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China's Silk Road: Beijing to Kashgar — 14 Days

From the Great Wall and Forbidden City through Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors to the bazaars and oasis towns of Kashgar, Turpan, and Dunhuang.

The Silk Road was not a single route but a network of trading paths where Chinese, Central Asian, Persian, and Indian merchants met, negotiated, and left traces of their presence in oasis towns and garrison settlements that still stand today. This journey traces that history from Beijing eastward through Xi'an — ancient imperial capital and home to one of archaeology's most significant finds — then west across the high deserts to Kashgar, where the routes split toward India, Pakistan, and Central Asia. You will walk the Forbidden City's halls, stand before the Terracotta Warriors, cycle the restored city walls, visit working bazaars and Buddhist cave complexes, and see how geography and trade shaped the cultures that inhabited these crossroads. The trip moves by train, plane, and road across terrain that shifts from urban to alpine to desert, connecting the physical and cultural markers of one of history's most consequential trade systems.

Highlights

  • The Forbidden City in Beijing, built 1406–1420, the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for over 500 years and UNESCO-listed for its collection of preserved ancient wooden structures
  • Great Wall section at Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved restored segments accessible from Beijing, with a picnic lunch on the wall itself
  • Terracotta Warriors near Xi'an, approximately 6,000 individually sculpted clay figures buried for 2,000 years before their 1976 discovery, displayed in three open excavation pits
  • Cycling the ancient Xi'an City Wall, the most significant and best-preserved city wall in China, running over 13 kilometers
  • Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, enlarged over centuries to become the largest mosque in China, focal point of the city since 1442
  • Kashgar's bazaar, scaled on Sundays with hundreds of miles of traders converging to sell livestock, goods, and household items, open daily year-round
  • Tianchi (Heaven Lake) at 1,907 meters in the Tianshan Mountains, an alpine lake where Kazak nomads set up seasonal yurts and fir forests frame the basin
  • Jiaohe Ruins, the oldest and best-preserved earthen city in the world, capital of the Cheshi State and Han Dynasty garrison town
  • Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Buddhist grottos dating from the 5th to 14th century positioned beneath the Flaming Mountains
  • Karez irrigation system in Turpan, 1,000 wells collecting groundwater from the Bogdashan Mountains and delivering water via gravity-fed underground channels to farms below
  • Mogao Caves near Dunhuang, housing 18 monasteries at their height and containing the greatest store of Buddhist art in the world across 20,000+ manuscripts
  • Mingsha Dunes with Crescent Moon Lake, dunes reaching 1,715 meters where desert meets oasis at the base of singing sands
  • Jiayuguan Fort, built in 1372 as the last outpost of the Han Chinese Empire and symbolic end of civilization before the desert and steppes beyond

Day by day

1Beijing Arrival and Peking DuckBeijing · Chongwenmen Hotel · hotel lobby · central Beijing
Arrive in Beijing and settle into your accommodation at Chongwenmen Hotel or similar. At 6 pm, meet your guide in the hotel lobby for a welcome meeting to discuss the itinerary and logistics for the cities ahead. Following this, take an orientation walk through central Beijing to acclimate to the capital's pace and layout. The day concludes with a traditional Peking Duck dinner.
2Forbidden City and Hutong AlleysForbidden City · hutong alleys · Tiananmen Square
Begin at Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares, home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. From there enter the Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420 as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for more than 500 years. The complex was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and contains the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. After exploring the imperial halls and courtyards (approximately 3 hours), walk through the hutong alleys—narrow passages lined with traditional courtyard dwellings—to experience the residential scale of old Beijing and its local daily life.
3Great Wall at Mutianyu and Overnight Train to Xi'anMutianyu · the wall · Beijing to Xi'an
Travel two hours outside Beijing to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall. The restored segments make the climb manageable while still conveying the scale and engineering of the structure. Moderate walking and climbing required. Picnic lunch is provided on the wall. Return to Beijing in late afternoon and board the overnight soft-sleeper train to Xi'an.
4Xi'an: Gao's Courtyard, Muslim Quarter, and Great MosqueGao's Courtyard · Muslim Quarter · Great Mosque of Xi'an
Arrive in Xi'an and settle into your hotel for breakfast. Visit Gao's Courtyard, one of the best-preserved old residences in the city, dating back 400 years. The house was home to seven generations of the Gao family, notable officials of the royal court, and contains period furniture, pottery, porcelain, and paintings that document the traditional lifestyle of the time. Later, walk through the Muslim Quarter, home to the Hui Muslim community for centuries. The narrow streets are dotted with small shops, halal butchers, sesame-oil factories, and restaurants leading to the Great Mosque of Xi'an. Built during the Hongwu reign of the Ming dynasty with further additions during the Qing dynasty, the Great Mosque is one of China's most significant mosques and represents a distinctive blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture. Religious complexes are documented on this site as far back as the Tang dynasty.
5Terracotta Warriors and Ancient City Wallancient City Wall · Terracotta Warriors archaeological site · local village
Travel to the Terracotta Warriors archaeological site in the morning. The 6,000-figure army was discovered in 1976 by farmers digging a well, having been buried for approximately 2,000 years. Three main pits are open for viewing, displaying nearly 2,000 of the warriors—each individually sculpted from clay, each with different costumes, heights, and facial expressions—arranged in military formation. Lunch is taken in a local village before returning to central Xi'an. Spend the afternoon cycling on the ancient City Wall (light to moderate activity; 13+ kilometers in total circumference), the most significant and best-preserved city wall extant in China.
6Flight to Kashgar: Id Kah Mosque, Abakh Khoja, and Old TownId Kah Mosque · old town · Xi'an · Tomb of Abakh Khoja
A five-hour flight carries you west from Xi'an to Kashgar, one of the most important towns of the Silk Road. For centuries, Kashgar served as the hub where trade routes converged, diverged south toward India and Pakistan, or continued west and north into Central Asia. This was the point where cultures, religions, and commerce intersected and negotiated passage. In the afternoon, visit the Id Kah Mosque—the name means place of prayer and festivities. The original mosque, built in 1442, was small; over centuries it expanded to become one of China's largest mosques and the focal point of the city. Next, visit the Tomb of Abakh Khoja, a masterpiece of Islamic architecture dating from the 17th century, where generations of the prominent family are buried. Local sources recount that one of Abakh Khoja's descendants was presented to Emperor Qianlong as a concubine, with her body transported here for burial—a 3½-year journey. Spend the remainder of the day walking through the old town, where traditional workshops produce pottery, colorful caps, and folk handicrafts, and where daily life reflects centuries of trade and settlement.
7Kashgar BazaarKashgar's bazaar · Sunday Market in the old town
Kashgar's bazaar is one of the main attractions of the city. On Sundays, traders from hundreds of miles around converge in the marketplace. Visit the live bazaar first, a trading center for sheep, cattle, and donkeys, then move to the Sunday Market in the old town, which has historically accommodated trade in livestock, silk, and household goods while serving as a center for social interaction. Though the market now opens daily, Sundays showcase greater scale and participation.
8Tianchi Alpine Lake and Arrival in TurpanTianchi · Turpan · Urumqi · hotel area
A short flight takes you to Urumqi, from where a two-hour drive leads to Tianchi, or Heaven Lake, an alpine lake at 1,907 meters elevation in the Tianshan Mountains. The lake sits below Bogda Peak, framed by fir trees and mountain peaks; in summer, Kazak nomads set up yurts in the area. After walking around the lake and acclimatizing to the high-altitude landscape, drive 2.5 hours to Turpan, an oasis settlement in the Turpan Basin, 154 meters below sea level. Settlement here is documented from at least the Han Dynasty era (206 BCE–AD 220), and as an important stop on the Northern Silk Road, Turpan experienced transitions among multiple populations, agricultural systems, and religions including Manichean, Buddhist, and Muslim faiths. Arrive in the late afternoon and take an orientation walk around the hotel area.
9Jiaohe Ruins, Grape Valley, and Bezeklik CavesJiaohe Ruins · Grape Valley · Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves
Begin the day at the Jiaohe Ruins, among the oldest and best-preserved earthen cities. Once the capital of the Cheshi State, it also served as an important Chinese garrison town under the Han Dynasty. Later, visit Grape Valley to experience the local fruit for which Turpan is known as the 'Hometown of Grapes.' The abundant sunshine of the region provides ideal growing conditions, and the grapes here are noted for their high sugar content. In the afternoon, visit the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, a complex of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to 14th century. Most of the distinctive murals were removed by German archaeologists in the early 1900s; the caves retain their dramatic position beneath the Flaming Mountains, which in midday sun appear multicolored—a landscape referenced in the classical Chinese text Journey to the West.
10Karez Irrigation System and Train to DunhuangKarez irrigation system · Dunhuang · Turpan to Liuyuan to Dunhuang
Start with a visit to the Karez irrigation system, a specialized network developed by local peoples to manage Turpan's dry climate. The system comprises approximately 1,000 wells that collect groundwater from the melting snow of the Bogdashan Mountains. Water passes from the wells through underground channels and is distributed entirely by gravity to irrigate farms in the valley below, demonstrating sophisticated hydraulic engineering suited to the local topography. In the afternoon, travel by bullet train to Liuyuan (3.5 hours), then continue by road to Dunhuang (5 hours). Dunhuang was founded in 111 BCE by Emperor Wudi of the Han dynasty in a fertile oasis at the crossroads of two major trading routes on the Silk Road.
11Mogao Caves, Mingsha Dunes, and Crescent LakeMogao Caves · Mingsha Dunes · Crescent Moon Lake
Spend the morning at the Mogao Caves, the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes. At their height, the complex housed multiple monasteries and supported monks, nuns, artists, and calligraphers. The caves contain Buddhist murals and represent a major repository of Buddhist art and manuscripts. Before entering the caves, watch documentaries about the Silk Road and Mogao to provide historical context. In the afternoon, visit Mingsha Dunes (singing sands) and Crescent Moon Lake, where desert meets oasis. At the base of the dunes—which reach approximately 1,715 meters—lies the lake, a striking contrast of sand and water. The dunes require substantial climbing; views across the desert toward the oasis vegetation justify the effort.
12Gobi Desert Crossing to Jiayuguan and Overhanging WallGobi Desert · Jiayuguan · Overhanging Great Wall
Drive across the Gobi Desert for approximately five hours to Jiayuguan, a strategic fortress at the western edge of former Han Chinese territorial control and the final significant defensive position before the deserts beyond. After lunch, visit the Overhanging Great Wall, a section believed to have been originally constructed in 1539 during the Ming dynasty. Built on the slope of the Black Mountain, it is positioned to resemble a dragon overhanging the slope and remains visually obscured from a distance. A one-hour hike provides close views of the structure and its strategic location.
13Jiayuguan Fort and Return Flight to BeijingJiayuguan Fort · Beijing
Visit Jiayuguan Fort, built in 1372 during the early Ming dynasty primarily as a defensive structure. Its walls and buildings remain well-preserved. Historically, Jiayuguan marked the limit of imperial Chinese administrative control; beyond it lay territories outside direct governance. The fortress functioned as a transit point for official movements and restrictions. In late afternoon, fly back to Beijing.
14Beijing Departureairport
The day is free. A transfer to the airport is included for your departure.

Where you go

Map: China's Silk Road: Beijing to Kashgar — 14 Days route
Numbers follow the itinerary order. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap
  1. 1Beijing
  2. 2Forbidden City
  3. 3Tiananmen Square
  4. 4Mutianyu
  5. 5Muslim Quarter
  6. 6Great Mosque of Xi'an
  7. 7Id Kah Mosque
  8. 8Xi'an
  9. 9Tomb of Abakh Khoja
  10. 10Turpan
  11. 11Urumqi
  12. 12Jiaohe Ruins
  13. 13Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves
  14. 14Dunhuang
  15. 15Mogao Caves
  16. 16Jiayuguan
  17. 17Beijing

Included

  • Included:
  • · 12 nights' hotel accommodation based on twin share
  • · Local English speaking guide service in each city for FIT booking of 2-5 pax
  • · National English speaking guide service throughout for group booking of 6 pax or up
  • · Private/Public transfers as specified
  • · Sightseeing tours with entrance fee as specified
  • · 13 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner
  • · Overnight soft-sleeper train Beijing-Xi'an (1 night)
  • · Regular class fast train Turpan-Dunhuang
  • · Economic class flight Xi'an-Kashgar-Urumqi & Jiayuguan-Beijing

Not included

  • Excluded:
  • · International flights
  • · Travel insurance
  • · Chinese visa
  • · Expenses of personal nature, ie laundry, alcoholic drinks, and etc.
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