8 Days Silk Road Legend Trip: From Qinghai to Gansu

Altitude: 2261m Transport: Car Accommodation: In Xining Today your flight will touch down in Xining. Upon arrival, be met and bring you to visit Ta'er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery), the most populous monks outside of Tibet. You will stay at Thangka Sunning Terrace which is one of the best places to view the monastery and surrounding scenery. Inside the monastery, apart from magnificent Buddha stupas and wall paintings, prayer wheels are also a must-see spot. The whole monastery is surrounded by wheels, walk along the corridor, rotate the wheels, and pray for chasing away the troubles.

Altitude: 3100m Transport: Car Accommodation: In Chaka Enjoy the magnificent scenery of Qinghai Lake in the morning, which is the largest inland saltwater lake in China. It is no exaggeration to say that Qinghai Lake is a miracle that is endowed by a deity. Outside, He encircled the lake with four continuous mountains and extends broad grassland at the foot of them. After that, we will drive to Chaka for an overnight stay.

Altitude: 1483m Transport: Car&Train Accommodation: In Zhangye Explore Chaka Salt Lake, it is the largest saline in Qinghai Province, Chaka Salt Lake means "the sea of salt" in Mongolian. It lies in the center of Qaidam Basin, which was nominated by the national tourist geography magazine as one of the 55 places to go. Then back to Xining and catch the express train to Zhangye.

Altitude: 1483m Transport: Car Accommodation: In Yurt Hotel After breakfast at the hotel, we will take you to visit the Giant Buddha Temple, which is an important place on the Silk Road. the Giant Buddha Temple is the largest architectural relic in Gansu Province of the Western Xia (1038-1227) period. China's largest reclining Buddha is well preserved in this temple. Then, proceed the tour to Mati Temple which was built in Jin Dynasty. A series of horseshoe prints are visible in Grotto 9, which are said to be left by a heaven horse. As a result, the temple was named for the horseshoe prints left by the legendary heaven horse, which become the treasure of the temple. After the visit, spend the night at Kaoshan Tent.

Altitude: 1700m Transport: Car Accommodation: In Jiayuguan Meet the guide and driver at the hotel, then we will head to the splendid Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, which is the most typical arid area of northern China. Ribbons of reds, oranges, and yellows slice through the rock, to create a rainbow vista contained only by the contours of the jagged mountain peaks. so many people also call it "Rainbow Mountain". Continue the tour to Binggou Danxia, which is the most significant geological and geomorphic relic of the window lattice palace in China, mainly composed of a sandstone geomorphic relic landscape. After visiting, we will drive to Jiayuguan for an overnight stay.

Altitude: 1139m Transport: Car Accommodation: In Dunhuang In the morning, we will meet you at the hotel lobby and take you to visit the Jiayuguan pass. This Ming Dynasty fort guards the strategic Jiayuguan pass, at the western end of the Great Wall – this was the last section built by the Ming Dynasty. you will explore the Great Wall Museum, which was opened to the public in October 1989 and is the first one to exhibit the Great Wall culture in a comprehensive and systematic way. Afterward, we will drive all the way to the next stop Dunhuang.

Altitude: 1139m Transport: Car Accommodation: In Dunhuang The journey will begin from the Mogao Grottoes, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the great artistic and religious wonders of the world and it is famous for its exquisite murals and various sculptures inside the caves, which were built in different dynasties, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. After lunch in local restaurants, we will head to visit the Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake. it is famous for the constant sound of the moving sand. and the Crescent Lake, The lake's name derives from the crescent moon shape taken by the pool of spring water between two large sand dunes. In the evening, you will be visiting Shazhou Night Market. the most bustling place of Dunhuang at night, taste the local cuisine and buy some souvenirs for your family and friends.

Altitude: 1139m Transport: Car No Accommodation Free time in the morning, you can explore Dunhuang Museum on your own if you are interested. We will arrange the airport transfer according to your flight schedule, wish you a pleasant journey home.