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The journey
Travel in refined comfort aboard the Silk Road Express on a 17-day journey from Xining deep into Xinjiang, combining panoramic rail travel with private transfers, curated cultural encounters, and dramatic landscapes. Cross from Tibetan cultural heartlands and Gobi deserts to Altai forests, Kanas Lake, Ili grasslands, Kuqa's ancient Buddhist heritage, and Kashgar's old-city lanes. Along the way, choose from thoughtfully designed options such as Tibetan culture or thangka art in Xining, Kanas cruising or Baihaba Village in Altai, Sayram Lake or Nalati grasslands in Ili, and either a Taklamakan desert experience or Pamir sacred lakes in southern Xinjiang. The journey concludes with a final nature escape to Qinghai Lake or Kanbula before your departure from Xining.
At a glance
Day by day
Morning / Afternoon: Upon arrival at Xining Caojiabao International Airport, you will be greeted by the dedicated Silk Road Express concierge team and transferred by private chauffeured vehicle to your hotel for check-in.
Evening: Enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast-on own | Lunch-on own | Dinner-Hotel dinner
Accommodation: Wanda Vista Xining or similar
Option A Classic Tibetan-Cultural Tour
Morning: Visit the Tibetan Culture Museum with a private guide. Admire the 618-meter giant thangka masterpiece and learn about Tibetan history, religion, and folk customs.
Afternoon: Explore Kumbum (Taer) Monastery with a VIP shuttle and private guide. One of the six great Gelug-pa monasteries, it is known for the three great arts - butter sculptures, murals, and applique thangkas - and its prayer-wheel corridor.
Evening: Savor a welcome dinner, then board the Silk Road Express for Turpan.
Option B Family-Friendly Nature Tour
Morning: Tour the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Zoo and observe unique plateau animal species.
Afternoon: Visit the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Natural Museum to discover plateau geology and ecosystems.
Evening: Enjoy a welcome dinner and board the Silk Road Express.
Option C Regong Thangka Art Experience
Morning: Drive to Renjunyuan Thangka Museum, founded by a national intangible-heritage master. View antique masks, ancient thangkas, and applique collections.
Afternoon: Join a private thangka workshop with a heritage master. Grind natural mineral pigments, practice brush-line drawing, and create your own small thangka sketch to take home.
Note: Minimum 6 and maximum 10 guests for this option. An alternative will be arranged if the quota is not met.
Evening: Enjoy a welcome dinner, then board the Silk Road Express toward Turpan.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-Local specialty meal | Dinner-On-board welcome banquet
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Daytime: Travel west by train as the scenery shifts from the snow-capped Qilian Mountains and alpine meadows to the Gobi Desert and ancient beacon towers, descending into the Turpan Basin.
Late Afternoon: Arrive in Turpan and enjoy a local specialty dinner.
Evening: Take a private-vehicle night tour to the Ancient City of Jiaohe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a dedicated guide. Explore the world's best-preserved earthen city ruins under moonlight while tracing the history of the ancient Che-shi Kingdom and the Anxi Protectorate.
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-On-board lunch | Dinner-Turpan local feast
Accommodation: Munarge Homestay Turpan or similar
Morning: Private transfer to Urumqi. Drive across the Gobi and Dabancheng Wind Valley, where countless wind turbines line the landscape, with distant views of Bogda Peak.
Afternoon:
Visit the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum with a private guide. View iconic Silk Road treasures, including the "Five-Stars out of the East" brocade and the "Loulan Beauty" mummy.
Explore Wild Horse Ecological Park. Watch thoroughbred Akhal-Teke horses and view petrified wood, ancient poplar trunks, and nomadic stone statues while experiencing the equestrian culture of the ancient western regions.
Evening: Board the Silk Road Express heading north toward Altay.
Meals: Breakfast-Homestay breakfast | Lunch-Local specialty meal | Dinner-Local dinner
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Morning: Travel by coach along the scenic A-He Highway toward Hemu. Traverse the Altai Mountains past gorges, streams, primeval taiga forests, and alpine pastures, with spectacular winding mountain bends along the way.
Late Afternoon / Evening: Arrive at Hemu Village by park shuttle. One of China's most beautiful ancient Tuvan villages, it features log cabins scattered along river valleys. Wander across Hemu Bridge through birch groves, watch the sunset and village smoke plumes, and stargaze beneath a brilliant night sky.
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-Road-side lunch | Dinner-Hemu local hot-pot feast
Accommodation: Conrad Hemu or similar
Option A Kanas Cruise and Fish-Viewing Platform
Morning: Proceed to Kanas Lake pier for a Kanas Lake cruise. Witness shifting emerald-blue water reflecting snow peaks and spruce forests.
Afternoon: Ascend the Fish-Viewing Platform for a sweeping bird's-eye view over the crescent-shaped Kanas Lake surrounded by the Altai ranges.
Option B Baihaba Village and Fish-Viewing Platform
Morning: Drive along Tiejia Highway through primeval forest to Baihaba Village, known as the "North-west No.1 Village," an authentic borderland Tuvan hamlet with log houses framed by snow-capped mountains.
Afternoon: Climb up to the Fish-Viewing Platform for a panoramic overlook of Kanas Lake.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-Scenic-area lunch | Dinner-Scenic-area dinner
Accommodation: Manyunjian Log Cabin inside Kanas Scenic Area or similar
Morning: Visit the Kanas Three Bays - Moon Bay, Fairy Bay, and Wolong Bay. Hike the wooden boardwalks and admire jade-colored river bends, morning mist, and riverside reflections in Altai's enchanting landscape.
Afternoon: Transfer to the railway station and board the Silk Road Express bound for Yining in Ili. Enjoy a local cold-water fish feast for lunch.
Meals: Breakfast-Cabin breakfast | Lunch-Signature cold-water-fish banquet | Dinner-On-board dinner
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Option A Sayram Lake Private Drive and Nalati 2-Day Tour
Morning: Drive to Sayram Lake.
Afternoon: Enjoy a VIP self-drive circuit around Sayram Lake, known as the "Last Tear of the Atlantic." Stop at Dianjiangtai viewing point and admire distant views of the spectacular Guozigou Bridge.
Option B Relaxed 2-Day Sayram Lake Stay
Morning: Transfer to Sayram Lake.
Afternoon: Take a VIP private driving tour circling Sayram Lake, savoring the alpine blue lake backed by snow peaks and forests.
Option C Nalati Grassland, Duku Highway and Bayanbulak 2-Day Tour
Note: Bayanbulak Scenic Area is accessible only to Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan visitors. Foreign guests may only pass by without entering.
Morning: Drive to Nalati Grassland.
Afternoon: Take a VIP self-drive tour of Nalati River-Valley and Sky Grassland. Optional off-the-beaten-track horse-riding is available. Experience the dual scenery of vast alpine meadows encircled by snow mountains and flower-strewn river valleys.
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-Coregonus peled specialty meal (A/B) / Local set meal (C) | Dinner-Ranch beef-lamb hot-pot (A/B) / Hotel dinner (C)
Accommodation: Opt A: InterContinental Yining Lvfa or similar | Opt B: Siyunshan Luxury Lodge Wenquan (one-bed suite) or similar | Opt C: Indigo Nalati Lvfa or similar
Option A Further Nalati Grassland Exploration
Morning and Afternoon: Continue with an in-depth VIP self-drive tour of Nalati River-Valley and Sky Grassland, with optional horse-riding, while absorbing the grand scenery of the Tianshan grasslands.
Evening: Enjoy a themed bespoke grassland dinner.
Option B Slow-Paced Retreat at Sayram Lake Lodge
Full day: Leisure time at the lodge. Optional paid hotel experiences include horse-riding, pet-animal interaction, a milking demonstration, a private riding lesson, and local-style afternoon tea. Watch the snow-mountain sunset and stargaze at night.
Option C Highlights of Duku Highway and Bayanbulak Grassland
Note: Bayanbulak Scenic Area is open only to Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan visitors; foreign guests transit only without entry.
Morning: Travel along the most scenic segment of Duku Highway and cross Lardun Daban Pass, where the scenery shifts from spruce forests to vast alpine steppe.
Afternoon: Take a VIP self-drive tour of Bayanbulak Grassland. Visit the swan nature reserve and witness the famed "Nine-Turn Eighteen-Bends" of the Kaidu River. Weather permitting, see multiple sun reflections over the river bends at sunset.
Evening: Enjoy a custom grassland banquet.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-Local specialty (A/C) / Hotel lunch (B) | Dinner-Custom grassland banquet (A/C) / Hotel dinner (B)
Accommodation: Opt A: Indigo Nalati Lvfa or similar | Opt B: Siyunshan Luxury Lodge Wenquan (one-bed suite) or similar | Opt C: Indigo Nalati Lvfa or similar
Morning: Leisure time at the hotel. Guests on Option A/C may re-enter Nalati, while guests on Option B may revisit Sayram Lake.
Mid-day: Private drive back to downtown Yining.
Afternoon: Stroll through Kazanqi Old Street. Wander its dream-like blue-painted lanes and Uygur residential courtyards. You may also take an optional traditional Hadik carriage ride through the labyrinth alleys, taste hand-made old-style ice cream, and experience authentic Ili old-town street life.
Evening: Board the Silk Road Express heading south for Kuqa in southern Xinjiang.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-Hotel lunch | Dinner-Local specialty meal
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Option A Kizil Thousand-Buddha Grottoes
Daytime: Continue the on-board rail journey while watching alternating oasis and Gobi scenery pass by the window.
Afternoon: Transfer by private vehicle to the Kizil Grottoes with a dedicated guide. This is China's earliest major cave-temple complex and a "living fossil of eastward Buddhist transmission." Admire its distinctive ancient Qiuci-style murals.
Note: Some cave steps are steep, so guests with limited mobility are recommended to choose Option B.
Option B VIP Self-Drive Kezilaya Grand Canyon
Daytime: Enjoy the shifting Gobi-oasis views of southern Xinjiang from the train.
Afternoon: Take a VIP self-drive journey through Kezilaya Grand Canyon, a vast wind-eroded red-sandstone gorge formed millions of years ago. View surviving Qiuci murals inside A-Ai Grotto and experience the striking combination of red-rock landscape and Silk Road heritage.
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-On-board lunch | Dinner-Kuqa local feast
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Option A N39° Mekit Desert and Dolan Muqam Star-light Concert
Morning: Drive to N39° Mekit Desert on the western fringe of the Taklamakan Desert.
Afternoon: Enjoy desert activities including UTV dune bashing, camel riding across golden sand dunes, and watching the desert sunset.
Evening: Attend an immersive Dolan Muqam concert under the starry sky. Intangible-heritage artists perform, and guests may join the lively Maxirap folk dance. Enjoy a desert banquet and brilliant stargazing.
Option B White Sand Lake and Karakul Lake on the Pamir Plateau
Border permit required in advance.
Morning: Visit White Sand Lake, where silvery sand mountains mirror in glass-like lake water and Kyrgyz livestock graze along the shore.
Afternoon: Continue to Karakul Lake, a high-altitude moraine lake encircled by the snow peaks of Muztagh Ata and Kongur. On calm days, the lake perfectly reflects Muztagh Ata, the "Father of Ice Mountains."
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-Desert set-meal (A) / High-altitude lakeside lunch (B) | Dinner-Desert banquet (A) / Local specialty (B)
Accommodation: Opt A: N39° Mekit Desert Resort or similar | Opt B: UrCove Kashgar Old Town or similar
Option A (Follow-up from Mekit Desert tour)
Morning: Enjoy a leisurely wake-up, then drive back to downtown Kashgar.
Afternoon: Free exploration of Kashgar's urban lanes.
Evening: Attend the immersive show "Meet Kashgar," centered on Twelve Muqam heritage. The performance recreates ancient Kashgar bazaar streets with multiple live presentations of southern Xinjiang intangible heritage. Savor a Muqam-themed dinner.
Option B (Follow-up from Pamir Plateau tour)
Morning: Enjoy an ethnic costume photoshoot in Kashgar Old City. Dress in traditional Uygur attire and take atmospheric travel portraits against earthen city walls and colorful alleyways.
Afternoon: Spend free time wandering through the old town.
Evening: Watch the immersive performance "Meet Kashgar" and enjoy a Muqam-themed dinner.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-Local specialty meal | Dinner-Muqam-themed banquet
Accommodation: UrCove Kashgar Old Town or similar
Morning: Wander through Kashgar Old City and join an intangible-heritage handicraft experience. Meander through its thousand-year-old labyrinth lanes, watch opening-ceremony folk dances, and listen to music from old teahouses while feeling the living urban folk life of the Silk Road.
Afternoon: Board the Silk Road Express and depart Kashgar, heading east across vast Gobi terrain toward Xining.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-On-board lunch | Dinner-On-board dinner
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Full day: Stay aboard the Silk Road Express as your panoramic window becomes a moving giant screen. Pass snow-capped peaks, golden desert dunes, poplar-lined oases, and Uygur villages while immersing yourself in the grand vistas of northwest China. On-board concierge service remains at your disposal throughout the day.
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-On-board lunch | Dinner-On-board dinner
Accommodation: Aboard Silk Road Express
Option A Erlangjian Scenic Area of Qinghai Lake
Morning: After arriving in Xining, drive to Erlangjian at Qinghai Lake.
Afternoon: Tour China's largest inland salt-water lake. Stroll along the eco-boardwalk, with optional lakeside UTV riding and a lake cruise. Admire the multi-toned turquoise-blue water, rapeseed flowers, and prayer-flag-dotted grasslands.
Option B Kanbula National Forest Park
Morning: Transfer to Kanbula National Forest Park.
Afternoon: Witness the rare jade-green Yellow River reservoir set against red danxia peaks. Visit ancient Tibetan monasteries and appreciate the combined scenery of plateau danxia, forests, and Amdo Tibetan culture.
Meals: Breakfast-On-board breakfast | Lunch-Local specialty meal | Dinner-On own
Accommodation: Wanda Vista Xining or similar
Morning: Enjoy a leisurely lie-in at the hotel.
Departure: Private chauffeured transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule. Your 17-day "Chasing Shadows of Western Regions" luxury Silk Road Express journey comes to a close.
Meals: Breakfast-Hotel breakfast | Lunch-On own | Dinner-On own
Accommodation: None
The fine print
Accommodation: Twin-share occupancy (2 guests per room) at all hotels listed in the itinerary.
Ground Transportation
Splendid Weiyang Premier Suite
Xining airport pick-up and drop-off: Mercedes-Benz S-Class / Mercedes-Benz V-Class van
3-day stay in Kanas + 1-day downtown Kashgar: Toyota Land Cruiser / business van
All other destinations: Private chauffeured car
Changle Series Suites (Shuanghui / Qingya / Family Suite)
Xining airport pick-up and drop-off: Private chauffeured car
3-day stay in Kanas + 1-day downtown Kashgar: Tour coach
All other destinations: Private chauffeured car
Tour Services: Dedicated holiday ambassador throughout the journey + full-time professional photographer service.
Meals: 16 breakfasts and 30 main meals.
Admission Fees: First-entry tickets for attractions specified in the itinerary, booked experience activities, and on-site shuttle transport within scenic areas.
Train Fare: Full-journey passage fare aboard the Silk Road Express.
Long-haul International / Domestic Flights: Return airfare for guests.
Single-room Supplement: A surcharge applies if guests request single-occupancy rooms.
Self-arranged Itinerary: Expenses for holiday extensions or optional add-on activities arranged at the guest's own initiative.
Miscellaneous Extra Costs: Additional expenses arising from force-majeure events including natural disasters, war, and strikes, or from circumstances beyond our control such as transport delays, flight cancellations, or schedule changes, for example extra accommodation, meals, and local transport due to an extended stay away.
Personal Expenses: Any costs not specified in the quotation shall be borne by guests themselves.
Important Documents
Valid ID / Passport
Border-Area Permit (if applicable)
Credit cards and some cash
Clothing
Short-sleeve tops
Long-sleeve shirts
Fleece layer
Wind-proof and waterproof outer jacket
Light down jacket
Comfortable walking-hiking shoes
Hat, scarf, and sunglasses
Sun and Skin Care
High-factor sunscreen
Lip balm with sun protection
Moisturizer
Health and Medicine
Personal prescription medication
Altitude-reaction relief pills
Gastrointestinal medicine
Band-aids and basic first-aid supplies
Electronics
Power bank (≤100Wh, carry-on only)
Universal travel adapter
Phone, camera, and spare batteries
Miscellaneous
Reusable water bottle
Wet wipes and tissues
Small daypack
Note: Large-volume aerosols and high-power electrical appliances are prohibited on board the Silk Road Express train.
Border-Permit Requirements and General Notes
I. Requirements for accompanying children under 16 years old
Children under 16 cannot apply for a Border-Area Permit independently. They must be included under their guardian's application. At the time of application, a medical birth certificate or household registration booklet must be presented. Copies are acceptable if originals are unavailable. A child's ID card alone will not be accepted.
Where primary guardians (parents) do not travel and secondary guardians (grandparents / maternal grandparents) accompany the child, a signed and fingerprinted letter of authorization from both primary guardians is required. The original authorization letter, copies of the primary guardians' ID documents, and the original ID of the accompanying secondary guardian must be submitted.
If persons other than immediate-family guardians accompany the child, a notarized letter of authorization from the primary guardians (parents) is mandatory. Unauthorized letters have no legal validity.
Issuing authorities will strictly enforce the above procedures without simplification. Children under 16 without completed accompanying-person formalities are prohibited from entering border-administrated areas.
II. Requirements for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign guests applying for the Border-Area Permit
Foreign nationals, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan visitors, must apply in person at the permit-issuing hall.
One-inch bare-background color photographs should be prepared in advance.
Important Notes
On-board the Train
There is no Wi-Fi on the train. The route passes largely through Gobi deserts, grasslands, lakes, and mountainous zones with limited signal-base-station coverage. Mobile-network reception is poor, and Wi-Fi devices will not function.
The electrical circuit load in train cabins is limited. Do not connect external power strips or operate high-power appliances such as electric kettles.
Restricted carry-on items for the train: (1) Sealed alcoholic beverages with clear labeling and alcohol volume between 24% and 70%, with a total volume not exceeding 3,000 ml. (2) Flammable non-aerosol daily-use articles including perfume, toilet water, sprays, and gels: each single container must be 100 ml or less, with one item per category only. (3) Nail polish and nail-polish remover: combined total must not exceed 50 ml. (4) Pressurized aerosol containers including cold-wave perm lotion, hair dye, mousse, hairspray, insect repellent, and air freshener: each single container must be 150 ml or less, one item per category, with an aggregate total not exceeding 600 ml. (5) Safety matches: maximum 2 small boxes; ordinary lighters: maximum 2 units. (6) Power banks and lithium-ion batteries with clear markings: rated energy must be 100 Wh or less (approximately 27,000 mAh maximum). This excludes lithium-battery-powered electric wheelchairs. If you fly to join the train, power banks must bear a valid 3C certification mark, be carried in hand luggage, and must never be checked in as hold baggage. (7) Other articles restricted for carriage by applicable laws, administrative regulations, and rules.
For safety reasons, please do not linger for long periods on train platforms.
Children travel on board. Parents are reminded to supervise their children closely: do not allow children to run or play inside compartments, keep them away from carriage connections, and do not leave children unattended. Watch for slippery surfaces to prevent falls.
At Destinations
Altitude preparation: Some destinations sit at high elevations. Please prepare medications and supplies for altitude-reaction relief in advance, such as Gaoyuan-An or Rhodiola rosea. It is recommended to start taking them 3-7 days prior to arrival.
After first arriving at high-altitude regions, get sufficient rest. Within the first three days, if altitude sickness occurs, avoid shampooing or bathing, refrain from alcohol, and drink plenty of mineral water or boiled hot water. Do not drink unboiled water, to prevent gastrointestinal upset. Eat moderately and avoid overeating to reduce digestive strain.
Xinjiang covers a vast territory. Transfer times between scenic spots can be lengthy, so please adjust your travel expectations accordingly.
Mobile-phone signal may be weak at remote scenic locations. Share your itinerary with family members before departure.
Clothing recommendations:
Northern Xinjiang (Ili, Altay, Sayram Lake): mountain rainfall, humid grasslands, extreme day-night temperature differences, and strong winds around lakes and mountains.
Southern Xinjiang (Kashgar, Taklamakan Desert, Tashkurgan): extremely dry with frequent dust.
Pamir Plateau: high elevation with large morning-evening temperature swings. Layered "onion-style" dressing is advised: short-sleeve base + long-sleeve layer + fleece + heavy outerwear / hard-shell jacket / lightweight down jacket.
Daily schedules in Northwest China run roughly two hours later than Beijing Time, so please adjust your routine.
Etiquette and cultural taboos:
Dress appropriately for religious venues. Do not photograph monks or Buddha statues without permission inside temples, and do not step over thresholds.
When receiving a hada silk scarf, bow slightly and accept it with both hands. Mani prayer-wheels must be turned clockwise.
You will pass Tibetan and Hui ethnic settlements. Pork is prohibited in Halal restaurants. Keep noise low when entering mosques or local minority residences.
Always obtain consent before photographing local residents, including elders, children, and artisans. Follow posted photography instructions within ancient towns.
Please respect local cultural traditions, religious customs, and ethnic etiquette, and travel in a civilized manner.
Subject to your consent and without omitting scheduled sites, the holiday ambassador and driver may moderately adjust the itinerary, such as changing the visiting sequence of attractions or adjusting meeting times, in response to weather, traffic, or field conditions. Queuing may occur at popular scenic sites and specialty restaurants during peak travel seasons, and we ask for your understanding. Enjoy the scenery while prioritizing your health and safety. Contact staff for immediate assistance should you feel unwell at any point.
Logistics
Your 17 days finish where they began, in Xining Caojiabao International Airport.
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