10 Days | Southern Xinjiang Silk Road Tour

Tour Overview

Southern Xinjiang, this mysterious land cradled between the Tianshan and Kunlun Mountains—how many legends does it truly hold? As the camel bells of the Silk Road echo through millennia of windblown sands, do the carved wooden windows of Kashgar Old City still whisper tales of ancient merchants? Here, we will bring you to experience the scenery where the desert sunset of Taklamakan collides with the glacial starlight of Pamir Plateau, ethnic dances intertwine with the spice market's symphony. Are you ready to embark on this time-defying odyssey and unveil the layered mysteries of Asia's cultural crossroads?

Highlights of this tour:

1.  Unveil the mysteries of the old Western Regions. 

2. Wander through Kashgar's labyrinthine Old City. 

3. Explore the weathered ruins of Shache Ancient Town, and tread the silent stones of Yotkan. 

4. Walk in the footsteps of Silk Road merchants and Buddhist pilgrims.  

5. Dive deeper by donning vibrant traditional attire at a local studio and then follow expert photographers to explore the hidden courtyards and bustling bazaars.

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Ürümqi  

Upon arrival, you may enjoy a VIP private transfer to your designated hotel. After check-in, you can explore the city’s cultural charm and culinary delights at your leisure.

Recommended Attraction: Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar

A vibrant hub displays regional specialties, handicrafts, and diverse cuisines, and its Islamic-inspired architecture immerses visitors in a mystical cultural tapestry.

Meal: N/A

Hotel: High-speed Railway Station Atour Hotel, Mercure Hotel (Railway Station), Lii Inn, Hailongquan Hotel, or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 2: Explore Bosten Lake with Untouched Natural Beauty

Ürümqi → Bosten Lake → Korla

After breakfast, we will depart for Korla by vehicle and then witness the shifting landscapes outside the window—urban skylines gradually fading into vast Gobi deserts and fertile farmlands.

Bosten Lake, as the China’s largest inland freshwater lake, renowned for its expansive azure waters and serene vistas. At the Grand Estuary Scenic Area, you can board a sightseeing boat to glide past lotus clusters, reed marshes, and migratory birds—a harmonious blend of aquatic ecosystems and natural beauty. Finally, we will return to Korla city in the evening.

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Korla Aishang Hotel, Bancheng Hotel, Vienna International Hotel (Qilin Bridge), or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 3: Explore Kiziliya Grand Canyon & Cultural Immersion in Restan Street

Korla → Southern Duku Highway → Kiziliya Grand Canyon → Restan Street → Kucha Old City Afternoon Tea → Kuqa

(During Poplar Season: Korla → Tarim Poplar Forest → Restan Street → Kucha Old City Afternoon Tea → Kuqa)

After breakfast, we will embark on a drive along the Southern Duku Highway, where the snow-capped Tianshan Mountains frame a dramatic backdrop of rugged cliffs and alpine meadows.

Self-Drive Adventure: Kiziliya Grand Canyon

When we venture into the Kiziliya Grand Canyon, you may find that this labyrinth of crimson sandstone sculpted by millennia of wind and water, reveals surreal formations like the “South Gate of Heaven,” “Ghost Valley,” and “Crescent Gorge”. Wandering through its fiery-hued corridors, you will be amazed by the nature’s raw artistry.

Cultural Immersion: Restan Street

When we arrive in Kuqa and step onto Restan Street, you may find a living museum of Uyghur heritage. Cobblestone paths, weathered by centuries of footsteps, lead past vibrantly painted homes adorned with carved wooden lattices and floral motifs, which is a testament to Silk Road craftsmanship.

Exclusive Experience: Afternoon Tea in Kucha Old City

When you unwind with a curated Kucha-style afternoon tea and savor the local delicacies such as rose-infured pastries and spiced walnut milk, you will regret not soaking in the timeless ambiance of this ancient oasis town earlier.

Attractions: Southern Duku Highway, Kiziliya Grand Canyon, Restan Street, Kucha Old City

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Kuqa Huayue Hotel, Aimei Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Kuqa, or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 4: Experience Unique Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves & King of Canyons

Kuqa → Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves → Wensu Grand Canyon → Aral

After breakfast, we will depart Kuqa and then travel through shifting landscapes—from cityscapes to vast desert plains—toward Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves. Dating to the late 3rd/early 4th century CE, this UNESCO-tentative site is one of China’s "Four Great Buddhist Grottoes." Then you will marvel at its exquisitely preserved murals and sculptures, which reflect ancient Kucha culture’s spiritual zenith.  

Note: Backpacks and cameras must be stored before joining a guided tour of select open caves. Expert guides will bring you to decode Buddhist iconography, mural techniques, and the caves’ Silk Road legacy.

Next Stop: Wensu Grand Canyon (Tianshan Tomur Grand Canyon)

Dubbed the “King of Canyons”, this geological wonder straddles the ancient Muzart Pass—a historic gateway between North and South Tianshan. Towering cliffs, striped in hues of crimson and ochre, all of them create a dramatic interplay of light and shadow. You will be soaked in traverse trails once trodden by Silk Road caravans and nature’s monumental artistry. Finally, our guide will bring you to Aral and check in to your hotel to recharge for tomorrow’s adventures.

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Aral Tahe Guanlan Hotel, Tahe Garden Hotel, Anman Junyue Hotel, or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 5: Explore Rawak Buddhist Monastery Ruins & Appreciate Cultural Performance

Aral → Desert Highway Expedition → Rawak Buddhist Ruins → Ancient Yotkan City → Hotan Night Market  

After breakfast, we will embark on an epic drive along the Taklamakan Desert Highway, where endless dunes shimmer in golden hues under the sun, resembling a "sea of sand" beneath the vast skies.

First Stop: Rawak Buddhist Monastery Ruins

When you explore this 4th-century archaeological gem, you may find that it is centered around a unique stupa surrounded by a square courtyard and outer temple complex. Its hybrid Gandharan-Sogdian architecture offers rare insights into Silk Road Buddhism’s westward expansion.    

Next: Ancient Yotkan City

Regarded as the capital of the Khotan Kingdom, this ivory-hued citadel dazzles with indigo doors, intricately carved wooden colonnades, and crimson walls—a visual symphony of ancient aesthetics. At dusk, you will definitely immerse yourself in the “Harmonies of Ancient Khotan” cultural performance, reimagining the city’s Tang Dynasty splendor. 

Evening: Hotan Night Market 

Xinjiang’s culinary icons: sizzling lamb skewers, charcoal-roasted goose eggs, fragrant pilaf, and freshly baked naan, all of them amid the lively ambiance of this iconic bazaar.

Attractions: Taklamakan Desert Highway, Rawak Buddhist Ruins, Ancient Yotkan City

Meal: Hotel breakfast included

Hotel: Hotan Qianyuan International Hotel, Hetian Tianxia International Hotel, Atour Hotel, or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 6: Experience Intricate Wood Carvings Art

Hotan → Shache Mausoleum → Amanishah Memorial Hall → Shache Ancient City → Kashgar

After breakfast, we will drive to Shache and explore the following scenic spots.

Shache Mausoleum: The 16th-century royal tombs of the Yarkand Khanate, adorned with vibrant Islamic geometric patterns and Uyghur calligraphy. Its turquoise-glazed brickwork and domed structures are remarkably preserved with unique culture and history.

Amanishah Memorial Hall: Dedicated to the 16th-century queen and composer of the Twelve Muqam, this white-marble monument features intricate wood carvings, floral lattices, and verses from her poetry etched into walls, so it is very worth visiting.

When you stroll through Shache Ancient City, where labyrinthine alleys lined with indigo-trimmed adobe houses and bustling bazaars evoke Silk Road-era charm.

Finally, we will arrive in Kashgar by evening, then you can check in your hotel and wander through Kashgar Old City—a UNESCO site where moonlit minarets, lantern-lit courtyards, and the aroma of cumin-spiced lamb skewers create an enchanting nightscape.  

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Kashgar GreenTree Eastern Hotel (Old City Branch), Kyriad Hotel, Kashgar Meihua Hotel (Torch Plaza), or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 7: Red Mountain Grand Canyon & Memorable Tajik Homestead Visit

Kashgar → Red Mountain Grand Canyon → White Sand Lake → Pamir Plateau → Tajik Homestead Visit

After breakfast, we will first embark on the Karakoram Highway westward. 

First stop: Red Mountain Grand Canyon, where crimson-hued cliffs sculpted by wind and gravity form a jagged labyrinth of geological drama. (Note: The parking area is 1 km from the "Bubble Valley", so visitors may choose to hike or skip this optional trail.)

Then, we will continue to White Sand Lake, a surreal oasis where waters shift from azure under clear skies to emerald and jade, mirroring the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Light dances across its surface may create the ever-changing chromatic spectacles. 

In the afternoon, we will ascend the Pamir Plateau—the "Roof of the World" and then visit a Tajik family. According to this way, you will indulge in their hospitality over salted butter tea while you are listening to stories of their ancestral traditions and witness their unique greeting ritual — ceremonial kisses placed on hands, cheeks, or foreheads to signify respect, age hierarchy, and social bonds. 

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Tashkurgan Xinmei Grand Hotel, Xinran International Hotel, Cloudscape Hotel, or equivalent 3-Diamond hotels

 

Day 8: Experience the Unrivaled Majesty of Lake Landscapes

Tashkurgan → Serpentine Dragon Road → Bandier Blue Lake → Karakul Lake → Kashgar

After breakfast, we will conquer the Serpentine Dragon Road (Panlong Ancient Road), a viral highway with over 600 sharp bends winding through the Pamir Plateau. Here, you can snap a photo at the iconic summit sign: “Today’s twists lead to tomorrow’s smooth journeys”—a poetic metaphor for life’s challenges and rewards.

Next, we will discover the Pamirs’ alpine jewels. 

Bandier Blue Lake: A chameleonic wonder where lake water shifts from sapphire to celestial teal, thus offering a stark contrast to White Sand Lake’s milky tones.

Karakul Lake: Nestled beneath Muztagh Ata (7,509m), this glacial lake dazzles with diamond-like sparkles under sunlight. When you witness its eerie transformation into obsidian black during storms, it may echo ancient Kyrgyz legends of a “moody water spirit”, which is very amazing.

Return to Kashgar by evening and unwind at your hotel or stroll through the Old City’s lantern-lit alleys so as to savor the lingering mystique of the Silk Road.

Attractions: Serpentine Dragon Road, Bandier Blue Lake, Karakul Lake 

Meal: Breakfast  

Hotel: Kashgar GreenTree Eastern Hotel (Old City Branch), Kyriad Hotel, Kashgar Meihua Hotel (Torch Plaza), or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 9: Cultural Immersion in Kashgar Old City

Kashgar Old City → Gaotai Ancient Residences → Id Kah Mosque → Century-Old Teahouse → Silk Road-Themed Photoshoot

First, we will begin at Gaotai Ancient Residences (Kashgar’s “High Platform Village”), a 1,200-year-old UNESCO-tentative site perched on a loess plateau. Wander through its labyrinth of sun-baked adobe houses and wind-carved alleys, where cobalt-blue doorways and pomegranate-draped courtyards preserve the Uyghur architectural ethos of the Karakhanid Khanate era.

Next, you would enjoy exploring Kashgar Old City—the “Soul of Xinjiang”—whose honey-colored walls and vaulted bazaars famously doubled as Kabul in The Kite Runner. It will be memorable experience to lose yourself in its cinematic maze of spice stalls, coppersmith workshops, and the hum of Uyghur dialects echoing through time.

After that, we will visit Id Kah Mosque, China’s largest Islamic sanctuary to observe the five daily prayer rituals (note: interior access restricted during prayers) and admire its saffron-colored façade crowned by a crescent moon—a symbol of the Silk Road’s spiritual legacy. 

Soaking in a Uyghur-style afternoon tea at the Century-Old Teahouse and savoring the rose-infused black tea paired with walnut-studded nang bread would be very fantastic moments you want to experience while the local musicians play the dutar.

Silk Road-themed photoshoot: Wear the vibrant ethnic costumes ( embroidered doppa hats and silk chapan robes) and pose against backdrops of terracotta arches, Persian-inspired tilework, and golden-hour-lit alleyways.

Attractions: Gaotai Ancient Residences, Kashgar Old City, Id Kah Mosque

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Kashgar GreenTree Eastern Hotel (Old City Branch), Kyriad Hotel, Kashgar Meihua Hotel (Torch Plaza), or equivalent 4-Diamond hotels

 

Day 10: Departure 

Today marks the disbandment day with no scheduled activities. You may depart at your convenience via flights or trains, or choose to extend your Silk Road journey. 

Tour Price ($=USD)

$ 1658 P.P, which is based on a private tour for 2-6 people. The price varies depending on the activity, number of people, travel date, and selected hotel.

Price Includes

√ Transportation: Chartered tourist vehicles (Days 2–9) with full legal permits, including seat insurance for all passengers, highway tolls, fuel costs, and driver’s accommodation/meals.

√ Accommodation: 9 nights of lodging as detailed in the itinerary.

√ Meals: Daily breakfast throughout the trip, as specified in daily meal inclusions.

√ Attraction Tickets & Shuttle Services: Admission and shuttle fees are as below.

• Bosten Lake (Dagangkou Scenic Area)
  

• Keziliya Grand Canyon (self-drive pass/shuttle included)
  

• Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves
  

• Wensu Grand Canyon (shuttle service)
  

• Yotkan Ancient City (performance ticket included)
  

• Shache Mausoleum
  

• White Sand Lake
  

• Karakul Lake

√ Complimentary Experiences

• Visit to a Tajik family’s home.
  

• Kashgar Old City photoshoot.
  

• Afternoon tea at the Century-Old Teahouse.
• On-Tour Support: Dedicated driver serving as escort throughout the journey.

Price Excludes

√ Round-Trip Travel: Transportation to/from Xinjiang (flights, trains, etc.).

√ Single Room Supplement: Additional fee for solo travelers requesting private rooms.

√ Optional Expenses: Entertainment activities (e.g., camel rides, hot air ballooning).

√ Personal expenses not specified above (souvenirs, laundry, etc.).

√ Force Majeure & Contingencies : Costs arising from unforeseen events (natural disasters, political unrest, strikes) or travel disruptions (flight cancellations, delays), which include extended accommodation/meals & Emergency transportation.