Wendy Wu Silk Road Explorer

– Come face to face with Terracotta warriors
– Explore Tibetan Xiahe
– Discover the desert oasis of Turpan
– Shop like a local at Kashgar’s legendary bazaar
– Enjoy the tranquillity of the Heavenly Lake
– Take a walk on the Great Wall of China

Days 1-2: Fly to Xian

Fly overnight to Xian, the ancient former capital. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.

Day 3: Terracotta Warriors

After their fortuitous discovery in the 1970s, the Terracotta Army of China’s first Emperor Qin Shihuang has intrigued visitors ever since – spend the morning viewing their enigmatic ranks. Visit the workshop of the craftsmen who recreate Terracotta Warriors in the style of their ancient counterparts. Watch the skilled production process and buy a souvenir warrior to take home. Later, stroll on the beautifully preserved 14th-century city walls that enclose Xian’s old town.

Day 4: Train to Lanzhou

Enjoy a relaxed day admiring the treasures of the Shaanxi Museum and wandering around the atmospheric alleys of the Muslim Quarter. Also, see the Little Wild Goose Pagoda. Board an overnight train to Lanzhou.

Days 5-6: Explore Lanzhou

Begin the day with a stroll along the Yellow River and up to Baita Temple. Later on, try some Lanzhou style noodles. The next day, take a speed boat across Liujiaxia Lake to explore the Thousand Buddha Caves of Bingling Temple and the statue of Maitreya

Day 7: Tibetan Xiahe

Travel through the scenic Jishi Mountain pass and reach Xiahe.

Day 8: Labrang Monastery

Labrang Monastery is a perfect place to get a taste of Tibet. Here you’ll try traditional Tibetan food.

Day 9: Travel to Zhangye

Return to Lanzhou before talking the bullet train to Zhangye

Day 10: Rainbow Mountains

Watch the sunrise over Danxia National Park before returning to Zhangye and visit the Giant Buddha. After, board your bullet train Jiayuguan.

Day 11: Great Wall at Jiayuguan

Seen as China’s western gateway, while here you’ll visit Jiayu Fortress and walk along the extremes of the Great Wall

Day 12: City of Sands

Drive to Dunhuang, located on a trade crossroads. Known as the ‘City of the Sands’ it sits on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert.

Day 13: Mogao Grottoes

Visit this system of temples which house wonderful examples of Buddhist paintings and statues

Day 14: Singing Sand Dunes

Head to Crescent Moon Spring and the Singing Sand Dunes, a phenomenon caused by the wind disturbing the sand

Day 15: Turpan

Take the bullet train to Turpan, a lush green oasis in the vast desert

Days 16-17: Explore Turpan

Visit the ruins of Jiaohe and the tallest minaret in China. The next day, learn about ancient irrigation canals and drive to Kural

Days 18-20: The Silk Road

Over the next three days travel along the original Silk Road through the Xinjiang Region, viewing ruins and sights largely unvisited by tourists. Start with a visit to see the ruins of Subashi, before arriving in Kuqa to see the Kyzil Thousand Buddha Caves. Continue travelling to Aksu, and on to the fabled city of Kashgar.

Day 21: Explore Kashgar

Although now a modern city, the sights and sounds of Kashgar’s bazaar have remained unchanged for millennia. Sightseeing today includes a visit to Abakh Hoja Tomb, Id Kah Mosque and a stroll through the narrow atmospheric alleyways around Id Kah Square.

Day 22: Kashgar Sunday Bazaar

Dive into Central Asia’s largest bazaar, full of hundreds of stalls for you to view. Later, fly to Urumqi.

Days 23-24: Heavenly Lake to Urumqi

Escape to the tranquil Heavenly Lake. Pay a visit to a Kazakh family in their yurt and learn more about their way of life. Dinner that day will consist of local Uyghur lamb skewers. The following day, visit the Xinjiang Museum before flying to Beijing.

Day 25: The Great Wall

The morning revolves around the Great Wall, one of China’s most iconic sights. In the afternoon, enjoy the idyllic summer palace.

Day 26: Imperial Beijing

Head to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City before continuing the Temple of Heaven and Yandaixiejie, where you can wander through the hutongs. That evening, dine on Peking duck and enjoy an acrobatic show

Day 27: Fly Beijing to the UK

Fly back to the UK, arriving home the same or following day

Tibetan Lunch

Sample traditional Tibetan foods including momos

Traditional Yurts

Visit a nomadic home of the Kazakh community, and learn more about their culture

Shazhou Night Market

Wander around the atmospheric night market in the frontier town of Dunhuang

Your accommodation is selected for convenience of location, comfort or character, and can range from a business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. In more remote areas, accommodation may be of a lower standard and may not have all western amenities.

– Return international flights
– All Accommodation
– All meals: 24 breakfasts, 23 lunches and 24 dinners
– All transportation & transfers
– All sightseeing & entrance fees
– English speaking National Escort & local guides
– Visa fees for UK & EU passport holders

Please note, prices listed are guide prices only and are based on 2 people sharing and don’t include any additional supplements. Holiday prices are fluid and dynamic and may be changed at a moment’s notice, prior to booking, at which point they are confirmed. Please call the team free on 0800 707 6229 for more departure dates available and a quote.

Coaches: Coaches with air conditioning are used on our group tours for city sightseeing, short excursions to the countryside and longer transfers where necessary.

Planes: Internal flights are based on economy class, with reputable airlines.

Go Beyond

Venture off the beaten track to explore fascinating destinations away from the tourist trail. You will discover the local culture in depth and see sights rarely witnessed by other travellers. These tours take you away from the comforts of home but will reward you with the experience of a lifetime.

Most Wendy Wu groups consist of 10 travellers or more and will be accompanied by both a National Escort and local guides. There will usually be no more than 18 travellers in each group although you may encounter other Wendy Wu tour groups while you are travelling.

This tour has a physical rating of 2. A reasonable level of fitness is required, as you’ll be spending time on your feet and doing a bit of walking to cover short distances during your daily sightseeing. There will also be some climbing of steps and climbing on and off of coaches and boats.

If you want to explore more of China or simply want more time in your destination, then you can add an extension or stop over.*

Choose from the following Extensions and Stopovers
Macao Special (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Glimpses (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong in Focus (Hong Kong)
Macau (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong and Macau (Hong Kong)
Kunming & Lijiang (Kunming)
Nine Villages Valley (Chengdu)
Zhangjiajie (Zhangjiajie)
Chongqing, Dazu and Wulong (Chongqing)
Guilin and Yangshou (Guilin)
Mount Huang (Shanghai)
Lhasa (Lhasa)
Chengdu (Chengdu)
Beijing and Xi’an (Beijing)
Suzhou and Hangzhou (Shanghai)
Shanghai (Shanghai)
Guilin (Guilin)

*Available extensions and stopovers depend on your chosen airline