Legends of the Silk Road - Tour Itinerary

Fly to Beijing.

Arrive Beijing in the morning. Stay at the Kapok hotel for the night. Day is at leisure to rest after your long flight.

Fly to Lanzhou today and drive to Xiahe. Stay at the Labrang Hotel for two nights.

Enjoy a tour of Labrang Monastery and visit the stunning grasslands of Ganjia. 

Drive back to Lanzhou, visit the Gansu History Museum and board an overnight soft sleeper train to Dunhuang.

Arrive in Dunhuang in the morning and transfer to the Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel for the night. Take a trip to the extraordinary Mogao Caves to see some of the world's finest examples of Buddhist art. After lunch visit the nearby Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Moon Oasis. Board the overnight soft sleeper train to Turpan.

Arrive in Turpan and transfer to the Turpan Silk Road Hotel for two nights. Visit the remarkable Karez system, Emin Minaret and Mosque, and a local market in town. Enjoy a traditional Uyghur musical performance.

Visit the impressive ruins at Gaochang. Later visit the Beziklik Caves on the flanks of the Flaming Mountains.

Drive to Urumqi and stay at the Urumqi Sheraton for two nights. Later visit Red Hill Park for some great views of the city. 

Enjoy a full day excursion to the Heavenly Lake scenic area outside Urumqi.

Take the first available flight to Kashgar. Transfer to the Barony Hotel for three nights and enjoy some free time. 

Visit the peaceful Id Kah Mosque and the lavishly decorated Abakh Khoja tomb.

Stroll through the old city and have lunch with a local family. (Visit the Sunday Market if your stay coincides with this weekly spectacle.)

In the morning complete border formalities, then cross the Torugart pass into Kyrgyzstan. Arrive at the ancient Tash Rabat caravanserai and spend the night in a basic traditional yurt.  Have dinner with a local family (optional stay in a guesthouse at nearby Naryn, if preferred).

Spend the morning around the caravanserai. In the afternoon drive to Issyk Kul and stay at a lakeside hotel for two nights. 

Explore the beautiful lake area. A visit to the nearby town of Cholpon-Ata can be arranged where you can observe local life and see some ancient petroglyphs.

Drive through the spectacular countryside to Bishkek and stay at the Hyatt Regency Hotel for one night.

In the morning fly to Tashkent and complete border formalities. Afterwards drive to Samarkand and check in to the President Hotel for two nights. 

Enjoy a visit to the Registan, one of the most impressive madrassah complexes in the world. Later visit the Gur Emir Mausoleum and the stunning Albukhary complex.

Enjoy leisure time in Samarkand before driving to Bukhara. Check in to the Bukhara Palace Hotel for two nights. 

Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Bukhara's many madrassas, its minaret and trading domes. Afterwards explore the quiet backstreets or the interesting markets on your own. Perhaps try a traditional hammam to unwind in the evening.

Enjoy a day at leisure. In the evening fly to Tashkent and stay the night at the Grand Orzu Hotel.

Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK, arriving the same day.