Silk Road Culture Tour for Students

Day 1

Xi'an


We will meet you upon your arrival at the airport or train station, transfer you to the hotel and check you in. We will have a welcoming party.
 

Day 2

Xi'an
 
7:00am:  Morning call, and breakfast in the hotel

8:00am:  Take bus to visit the history Museum

10:00am: Take bus to visit Big Goose Pagoda (optional climb of the pagoda)

12:00am: Take bus back to the hotel, Lunch on your own

4:00pm:   Walk from hotel to visit the big Mosque

5:30pm:   Student Presentations in the mosque’s conference room; Talk with expert on Muslims in China; Dinner on your own (suggestion: Muslim street) 

Evening Free Time: Suggestions - Water show at Big Goose Pagoda, Water Movie at Tang Garden

Day 3

Xi'an

7:00am:   Morning wakeup call; Breakfast in the hotel

8:00am:   Take bus to Terra Cotta Warriors Museum (1.5hr drive); Walk to museum restaurant, Student presentations in front of museum restaurant; Talk with a farmer who found the terracotta warriors, Visit the museum (3 archeological pits, 1 exhibition hall and 1 movie theatre)

12:30pm:  Group lunch at museum restaurant

1:30pm:  Walk to bus parking place

1:45pm: Take bus to visit the wax museum of Qingshihuang Tomb

3:00pm:  Take bus to visit the Herb Market, Herb finding game; Students will be divided into 10 groups, each group gets three pictures of different kinds of herb, each group needs to find out this herb and write its name and function at the back of the picture (may ask the vendors to help write down)

5:00pm: Take bus back to hotel, Dinner on your own

Evening Free Time:  Suggestion - Tang Music and Dance Show.

Day 4

Xi’anLanzhou

8:00am:  Morning call, Breakfast at hotel

9:15am:  Check out of hotel (leave the luggage at the lobby)

9:30am:  Student presentations in the hotel lobby; Walk from hotel to visit City Wall, meet with local students on the wall (optional biking –pay on your own)

Afternoon Free Time: Interaction with local students; Suggestions - Stele Forest Museum, Art and Antique Street; Lunch and dinner on your own

8:30pm: Assemble at hotel lobby, local luggage on bus, take bus to train station

10:26pm: Train (K119,22:26-06:28) leaves for Lanzhou.

Day 5

LanzhouXiahe
     
6:30am: Train arrives in Lanzhou; take bus to restaurant for breakfast: beef noodle

9:00am:  Take bus to visit Yellow River Park; Optional goat-skin boat cruise-pay on your own

10:00am: Take bus to Xiahe (6hrs), stopping in LinXia for lunch—on your own

5:00pm: Bus arriving in Xiahe, Check in hotel

6:30pm: Student presentations at the hotel yard

7:00pm: Take bus to restaurant for group dinner, Tibetan Banquet.

Day 6

Xiahe
       
8:00am: Morning call, Breakfast at hotel

9:00am: Student presentations at the hotel yard

9:30am:  Talk with invited lama - life of being a lama

10:00am: Walk to visit Labrang Monastery, Lunch on your own

1:30pm:  Meet in the hotel yard; Option1: Take the bus to visit Sanke grassland, Visit nomadic family, Learn Tibetan dance 

4:30pm:  Take bus back to the hotel . Option2: Hike the mountain, (must follow guides, NO INDIVIDUAL EXPLORATION); Visit Sky-burial site. Dinner on your own

Evening Free Time

Day 7

XiaheLanzhou (260kms, 4hrs driving)
         
Suggestion: morning pilgrimage around the monastery

8:00am:  Morning call,  Breakfast at hotel

9:00am:  Check out hotel (load luggage on bus)

9:15am:  Student presentation at the hotel yard

9:45am:  Take bus back to Lanzhou (6hrs), Stop in Linxia for lunch –on your own, Stop to visit Xichuan Big Mosque at Guanghe

5:30pm:  Bus arrives at hotel in Lanzhou, Check in the hotel;Dinner on your own; Evening free time.
                 Suggestion: prepare food for dinner and breakfast on the train for tomorrow.

Day 8

LanzhouDunhuang (Train (K9667,17:50-07:45) 
       
6:00am: Morning call, Breakfast at the hotel

7:00am: Check out the hotel (load luggage on bus)

7:15am: Take bus to Linjiaxia Reservoir (2hrs); Take speed boat to Binglingsi Caves (1hr); Student presentations at the rest place; Visit the caves; Picnic lunch

1:00pm: Walk back to the wharf

1:15pm: Take speed boat back to the reservoir, take bus back to Lanzhou

4:30pm: Bus arrives in Lanzhou train station

5:30pm: Train (K9667,17:50-07:45) leaves for Dunhuang; Dinner on the train-on your own

Dunhuang
       
Breakfast on the train — on you own

10:54am: Train arrives in Dunhuang Take bus to restaurant for group lunch; Student presentations at restaurant

1:30pm: Take bus to hotel. Check in hotel

3:00pm: Take bus to visit Mogao Caves (no camera allowed inside)

5:30pm: Take bus back to hotel; Dinner on your own Suggestion: night market.

Evening free time.

Dunhuang
       
7:00am:  Morning call, Breakfast at hotel

8:00am:  Take bus to visit Yadan Ghost City (2.5hrs)

12:30pm: Group lunch at ghost city restaurant

1:30pm: Take bus back to hotel; Dinner on your own (or you can bring food, but no cooking facilities at camping site)

6:30pm: Take bus to the desert; Walk to camping site

7:30pm: Assemble at camp; Student presentations on the desert; Camping on desert (Hot water, coffee, tea and paper cups are provided by Trust Tour)

Day 11

DunhuangTurpan
         

5:00am:  call; Take bus to Singing Sand Dune, Ride camels to see sunrise; Ride camels to see Crescent Moon Lake

9:00am:  Take bus back to hotel; Breakfast at hotel

12:00pm: Check out hotel (leave luggage at the lobby)  

Afternoon Free Time: Suggestion - Bike to the ruins of ancient Great Wall

6:15pm:  Student presentations at hotel lobby; Load luggage on bus; Dinner on your own; Prepare breakfast for next day 

7:00pm; Take bus to Dunhuang Train station

8:00pm: Train(K169,21:08-06:37) leaves for Turpan

Day 12

Turpan
       

10:34: Train arrives in Turpan; Take bus to hotel (1hr)

12:00pm: Check in the hotel; Lunch on your own 

1:30pm: Take bus to visit Sugong Minerat

2:30pm: Take bus to visit Karez irrigation system,

Afternoon free time

Dinner on your own; Enjoy the local Uighur Culture Show

Turpan
       
8:00am: Morning call; Breakfast at hotel

9:00am: Student presentation at hotel lobby

9:30am: Take bus to visit Jiaohe ancient city

11:45am: Take bus back to the hotel; Lunch on your own. 
               
Afternoon free time: ,Suggestion - visit local bazaar

6:00pm: Take bus to Uighur village for home-stay

7:30pm: Dinner at family home, participate in local party

Turpan
       
8:00am: Wakeup call; Take bus back to hotel; Breakfast at the hotel

Morning free time; Lunch on you own

2:00pm: Student presentations at hotel lobby

2:30pm: Take bus to Tuyugou valley (oriental Mecca) (1.5hr drive, passing by flaming mountain); Visit the village and grottos

6:00pm: Take bus back to hotel; Dinner on your own

Evening free time

TurpanHeavenly Lake
         
7:30am: Morning call; Breakfast at the hotel

8:45am: Check out hotel (load luggage on bus)

9:00am: Take bus to Tianchi Lake (5hrs); Stop halfway for lunch—on your own

3:00pm: Bus arrives at Tianchi Lake (4hrs); Walk to the Kazak yurts (bring a small pack with overnight necessities); Hike around the lake (NO MOUNTAIN CLIMBING NO SWIMMING)

6:00pm: Assemble at yurt; Student presentations at the yurt

6:30pm: Kazak dinner; Music and bonfire party

Heavenly Lake Urumqi
         
7:00am:  call; Take bus to restaurant for breakfast.

9:00am: Take bus to Urumqi

11:00am: Bus arrives at Xinjiang Museum in Urumqi; Student presentations in the main hall of museum; Visit the museum

1:00pm: Take the bus to hotel check in the hotel; Lunch on your own.

Afternoon free time suggestion: International Bazaar

7:00pm: Take bus to restaurant for farewell dinner

Day 17

Urumqiyour destination
       
 9:00: Morning Call; Breakfast at Hotel; Today is final day of the trip, please bring all your belongs with you to the airport.

10:15: Check out the hotel, leave your luggage in the hotel lobby

10:30: Take the bus to airport; take the flight back to home sweet home; Your silk road culture tour ends)