All the Way West

Special Notes

Booking the Mogao Caves, attending the Sunday market, and intercity transport all depend on the specific departure date; please review the arrangements below before finalising your dates.

• Booking & Written Confirmation — This itinerary is now available for booking. Specific departure dates, flight and train numbers for the four intercity segments, opening hours for the Mogao Caves and other scenic sites, and ticket availability will be verified against actual dates and itemised in the written quotation and confirmation.
• Day eleven must fall on a Sunday — The itinerary schedules the Kashgar bazaar for Day 11, which falls on a Sunday. Departure dates must be back-calculated accordingly and confirmed alongside flight, train, and hotel availability.
• National holiday week — no departures between 1 October and 7 October. Visitor numbers at the Terracotta Warriors in that week run beyond what a single dedicated day absorbs, and we have no early-entry arrangement in place.
• November and December departures — Travel dates must be verified against the scenic area's winter opening hours, Dunhuang Mogao Caves reservation quotas, and actual transport schedules; bookable dates and prices are subject to written quotation.
• The Mogao Caves reservation — Admission runs on a capped daily quota. We apply for your timed slot and track it at no separate charge, and your balance is not collected until the reservation for your order is secured. If the quota will not give your date, we tell you before payment and move the date. We do not sell you the day and sort it out later.
• The Turpan to Kashgar connection — The planned flight from Turpan to Kashgar will include a transit via Urumqi; specific flight details are subject to the formal written quotation. If the actual departure time affects the Day 9 sightseeing, Flaming Mountains can be moved to Day 8; any such adjustment and associated costs must be specified in the confirmation sheet.
• In-park transport — Cycling along the Xi'an City Wall and bicycle rentals are included in the itinerary. Entry to other scenic areas does not cover shuttle buses within the grounds, camel rides, sand dune buggy rides, or cable cars. Please note that the ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City, the alleys of Kashgar's Old Town, and the sand dunes contain uneven or loose surfaces.
• Id Kah Mosque — a working place of worship. The visit is arranged around prayer times and modest dress is asked of everyone. The prayer-time and dress details for your dates go into your written confirmation once our ground partners state them.
• Optional guided visits — If you would like to spend an additional half-day in Dunhuang or visit local homes and workshops in Kashgar, please share your travel dates and interests. We will check the activities available on that day, the time required, and any additional costs, and provide a written quote for your consideration.
• Group — Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
• Visa window — This itinerary is 13 days long, exceeding the 240-hour limit for visa-free transit. This policy alone is insufficient to complete the entire journey. Other visa-exemption or visa eligibility must be verified on a case-by-case basis according to your passport, port of entry, travel dates, and the official regulations in effect at the time.
• Departing from the US or Canada — Please provide your actual departure point, passport details, and return flight information; we will verify entry requirements and flight connections before issuing a written quote, and no commitment to this itinerary applies until confirmation is received.
• Confirmation and changes — The quotation specifies the confirmation deadline and the terms for changes and refunds. The itinerary includes three flights, one rail segment, and limited-availability reservations; the Kashgar bazaar visit is scheduled on Sunday. Should the departure date change, all these timetables and bookings will need to be re-checked.