Silk Road Explorer

Follow the ancient trade routes through Gansu and Xinjiang. Desert landscapes, Buddhist caves, and bazaars.

Gansu / Xinjiang7–10 days

The Silk Road is the journey of a lifetime. This route follows the ancient trade routes through China's wild northwest.

Day 1–2: Lanzhou & Xiahe

Lanzhou beef noodles — the original, from the source

Labrang Monastery — one of the six great monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism

Day 3–4: Zhangye & Jiayuguan

Zhangye Rainbow Mountains — naturally coloured rock formations that look like a painting

Jiayuguan Fort — the western starting point of the Great Wall

Day 5–6: Dunhuang

Mogao Caves — 1,000 years of Buddhist art, the Silk Road's greatest cultural treasure

Crescent Moon Spring — an oasis in the middle of the Gobi Desert

Camel ride across the sand dunes at sunset

Day 7–8: Turpan (Xinjiang)

Uyghur culture and cuisine — lamb kebabs, naan bread, and sweet raisins

Flaming Mountains and the Karez irrigation system

Jiaohe Ruins — a 2,000-year-old city carved from clay

Logistics

This route involves significant travel time. Internal flights and overnight trains are part of the experience. I handle all bookings so you just have to show up.

All experiences

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