THROUGH THE SAND DUNES ON THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD

Beijing-Lanzhou-Xiahe-Jinchang-Zhangye-Jiuquan-Jiayuguan-Dunhuang 

14 days/13 nights 

Day 1 BEIJING      

Upon arrival in Beijing, meet with local English speaking guide and transfer to hotel. Free time. Meals not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 2 BEIJING (B, L, D) 

Breakfast in hotel, then meet local English speaking guide and visit Tian'anmen Square 天安门广场,  the Forbidden City 故宫, the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. Lunch at local Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon visit the Summer Palace 颐和园, dominated by the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. Banquet dinner to taste the traditional Beijing Roasted Duck. After dinner, transfer to hotel. 

Day 3 BEIJING–LANZHOU–XIAHE (B, -, D) flight REF: MU2412 1120/1350

Breakfast in hotel. Meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province. Then, continue towards Xiahe (about 4h), where in its vicinity lies Labulengsi monastery. Dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel.

Day 4 XIAHE/LINXIA (B, L, D)  

Breakfast in hotel, then meet with local guide. Visit of Labulengsi Monastery (or Labrang) 拉卜楞寺.  Here at Labulengsi, nowadays, lives the biggest number of monks outside Tibet Autonoumus Region (more than 800).  It is possible to observe monks' life, attend ceremonies, follow pilgrims during their ritual religious activities. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch, visit inside the temples, very spectacular, with all their statues and tangka. Then transfer to Linxia and dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel.

Day 5 LINXIA/LANZHOU/JINCHANG (B, L, D)

Breakfast in hotel, meet with local guide and departure with motorboat to visit Grottoes of Bingling Temple 炳灵寺石窟, a series of grottoes filled with Buddhist sculptures. Lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, departure towards Lanzhou (170km: about 2,5h). Visit Gansu Province Museum 甘肃省博物馆, where you can discover the history of the ancient Silk Road, admire rare fossils, buddhist art and ancient ceramic relics. Dinner at local restaurant. Transfer to train station to go to Jinchang by express train. Upon arrival, hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 6 JINCHANG/BADAIN JARAN (B, L, D)   

Departure at 7:30 with a Jeep through the desert of Badain Jaran. Arrive at Badain lakes and special Mongolian breakfast. Continue the trip by Jeep through the sand dunes, running into camels. Special Mongolian picnic for lunch. Hiking Fairy Peak of Baidain Jaran 仙女峰 to visit Fairy Lake 仙女湖 and admire the panorama of the temple of Badain Jaran. Following, visit of the Mongolian temple of Badain Jaran 巴丹吉林庙, the only temple in the desert og Badain Jaran: in this magic place, nowadays, only one monk lives. Special Mongolian dinner. Overnight in a Mongolian yurt. 

Day 7 BADAIN JARAN/JINCHANG (B, L, D)  

In the morning, after Mongolian breakfast, departure towardsYinderitu Fountain 音德日图神泉. Hiking in Bilutu Peak 必鲁图峰. Picnic for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the biggest lake in the desert, Nuoertu Lake 诺尔图湖.  Walking and time at disposal to admire the lake and taking pictures. Following, transfer to Baoritaolegai 宝日陶勒盖, where it is possible to do special activities on the desert like sandboarding and fishing in the lake. Go back to Jinchang. Dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel.

Day 8 JINCHANG/YONGCHANG/ZHANGYE (B, L, D)

After breakfast,  departure towards Yongchang through Hexi corridor. Stop to visit the mysterious village of Liqian 骊靬. Lunch at local restaurant. Then, visit of Hanming Great Wall 汉明长城, a well-preserved section, consideret an open-air museum of the Great Wall. Visit the most important trade station of the Silk Road, Xinhe Posthouse 新河驿, and XiaKou fortress with an history of more 600 years and well preserved. Continue towards Zhangye. Upon arrival, dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel.

Day 9 ZHANGYE-QILIAN MOUNTAINS (B, L, D) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and departure to visit the Horse's Hoof Temple 马蹄寺, a wonderful complex of buddhist grottoes. Following, it will possible to observe ethnic minority of Yugur's daily life to understand its traditions and culture. Transfer back to Zhangye. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 10 ZHANGYE/JIUQUAN (B, L, D) 

After breakfast, visit of Dafo Temple 大佛寺, Giant Buddha Temple, built in 1058, a wonderful wooden structure that contains the biggest indoor sleeping Buddha in all of China. Then visit the grest stupa Mu Ta 木塔 (wooden tower), 31 m high, built in VI century, burden and finally rebuilt in 1925. Lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, excursion at National Geological Park of Zhangye Danxia 丹霞地貌公园. With the unusual colors of the rocks, Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park is breathtaking. The rocks are the result of deposits of sandstone and minerals that occurred over 24 million years. After the visit, departure towards Jiuquan. Upon arrival, dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel.

Day 11 JIUQUAN/JIAYUGUAN (B, L, D)

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit the tombs of Wei-Jin dynasty  魏晋壁画墓: 13 tombs have been discovered, but only one is open to visitors. Then visit to a factory in Jiuquan specialized in manufacturing black jade. Lunch at local restaurant. Continue towards Jiayuguan (20 km), the last Chinese garrison at the door of Western deserts, built during Ming dynasty in 1372. Visit della Jiayuguan fortress 嘉峪关城楼, between Qilian and Mazong mountains. Dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 12 JIAYUGUAN/YULIN GROTTOES/DUNHUANG (B, L, D)

After breakfast, departure to visit buddhist grottoes of Yulin 榆林窟: 41 grottoes chiseled in the cliffs on both the east and west sides of the Yulin River. Yulin Grottoes murals were built in Northern Wei dynasty, in the later dynasties of Tang, Five dynasties, Song, Xixia and Yuan dynasty, each generation has reconstruct Yulin Grottoes. Existing murals of more than 5000 square meters, sculptures by more than 100. Continue towards Dunhuang. Upon arrival, dinner at local restaurant. Hotel check-in. Overnight in hotel.

Day 13 MOGAO GROTTOES (B, L, D) 

After breakfast, meet local guide and go visiting Mogao Grottoes 莫高窟, UNESCO site. These grottoes are a treasure trove with more than 2,000 statues and 45sq km of murals, dating back to about 1,000 years ago.Lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Shazhou Market 沙洲市场, the biggest and the most "delicious" of Dunhuang. At sunset, excursion at Waxing Moon Lake 月牙泉, and at the spectacular Singing Sand Dunes 鸣沙山, some of them reach 200-300m of height. Transfer back to Dunhuang. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 14 DUNHUANG/BEIJING  (B, -, -)

Breakfast in hotel. Transfer to the airport and departure towards Beijing to take the flight back home.