4 Day Private Silk Road Discovery from Beijing:Xian and Dunhuang City Highlights

On this ancient Silk Road cultural trip, you will experience the historical cities of Xi’an and Dunhuang from Beijing by plane. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage sites: Terra-cotta Warriors, Mogao Grottoes, Crescent Moon Pool and Singing Dunes. Stroll around the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an and Shazhou night market in Dunhuang to get the overview of the local cuisine and nightlife. Explore 2000 years old Yumen Pass, Haicang City and Ruins of Han Dynasty Great Wall, admire the wisdom of ancient people. Be amazed by the natural formation of the landscape at Yadan National Geologic Park which will give you an unexpected shot. Your friendly and knowledgeable private guide will give you a comprehensive history class about the attractions. Tour including plane tickets, entrance fee, lunch, English speaking tour guide and private vehicle, you can choose to end your tour in Dunhuang or return Beijing. Tour includes the option to book 4 star accommodation with daily breakfast.

• Make sure everyone brings their passport
• Full name and passport number are required to book attraction tickets

Quick itinerary view

Day 1

Beijing – Xi’an City Highlights

1 The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses

Your driver will pick you up from the lobby of your Beijing hotel’s lobby by holding your name sign, you will be transferred to airport for a 2 hour flight to Xi’an Upon arrival, your tour guide will hold your name sign waiting at the exit of the arrival hall. Hop on your private vehicle, heading directly to the world-famous Terracotta warriors museum which known as “the Eighth Wonders of the World”. Your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories on the way, feel free to ask questions if you have. The museum divided into three sections: No.1 Pit, No.2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit. The original site was found by four local farmers while drilling a well in 1974 and now it has turned into the most important attraction in Xi’an. Stroll around the museum and get rich information from your tour guide.

2 Xi’an City Wall (Chengqiang)

Enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, then drive to Xi’an city and visit the 600 years old Xi’an City Wall. Reach the top of the centuries-old city wall, admire views of the city below.

3 Muslim Quarter

Afterwards, heading to Muslim Quarter. It is the hub of the Muslim community in Xi’an City. Follow your tour guide to stroll around the Muslim food and souvenir market. After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Xi’an.

Accommodation: If you choose the option to including the hotel : Overnight 4 Star Hotel

Meals: Lunch

Day 2

Xi’an – Dunhuang: Mogao Grottoes

1 Airport Highway

Your driver will hold your name sign waiting for you in the lobby of your Xi’an hotel, you will be transferred to airport for a 2.5 hour flight to Dunhuang. Your tour guide in Dunhuang will hold your name sign waiting at the exit of the arrival hall, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, heading directly to Mogao Caves. Stop for a quick lunch.

2 Mogao Caves

Upon arrival, start your tour with a visit to the Mogao Caves Digital Exhibition Center. Watch two documentary movies, get to know the history, culture and art about Mogao Caves. Afterwards, follow the professional tour guide from Mogao Caves to discover the charms of this UNESCO world culture heritage site. You will explore 7 to 9 caves. As you explore the caves, your guide will point out the meaning of different wall paintings which aspects of medieval politics, economics, culture, arts, religion, ethnic relations, and daily dress in western China. Mogao Caves are the world’s largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art. They are located at a strategic point along the Silk Road, at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences. The carving of the caves started in 366 AD and continued for about 1,000 years. 492 caves are presently preserved, housing about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures which are well-known for their statues and wall paintings.

3 Dunhuang Night Market Commercial Street

During evening, you will visit Shazhou Night Market, where is on behalf of Dunhuang Nightlife and regarded as a “nightlife landscape”. It is highly popular among the tourists all over the world with its featured local specialties as well as strong flavor of local culture. After the tour finished, your will be transferred to your hotel in Dunhuang.

Accommodation: If you choose the option to including hotel, overnight 4 star hotel in Dunhuang

Meals: Breakfast    Lunch

Day 3

Dunhuang: Yumen Pass—Han Great Wall Ruins–Yadan Ghost City

1 Yumen Pass

Your tour guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel by holding your name sign, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, heading directly to Yumen Pass (1.5 hours), your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories, feel free to ask questions if you have. The Yumen Pass was a strategic pass on the ancient Silk Road protecting Dunhuang from invasion from the West about two thousand years ago. Follow your tour guide, take attraction’s battery bus to explore the area. Admire thousand years old ruins of Hecang City, Han Dynasty Great Wall Ruins and Yumen Pass. The existing Yumen Pass is a square castle standing in the sandy rocks of Gobi. Climbing up to the tower and overlooking, you will collect in your eyes a long scroll full of scattering mashes, ravines crossbar, winding great wall, tall and straight poplars which create an atmosphere of nostalgia.

2 Great Wall of Han Dynasty

Continue to explore the ruins of Han Dynasty Great Wall. With a history of over 2000 years, Han Dynasty Great Wall was built during 101 to 121 BC. Stretching as long as over a thousand kilometers in the west land of ancient China, it had taken a crucial role in defending the country against northern invaders and contributed greatly to the prosperity of silk road in the history, as it was under such a security protection, could the merchants passing through this area both from east and west continue their business and exchange goods and information. Adjusting measures to local condition, Han Great Wall was made by branches, reeds, sand gravels and other local materials instead of masonry structure. The existing Han Great Wall Relics in Dunhuang lost its origin style and features because of the weather-bitten of several millennia. However, you can still figure out the outline and admire the wisdom of ancient people.

3 Yadan National Geological Park

Take a break after finishing your time in Yumen Pass with a tasty lunch, continuing to Yadan National Geological Park. Dunhuang Yadan National Geological Park, also referred as Yadan Devil City for the bleak desert and horrific sound, presents an astonishing scene of Yardang landform. If you care about seeing natural landscape or having an adventurous tip, this is a must-do. Quite spectacular with natural formation of the landscape will give you an unexpected shot. As the largest one of Yardang Landform found so far, you will hear the sound just like the devil screaming when the strong wind goes through the desert. Accompanied by your tour guide, take the battery bus to explore four main sites in the park. You will have free time to watch the great view and take beautiful photos. You can get a view of uniquely-shaped rocks like Mongolian Bao, Stone Bird, Peacock and others. Make full use of your imagination, you may find some rocks with some miniatures similar to famed architectures, like the Potala Palace in Tibet, Heaven Temple in Beijing or something else. Perhaps you have watched sunset numerous time in untold places, but you may never experience such a grand sight in Yadan Geologic Park. If you want to stay longer to experience the unique sunset moment, just let your tour guide know (with extra cost). After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Dunhuang.

Accommodation: If you choose the option to including hotel: Overnight 4 Star hotel in Dunhuang

Meals: BreakfastLunch

Day 4

Dunhuang: Singing Dunes –Crescent Moon Spring

1 Mingsha Shan – Echoing-Sand Mountain

Your tour guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel by holding your name sign between 6-7:00am, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, heading directly to Singing Dunes. The sand of the mountain has many colors ranging from red to yellow, green, black and white. When there is strong wind, the sands will be blown up and make loud sound, hence the name. Stroll around the area to enjoy the surroundings. You can choose to go up to the dune to enjoy amazing view of the desert and Crescent Moon Pool. 

2 Crescent Moon Pool

Move on to Crescent Moon Pool. Just like its name indicates, the Crescent Pool is in a natural shape of half-moon. The pool was surrounded by Echoing Sand Mountain, it was considered as “the first spring in desert”. According to historical record, the lake has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. If you choose to return Shanghai, you will heading to airport around 12:30pm. You will fly to Xi’an first, then take the next flight to Beijing (Tour does not including Lunch).

3 Xiqian Buddha Caves

If you choose to end your tour in Dunhuang, then you can start the tour late, then visit Xiqian Buddha Caves or Dunhuang Museum in the morning, then Singing Dunes and Crescent Moon Pools in the afternoon. Tour including Lunch. As part of the Mogao Grottoes, the Western Thousand-Buddha Cave is set into a cliff on the northern bank of the Dang River. Because the frescos in this cave are similar in structure and artistic style to those in Mogao Caves, the Western Thousand-Buddha Cave is considered as one of the important components of Dunhuang Buddhist art. Follow the professional tour guide from the attraction to discover the charms of this site. You will explore 5 caves. As you explore the caves, your guide will point out the meaning of different wall paintings which aspects of medieval politics, economics, culture, arts, religion, ethnic relations, and daily dress in western China.

4 Dunhuang Museum

You can choose to visit Dunhuang Museum in the morning, Singing Dunes and Crescent Moon Spring in the afternoon. Dunhuang Museum is a perfect place for you to gain some knowledge about Dunhuang and the ancient Silk Road. There are more than 10000 Chinese and Tibetan items for you to appreciate, including some exquisite and vivid replications of the murals and sculptures in Mogao Grottoes. As taking photos is not allowed in Dunhuang Mogao Caves, tourists can take some photos here instead. Follow your tour guide to visit one Preface Hall and five Exhibition Halls. You will visit these halls one by one to know the history of Dunhuang from prehistoric times to the Qing Dynasty.

Admission Ticket Free Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast    Lunch

Ends in Dunhuang- No Hotel

Ends in Dunhuang with hotel

Ends in Beijing with hotel

Ends in Beijing no hotel

There are discounts in the off-season, please call us!

Free cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours before your travel date and get a full refund

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