12D Silk Road

Destination Overview

DID YOU KNOW? Buddhism is said to have entered China by Silk Road

Highlights

Accomodation

Itinerary

Day 1 - Singapore ✈️ Beijing ✈️ Xian (D)

  • Ancient City Wall – the largest and best-preserved ancient city fortification in China.
  • Grand Tang Everbright City dazzling lights and performances recreate the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, offering a perfect blend of ancient heritage and modern energy

Day 2 - Xian (B/L/D)

  • The Underground Army visit the Terracotta Army, hailed as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” to see thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and chariots
  • Big Wild Goose Pagodahouse to Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by Ven Xuanzhuang, it is an iconic symbol of the Silk Road.

Day 3 - Xian 🚎 Tianshui (B/L/D)

  • Spiritual Heritage – Xingjiao Temple (relics of Xuanzang are kept) and Caotang Temple where Buddhist translator Kumarajiva resided
  • High-Speed Rail – take a bullet train from Xi’an to Tianshui in Gansu Province

Day 4 - Tianshui 🚎 Lanzhou (B/L/D)​

  • Maijishan Grottoesexplore these incredible caves carved into the side of a sheer cliff. Known as the “Oriental Sculpture Gallery,” they are famous for their exquisite clay figurines

Day 5 - Lanzhou 🚎 Yongjing (B/L/D) ​

  • Bingling Temple Grottoestravel to Yongjing and take a boat ride across the Liujiaxia Reservoir to reach the Bingling Temple. Located in a canyon along the Yellow River, this site offers a unique combination of stunning water views and ancient cliff carvings

Day 6 - Yongjing 🚎 Zhangye (B/L/D)

  • Visit the Kumarajiva Temple – (dedicated to the great translator) and the Giant Buddha Temple in Zhangye, which houses China’s largest indoor wooden reclining Buddha

Day 7 - Zhangye 🚎 Jiayuguan (B/L/D)

  • Witness the Zhangye Danxia Landform – a breathtaking visual feast where the mountains are striped with vibrant, multi-colored minerals
  • Mati Temple – visit the Mati (Horse Hoof) Temple Grottoes, a spectacular complex of shrines carved directly into the rock face

Day 8 - Jiayuguan 🚎 Dunhuang (B/L/D)

  • Jiayuguan Pass – ascend the majestic fortress at the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It was historically known as the “Impregnable Pass Under Heaven.”

Day 9 - Dunhuang (B/L/D)

  • Mogao Cavestour this world-renowned treasure trove of Buddhist art, featuring thousands of years of exquisite murals and statues
  • Singing Sands & Crescent Moon Spring experience a camel ride across the Echoing Sand Mountains (Mingshashan) to see the Crescent Moon Spring, a natural wonder that has never dried up
  • Shazhou Night Market spend your evening exploring the local market and browse local handicrafts

Day 10 - Dunhuang 🚎 Liuyuan 🚝 Turpan (B/L/D)

  • High-speed train from Liuyuan Station to Turpan in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

Day 11 - Turpan 🚎 Urumqi (B/L/D)

  • Flaming Mountains – visit the iconic red sandstone hills made famous by the legend of the “Journey to the West.’
  • Explore the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves and the ruins of the Ancient City of Gaochang, feeling the echoes of the prosperous civilizations that once thrived in the Western Regions.

Day 12 - Urumqi ✈️ Singapore (B/L/D)

  • Hongshan Park – visit “Red Mountain” Park for a panoramic view of Urumqi’s city skyline.
  • Afterward, transfer to the airport for your flight back to Singapore via Beijing

IK CHIN reserves the right to change, alter, cancel or amend any part of the itinerary due to weather & traffic conditions.

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