Know Before You Go
• This tour starts in Beijing, ends in Shanghai.
• Xian Museum is closed on Tuesday tours.
• Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Museum & Shanghai Museum are closed on Monday tours.
• There is no tour guide for arrival & departure transfers.
• Keep your passport on you constantly. It might be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Meals (lunch & dinner) are not included. Please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• Add us on WeChat (+86-18309280878) or WhatsApp (+86-18309280878) to reach GGC service staff at anytime.
• Before getting to Beijing you will receive driver's name & contact information by WhatsApp, Wechat or email.
• You will be greeted by driver holding GGC welcome sign with your name at the airport or train station arrival hall
• China has only one time zone, Xinjiang (Urumqi, Kashgar & Turpan) time is two hours later than Beijing time.
• Kashgar Grand Bazaar is open every day but Sunday is the best. Plan your traveling date in Kashgar on Sunday if you want to experience the bustling Grand Bazaar at its busiest with animal market open.
Day 1 Arrival in Beijing, Beijing Airport or Train Stations Pick-up
Meet your driver at Beijing airports or train stations and transfer to your hotel in a comfortable private vehicle. After getting settled at the hotel, you may explore the downtown area on your own or relax during the remainder of the day.
Meals Included: No meals
Hotel: 4-star Pentahotel Beijing or similar
Day 2 Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven
Explore Beijing from the world’s largest public square, Tiananmen Square. No visit to Beijing would be complete without a walk through the square, whose historical legacy includes Mao Zedong’s announcement of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Walk to the Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square. Home to 24 Ming & Qing Dynasty emperors, the Forbidden City is the world’s largest palace complex located in the center of Beijing. Then walk to Jingshan Park behind the Forbidden City which affords excellent views of the Forbidden City and surrounding neighborhoods of Beijing. Visit the Temple of Heaven in the afternoon. The Temple of Heaven, built between 1406 and 1420 by the same emperor who was responsible for building the Forbidden City, is where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would worship the god of heaven and pray for good harvest.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Pentahotel Beijing or similar
Day 3 Beijing, Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Photo Stop at Bird Nest & Water Cube
Drive out of Beijing to Mutianyu Great Wall of China (approximately 80 km), one of China's most iconic sights. Mutianyu Great Wall is the longest fully resorted section of the Great Wall measuring 2.2km with 23 watchtowers. Considered to be the most family-friendly portion of the Wall and the best part of Great Wall for photography, Mutianyu Great Wall is less crowded and has better architecture than other sections with more watchtowers. Visit the only excavated Ming Tomb, Dingling Tomb in the afternoon. Constructed for the 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming tombs follow the precepts of traditional Chinese geomancy and fengshui theory. They feature rich decoration of stone statues and carvings and tiles with dragon motifs, illustrating the development of the funerary architecture of the Ming Dynasty. On the way back to your hotel, make a photo stop at two architectural icons from the 2008 Olympic that are still standing: Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Pentahotel Beijing or similar
Friendly Tips
• Round-trip cable car to Mutianyu Great Wall is included in this tour package.
• If you want to descend by toboggan, please inform your guide before purchasing ticket.
Day 4 Beijing, Summer Palace, Fly to Urumqi
Morning visit to the Summer Palace, the largest and best preserved royal garden in China. Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong in 1750, using Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill as the basic framework, the Summer Palace combined political and administrative, residential, spiritual, and recreational functions within a landscape of lakes and mountains, in accordance with the Chinese philosophy of balancing the works of man with nature. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. The Summer Palace offers a glimpse at how the imperial family once spent their leisure time. Fly to Urumqi. Once a major hub on the Silk Road during China's Tang dynasty and a leading cultural and commercial center during the Qing dynasty in the 19th century, Uruqmi is now the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the far northwest of China.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Grand Mercure Urumqi Hualing or similar
Friendly Tip: Airfare from Beijing to Urumqi is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
Day 5 Urumqi, Xinjiang Regional Museum, Red Hill Park, Fly to Kashgar
Visit Xinjiang Regional Museum in the morning. Xinjiang Regional Museum is a large building of Uyghur architectural style, containing a diverse range of historical artifacts unearthed in Xijiang. These items represent the ethnic lifestyle and culture of Xinjiang. Most interestingly of all, the museum contains a fascinating exhibition of ancient Indo-European mummies that were excellently preserved through their natural environment over 3,800 years ago. Continue visiting Red Hill Park to enjoy the skyline of Urumqi. Fly to Kashgar in the afternoon. Located at the foot of the Pamirs Mountains between a vast desert and immense mountain range, Kashgar was once an isolated oasis on the long trade route across the Asian continent. It was a major hub along the great Silk Road as the northern and southern Silk Routes crossed here and caravans departed for Central Asia, India, Pakistan and ancient Persia (current Iran). Kashgar was described as “fruitful soil, cotton aplenty, and inhabitants who live by trade” by Marco Polo.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Luxemon Qinibagh Hotel Kashgar or similar
Friendly Tips
• Airfare from Urumqi to Kashgar is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
• Kashgar Grand Bazaar is open every day but Sunday is the best with animal markets open. It is better to fly to Kasghar on Saturday.
Day 6 Kashgar, Old Town, Abakh Hoja Mausoleum, Idkah Mosque, Grand Bazaar
Visit Kashgar Old Town in the morning. The Old Town of Kashgar has a history of more than 2,000 years. Amongst the most popular professions in the old town are coppersmiths, carpenters, jewelers and cobblers, all using tools of bygone days. Take a walk through the Old Town and visit the friendly Uyghur people in their home and experience their unique culture. Next, visit Abakh Hoja Mausoleum. This mausoleum is one of the best examples of Islamic architecture in China. It is an ancient Islamic building complex and a cemetery where five generations of a famous Islamic master were buried. Visit the 500 year old Idkah Mosque in the afternoon. Afterwards, explore the bustling Grand Bazaar, one of China’s most famous weekend markets. The weekly Sunday Bazaar draws a variety of ethnic groups like the Uyghur, Tajik, Kyrgyz and Kazakh to the streets of Kashgar. They come on foot, bikes, horsebacks, modern motorcycles and donkey carts, all with the hope of selling merchandise that ranges from scissors to camels.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Luxemon Qinibagh Hotel Kashgar or similar
Day 7 Fly to Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Drive to Turpan
Fly to Urumqi in the morning. Visit Heavenly Lake upon arrival. With Pine trees covering the hillsides and the snow capped mountains in the background, this huge lake (3km long and 1km wide) sits half way (560 ft) up the Tianshan mountain range and offers excellent walking with breathtaking views. Take a boat ride around the lake and see some local nomadic Kazakhs herding their sheep. Drive to Turpan in the afternoon. Turpan has long been the center of a fertile oasis famous for its grapes and melons, and an important trade center on the main northern branch of the Silk Road from Hami to Kashgar, with an alternative northern route, via Uruqmi running into Central Asia. At 154m below sea level, Turpan is the second-lowest depression in the world and the hottest spot in China.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Mercure Hotel Turpan Downtown or similar
Friendly Tip: Airfare from Beijing to Urumqi is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
Day 8 Turpan, Ruins of Gaochang Ancient City, Flaming Mountain, Emin Minaret, Karez Wells
Visit the ancient city of Gaochang in the morning. Built of mud and adobe bricks as a garrison town in the 1st century AD, the city of Gaochang was abandoned during the early Ming dynasty and what is left now is just ruins of the ancient temples, houses, palaces and the old city wall. Next, visit the Flaming Mountain. Nothing grows on this mountain and the highest temperature of summer could reach 47.8 degree centigrade or 118 degree fahrenheit, making it the hottest place in China. Visit Emin Minaret in the afternoon. This 40 meter-high brick minaret is part of a large mosque, built in 1778. The minaret has an elegant conical shape; its brick laid in patterns that make it looked knitted. Afterwards, visit the Karez Wells. Karez is covered water channels that bring melt-water from the Tianshan Mountains to the north and west into the Turpan basin. Today over 1,100 Karez Wells are still in use bringing water to this dry and hot city.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Mercure Hotel Turpan Downtown or similar
Day 9 Bullet Train to Dunhuang, Singing Sand Dunes, Crescent Moon Spring
Take bullet train to the oasis city of Dunhuang (about 4 hours). Throughout Dunhuang's history of over two thousand years, it has always served as a critical gateway leading to the west due to its unique geographical location at the juncture of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces. Therefore Dunhuang is one of the most important crossroads on the Silk Road. Starting from Dunhuang the Silk Road was split into the northern and southern routes. Upon arrival in Dunhuang, enjoy a camel ride on the scenic Singing Sand Dunes, called by Marco Polo as the rumbling sands. Then relax at the desert oasis, the Crescent Moon Spring, a small freshwater lake that has been a vital source of water here for thousands of years.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Silk Road Hotel Dunhuang or similar
Friendly Tip: Second class bullet train is included. Please contact us if you want to upgrade to first class or business class.
Day 10 Dunhuang, Mogao Caves, Fly to Xian
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mogao Caves in the morning. The Mogao Caves (also known as the Dunhuang Grottoes) boast the largest collection of Buddhist grottoes in existence in China. Housed in the 492 cave temples are over 2000 sculptures and 45,000 square meters of frescos dating back as early as one thousand years ago (covering a period of ten dynasties). The statues are painted and carved directly into the cave walls. The most famous aspect of Dunhuang's grottoes is the murals that feature Buddhist stories, folk culture, farming, hunting as their main themes. Fly to Xian in the afternoon. Xian is the ancient capital city of China and the starting point of Silk Road.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel Xian or similar
Friendly Tip: Airfare from Dunhuang to Xian is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
Day 11 Xian, Terracotta Warriors, Bell & Drum Tower Square, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarter
Drive out of Xian to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses (1 hour) in the morning. Considered one of the foremost archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, the 2,000-year-old Terracotta Army was discovered by accident in 1974 by local farmers digging a well. The 8,000-plus life-sized figures are arranged in vaults to guard the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of China, a major architect of the Great Wall and unifier of China. Visit the Bell & Drum Tower Square, the Great Mosque and Xian Muslim Quarter in the afternoon. The area north of the Drum Tower is the Muslim Quarter of Xian which covers several blocks with an estimated 60,000 Muslims in the region. There are about seven ancient mosques in the area, among which the Great Mosque is most famous and popular among all. Experience a seemingly endless labyrinth of street food, restaurants and bustling local life at Xian's Muslim Quarter.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel Xian or similar
Day 12 Xian, Little Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian Museum, City Wall, Fly to Shanghai
Visit Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xian Museum in the morning. With a history of more than 1,300 years, Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built to store the Buddhist scriptures delivered from ancient India. It is a perfect example of the multi-eaved square brick pagodas built in ancient China. Currently there are 13 storeys left as the top two storeys were destroyed in earthquakes. Continue visiting Xian Museum. Xian Museum boasts nearly 130,000 relics that all relate to the history of Ancient China and Xian specifically. Afterwards, visit Xian City Wall. The City Wall of Xian is one of the oldest and best-preserved city walls in the world. Walking atop the Wall you can get the panorama of Xian skyline. Fly to the glass and steel towers of cosmopolitan Shanghai in the afternoon or at night.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Ambassador Hotel Shanghai or similar
Friendly Tips
• Airfare from Xian to Shanghai is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
• It is approximately 7 hours by bullet train from Xian to Shanghai. Please contact us if you want to try bullet train.
Day 13 Shanghai, Yuyuan Garden, the Bund & Nanjing Road, People's Square, Shanghai Museum, the French Concession & Tianzifang
Morning visit to Yuyuan Garden. This garden is a maze of Ming Dynasty pavilions, elaborate rockeries, arched bridges, and goldfish ponds, all encircled by an undulating dragon wall. Then spend some time shopping at the Chenghuangmiao market located outside the garden. Afterwards, stroll along the Bund and nearby Nanjing Road. The Bund refers to Shanghai's famous waterfront stretching for 1.6km along the west shore of the Huangpu River. Nanjing Road is the main shopping street of Shanghai and one of the busiest shopping streets in the world. Continue with a visit to the People's Square and Shanghai Museum. The People’s Square was once the finest racecourse in Asia before 1949; it is now a large open space in which locals hang out all day, every day, practicing Tai Chi and flying kites. Shanghai Museum is specially celebrated in the world for its rich and high-quality collection of 120,000 precious works of art including ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy. Afterwards, explore the tree-lined avenues of the French Concession where many fine old houses in the area still retain an air of the "Paris of the East". Explore the arts and crafts enclave in the trendy area of Tianzifang that has constructed from a refurbished domestic location in the French Concession area of Shanghai.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Ambassador Hotel Shanghai or similar
Day 14 Departure from Shanghai, Transfer to Shanghai Airports or Train Stations
Private transfer (without guide) to the airports or railway stations in Shanghai for your departure flight/train. Wish you a pleasant journey and thank you for traveling with GoGrandChina.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
