Golden Autumn on the Silk Road — 7 Days, 6 Nights

[Airport Pick-up] A private limousine and driver will be waiting at your residence to escort you and your family to the airport. When your flight arrives at Xining Caojiabao International Airport, the steward team of Silk Road Dream Express has prepared a grand welcome ceremony for you. Then, a private courtesy car and driver will take you and your family to your hotel.

[Evening] Enjoy the welcome dinner.

Local altitude: Xining urban area is about 2200 meters above sea level

Local car: private car

A line:

[Morning] Drive to Qutan Temple, known as the Little Forbidden City on the Plateau (93 kilometers, about 75 minutes). The temple inherits the royal regulations of the central axis of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Chinese-style official architectural skeleton is integrated with the layout of the Tibetan temple, and it is rare to retain the lost handwriting corridor of the Forbidden City. The temple houses a large area of Ming Dynasty palace murals with bright colors and exquisite painting skills. It is a treasure of the fusion of Chinese and Tibetan art. The entire ancient temple is quiet and simple, without excessive commercialization. It is not only a precious living fossil of Ming Dynasty architecture in the northwest, but also a thousand-year relic of the blending of Chinese and Tibetan cultures.

[Afternoon] Board the Silk Road Dream Express tourist train and start a wonderful journey.

Local car: private car

Line B:

Take a private car to the [Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum] (about 30 minutes’ drive). It is a comprehensive national first-class museum that comprehensively collects, protects, displays and studies Tibetan culture. The treasure of the museum is the "Colorful Painting of Chinese Tibetan Art", which is 618 meters long and covers an area of 1,500 square meters. It has more than 700 thangkas and more than 3,000 embroidery patterns. It is an encyclopedia of Tibetan culture.

[Afternoon] Board the Silk Road Dream Express tourist train and start a wonderful journey.

Local car: private car

[Today] Escorted by a professional outdoor team, [Crossing the Sea Channel] (light uninhabited land) (72 kilometers/1.5 hours), the wheels ran over hundreds of millions of years of wind erosion and traveled through the wild folds of the Hami Sea Channel. The ocher red and dark blue Yadan peaks line up like alien ruins, and off-road vehicles are like the pulse of life among them.

Local altitude: Hami is about 500 meters above sea level

Local car: private car

[Full Day] Drive to visit [Tarimu Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area] (private train + customized tea break) (the journey takes about 100 minutes), where there are 40 more than ten thousand acres of natural Populus euphratica forest. The autumn leaves of Populus euphratica forest are as gorgeous as flames, and the branches are curved like dragons and snakes dancing, highlighting the visual impact of their vitality and splendor. The autumn colors of the plateau complement the year-round snow, and the coldness and beauty coexist under the sky, conveying the majestic beauty of heaven and earth.

[Evening] Return to the Silk Road Dream Express train by private car and experience the interesting activities on the train.

Local car: Tour bus

[Morning] Take a private car to [Gaotai Folk Residences] (about 30 minutes' drive). Gaotai Folk Residences is a unique traditional Uyghur settlement with a history of more than 600 years and is known as the "residence on the cliff". It is located on a loess cliff more than 40 meters high and 800 meters long at the northeast end of the old city of Kashgar. It is backed by the Tuman River and has a steep terrain and a castle-like shape.

[Then] Experience [Kashgar Traditional Intangible Heritage Handicrafts] (private experience + tea break). As a traditional handicraft, Kashgar printing and clay pottery not only have dual value of appreciation and practicality, but also are the accumulation of thousands of years of Chinese culture.

[Afternoon] Take a private car to [Kashgar Ancient City] (about 30 minutes' drive), walk around Kashgar Ancient City, the camel bells shake the bright sun, the chanting of the Id Kah Mosque interweaves with the string sounds of Rewapu. In the labyrinth of earth walls, colorful skirts danced, and children's laughter jingled the tinkling bells of the copperware shop. The aroma of roasted naan spreads through the centuries-old streets, and the beating of tambourines taps the pulse of the Western Regions - this is Kashgar, half of the city is fireworks, half of the city is ancient charm, and every brick is engraved with the song of the Silk Road.

Local car: Tour bus

A line:

[Morning] Take a private car to [Baisha Lake] (about 3.5 hours drive) and visit Baisha Lake, the "secret land of silver sand dunes" carved by the wind. On one side is the vast desert, with undulating golden sand dunes of various shapes. On the other side is a blue, gem-like lake. The lake is clear and transparent. It will show different blues with changes in light and weather. It contrasts with the white sand mountains and forms a beautiful picture.

[Afternoon] Take a private car to [Karakul Lake] (customized afternoon tea) (about 45 minutes' drive) and visit Karakul Lake, the "sapphire mirror" at the foot of the snow-capped mountains. It is like the mirror of Muztagh Peak. The clear lake water can reflect the shadow of the snow-capped mountains. The blue sky, snow-capped mountains and lake water blend together. Just sit by the lake and you will feel like you are immersed in the scenery of the plateau.

Then return to Kashgar city by private car (the journey takes about 4 hours).

Local altitude: Pamir is about 3,300 meters above sea level

Local car: Tour bus

Special reminder: You need to apply for a border pass when traveling to the Pamir Plateau.

Line B:

[Morning] Take a private car to [Yingisha Intangible Cultural Heritage Town] (about 1.5 hours' drive) and visit Yingisha Intangible Cultural Heritage Town. It is a place full of traditional cultural charm and is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Knives". The town is quaint and lined with shops on both sides of the street. It is the inheritance place of the national intangible cultural heritage "Uyghur molding clay pottery firing technique" and is also a display window for the traditional technique of Yingjisha knife.

[Afternoon] Take a private car to [Yarkand Old Town] (about 2 hours’ drive) and visit the Old Town of Yarkand. The buildings in the old town are full of rich Western style. The earth-yellow city walls and gate towers are simple and elegant. The streets and lanes in the city are crisscrossed. The earth-yellow houses are matched with windows and balconies outlined in bright yellow, vermilion and other colors, which are full of the charm of a medieval castle. Feel the unique charm of the "Living Silk Road Museum".

Then return to Kashgar city by private car (the journey takes about 3 hours).

Local altitude: Yingisha is about 1,300 meters above sea level