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ANCIENT SILK ROAD TOUR (ASR) - 15 DAY TOUR
(Beijing, Urumqi, Turpan, Dunhuang, Xi’an)
Itinerary and Departure Dates and Fares:
Day 1. Saturday. USA/Beijing.
Your tour departs from Los Angeles about mid-day and you will head across the Pacific Ocean to Beijing, the illustrious capital city of China. Spend the night aboard your trans-Pacific flight as you cross the International Date Line.
Day 2. Sunday. Beijing. (IM).
Today you arrive in Beijing, one of the largest cities in China, in the late afternoon. Once, there, you will be escorted to a local four- or five-star hotel.
Day 3. Monday. Beijing. (AB, L, D).
Your highlight today will be a visit to the awe-inspiring Great Wall, a formidable symbol of ancient Chinese civilization. You will also visit the solemn Ming Tombs, the burial place for the 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. The tour continues with a wonderful stroll down the renowned Sacred Way, the formal entrance to the Ming Tombs. Attend a delicious Peking Duck banquet in the evening.
Day 4. Tuesday. Beijing. (AB, L, D).
Morning sightseeing features the infamous Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square. Next, you will stroll through the fabulous Forbidden City, the residence of emperors for more than 500 years. In the afternoon, you will tour the beautiful Temple of Heaven where, during the last Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperors prayed for good harvests. A tour to the Summer Palace on Kunming Lake is another highlight of the day.
Day 5. Wednesday. Beijing/Urumqi. (AB, L, D).
Today you will fly to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region, located in China’s remote northwest region. This ancient city is situated at the northern foot of the awesome snow-capped Tien Shan Mountain Range. It contains a delightful mixture of international architecture, including contemporary Chinese, and early 20th Century Russian and Islamic structures.
Day 6. Thursday. Urumqi. (AB, L, D).
Your full day today is spent touring the fascinating city of Urumqi. Your first visit of the day is to the beautiful and tranquil Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), which is situated at an awesome elevation of more than 6,000 feet! This vast expanse of clear, blue water is surrounded by luscious green pastures and thick, aromatic conifer forests. Beautiful, snowy mountain peaks soar to fantastic heights and surround this pristine lake. Later in the day, you will take a pleasant boat ride on Heavenly Lake and enjoy the tranquility up close. On the scenic trip back to Urumqi, you will have a brief stop at a colorful Central Asian bazaar and experience the warm hospitality and fascinating ancient cultures of the Han Chinese, Kazak, and Uighur peoples.
Day 7. Friday. Urumqi/Turpan. (AB, L, D).
The next morning, you will visit the ancient Nanshan Pasture to experience first hand the way of life of the minority people of Xinjiang. An afternoon drive to Turpan is next. Turpan is an ancient oasis in the desert which lies in one of the world's great land depressions, 505 feet below sea level. At one point in history, Turpan was one of the most important cities on the middle ancient Silk Road.
Day 8. Saturday. Turpan/Liuyuan. (AB, L, D).
Today you will visit a working field in “grape valley” where some of China’s well-known, delicious seedless grapes are grown and harvested. You will also visit the fascinating Astana ancient tombs and the awe-inspiring Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Cave. Here, you will bear witness to the silent remnants of the Silk Road which have been well preserved and protected by this region’s dry climate. In the afternoon, you will visit the Ruins of Gao Chang, the flaming mountain, and Jiaohe, both of which were important ancient trading cities along the Silk Road. After dinner, you will travel to Dun Huang in a comfortable, overnight soft-sleeper train.
Day 9. Sunday. Liuyuan/Dunhuang. (AB, L, D).
This morning you arrive in Dunhuang, the 2000-year-old city located at the very edge of the vast desert land. Dunhuang was once an important Silk Road caravan stop, and was also an important junction where the Silk Road split into different routes stretching over 4,500 miles all the way to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Dunhuang was also an important gateway through which Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity entered China. At Dunhuang you will visit Singing Hill, Crescent Moon Springs, and the fabulous City Museum. You will also enjoy a local minority show while having dinner in the evening.
Day 10. Monday. Dunhuang/Xi’an. (AB, L, D).
Today’s tour includes the amazing sand dunes and the beautiful Magao Caves, the oldest Buddhist shrines in China. These ancient, hand-carved shrines are a national treasure and represent a thousand years of devotion to Buddha between the 2nd and12th centuries. This area is now the largest treasure house of Buddhism in the world. Later in the day, you will take an evening flight to Xi’an, the starting point of the Silk Road, as well as the historic, cultural, ancient capital of China
Day 11. Tuesday. Xi’an. (AB, L, D).
Today’s full day tour will help you recall the glories of ancient Xi’an as you visit a vast burial site containing an incredible army of 8,000 lifelike terra-cotta soldiers. On your way back to town, you will be a guest at a quaint local farm village, and you will be able to sit with the resident villagers in their communal courtyards and enjoy a friendly chat. You will have a chance to learn about the many changes that have come to the villagers’ lives during the past several years. In the evening back in Xi’an, you will enjoy two local specialties, a delectable Xi’an Dumpling Dinner and a wonderful Tang Dynasty Show at the renowned Shaanxi Grand Song and Dance Theatre.
Day 12. Wednesday. Xi’an/ Shanghai. (AB, L, D).
Today, after visiting the majestic Wild Goose Pagoda and the ancient City Wall that was built during the ancient Ming dynasty, you will take a domestic flight to Shanghai, one of the biggest commercial cities in the world.
Day 13. Thursday. Shanghai. (AB, L, D).
Today you will visit the interesting History Museum and the historic Bund along Shanghai’s waterfront. After that, you will experience the gorgeous Yu Garden and then the fascinating Jade Buddha Temple. In the evening, you will enjoy an entertaining acrobatics show.
Day 14. Friday. Shanghai. (AB).
The full day is yours at leisure after breakfast. Enjoy shopping, visiting the zoo and seeing the pandas, or maybe a little people watching.
Day 15. Saturday. Shanghai/US. (AB).
Today you will board your trans-Pacific flight back to the United States. You will take home many wonderful memories of China.
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Departure Dates and Fares:
10 or more passengers that sign up as a group may be eligible for special discounts upon request.
If your preferred travel date is not listed in the departure dates, please call to set up your own tour date, at no additional charge.
2004:
|
Departure
Date
(Saturday)
|
Return
Date
(Saturday)
|
Tour Fare
From
Los Angeles
|
Land
Tours
Only
|
Single
Supplement
|
|
4/3
|
4/17
|
$2,799
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
5/8
|
5/22
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
6/5
|
6/19
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
7/3
|
7/17
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
8/7
|
8/21
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
9/4
|
9/18
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
10/9
|
10/23
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
11/6
|
11/20
|
$2,799
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
2005:
|
Departure
Date
(Saturday)
|
Return
Date
(Saturday)
|
Tour Fare
From
Los Angeles
|
Land
Tours
Only
|
Single
Supplement
|
|
4/2
|
4/16
|
$2,799
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
5/7
|
5/21
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
6/4
|
6/18
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
7/2
|
7/16
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
8/6
|
8/20
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
9/3
|
9/17
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
10/8
|
10/22
|
$2,929
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
|
11/5
|
11/19
|
$2,799
|
$2,149
|
$559
|
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