ITINERARY

Day 01: Arriving Xian

Arrive at Xian Xianyang airport, welcome reception and transfer to Hotel. Rest of the day is free. over night at Garden Hotel or similar.
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If there is no any direct flight from your home city to Xian, you may arrive at Xian through Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. If you want, you can have an option tour at Beijing, Shanghai or at Yangtze river, we will arrange it for you privately before the departure of Silk Road Classic main program.
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Day 02: Xian

Breakfast at Hotel then start our program including the spectacular terra cotta warriors World Heritage site (Cultural list) dating from the Qin dynasty (220BC), City wall of the old Xian city and the Muslim bazaar at the surrounding of the Xian Mosque, a masterpiece of the combination of Muslim and traditional Chinese architecture. The last is the Wild Goose Pagoda repository of the scrolls and manuscripts brought to Xian by the explorer monk Xuan Zang following his great epic journey to the Buddhist capitals of South Asia in Tang dynasty. O/n Garden Hotel or similar.

Day 03: Xian / Dunhuang by Air

AM visit to the Shaanxi Museum in order to have more information about China's history, Ethnography as well as about Silk Road. PM flight to Dunhuang, transfer to Dunhuang Hotel or similar.

Day 04: Dunhuang / Turpan

Breakfast at Hotel, visit to Mingsha sand dunes to have a camel ride to crescent moon lake, back to hotel to fresh up and check out. PM visit to Mogao grottoes, a world heritage of Buddha arts. Late afternoon train to Turpan. Overnight train (soft berth).

Day 06: Turpan / Urumqi / Kashgar by Bus & Air

Start the tour with ruins of Jiaohe AC, a well remained complex of mud clay buildings aged almost 2000 years. Now it is also a cultural heritage under the protection of UNESCO. Then drive back to Urumqi, After the visit Xinjiang Museum where 3000 years old Corps are exhibited, get the evening flight to Kashgar. Transfer to hotel Central Asia or similar

Day 07: Kashgar

Day trip to Karakul lake (200kms one way) along the Karakurum highway. The lake itself just a destination, the landscape and scenery along the road is so picturesque that 200kms paved good road takes as much as 5 hours with endless photo stops on the road.

Day 08: Kashgar Sunday Bazaar

Today our main objective is the legendary Kashgar Sunday Bazaar where each Sunday the country comes to town at the colorful covered Bazaar as villagers and towns people mix to trade, barter and buy. It is said locally that "you can find everything at Kashgar Bazaar but not rooster's milk". This lively tradition is a carry over from ancient times when Silk Road trade goods flooded into Kashgar from the four corners of central Asia. In the afternoon we visit historic Eidkah Mosque, built in 1442 and still China's largest mosque. Mausoleum of Abakhoja, a venerated Sufi leader lived in 17th century. We take lunch in the old city in a local family compound in order to experience contemporary Uyghur

Day 09: Kashgar to Kyrgyzstan over Irkeshtam Pass

Drive to Irkeshtam pass (280kms), after clearing the Chinese Customs, take a lift on trucks to Kyrgyz Customs since our cars are not allowed to get to Kyrgyz Customs and also Kyrgyz cars are not allowed to reach to Chinese Customs. (you have to pay few dollar to truck drivers for 7 kms distance). Kyrgyz guide and vehicle meets us at their Customs then drive to Sary Tash village to have overnight farm houses. Lunch picnic and dinner at farm house.

Day 10: Sary Tash / Osh

After breakfast drive to Osh, the entrance of Ferghana valley. Check in to guest house Taylor or Ak Shumkar. PM visit to Osh Bazaar, downtown of Osh.

Day 11: Osh/ Ferghana

Visit to Mount Sulaiman and museum in the mountain caves. Drive to Dostuk border (15kms) to clear the Custom formalities then exit to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan guide and van meets us at the border to drive to Ferghana with lunch stop and visit at Babur Park at Andjian, visit to Silk factory or Silk family craftsmanship at Margilan. Overnight at Asia Hotel or Club 777 at Ferghana.

Day 12: road to Tashkent

Full drive drive to Tashkent over Kamchili pass. En route visit to ceramic workshop at Rishtan, Hudayar Khan’s palace at Kokend. Lunch at Kokend, dinner at Tashkent. Overnight at Tashkent Palace or similar.

Day 15: Samarkand / Shahrsabz / Bukhara

Full day drive to Bukhara with en route visit to Shahresabz (460kms). Shahrsabz is one of the most beautifultowns in Central Asia. Visit Aksarai, Mausoleum of Kok Gumbaz and Gumbazi Sayidon, Mausoleum of Djakhangir and Hazrati Imam Mosque. After lunch at Shahresabz, drive to Bukhara. Arrive and Overnight at Malika Hotel or similar.

Day 16: Bukhara

A full day city tour to Bolo Hauze Mosque, Ark fortress with historical museum Inside. PM visit to Labi Hauze complex, ancient silk market, Madrassah Ulugbek, Kalyan minaret. Overnight Malika Hotel or similar.

Day 17: Bukhara / Khiva by Bus

Breakfast at the hotel then drive to Orgench (480kms). Along the road we can see Amu river, which flows into the Aral sea, Kizil Kum desert as well as villages located in the desert area. Picnic lunch at Amu river. Arrive and transfer to Malika hotel or similar.

Day 18: Khiva

Today we start with an excursion to historical town of Khiva (30kms from Orgench) Visit Kunya ark fortress, Madrassah Feruz, Kelte minar minaret, Pakhlavan Mahmud mausoleum, Khiva historical Museum, Tash Holy Palace and Bazaar. After dinner, drive to Orgench airport to fly back to Tashkent, transfer to Hotel Tashkent Palace or similar.

Day 19:Tashkent