---
title: "All the Way West"
description: "13 days from the Terracotta Warriors to the Kashgar Sunday bazaar crossing the Silk Road"
type: "tour"
route_id: "silk-road-xian-kashgar-13-days"
total_days: 13
price: 3500
highlights: ["Xi'an", "Dunhuang", "Turpan", "Kashgar", "Shanghai"]
url: "https://www.lyriktrip.com/tours/silk-road-xian-kashgar-13-days"
canonical_url: "https://www.lyriktrip.com/tours/silk-road-xian-kashgar-13-days"
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# All the Way West

13 days from the Terracotta Warriors to the Kashgar Sunday bazaar crossing the Silk Road

One road, west in order. Cave temples, singing dunes, a river fortress and old town lanes, with English-speaking guides city by city.

- Full walking days on uneven ground: the Jiaohe plateau, the Kashgar old town lanes and soft sand at the dunes. No cable car and no high-altitude section on this route. No in-park shuttle, camel ride or dune buggy is included at any site.

## Overview

The Silk Road is not a road, it is a direction. This plan holds that direction for thirteen days and never doubles back. Four nights in Xi'an set the eastern anchor, then west by air to Dunhuang, west again by rail to Turpan, west a third time to Kashgar, where the country runs out. Nothing here is a day trip from somewhere else, and no city is a hub you pass through twice. The last Sunday is fixed, because the Kashgar bazaar meets on Sundays and every departure date is counted back from it. You will not be able to name the day China stopped looking like the country you flew into, and that is the whole point.

— LyrikTrip travel designers

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates and who is coming. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day. On this route we will also tell you plainly where three things stand before you are asked for anything: the Turpan to Kashgar connection, the Mogao Caves reservation and the November and December dates.

## Summary

- Route ID: silk-road-xian-kashgar-13-days
- Duration: 13 days / 12 nights
- Starting price: $3,500
- Status: active
- Highlights: Xi'an, Dunhuang, Turpan, Kashgar, Shanghai
- Cover image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9cI5H2ZV.webp

## Hero tags

- private
- From 1 guest
- Max: no fixed limit

## Highlight notes

- One road, west in order. Cave temples, singing dunes, a river fortress and old town lanes, with English-speaking guides city by city.
- 13 days from the Terracotta Warriors to the Kashgar Sunday bazaar. Cross the real Silk Road.

## Selling points

- Give the Terracotta Warriors a whole day instead of a morning: by the afternoon you can pick a general out of the ranks yourself, without being told which one he is.
- Ride the top of the Xi'an City Wall at your own speed, on a bicycle that is in your price: you stop where you want to and look down at the two cities the wall keeps apart.
- Take the Mogao Caves in the morning, on a timed slot we apply for and track for you: your date is confirmed before any balance is collected.
- Sit on the Singing Sand Dunes as the light goes long over Crescent Moon Spring: the day's last hour is what this stop is scheduled around, not an afterthought at the end of it.
- Walk into the ruined city of Jiaohe, where two watercourses meet below the plateau: it is the one place on this route where you stand inside the shape of a town nobody has lived in for centuries.
- Have your last full day be the Kashgar Sunday bazaar, with nothing else on it: the market is running for the people who live here, and your departure date was set by its calendar rather than ours.
- Sleep four nights in Xi'an and three in Kashgar, at the two ends: the bags come out twice for more than two nights, and the middle of the trip is the part that moves.

## City highlights

- Xi'an (4 days): Into Xi'an
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/gRKVLNcJ.webp
- Dunhuang (2 days): The corridor, explained then entered
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bXZeVriD.webp
- Turpan (2 days): A slow morning, then the rails
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9rDRvHa7.webp
- Kashgar (3 days): The red ridge, then the long move
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kuWVx11c.webp
- Shanghai (2 days): One afternoon undoes eleven days
  - Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3PEjxTGx.webp

## Experiences

One road, west in order. Cave temples, singing dunes, a river fortress and old town lanes, with English-speaking guides city by city.

- Terracotta Army: Scale and Ambition (Xi'an): the excavation halls outside Xi'an holding the underground army of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, and one of the country's most significant archaeological finds. You look down into the pits at ranked columns of soldiers: individual faces, armor by rank, formations still legible after two millennia of burial. Your guide teaches you to read them: which are officers, which are archers, what the formation was for. Why it rewards a slow visit: the scale reads in one glance, the craftsmanship only up close.
  - Subtitle: the excavation halls outside Xi'an holding the underground army of Qin Shi
  - Tags: Heritage
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Essential Xi'an access to one of China's most recognized archaeological sites.
  - Images: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1528866310106-4459b39622ed?q=80&w=2064&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8fA%3D%3D, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/70bc50b897e9.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/788c1d294602.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d1bf545bf0ba.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8ff4c8890b77.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9b2f4e2d90b4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ed2c5f141848.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4cd4eb7405cc.jpg
- Shaanxi noodle lunch (Xi'an): lunch after the museum, in the local style: Shaanxi is wheat country, so lunch here is noodles rather than rice. Your guide orders. Its pricing basis is being finalized, so your quote states in writing whether this lunch sits inside your base price.
  - Subtitle: lunch after the museum, in the local style: Shaanxi is wheat country, so lunch here is noodles rather than rice.
  - Tags: Meal
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: lunch after the museum, in the local style: Shaanxi is wheat country, so lunch here is noodles rather than rice. Your guide orders. Its pricing basis is being finalized, so your quote states in writing whether this lunch sits inside your base price.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/afafaeecd131.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b73ade1e52ce.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7c635ec6a98a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/13dda5353b3b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6474ed30da65.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f220855209e1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2cb23323af90.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a1ca07f28ea8.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/27f05bd6d5f6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bb412050bfa5.jpg
- Xi'an Ancient City Wall Cycling (Xi'an): You go up and ride — gray brick under the wheels, the old grid inside the wall on one hand, the modern city outside it on the other. The full circuit is about 14 km; ride the whole loop, a stretch, or walk part of it. You set your own pace — the gates have ramps, the surface is brick, and there is no traffic on top. The hire time counted in and any charge past it are stated in writing in your quote. This is the longest unsheltered section on the route, and it converts to a walked section when weather or stamina calls for it; November and December departures have the cold-weather arrangement written into the quote. It is also the clearest lesson in Chinese city planning you will get on this trip — old lanes inside the wall, towers without.
  - Subtitle: one of the most complete surviving ancient city walls in China, wide enough on top to cycle two abreast, still ringed around the old center. Admission and bike hire are in the base price.
  - Tags: Cycling
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Active heritage experience on one of China's best-preserved city walls.
  - Images: https://ak-d.tripcdn.com/images/0353012000p9q9h7p45A9_C_1080_540_Q80.jpg_.webp?_fr=wc, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/daf832e303d0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8f7c7a922b33.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f864b69ac4b1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9c4dc5e6e575.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b69829f31585.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1170df991f6f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ad143f00bca6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dabb4f7b21b8.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6c4bc5467067.jpg
- Sajinqiao Food Walk (Xi'an): The Muslim culinary street locals actually eat on, one street from the tourist crowds. Your guide walks you stall to stall and orders with you: roujiamo, crisp-baked bread packed with slow-braised pork; noodles pulled long on the counter; lamb skewers straight off the charcoal; what you eat is on your account, and nothing costs much.
  - Subtitle: Xi'an street food with a local
  - Tags: Food
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Your guide steers and orders with you; food is paid on your account.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1b231bf5e564.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d8bf7925468a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b73ade1e52ce.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f4475eca0112.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9d81d74adbfd.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e8e2b2514956.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ef7998707992.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/04e1aa74c86a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bfdc415e6889.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/52c56934b3f4.jpg
- Xi'an Shadow Puppetry Workshop (Xi'an): This workshop introduces traditional shadow puppetry through a family-friendly cultural activity.
  - Subtitle: A hands-on Xi'an folk art experience
  - Tags: Workshop
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: Interactive craft-based access to a classic Shaanxi performance tradition.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5d1d1da5c230.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1dfed4c6b086.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d4544aff5b15.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/be406d29df50.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/41b21a7c3b82.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/93396a712e62.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/36055234863f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d5bab31a09c5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fa8029a1c7c7.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1534f50b8e08.jpg
- Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City (Xi'an): Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City presents Xi'an's Tang heritage through lights streets and evening crowds.
  - Subtitle: A modern night scene inspired by Tang culture
  - Tags: Nightlife
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: A lively night walk that adds atmosphere beyond daytime heritage sites.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/eadf7ec332d6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/82ac3668832c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ab0bbd4b1ed5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/177f56e98be4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/30b5f2fdbb2c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c9ed3f12f6cb.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e86b42b18fa5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9f8d648a8d01.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/96e7401259f8.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8c999fddfc70.jpg
- Xi'an History Museum (Xi'an): Xi'an History Museum helps place the ancient capital's dynastic story into context.
  - Subtitle: A museum window into ancient China
  - Tags: Museum
  - Host: Xi'an, Xi'an Lens — Warriors and ancient capital
  - Access: A compact cultural stop that deepens the Terracotta Warriors and city wall experience.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f68bd9255a05.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/b6c7a7748882.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d4ecebbf60b5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8c8701ffcffc.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/eb3c39ca7fae.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9b2f4e2d90b4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2e67033aa835.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4cd4eb7405cc.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3eca35942473.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fead4a066b16.jpg
- Mogao Grottoes (Dunhuang): Mogao Grottoes preserve murals sculptures and cave temples from Dunhuang's Silk Road past.
  - Subtitle: Silk Road Buddhist art in the desert
  - Tags: Grottoes
  - Host: Dunhuang, Dunhuang Lens — Desert art and Silk Road
  - Access: A core Silk Road art experience with exceptional historical depth.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/33a1919675df.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3179e00bb0af.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/cbb2c0529d57.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5575a7897029.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/15957b19c401.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8fdec2e20c71.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4ea561bda1bf.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5367f0b144d6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/689b1e65fae5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4d46505e7bcd.jpg
- Singing Sand Dunes (Dunhuang): Singing Sand Dunes bring travelers into the desert setting that shaped Dunhuang's Silk Road identity.
  - Subtitle: Dunhuang's classic desert landscape
  - Tags: Desert
  - Host: Dunhuang, Dunhuang Lens — Desert art and Silk Road
  - Access: A scenic desert moment often paired with oasis and cave culture.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8675ab80f6aa.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f565d13088f2.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/db82f71ef174.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5cf5453cee99.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/af5dcab6e2d4.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/74c22e627a8e.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f8633d1d6918.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/25f3acabe221.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ae5b3fca6473.jpg
- Jiaohe Ruins (Turpan): Jiaohe Ruins reveal an abandoned earthen city shaped by Silk Road history and desert geography.
  - Subtitle: Ancient ruins near Turpan
  - Tags: Ruins
  - Host: Turpan, Turpan Lens — Ruins, heat and irrigation
  - Access: A strong archaeological stop in Xinjiang's Turpan basin.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/345fba35df4f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1c46bdefacee.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8de2e91aa394.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/eb7957fb75a1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/21e62d031ddb.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8500c07f0331.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5ca9f4d87056.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7c1908ec72cf.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0fbe49969ddf.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dc9c9cbe75c2.jpg
- Karez Irrigation System (Turpan): Karez Irrigation System explains how Turpan survived and farmed in a harsh desert environment.
  - Subtitle: An ancient underground water system
  - Tags: Irrigation
  - Host: Turpan, Turpan Lens — Ruins, heat and irrigation
  - Access: A practical engineering story behind oasis life in Xinjiang.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0ccd65bbd0bd.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/13eceff5842d.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f03a41f6bbe6.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9cd51b1e917f.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9e5f5718007c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/394c5019cced.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f2553e856dd0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f358e4cacf68.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/69c90046d97c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0c595f364653.jpg
- Flaming Mountains (Turpan): Flaming Mountains show the dry heat and vivid geology of the Turpan region.
  - Subtitle: Turpan's dramatic red mountain landscape
  - Tags: Landscape
  - Host: Turpan, Turpan Lens — Ruins, heat and irrigation
  - Access: A bold landscape stop that anchors Turpan's desert character.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3f56f92d8475.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/0319aacf361a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/465601961775.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a14fddc315c3.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/350aaada1479.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f5ef1977db96.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3d6054c9659b.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/963eb4ce9de5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d7cb3069e199.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ca47e58a832a.jpg
- Kashgar Old Town (Kashgar): Kashgar Old Town offers lanes courtyards crafts and a strong sense of Uyghur urban culture.
  - Subtitle: A walk through Kashgar's old streets
  - Tags: Old Town
  - Host: Kashgar, Kashgar Lens — Bazaar, mosque and old town
  - Access: A textured old-city experience in one of China's most distinctive western cities.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/269947f24a71.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a9f733993980.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4ec5f9bb2a7a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7a0a2cffd683.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bb914e709094.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/24374e51fda1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8c0cb48e3af3.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f658513034b1.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e4852871ac36.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/28f32a2c2688.jpg
- Id Kah Mosque (Kashgar): Id Kah Mosque is one of Kashgar's most important religious and cultural landmarks.
  - Subtitle: Kashgar's landmark mosque
  - Tags: Mosque
  - Host: Kashgar, Kashgar Lens — Bazaar, mosque and old town
  - Access: A central stop for understanding Kashgar's Islamic cultural identity.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/91c37610fd87.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/7ff605830fa0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/e0e4789d9724.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c99a560336d5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8a1f2896800c.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9d3afb78d5bb.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ac7e1aa09060.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/50540888a876.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f658513034b1.jpg
- Kashgar Sunday Bazaar (Kashgar): Kashgar Sunday Bazaar brings together trading energy local goods and regional daily life.
  - Subtitle: A famous market gathering in Kashgar
  - Tags: Bazaar
  - Host: Kashgar, Kashgar Lens — Bazaar, mosque and old town
  - Access: A lively market moment that captures Silk Road commercial atmosphere.
  - Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dda6eae42661.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3ac600ca2820.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/f070f97a9c59.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/592a774b4fc0.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d3431ebc3531.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/542d908adabb.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/84884c44e096.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/57ee9bd81bc5.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/83e196888d2a.jpg, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/d9985a5febb5.jpg
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## Itinerary

### All the Way West - 13 days

Journey

#### Xi'an (4 days)

- Subtitle: Into Xi'an
- Recommendation: Your driver meets the flight, whatever hour it lands. Everything from here runs one direction, and none of it starts today.
- Transport: Flight
- Transport mode: airplane

Airport pickup · Evening

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/gRKVLNcJ.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2IrwPATt.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2SYFFac8.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2z6MDkku.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/34qxDxFA.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3DF4Fowd.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3G0oTlIq.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/56RpQD9k.webp
##### Day 1: Into Xi'an

- (transport) — your driver and vehicle are waiting for the flight number on your confirmation, and the run into the city is yours to sleep through.
- (note) — nothing is scheduled. Your guide is reachable, and dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your account.
- (accommodation) Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an — Hotel stay in Xian.

##### Day 2: One site, one day

- (sight) — you walk the excavation halls and your guide sorts the ranks for you: armor and hairstyle are how a general is told from a crossbowman, and how both are told from the foot soldiers behind them. An estimated eight thousand figures were buried here. Stand at the rail above the newer excavation ground, where some of the original pigment is still on the clay, and look down the line until the figures stop being a crowd and start being individuals. Ten minutes at the rail and you'll notice that you have stopped talking.
- (dining) — hand-pulled noodles at a local house afterwards, the one arranged lunch of the thirteen days.
- (sight) — the whole day is here, so nothing is timed against a second site; the visit stretches or shortens as you like.

##### Day 3: Above the city, then one street off it

- (sight) — you take a bicycle up onto one of the most complete stretches of city wall left standing in China and ride the top, wide enough for two abreast. The bicycle is in your price, and how far you go is your own decision. Ride out, stop at a corner tower and look down at the old grid inside and the towers outside before you turn back.
- (dining) — the eating street of the Hui quarter, one street away from where the tourist flow goes. Your guide walks it with you and reads the stalls out loud: roujiamo, the crisp-baked bread packed with slow-braised pork; a bowl of noodles pulled in front of you; lamb over charcoal.
- (sight) — what you eat and buy along the walk is on your account, which is why the guide reads prices as well as menus.

##### Day 4: A lit screen and a lit street

- (sight) — an afternoon visit to a working workshop, where figures cut from hide are moved on rods behind a lit screen. You see the figures up close and the screen from both sides. It is a visit, not a class: nothing here is made for you to take home.
- (sight) — after dark, an evening street district on a Tang dynasty theme, its Chinese name meaning the great Tang city that never goes dark. Walk the length of it once with the crowd rather than around it: this is where the city's own residents come out at night, and it is the loudest thing on the thirteen days.
- (sight) — this is one of two days in thirteen with nothing else on it, placed here because the next eight days move every second or third morning.

#### Dunhuang (2 days)

- Subtitle: The corridor, explained then entered
- Recommendation: A museum in the morning, a plane in the afternoon. The context goes in before the desert does.
- Transport: High-speed rail
- Transport mode: train

Shaanxi History Museum · West to Dunhuang · Out the window

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bXZeVriD.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9cI5H2ZV.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/bjBk1cyQ.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dAq2RWVu.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/iIH2ZWeJ.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/jElrnNZC.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/lqaBZIct.webp
##### Day 5: The corridor, explained then entered

- (sight) — the provincial museum, taken as the last thing you do in the east. It sits on this morning on purpose: the corridor you fly over this afternoon makes more sense after this room than before it.
- (sight) — the afternoon flight, with hotel to airport at this end and airport to hotel at the other. The flight number, time and cabin class for your order are written into your quote.
- (sight) — green gives out to gravel somewhere over the middle of the flight, and the mountains below stop having anything growing on them. A window seat is worth asking us for.
- (accommodation) Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel — Hotel stay in Dunhuang.

##### Day 6: Caves in the morning, sand at the end

- (sight) — your timed slot is applied for and tracked by us, and it is a morning one. The Buddhist cave temples outside town are the reason this itinerary gives Dunhuang two nights instead of an overnight stop. Your guide is with you through the visit.
- (sight) — the visit is set for the end of the day, when the light is long. Walk up a ridge on your own legs, sit down on the sand facing the hollow with the crescent of water in it, and stay put until the color has finished changing. Sitting there with the light going, you'll notice how quiet a place this size turns out to be.
- (sight) — the camel strings and dune buggies operating on this dune field are not part of this plan and are not included, at any site on this route.

#### Turpan (2 days)

- Subtitle: A slow morning, then the rails
- Recommendation: Nothing is scheduled before noon. Thirteen days going one direction needs one morning that does not.
- Transport: Flight
- Transport mode: airplane

Free morning · The Lanzhou to Xinjiang line · Out the window

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9rDRvHa7.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1pQMLX6I.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/31VSbNLz.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/386iLJLR.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6LHoqaIw.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/941QFPyq.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ahYSRiq6.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/dFAmhKJi.webp
##### Day 7: A slow morning, then the rails

- (sight) — the morning is yours. Your guide is reachable for a recommendation and the vehicle is available; we are working on a second Dunhuang half-day, and it is not part of this plan, not priced and not sold.
- (sight) — the afternoon train west, with hotel to station at this end and station to hotel at the other. The seat class for your order is written into your quote.
- (sight) — gravel plain at speed, with no turn in it. Watch the horizon rather than the foreground: the foreground is the part that moves, and the horizon holds still for an hour at a time.
- (accommodation) Turpan Tuha Petroleum Hotel — Hotel stay in Turpan.

##### Day 8: A town with no roof and water with no surface

- (sight) — a fortress town of the Han and Tang eras on a plateau where two watercourses meet, which is exactly what the name says in Chinese. You walk its streets with the drop on both sides of you and the two channels of water below. There is no shade out there, so the visit is timed and water goes in the vehicle. Somewhere along the main street you'll find yourself lowering your voice, out here where there is nobody left to disturb.
- (sight) — underground irrigation channels, some two thousand years old, counted alongside the Great Wall and the Grand Canal as one of the three great public works of ancient China. Your guide explains how this basin gets watered, and you see the channels at the point where they can be seen.
- (sight) — the ruined city goes first, before the ground heats up, and the channels come after.

#### Kashgar (3 days)

- Subtitle: The red ridge, then the long move
- Recommendation: A short morning stop, then the one long jump of the trip. By tonight you are at the far end of the country.
- Transport: Private vehicle
- Transport mode: car

Flaming Mountains · Turpan to Kashgar · If the connection runs earlier

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/kuWVx11c.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/18IdsCbt.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3xYNlcML.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/8tZpAsaa.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/eo0ctwze.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/h6kxgRGz.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/i5uYsc5x.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/iWnL2IXx.webp
##### Day 9: The red ridge, then the long move

- (sight) — the bare red ridge along the north of the basin, seen from the viewpoint rather than walked. It is the landform that answers the question the last two days raised: where the heat in this basin comes from.
- (sight) — the afternoon flight, changing planes in Urumqi without staying the night there. The 2026 fourth-quarter timetable on this connection is being verified against the operating schedule, and the confirmed flights for your dates are written into your quote before you pay anything.
- (sight) — the morning stop and the flight are set as one piece; when the connection leaves no morning, the Flaming Mountains move to day eight and stay in your price.
- (accommodation) Radisson Blu Hotel Kashgar — Hotel stay in Kashgar.

##### Day 10: The end of the road, on foot

- (sight) — the walk is set early on purpose. Your guide takes you in on foot through lanes that were not laid out for vehicles, and the surfaces are uneven the whole way. Stop at a corner and look back down the lane you came along: doorways, shade lines and the morning going about its business.
- (sight) — the congregational mosque at the center of the city, and a working place of worship, not a monument. The visit is arranged around prayer times, and modest dress is asked of everyone in your party; the details for your dates are written into your confirmation.
- (sight) — the rest of the day is unhurried, and how long you stay in the old town is the thing that decides it.

##### Day 11: The one fixed day

- (sight) — you go with your guide and stay as long as you want to, because there is nothing behind it in the day. This is a market running for the people who live here; you are a visitor in it rather than its reason. Food and anything you buy inside are on your account.
- (sight) — unscheduled, the second of the two light days. The vehicle and your guide stay with you.

#### Shanghai (2 days)

- Subtitle: One afternoon undoes eleven days
- Recommendation: A full travel day east, in one hop. The shape of the trip only becomes obvious from up here.
- Transport: Flight
- Transport mode: airplane

Kashgar to Shanghai · The night in Shanghai · Out the window

- Images: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/3PEjxTGx.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/13x1KtnS.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1Q9afrZn.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1Riqjj0n.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1VrlDwIi.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/1vYpI6NZ.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/4EbDdFHb.webp, https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/525J26xE.webp
##### Day 12: One afternoon undoes eleven days

- (sight) — close to six hours in the air including a stop en route, which is the whole day and is planned as the whole day. Hotel to airport at this end, airport to hotel at the other.
- (sight) — included so that your international departure tomorrow has a full night of margin behind it rather than a tight connection. This night carries transfer service only: there is no touring guide in Shanghai and nothing is scheduled.
- (sight) — the ground you spent eleven days crossing goes back under the wing in an afternoon, desert first, then the mountains, then everything green again. Somewhere over the middle of it you'll feel, for the first time, how far you actually went.
- (accommodation) Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund — Hotel stay in Shanghai.

##### Day 13: Home

- (transport) — your driver takes you to the airport, timed to your flight with room to spare. If a late departure leaves the day open, tell us and we plan the gap around your check-out.

## Daily plan

### Day 1 — Into Xi'an

Your driver meets the flight, whatever hour it lands. Everything from here runs one direction, and none of it starts today.

- Airport pickup: your driver and vehicle are waiting for the flight number on your confirmation, and the run into the city is yours to sleep through.
- Evening: nothing is scheduled. Your guide is reachable, and dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your account.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: None included today

### Day 2 — One site, one day

No second stop is behind this one. Today is when the scale of the thing gets the hours it needs.

- Terracotta Warriors: you walk the excavation halls and your guide sorts the ranks for you: armor and hairstyle are how a general is told from a crossbowman, and how both are told from the foot soldiers behind them. An estimated eight thousand figures were buried here. Stand at the rail above the newer excavation ground, where some of the original pigment is still on the clay, and look down the line until the figures stop being a crowd and start being individuals. Ten minutes at the rail and you'll notice that you have stopped talking.
- Shaanxi noodle lunch: hand-pulled noodles at a local house afterwards, the one arranged lunch of the thirteen days.
- Pace: the whole day is here, so nothing is timed against a second site; the visit stretches or shortens as you like.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel, plus the noodle lunch

### Day 3 — Above the city, then one street off it

A rampart in the morning and an eating street in the evening. Xi'an gets read from above first, then at the height of a stall.

- Xi'an City Wall by bicycle: you take a bicycle up onto one of the most complete stretches of city wall left standing in China and ride the top, wide enough for two abreast. The bicycle is in your price, and how far you go is your own decision. Ride out, stop at a corner tower and look down at the old grid inside and the towers outside before you turn back.
- The Sajinqiao food street: the eating street of the Hui quarter, one street away from where the tourist flow goes. Your guide walks it with you and reads the stalls out loud: roujiamo, the crisp-baked bread packed with slow-braised pork; a bowl of noodles pulled in front of you; lamb over charcoal.
- Money: what you eat and buy along the walk is on your account, which is why the guide reads prices as well as menus.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 4 — A lit screen and a lit street

A light day, on purpose, in the middle of the Xi'an block. This is the day the city stops being a monument.

- Shadow puppet workshop: an afternoon visit to a working workshop, where figures cut from hide are moved on rods behind a lit screen. You see the figures up close and the screen from both sides. It is a visit, not a class: nothing here is made for you to take home.
- Datang Everbright City: after dark, an evening street district on a Tang dynasty theme, its Chinese name meaning the great Tang city that never goes dark. Walk the length of it once with the crowd rather than around it: this is where the city's own residents come out at night, and it is the loudest thing on the thirteen days.
- Rest day: this is one of two days in thirteen with nothing else on it, placed here because the next eight days move every second or third morning.
- Stay: Xi'an
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 5 — The corridor, explained then entered

A museum in the morning, a plane in the afternoon. The context goes in before the desert does.

- Shaanxi History Museum: the provincial museum, taken as the last thing you do in the east. It sits on this morning on purpose: the corridor you fly over this afternoon makes more sense after this room than before it.
- West to Dunhuang: the afternoon flight, with hotel to airport at this end and airport to hotel at the other. The flight number, time and cabin class for your order are written into your quote.
- Out the window: green gives out to gravel somewhere over the middle of the flight, and the mountains below stop having anything growing on them. A window seat is worth asking us for.
- Stay: Dunhuang
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 6 — Caves in the morning, sand at the end

The two things Dunhuang is here for, at the two hours they each work. Between them, an oasis explains itself.

- Mogao Caves: your timed slot is applied for and tracked by us, and it is a morning one. The Buddhist cave temples outside town are the reason this itinerary gives Dunhuang two nights instead of an overnight stop. Your guide is with you through the visit.
- Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Moon Spring: the visit is set for the end of the day, when the light is long. Walk up a ridge on your own legs, sit down on the sand facing the hollow with the crescent of water in it, and stay put until the color has finished changing. Sitting there with the light going, you'll notice how quiet a place this size turns out to be.
- What is not here: the camel strings and dune buggies operating on this dune field are not part of this plan and are not included, at any site on this route.
- Stay: Dunhuang
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 7 — A slow morning, then the rails

Nothing is scheduled before noon. Thirteen days going one direction needs one morning that does not.

- Free morning: the morning is yours. Your guide is reachable for a recommendation and the vehicle is available; we are working on a second Dunhuang half-day, and it is not part of this plan, not priced and not sold.
- The Lanzhou to Xinjiang line: the afternoon train west, with hotel to station at this end and station to hotel at the other. The seat class for your order is written into your quote.
- Out the window: gravel plain at speed, with no turn in it. Watch the horizon rather than the foreground: the foreground is the part that moves, and the horizon holds still for an hour at a time.
- Stay: Turpan
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 8 — A town with no roof and water with no surface

One ruined city above ground and one water system below it. Turpan is where an oasis shows you its engineering.

- The ruined city of Jiaohe: a fortress town of the Han and Tang eras on a plateau where two watercourses meet, which is exactly what the name says in Chinese. You walk its streets with the drop on both sides of you and the two channels of water below. There is no shade out there, so the visit is timed and water goes in the vehicle. Somewhere along the main street you'll find yourself lowering your voice, out here where there is nobody left to disturb.
- The Karez channels: underground irrigation channels, some two thousand years old, counted alongside the Great Wall and the Grand Canal as one of the three great public works of ancient China. Your guide explains how this basin gets watered, and you see the channels at the point where they can be seen.
- The order of the day: the ruined city goes first, before the ground heats up, and the channels come after.
- Stay: Turpan
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 9 — The red ridge, then the long move

A short morning stop, then the one long jump of the trip. By tonight you are at the far end of the country.

- Flaming Mountains: the bare red ridge along the north of the basin, seen from the viewpoint rather than walked. It is the landform that answers the question the last two days raised: where the heat in this basin comes from.
- Turpan to Kashgar: the afternoon flight, changing planes in Urumqi without staying the night there. The 2026 fourth-quarter timetable on this connection is being verified against the operating schedule, and the confirmed flights for your dates are written into your quote before you pay anything.
- If the connection runs earlier: the morning stop and the flight are set as one piece; when the connection leaves no morning, the Flaming Mountains move to day eight and stay in your price.
- Stay: Kashgar
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 10 — The end of the road, on foot

The old town in the early hours, before the lanes fill. West has run out, and today you walk the last of it.

- Kashgar old town: the walk is set early on purpose. Your guide takes you in on foot through lanes that were not laid out for vehicles, and the surfaces are uneven the whole way. Stop at a corner and look back down the lane you came along: doorways, shade lines and the morning going about its business.
- Id Kah Mosque: the congregational mosque at the center of the city, and a working place of worship, not a monument. The visit is arranged around prayer times, and modest dress is asked of everyone in your party; the details for your dates are written into your confirmation.
- Afternoon: the rest of the day is unhurried, and how long you stay in the old town is the thing that decides it.
- Stay: Kashgar
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 11 — The one fixed day

The market only happens today. Your entire departure date was counted backward from it.

- Kashgar Sunday bazaar: you go with your guide and stay as long as you want to, because there is nothing behind it in the day. This is a market running for the people who live here; you are a visitor in it rather than its reason. Food and anything you buy inside are on your account.
- The rest of the day: unscheduled, the second of the two light days. The vehicle and your guide stay with you.
- Stay: Kashgar
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 12 — One afternoon undoes eleven days

A full travel day east, in one hop. The shape of the trip only becomes obvious from up here.

- Kashgar to Shanghai: close to six hours in the air including a stop en route, which is the whole day and is planned as the whole day. Hotel to airport at this end, airport to hotel at the other.
- The night in Shanghai: included so that your international departure tomorrow has a full night of margin behind it rather than a tight connection. This night carries transfer service only: there is no touring guide in Shanghai and nothing is scheduled.
- Out the window: the ground you spent eleven days crossing goes back under the wing in an afternoon, desert first, then the mountains, then everything green again. Somewhere over the middle of it you'll feel, for the first time, how far you actually went.
- Stay: Shanghai
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

### Day 13 — Home

Breakfast, then the airport, with time to spare. What goes home with you is a direction you can now describe.

- Airport drop-off: your driver takes you to the airport, timed to your flight with room to spare. If a late departure leaves the day open, tell us and we plan the gap around your check-out.
- Stay: Trip ends
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

## Hotels

### Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

- City: Shanghai
- Description: Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/a07e8f886100.jpg

### Atour Hotel Wenhua West Road Turpan

- City: Turpan
- Description: Atour Hotel Wenhua West Road Turpan
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/9LPyUv7u.webp

### Starway Hotel Kashgar Ancient City

- City: Kashgar
- Description: Starway Hotel Kashgar Ancient City
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/2FV6ZfxC.webp

### Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

- City: Shanghai
- Description: Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/5xOD9FRB.webp

### Sheraton Xi'an North City Hotel

- City: Xian
- Description: Sheraton Xi'an North City: five-star luxury five minutes from the Daming Palace, with an indoor pool and wellness centre.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/k01OUBYw.jpg

### Dunhuang International Hotel

- City: Dunhuang
- Description: Dunhuang International Hotel, a 10-minute walk from Shazhou Night Market, with a restaurant and free parking.

### West Tour Hotel Turpan

- City: Turpan
- Description: West Tour Hotel Turpan
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/6X4pxgvv.jpg

### Rezen Seman Kashgar

- City: Kashgar
- Description: Rezen Seman Kashgar
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/fY3KAuBV.webp

### Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

- City: Shanghai
- Description: Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ciHY2Qvs.webp

### Shangri-La Hotel

- City: Xian
- Description: Shangri-La Hotel Xi'an: five-star luxury near the Terracotta Warriors, 35 minutes from the airport.
- Image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/ldYT8r2G.webp

### Dunhuang Season Boutique Hotel

- City: Dunhuang
- Description: Dunhuang Season Boutique Hotel, steps from Shazhou Night Market, with a terrace, shared lounge and cozy rooms.

## Included / Excluded

### What's Included

- The four moves west: Xi'an to Dunhuang by air · Dunhuang to Turpan on the Lanzhou to Xinjiang high-speed line · Turpan to Kashgar by air changing planes in Urumqi · Kashgar to Shanghai by air, a full travel day with a stop en route. Cabin and seat class are being finalized, so your quote states the class for your order in writing
- Ground transport: Air-conditioned vehicle for all listed touring in all five cities; airport pickup in Xi'an on day one and airport drop-off in Shanghai on day thirteen; hotel and airport or station transfers at both ends of all four intercity segments
- Hotels: 12 nights with breakfast at your chosen level: Xi'an 4 · Dunhuang 2 · Turpan 2 · Kashgar 3 · Shanghai 1. The Shanghai night is included so the international departure has a full night of margin
- Guide: Licensed English-speaking guide on all touring days in Xi'an, Dunhuang, Turpan and Kashgar. The Shanghai transit night carries transfer service only, without a touring guide
- Tickets & experiences, Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors, a whole day · Xi'an City Wall ride including the bicycle rental · the Sajinqiao food street walk with your guide · shadow puppet workshop visit · Datang Everbright City after dark · Shaanxi History Museum
- Tickets & experiences, Dunhuang: Mogao Caves morning entry with the timed reservation applied for and tracked by us · Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Moon Spring at sunset
- Tickets & experiences, Turpan: The ruined city of Jiaohe · the Karez underground channels · Flaming Mountains
- Tickets & experiences, Kashgar: Kashgar old town morning walk · Id Kah Mosque · the Kashgar Sunday bazaar
- Meals: 12 hotel breakfasts, day two through day thirteen, plus one arranged lunch: the Shaanxi noodle lunch on day two. That lunch's pricing basis is being finalized, so your quote states in writing whether it sits inside your base price
- Reservation service: The Mogao Caves timed reservation, applied for and tracked by us at no separate charge
- Insurance: Travel accident insurance

### Not Included

- International flights: Flights into Xi'an and out of Shanghai
- Visas: Visa fees and processing for any guest who needs a Chinese visa. The five markets this route is sold to currently enter visa-free
- Meals: Beyond the 12 breakfasts and the one arranged lunch: lunches and dinners are recommended and booked by your guide, on your account. What you buy on the Sajinqiao walk and inside the Kashgar bazaar is also on your account
- Site-internal transport: In-park shuttles, camel rides, dune buggies and any cable car or lift. None of these is included at any site on this route, and none is presented as a highlight
- Optional add-ons: This route sells no optional add-on at present
- Personal: Gratuities, single or extra-room difference, laundry, personal spending

### Special Notes

A few things on this route follow a calendar, a quota or a supplier's confirmation. Here they are, told straight.

- Bookings are not open yet: five things close before the first order is taken, and until they do we take no orders and no deposits. The route's own file has to be re-reviewed and cleared. The fourth-quarter timetable on the Turpan to Kashgar connection has to be verified. Our ground partners have to state the Mogao Caves reservation channel and quota rule in writing. The winter opening status of the outdoor sites has to come back from our ground partners. And the Ramadan window has to be checked against the final departure list. Tell us your dates and we write to you on the day it opens.
- Day eleven must fall on a Sunday: the Kashgar bazaar meets on Sundays, so every departure date on this route is counted back from a Sunday day eleven. Dates that do not satisfy that are not sold. The first open departures in 2026 are October 8, 15, 22 and 29.
- National holiday week: no departures between October 1 and October 7. 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: held closed for now. Four of the sites on this route are outdoor, this is deep winter in China's northwest, and the winter visiting rule at the Mogao Caves is not on file with us yet. We open October first and will open the later dates only once our ground partners have stated the winter conditions in writing. If those dates open, the last departure is December 17, 2026, for the visa reason below.
- 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: this flight changes planes in Urumqi and its fourth-quarter timetable is being verified against the operating schedule. Until that is done we do not promise the segment to anyone; the confirmed flights for your dates are written into your quote before you pay. When the connection leaves no morning, the Flaming Mountains stop moves to day eight and stays in your price.
- Nothing at any site includes a ride: no in-park shuttle, camel ride, dune buggy, cable car or lift is included anywhere on this route. Full walking days on uneven ground are the shape of this trip, at Jiaohe, in the Kashgar lanes and on soft sand at the dunes.
- 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.
- What we are still buying: a second Dunhuang half-day and a Kashgar home or workshop visit are on our buying list. Neither is in this plan, neither is priced, and neither is sold to you in any form. If they land before your departure we will tell you what they cost, and you decide.
- Group: Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
- Visa window: the 30-day visa-free policy currently runs through December 31, 2026. Because this is a 13-day plan, departures on or before December 17, 2026 finish inside that window; later dates are quoted only after the official renewal is announced. Guests who entered China under the 10-day visa-free transit policy cannot take this trip: 13 days is longer than that policy allows, and Gansu and Xinjiang lie outside its permitted area. We say so before payment, with no workarounds.
- Not sold from the United States or Canada: Xi'an has no usable inbound connection from either market for this itinerary, and a US passport needs a Chinese visa on top of that. Requests from those two markets get a different routing and a fresh quote, not this plan.
- Confirmation and changes: the confirmation-time commitment and the change and refund terms are being finalized with our ground partners. Until they are settled, each quote states in writing its own confirmation deadline and its change and refund conditions. One structural fact worth knowing while they are: this route holds three flights, one rail segment, one quota-controlled reservation and one Sunday-locked day, so a date change moves the whole departure by full weeks rather than by days.

## Is Thirteen Days Your Length?

Fewer than thirteen days?

### Fewer than thirteen days?

This one does not shorten well. Both ends carry an anchor, Dunhuang at one and Kashgar at the other, and the Sunday in Kashgar fixes the whole calendar. Cutting days means cutting one of the two ends, which is a different trip. Tell us your dates and we will tell you straight whether it still works.

## Good to Know

- Group: Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
- Pace: Five stops in 13 days: Xi'an 4 nights, Kashgar 3, Dunhuang and Turpan 2 each, plus one transit night in Shanghai. Two light days and three travel days
- Effort: Full walking days on uneven ground at Jiaohe, in the Kashgar old town lanes and on soft sand at the dunes. No cable car and no high-altitude section, and no in-park ride of any kind is included
- Ports: Xi'an in, Shanghai out. Airport pickup on day one and drop-off on day thirteen
- Visas: UK, most European, Australian and New Zealand passports enter visa-free for days, checked order by order against your dates. Not sold from the United States or Canada
- Language: Licensed English-speaking guides in Xi'an, Dunhuang, Turpan and Kashgar. The Shanghai transit night carries transfer service only
- Payment: When this route opens: From 1 guest. A 10% deposit (minimum $399) locks your dates. The balance is due 14 days before departure, and on this route not before your Mogao Caves reservation is secured. "Or similar" never means a quiet downgrade, and「或同级」绝不悄悄降级
- Season: Selling window October to December 2026. October departures open first: October 8, 15, 22 and 29. No departures October 1 to 7. Later dates open only once winter conditions come back in writing

## Your Private Concierge

- Name: Jason Hu
- Title: Private China Route Concierge
- Tagline: A bilingual planning desk for tailor-made China journeys.
- Bio: Our China team tunes pacing, hotels and local hosts around each route style.
- Avatar image: https://cdn.lyriktrip.com/s/c0TBypRh.png

### Stats

- 20+ Years
- 300+ Trips designed
- 24/7 On-trip care

### The Conversation

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates and who's coming — and if this length isn't right for you, we'll say so and shape a shorter arc. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day.

- CTA: Start the conversation

### Step 01: Tell us what excites you

Not your dates and budget — your curiosity. Where have you always wanted to go? What do you want to feel? We start there.

- 24h: First concept delivered

### Step 02: We design it around you

Your specialist builds the itinerary from scratch — routes, hosts, hotels, and experiences you won't find anywhere else.

- 100%: Bespoke, never off-the-shelf

### Step 03: Lock it in with 10%

When the plan feels right, a 10% deposit holds your entire trip. Balance due 30 days before departure.

- 10%: Deposit to secure everything

### Step 04: Travel. We handle the rest.

Your Trip Pack arrives before you fly. On the road, your concierge is one message away — for the expected and everything you didn't plan for.

- 24/7: Support throughout your journey

- Free cancellation up to 30 days
- English-speaking concierge
- Secure payment via Stripe

- CTA: Talk to Us

## Guest Reviews

- Overall rating: 4.9
- Total reviews: 523
- Count label: from 523 verified reviews

4.9 / 5

### Platforms

- google: 4.9 (312 reviews)
- tripadvisor: 5.0 (211 reviews)

- Filter tabs: All, Google, TripAdvisor
- Emily Carter (🇺🇸 Seattle, USA · 5★ · May 2026 · google): Perfect for couples - My partner and I had an amazing time in China. Everything was arranged for us — transfers, hotels, guides. No stress at all.
- Claire Brooks (🇬🇧 London, UK · 5★ · Apr 2026 · tripadvisor): Great for families - Traveled with my two kids and had zero issues. The team made sure the pace wasn't too rushed and included things the kids would enjoy. Communication was easy throughout. Will definitely use them again for our next Asia trip.
- Laura Bennett (🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada · 5★ · Mar 2026 · google): Alisa made the whole experience easy - Alisa was our point of contact throughout and she was brilliant — patient, knowledgeable, and always quick to reply. The trip itself was wonderful. Beijing and Guilin were highlights.
- Mark Henderson (🇺🇸 Denver, USA · 4★ · Feb 2026 · tripadvisor): Good service, minor hiccup but sorted quickly - Really good service. There was a small mix-up with one of our restaurant bookings but it got sorted quickly. The rest of the trip was seamless.
- Rebecca Miller (🇺🇸 Boston, USA · 5★ · Jan 2026 · google): Really listened to what we wanted - Really helpful team. They listened to what we wanted and delivered. Beijing and Xi'an were incredible.

## China Ready

We've solved the hard parts. Here's everything a first-time Western traveler needs to know before arriving.

### VPN & Internet Access

- Badge: Do this before you fly
- What's blocked: Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and most Western news sites are inaccessible in China without a VPN.
- Download before you leave: It's nearly impossible to download a VPN once inside China. Install and test at home. Recommended: Astrill (most reliable), Mullvad, ExpressVPN — subscribe to at least two in case one stops working.
- Hotel Wi-Fi tip: Some hotels block VPN connections on their Wi-Fi. Use your phone's mobile data as a hotspot if the VPN drops.
- Good news: WhatsApp works perfectly through a VPN, so your messaging stays unchanged. Apple iMessage and Signal also work.

### Paying in China

- Badge: Your concierge sets this up on Day 1
- China is cashless: Alipay and WeChat Pay are used for almost everything — restaurants, taxis, markets, tickets. Cash is rarely accepted in cities.
- International cards now work: Foreign Visa/Mastercard can now link directly to Alipay (set up in minutes, $5,000 single transaction limit). Your concierge walks you through the setup on your first morning.
- Carry some cash: We recommend ¥500–800 RMB in cash for the rare vendor that won't accept digital payment, and for small towns.
- Booking this trip: Your deposit and balance are charged via Stripe — the same trusted platform used by Airbnb and Booking.com. USD billing, no surprise conversion fees.

### Visa & Entry

- Badge: We handle the paperwork
- Do you need a visa?: Most US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passport holders need a tourist (L) visa for stays over 10 days. We provide a visa invitation letter with every booking — it significantly speeds up approval.
- 240-hour visa-free transit: Citizens of 55+ countries (including USA, UK, most of EU, AUS, NZ, Canada) can enter China visa-free for up to 10 days if transiting through eligible ports. This covers our 12-day itinerary only if you have a confirmed onward flight.
- Processing time: Apply 4–6 weeks before departure. Standard processing: 4–7 business days. Express (3 days) and same-day options available at most Chinese consulates.
- What we provide: Visa invitation letter, hotel confirmation for all nights, suggested itinerary document — everything the consulate needs, formatted correctly.

### Safety & Practical Tips

- Badge: Our responsibility, always
- Is China safe?: China consistently ranks among the safest countries for foreign tourists. Violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Cities have extensive CCTV coverage and a visible police presence.
- Emergency numbers: Police: 110. Ambulance: 120. Your concierge is your first call for any non-emergency situation — she has local contacts for every city on the itinerary.
- Health & medications: Bring a full supply of any prescription medication. International pharmacies exist in major cities but may not carry your brand. Travel insurance is required — we can recommend policies that cover China specifically.
- Language: English fluency outside hotels and tourist sites is limited. Your guides all speak English. We provide a printed pocket card with essential Chinese phrases and emergency contacts for every traveler.

## Before You Book

Everything worth knowing before you book.

### Why does my departure date have to be a particular day of the week?

Because the Kashgar bazaar meets on Sundays, and we put it on day eleven. Everything else counts back from there. The first open departures are October 8, 15, 22 and 29. It is the one fixed point in thirteen days, and it is fixed by the market's calendar rather than ours. If your dates cannot move, tell us anyway: we will say straight away whether they work rather than reshuffle the trip around them.

### Can you guarantee we get into the Mogao Caves?

Not a guarantee, and here is exactly how it works. Admission runs on a capped daily quota; we apply for your timed morning slot and track it at no separate charge. We cannot guarantee a quota we do not control, so we do two things instead. 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. Whatever happens you keep the two nights in Dunhuang, your guide, the vehicle and the sunset visit to the dunes.

### We want to go in December. Is that possible?

Not yet, and we would rather say so than sell it. Four of the main sites here are outdoor and this is deep winter in China's northwest; we also do not yet have the winter visiting rule for the Mogao Caves on file. So we have opened October first, and the November and December dates stay closed until our ground partners state the winter conditions in writing. If they open, the last departure is December 17, 2026, because the 13 days have to finish inside the visa-free window. Leave us your dates and we will write to you either way.

### Do we need a visa?

Most guests on this route do not. Most European passports enter visa-free for stays days, and so do UK, Australian and New Zealand ones. We check your 13 days plus any extra days in China against that window before you pay. The current policy runs through December 31, 2026. Two cases do not work on this plan: guests already in China on the 10-day visa-free transit policy, because 13 days is too long for it and Gansu and Xinjiang are outside its permitted area; and guests traveling from the United States or Canada, for whom Xi'an has no usable inbound connection on this itinerary. We check status before any payment and say so rather than sell.

### Thirteen days with three flights and a train. Is it a lot of moving?

Three of the thirteen days are travel days, and each of them is given the whole day rather than squeezed around a sight. The two ends are where you stop: four nights in Xi'an at the start and three in Kashgar at the finish, with two light days built in. The one long haul is the last one: Kashgar to Shanghai, close to six hours in the air including a stop. We put a Shanghai night behind it so your international flight is not a tight connection. Hotel and airport transfers at both ends of every segment are included.