Take a Silk Road journey from Beijing to Kashgar
Discover the treasures of the Silk Road on this 15-day adventure through China, retracing part of the ancient trade route that linked East and West. An epic journey from bustling Beijing to the frontier city of Kashgar, travel by train across diverse and beautifully rugged landscapes to see some of the country’s most spectacular relics. From dynastic palaces and Muslim minarets to hidden grottoes and rock-cut Buddhist masterpieces, this is an unforgettable Eastern odyssey.
Follow the route of the ancient Silk Road, travelling in the footsteps of countless generations of nomads and traders
Discover the unreal, ancient rainbow-coloured landscape of Zhangye, a UNESCO site that looks like countless pots of bright paint have been spilled across sandstone mountains. You won't be able to put your camera away!
Learn about the rapid development happening in western China as you travel between ancient regional centres and modern cities.
Ride a camel across the sand dunes in Dunhuang in search of Crescent Lake, a desert oasis that has to be seen to be believed.
Visit the frontier town of Kashgar and take in the animal market before sipping tea at a 100-year-old tea house.
Explore the famous Mogao Caves, which have been called home by Buddhist monks since the fourth century AD.
This trip travels on overnight hard sleeper trains on sections of the journey and by high-speed rail where available. Train travel in China may not be entirely luxurious, but it's certainly one of the best ways to travel long distances and come face-to-face with the country and its people.
You’ll be crossing one of the largest countries in the world, from the west coast along the ancient Silk Road route of the central plains to the remote frontier province of Xinjiang, so be prepared for some long travelling days.
The Livestock Market we visit in Kashgar is an authentic experience of a market where local people go to buy and trade livestock for breeding, meat or as working animals. It's important for travellers to be aware that conditions and handling of animals may be different from in your home country. As animals here are being sold for meat it is likely you may also see butchered animals in parts of the market. If you would prefer to opt out of this activity please let your leader know.
This is a politically sensitive part of the country with similar issues and tensions to in Tibet. We advise doing some reading on the current situation on the Uyghur people in China before your departure and to be aware that local perspectives on ethic tensions may be very different to what is able to to be discussed in foreign media.
This trip finishes in Kashgar. Kashgar Airport is domestic only. For international connections you will need to book a flight from Kashgar to Urumqi - the closest international airport, and onward travel from there.
If you are interested in continuing your journey along the Silk Road and into Central Asia, consider booking our The Great Silk Road (CBSAC) trip.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our China's Silk Road trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1.A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 4 and Day 11 (Sleeper train) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. A scanned copy of the personal details page of your passport is required at time of booking in order for us to purchase your train tickets.
3. Please note while traveling through mainland China you will not be able to access some popular internet websites.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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