant tapestry of emerald meadows. InJune, wild roses cascade over wooden fences, completing the idyllic picture alongside cattleand sheep grazing peacefully in the distance. 
   
   【Plan C —— (Paid Premium Selection) Kanas Hidden Gem: Kanas Twin Lakes + Naren Pasture】
   Full Day: Discover the ★Kanas Twin Lakes (Private Off-road Vehicle), two pristine jade gems nestled deep within the taiga forest, where swans glide serenely, rippling the mirror-like surface that perfectly reflects the snow-capped peaks. Journeying onwards via rugged paths, the Naren Pasture suddenly unfolds before your eyes. In July, the pasture reaches peak bloom, with asters and red peonies forming a flowing river of color. Kazakh yurts dot the landscape like white sails adrift on a vast green sea. This final destination of the summer transhumance is more than just a geographical haven-it is an altar where the soul communes with the heavens.

   

   Kanas lake

   

   Fish Watching Pavilion

   Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(At the scenic area (Plan A) / Outdoor BBQ+light meal (Plan B＆C)), D: Included(Local specialties)Stay: Log cabins within the Kanas Scenic Area
7. 7

   Day 7 — Kanas - Yining

   Morning: Drive to ★ Kanas Three Bays. The Moon Bay cuts through the Kanas River like an emerald exclamation mark, while the Crouching Dragon Bay lies serenely in the turquoise water, its dragon-like ridge emerging from the morning mist. Follow the wooden boardwalk to the Fairy Bay, where the morning sun drapes the riverbanks in a delicate veil of light, and countless dewdrops scattered across the meadow shimmer like pearls left by the gods.
   Afternoon: Drive to ★ Colorful Beach (Wucaitan) (150 km/2 h). Here, layers of ochre, bright yellow, and bluish-Grey rock strata glow intensely under the summer sun, resembling an epic canvas carved by ancient lava and the relentless hands of time.
   Lush poplar forests along the riverbank create a striking "fire and ice" contrast with the scorching yardang landscape across the water. At sunset, the low sun casts a flowing gold upon the hills, setting the cliffs ablaze and casting shadows like a giant's footprints. Through the wind-eroded ravines, light and shadow flow like the veins of the earth-revealing why this majestic wilderness is called "Xinjiang's Most Beautiful Scar."
   
   * The visit to "Colorful Beach (Wucaitan)" is subject to adjustment based on the final train schedule published by China Railway System. Should boarding time be moved earlier, this site may be omitted. Thank you for your understanding.
    

   

   Moon Bay (Kanas)

   

   Fairy Bay (Kanas)

   

   Crouching Dragon Bay (Kanas)

   

   Colorful Beach (Wucaitan)

   Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Local Cold-Water Fish Feast), D: Included(On the train)Stay: On the train
8. 8

   Day 8 — Yining - Bozhou / Xinyuan (Altitude 2,200m)

   【Plan A —— 3-Day Panoramic Tour: Sayram Lake + Narati + Yining】
   Morning: Drive to ★ Sayram Lake (150 km/2.5 h). Cradled by the quiet peaks of the Kegu'erqin Mountains, the lake embodies a sapphire ellipsis of melted Tianshan snow. Cloud shadows drift half-awake upon its shimmering surface. Travel along the lakeside road to the Dianjiang Terrace, where the midday wind spreads a sheet of silver silk over the water, and countless tiny waves break against the rocks like blooming ice crystals, reminiscent of edelweiss scattered by a fairy.
   Afternoon: Catch a distant view of ★the Guozigou Bridge. Its steel cables soar through a sea of clouds, and the bridge towers loom faintly in the twilight. Approaching the structure along the valley, the setting sun gilds the mountain ridges, casting numerous sunbeams that trace pathways through the forest - as if forming a celestial staircase raised by the gods.
    
   
   【Plan B —— 3-Day Essential Tour: Nalati + The Most Scenic Section of Duku Highway+Bayanbulak】
   Full Day: Drive to ★ Nalati River Valley Grasslands (250 km/3.5 h) (2-hours exclusive horseriding). The valley unfolds like an emerald velvet carpet draped over the Tianshan Mountains, its gentle curves nestled amongst spruce forests below snow-capped ridges that playhide-and-seek with the sunlight. Venturing deeper on horseback along herding paths, the mountain breeze gilds the waves of grass with flowing gold, while countless wildflowers swaying along the streams create a dazzling river of stars, as if fragments of the Milky Way had fallen to earth.
    
   
   【Plan C —— (Paid Premium Selection) 3-Day Hidden Gems Tour: Sayram Lake +Xarxili +Kazanchi Old Street】
   * This itinerary is exclusively available to visitors from Mainland China, HongKong, Macao, and Taiwan. Foreign nationals are not permitted to participate.
   * The destination is a border military control zone. Should access be restricted due to special operations, the itinerary will automatically switch to Itinerary A, with a corresponding refund provided.
   Full day: Drive to ★ Sayram Lake (150 km/2.5 h) where melted snow from the Tianshan Mountains forms a sapphire-like ellipsis of water. Cradled by the serene Kegu'erqin forests, the icy lake reflects drifting clouds half-awake in its shimmering glow. Follow the lakeside road to the Dianjiang Terrace, where the midday wind spreads a sheet of silver satin over the surface, and countless tiny waves break against the rocks like frost blossoms-as if edelweiss scattered by celestial maidens.
    

   

   Sayram Lake

   

   the Guozigou Bridge

   

   Narati Grassland

   Meals: B: Included( On the train), L: Included(Special Cuisine of Coregonus Peled (Plan A＆Plan C) / Local specialties (Plan B)), D: Included(Local ranch beef and mutton hot pot (Plan A) / Local specialties (Plan B) / Hotel (Plan C))Stay: InterContinental Yining Hotel (Plan A), Nalati Jinling Mountain Villa or Hotel Indigo Nalati (Plan B), Sayram Lake Shuiyun Shan Wild Luxury Hotel【One-BedroomSuite】（Plan C）
9. 9

   Day 9 — Yining/Xinyuan - Xinyuan/Bayanbulak (Altitude 2,500m)

   【Plan A —— 3-Day Panoramic Tour: Sayram Lake + Narati + Yining】
   Full Day: Drive to ★ Nalati River Valley Grasslands (250 km/3.5 hours) (2-hours exclusive horse riding). The valley unfolds like an emerald velvet carpet draped over the Tianshan Mountains, its gentle curves nestled amongst spruce forests below snow-capped ridges that play hide-and-seek with the sunlight. Venturing deeper on horseback along herding paths, the mountain breeze gilds the waves of grass with flowing gold, while countless wildflowers swaying along the streams create a dazzling river of stars, as if fragments of the Milky Way had fallen to earth.
    
   
   【Plan B —— 3-Day Essential Tour: Nalati + The Most Scenic Section of Duku Highway + Bayanbulak】
   * Access to the Bayanbulak Grassland scenic area is restricted to passport holders from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan only. Foreign nationals may only travel through the area and are not permitted to enter the scenic spot.
   Full Day: Journey along the most breathtaking section of ★ the Duku Highway, winding into the Kunges River Valley. Here, snow-capped ridges and spruce forests filter the sunlight into scattered golden fragments, while the rushing river, carrying the scent of meltwater, carves through birch groves. Smoke from woodland cabins mingles with mountain mist, weaving into a milky veil.
   Later, explore ★ the Bayanbulak Grassland, where the Kaidu River's famed "Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns" appears to melt the setting sun into flowing gold foil.
    
   
   【Plan C —— (Paid Premium Selection) 3-Day Hidden Gems Tour: Sayram Lake +Xarxili +  Yining】
   * This itinerary is exclusively available to passport holders from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Foreign nationals are not permitted to participate.
   Full Day: Explore this pristine land, long untouched by time, where the primal code of the mountains and rivers lies hidden within the folds of the Tianshan range. Here, snow lotus and rhodiola defy the harsh terrain, bursting with tenacious life. Following herding paths into the core zone, sunlight filters through spruce forests, transforming into streams of pale gold fringe. The hoofprints of the Asiatic ibex near the snow line trace an unwritten chronicle upon the land.

   

   Narati Grassland

   

   Duku Highway

   

   Bayanbulak

   Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Local specialties (Plan A) / Special Cuisine of Black-Headed Sheep (Plan B) / Boxed lunch (Plan C)), D: Included(Customized Grassland Dinner (Plan A & Plan B) / Hotel (Plan C))Stay: Nalati Jinling Mountain Villa or Hotel Indigo Nalati (Plan A ＆Plan B), Sayram Lake Shuiyun Shan Wild Luxury Hotel (Plan C)
10. 10

    Day 10 — Xinyuan - Yining - Kuqa (Altitude 1200 m)

    【Plan A —— 3-Day Panoramic Tour: Sayram Lake + Narati + Yining】
    【Plan B —— 3-Day Essential Tour: Nalati + The Most Scenic Section of Duku Highway + Bayanbulak】
    Morning: Drive to ★ Nalati Sky Grassland. As morning light spills over the summit of Kabanbay Peak, thirty million wild flowers awaken as one-purple sage and golden inula rolla cross the meadows, while scarlet poppies blaze like a river of flame along the streams. A Kazakh herder's white horse, carrying shadows of clouds, dashes across the grassy slopes, startling skylarks that trace silver arcs against the blue sky.
    Afternoon: Drive to ★ Kazanchi Old Street (250 km/2.5 h). Here, the clip-clop of horse carriages blends with the sweet aroma of chilled mulberry juice. Young women in flowing Atlas silk glide through the alleyways, the pomegranate patterns on their dresses shimmering in the shifting light. From artisan workshops comes the vibrant strum of the dutar, while an elderly craftsman pours indigo dye onto cotton cloth, imprinting it with patterns of sky and flowing water.
     
    
    【Plan C —— (Paid Premium Selection) 3-Day Hidden Gems Tour: SayramLake +Xarxili +Yining】
    * This itinerary is exclusively available to passport holders from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Foreign nationals are not permitted to participate.
    Noon: Catch a distant view of ★ the Guozigou Bridge. Its steel cables soar through a sea of clouds, and the bridge towers loom faintly in the twilight. Approaching the structure along the valley, the setting sun gilds the mountain ridges, casting numerous sunbeams that trace pathways through the forest-as if forming a celestial staircase raised by the gods.
    Afternoon: Drive to ★ Kazanchi Old Street (250 km/2.5 h). Here, the clip-clop of horse carriages blends with the sweet aroma of chilled mulberry juice. Young women in flowing Atlas silk glide through the alleyways, the pomegranate patterns on their dresses shimmering in the shifting light. From artisan workshops comes the vibrant strum of the dutar, while an elderly craftsman pours indigo dye onto cotton cloth, imprinting it with patterns of sky and flowing water.
     

    

    Narati Grassland

    

    Kazanchi Old Street

    

    the Guozigou Bridge

    Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Local Specialties), D: Included(On the train)Stay: On the train
11. 11

    Day 11 — Kuqa - Kashgar (Altitude 1,300m)

    【Plan A —— Kizil-Thousand Buddha Grottoes + Naan-making Experience】
    Afternoon: Drive to ★Kizil-Thousand-Buddha Grottoes (75km/1.5 h), the earliest large-scale grotto complex excavated in China and the westernmost in location. With 349 surviving grottoes and nearly 10,000 square meters of murals, it is acclaimed as a "living fossil of eastward Buddhist art transmission." Its unique diamond-grid compositions, lapis lazuli pigments, and Central Asian blending techniques merge the essence of ancient Indian, Greek, and Persian art, forming the distinct Qiuci painting style.
    Experience ★Intangible Cultural Heritage Naan bread-Making (75 km/1.5 hours) —a spatial art performed in dance with the flames. Under the guidance of a Uyghur master, stretch the dough into moon-like rounds and trace ancestral patterns onto the naan dough 
    with your fingertips.
    * Friendly Reminder: Some steps at the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves are quite steep. For your comfort and safety, guests with limited mobility are advised to choose Route B instead.
    
    【Plan B —— Kizilia Grand Canyon ( VIP Chauffeur-Driven) + Naan-making experience】
    Afternoon: Drive to ★Kizilya Grand Canyon (75 km/1.5 h). This majestic site resembles a crimson hall carved by a giant's ax at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. Traverse its deep, narrow clefts where rock strata, sculpted by Quaternary Period glaciers, unfold like ancient scrolls recording two million years of geological history.
    Experience ★Intangible Cultural Heritage Naan bread-Making (75 km/1.5 h) - a spatial art performed in dance with the flames. Under the guidance of a Uyghur master, stretch the dough into moon-like rounds and trace ancestral patterns onto the naan dough with your fingertips.
     

    

    Kizil-Thousand Buddha Grottoes

    

    Kizilya Grand Canyon

    Meals: B: Included(On the train), L: Included(On the train), D: Included(Local Specialties)Stay: On the train
12. 12

    Day 12 — Kashgar - Tashkurgan (Altitude 3000m)

    【Plan A —— Baisha Lake + Muji Volcano (Altitude 3,500m-3,800m)】
    Morning: Drive to ★ Baisha Lake (190 km/3.5 h), a silver-sand oasis sculpted by the wind. On one side lie vast, undulating golden sand dunes of various shapes. On the other, lies a sapphire-blue lake with crystal-clear water, whose hue changes with the light and weather. The lake and white sand mountains complement each other, creating a breathtaking picture.
    Afternoon: Drive to ★ Muji Volcano Crater (80 km/2 h), renowned as the "Pamir's Eye." It is one of the world's youngest high-altitude volcanic remnants. Located in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture at over 4000 meters above sea level, this extraordinary site comprises over ten still-smoking sulfur springs and colorful volcanic cones - as if the very earth is breathing softly here.
     
    
    【Plan B —— Baisha Lake + Muztagh Ata Glacier (Altitude 4,700m)】
    Morning: Drive to ★ Baisha Lake (190 km/3.5 h), a silver-sand oasis sculpted by the wind. On one side lie vast, undulating golden sand dunes of various shapes. On the other, lies a sapphire-blue lake with crystal-clear water, whose hue changes with the light and weather. The lake and white sand mountains complement each other, creating a breathtaking picture.
    Afternoon: Drive to ★ Muztagh Ata Glacier Park (60 km/1 h). Nestled against the"Father of Glaciers," this is the most brilliant crystal palace on the Pamir Plateau. The mountain, towering over 4,500 meters, is draped with dozens of silvery glacial tongues. Among them, the Koksay Glacier resembles an overturned white marble ink stone of the gods, refracting an ancient blue light under the sun. Walking upon the Quaternary moraine ridges, serried ranks of ice pinnacles create a solemn formation, while deep blue crevasses seem to whisper with the breath of the primordial ice.
     
    
    【Plan C —— 2-Day Tour: Maigaiti Desert + Shache (Old Yarkand) (No Altitude Concerns)】
    Full Day: Drive to ★ the N39 Desert Camp (200 km/3 h). Mount a gentle Bactrian camel and follow the caravan along the curves of the sand dunes, as if walking atop the frozen crests of a golden ocean. The swaying rhythm transports you back to the era of the Silk Road caravans. In the afternoon, switch to a 4x4 vehicle to begin a modern desert conquest. With the roar of the engine, the vehicle plunges down hundred-meter dunes, where the feeling of weightlessness and the spray of sand set hearts racing.

    

    Baisha Lake

    

    Muztagh Ata

    Meals: B: Included(On the train), L: Included(Lake-view lunch (Plan A & Plan B) / Local Specialties (Plan C)), D: Included(Special Yak Meat Hot Pot (Plan A＆Plan B) / Roasted Pigeon+Pigeon Noodles (Plan C))Stay: Tashkurgan Dongxun Cultural Hotel (Plan A ＆ Plan B), Shache Yunju Hotel (Plan C)
13. 13

    Day 13 — Tashkurgan - Kashgar

    【Plan A&B —— Stone City on the Golden Grassland+ Karakul Lake】
    Morning: Drive to ★Stone City on the Golden Grassland. Once the capital of the ancient Qiepantuo Kingdom dating back to the first century AD, only broken walls and earthen ramparts remain today, whispering in the wind. Walking along the fortress walls once trodden by Xuanzang, the scattered pottery shards and weathered foundations of Buddhist temples still speak of the former hustle and bustle of the Silk Road.
    Afternoon: Drive to ★Karakul Lake (100km/1.5 h). Enjoy a curated afternoon tea while taking in the views of this "sapphire mirror" at the foot of the snow-capped Muztagh Ata Mountain. The pristine lake perfectly reflects the majestic mountain, blending the blue sky, white snow, and azure waters into one immersive highland panorama.
     
    
    【Plan C —— 2-Day Tour: Maigaiti Desert + Shache (Old Yarkand) (No Altitude Concerns)】
    Morning: Drive to ★Shache Old Town (Old Yark). Explore the city, where the architecture is imbued with rich Central Asian character. The walls and gate towers are simple yet majestic, while the labyrinth of streets is lined with similarly colored houses featuring windows and balconies accentuated in bright yellow and vermillion red, evoking the charm of a medieval fortress. You can experience the unique allure of this "living Silk Road Museum."
    Afternoon: The journey continues to Yengisar. Visit ★the Yengisar Intangible Cultural Heritage Town (130km/2.5h),  a place brimming with traditional charm, renowned as the "Home of Chinese Small Knives." This ancient-feeling town, with shops lining its streets, is a center for preserving the national-level intangible cultural heritage—the Uyghur molded earthenware pottery technique—and a showcase for the traditional artistry of the famed Yengisar knife.

    

    Karakul Lake

    Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Local specialties), D: Included(Local specialties)Stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton Kashi Ancient City
14. 14

    Day 14 — Kashgar - Xining（Altitude 2,200m）

    Morning: Drive to ★Kashgar Ancient City (5 km/20 min）. Strolling in its enchanting alleys, where the rhythm of life feels untouched by time. The call to prayer from the Id Kah Mosque mingles with the strum of a rawap, while the laughter of children playing echoes past workshops where copper is skillfully hammered. The aroma of fresh naan bread fills centuries-old lanes, and the beat of a hand drum syncs with the very pulse of the ancient Silk 
    Road. This is Kashgar—a perfect blend of vibrant daily life and deep history, where every brick seems to whisper tales from the past.
    Afternoon: Drive to ★Gaotai Folk House. This highly distinctive Uyghur traditional settlement, dating back over 600 years, is renowned as the "Village on the Cliff." Perched on a 40-meter-high, 800-meter-long loess cliff northeast of Kashgar's ancient city, it overlooks the Tuman River with a steep, castle-like structure. Afterward, experience the traditional craftsmanship of intangible cultural heritage printing and pottery-making. These arts not only possess both ornamental and practical value but also represent millennia-old accumulation of China's diverse cultural heritage.
    Note: The visit to the "Gaotai Folk House " will be scheduled based on the final train timetable issued by China Railway. Should the boarding time be moved up, this attraction may be canceled. Thank you for your understanding.
    Afternoon: We will board the Silk Road Express in Kashgar and travel east back to Xining, the "Plateau Summer Capital," enjoying the magnificent and vast landscapes of Northwest China along the way in comfort.
     

    

    Kashgar Ancient City

    Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Included(Muqam Lunch), D: Included(On the train)Stay: On the train
15. 15

    Day 15 — Kashgar - Xining (Altitude 2,200 m)

    Full Day: We will spend the day aboard the Silk Road Express. As the morning light pierces the clouds shrouding Bogda Peak, the train windows transform into a moving IMAX screen. To the left, perpetual ice peaks stand arrayed against a sky of blue silk; to the right, the Kumtag Desert inscribes its golden code with shifting sands. When gliding past oasis towns, poplar forests instantly wash the view with refreshing shades of green, and the adobe houses of Uyghur villages rise from the earth like clusters of mushrooms.
     

    Meals: B: Included(On the train), L: Included(On the train), D: Included(On the train)Stay: On the train
16. 16

    Day 16 — Xining

    【Plan A —— Early Hotel Check-in and Relaxation + Free Time】
    Today: We may arrive in Xining a little earlier today. We will arrange your hotel check-in in advance, allowing you to rest and settle in upon arrival. Afterwards, you are free to explore this charming "Plateau Summer Capital" at your leisure.
    
    【Plan B —— Menyuan Rapeseed Flower Sea One-Day Tour】
    Full Day: We may arrive in Xining a little earlier today. We will arrange your hotel check-in in advance, and you may take a short rest upon arrival. Later drive to visit ★Menyuan Hundred-Mile Rapeseed Flower Sea (150km/2 小时). This is a golden epic composed by the Qilian Mountains within the "Corridor of Heavenly Scenery". Each July, this magnificent floral spectacle—lasting thirty days—transforms the northeastern fringe of the Tibetan 
    Plateau into a palette overturned by the gods. Vast swathes of brilliant yellow, spanning 3,000 square kilometers, surge from the foothills of the Daban Mountain to the banks of the Haomen River, creating a breathtaking spectacle of geometric beauty at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
     
    
    【Plan C —— Qinghai Lake One-Day Tour】
    Full Day: We may arrive in Xining a little earlier today. We will arrange your hotel check-in in advance, and you may take a short rest upon arrival. Later drive to visit★the Erlangjian Scenic Area of Qinghai Lake (140km/2 小时). This narrow peninsula on the southern shore of Qinghai Lake stretches out like an emerald sword from a jade plate, piercing deep into the azure heart of China's largest inland lake. Stroll along the eco-friendly wooden boardwalk stretching over ten kilometers, where to your left lies a golden sea of blooming rapeseed flowers and prayer flag-adorned grasslands, while to your right lies the lake's stunning clarity—revealing seven distinct shades of blue and green under the midday sun.
     

    

    Erlangjian Scenic Area of Qinghai Lake

    Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Excluded(Included: Light lunch at the hotel (Plan A) / Excluded: Plan B & Plan C), D: ExcludedStay: Wanda Vista Xining
17. 17

    Day 17 — Return day

    Today: You may enjoy a leisurely morning at the hotel and wake up naturally, and then a dedicated driver will escort you to the airport according to your flight schedule.
    Afternoon: A dedicated concierge driver will await your arrival at the airport and escort you back to the warm home.
    
    * As the train schedule has not been finally confirmed, the itineraries and timings provided are provisional and subject to change.

    Meals: B: Included(Hotel), L: Excluded, D: Excluded

What's included

Cancellation policy

Important info

Tour operator