4-Day Private Silk Road Cities Tour from Shanghai with Flight

Enhance your sightseeing experience of ancient Silk Road cities of Xi’an, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang on this 4 Day private tour from Shanghai. Travel by plane and private air-conditioned vehicle. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage sites: Terra-cotta Army, Jiayuguan Fortress, Xuanbi Great Wall, Mogao Grottoes, Yadan National Geologic Park,Crescent Moon Pool and Singing Dunes. In addition, climb up to Xian City Wall to enjoy amazing view of the city, stroll around the Muslim Quarter to try delicious local snacks. Your friendly and knowledgeable private guide will give you a comprehensive history class about the attractions. Tour including plane tickets, entrance fee, lunch, English speaking tour guide and private vehicle, you can choose to end your tour in Dunhuang or return Shanghai. Tour includes the option to book 4-star accommodation with daily breakfast.

• Make sure everyone brings their passport.
• Full name and passport number are required to book attraction tickets.

Quick itinerary view

Day 1

Shanghai – Xi’an(L)

1 Shanghai Tourist Service Center (Pudong Airport T2)

Your driver will hold your name sign waiting in the lobby of your Shanghai hotel, you will be transferred to airport for 2-hour flight to Xi’an.

2 The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses

Upon arrival, your tour guide will hold your name sign waiting at the exit of the arrival hall, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, then heading directly to Terracotta warrior’s museum. Your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories along the way, feel free to ask questions if you have. Start with a visit to the world-famous Terracotta warrior’s museum which known as “the Eighth Wonders of the World”. The museum divided into three sections: No.1 Pit, No.2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit. The original site was found by four local farmers while drilling a well in 1974 and now it has turned into the most important attraction in Xi’an. Stroll around the museum and get rich information from your tour guide.

3 Xi’an City Wall (Chengqiang)

After lunch, perhaps head to the 600 years old Xi’an City Wall. Reach the top of the centuries-old city wall, admire views of the city below.

4 Muslim Quarter

Afterwards, heading to Muslim Quarter, it is the hub of the Muslim community in Xi’an City, follow your tour guide to stroll around the Muslim food and souvenir market. Try delicious local snacks if you want at your own cost. After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Xi’an.

Accommodation: Overnight 4 Star hotel in Xi’an if you choose the option to including the hotel

Meals: Lunch

Day 2

Xi’an- Jiayuguan– Dunhuang(B,L)

1 Xi’an Xianyang International Airport

Your driver will hold your name sign waiting in the lobby of your Xi’an hotel, you will be transferred to airport for a 2.5-hour flight to Jiayuguan.

2 Jiayuguan Heritage Scenic Resort

Your tour guide will hold your name sign waiting at the exit of the arrival hall, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, heading directly to Jiayuguan.

3 Jiayuguan Fortress

Start your exploration with a visit to the Great Wall Museum, learn the history and stories about the Jiayuguan Fortress and Great Wall. Jiayuguan Fortress is considered as “the Impregnable Pass under Heaven”. It is the most magnificent and best-preserved pass among one thousand passes along the Great Wall of China. It was located at a traffic fort along the Silk Road which is the world’s oldest trading route, connecting China, Central Asia and Europe.

4 Xuanbi Great Wall

After lunch in the local restaurant, explore Xuanbi Great Wall in the afternoon. As the northern extension of Jiayuguan Fortress, it is an important part of ancient military defense system. First built in 1539, it was made of gravels and loess on the spot. Accompanied by your tour guide, hiking up to the wall, enjoy amazing views of the surroundings and mountains. Then, you will be heading to your hotel in Dunhuang 4 hours.

Accommodation: Overnight 4 Star hotel in Dunhuang if you choose the option to including the hotel

Meals: Breakfast Lunch

Day 3

Dunhuang: Yumen Pass–Han Great Wall Ruins -Yadan Ghost City(B,L)

1 Yumen Pass

Your tour guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel by holding your name sign, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, heading directly to Yumen Pass (1.5 hours), your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories, feel free to ask questions if you have. The Yumen Pass was a strategic pass on the ancient Silk Road protecting Dunhuang from invasion from the West about two thousand years ago. Follow your tour guide, take attraction’s battery bus to explore the area. Admire thousand years old ruins of Hecang City, Han Dynasty Great Wall Ruins and Yumen Pass. The existing Yumen Pass is a square castle standing in the sandy rocks of Gobi. Climbing up to the tower and overlooking, you will collect in your eyes a long scroll full of scattering mashes, ravines crossbar, winding great wall, tall and straight poplars which create an atmosphere of nostalgia.

2 Great Wall of Han Dynasty

Continue to explore the ruins of Han Dynasty Great Wall. With a history of over 2000 years, Han Dynasty Great Wall was built during 101 to 121 BC. Stretching as long as over a thousand kilometers in the west land of ancient China, it had taken a crucial role in defending the country against northern invaders and contributed greatly to the prosperity of silk road in the history, as it was under such a security protection, could the merchants passing through this area both from east and west continue their business and exchange goods and information. Adjusting measures to local condition, Han Great Wall was made by branches, reeds, sand gravels and other local materials instead of masonry structure. The existing Han Great Wall Relics in Dunhuang lost its origin style and features because of the weather-bitten of several millennia. However, you can still figure out the outline and admire the wisdom of ancient people.

3 Yadan National Geological Park

Take a break after finishing your time in Yumen Pass with a tasty lunch, continuing to Yadan National Geological Park. Dunhuang Yadan National Geological Park, also referred as Yadan Devil City for the bleak desert and horrific sound, presents an astonishing scene of Yardang landform. If you care about seeing natural landscape or having an adventurous tip, this is a must-do. Quite spectacular with natural formation of the landscape will give you an unexpected shot. As the largest one of Yardang Landform found so far, you will hear the sound just like the devil screaming when the strong wind goes through the desert. Accompanied by your tour guide, take the battery bus to explore four main sites in the park. You will have free time to watch the great view and take beautiful photos. You can get a view of uniquely-shaped rocks like Mongolian Bao, Stone Bird, Peacock and others. Make full use of your imagination, you may find some rocks with some miniatures similar to famed architectures, like the Potala Palace in Tibet, Heaven Temple in Beijing or something else. Perhaps you have watched sunset numerous times in untold places, but you may never experience such a grand sight in Yadan Geologic Park. If you want to stay longer to experience the unique sunset moment, just let your tour guide know (with extra cost). After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Dunhuang.

Accommodation: Overnight 4 Star hotel in Dunhuang if you choose the option to including the hotel

Meals: Breakfast Lunch

Day 4

Dunhuang City Highlights (B, L)

1 Mogao Caves

Your tour guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel by holding your name sign, hop on your private air-conditioned vehicle, heading directly to Mogao Caves. Upon arrival, start your tour with a visit to the Mogao Caves Digital Exhibition Center. Watch two documentary movies, get to know the history, culture and art about Mogao Caves. Afterwards, follow the professional tour guide from Mogao Caves to discover the charms of this UNESCO world culture heritage site. You will explore 7 to 9 caves. As you explore the caves, your guide will point out the meaning of different wall paintings which aspects of medieval politics, economics, culture, arts, religion, ethnic relations, and daily dress in western China. Mogao Caves are the world’s largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art. They are located at a strategic point along the Silk Road, at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences. The carving of the caves started in 366 AD and continued for about 1,000 years. 492 caves are presently preserved, housing about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures which are well-known for their statues and wall paintings.

2 Mingsha Shan – Echoing-Sand Mountain

Then, move on to Singing Dunes. The sand of the mountain has many colors ranging from red to yellow, green, black and white. When there is strong wind, the sands will be blown up and make loud sound, hence the name. Stroll around the area to enjoy the surroundings. You can choose to go up to the dune to enjoy amazing view of the desert and Crescent Moon Pool.

3 Crescent Moon Pool

Move on to Crescent Moon Pool. Just like its name indicates, the Crescent Pool is in a natural shape of half-moon. The pool was surrounded by Echoing Sand Mountain, it was considered as “the first spring in desert”. According to historical record, the lake has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand. If you choose to end your tour in Shanghai, you will be heading to airport during noon to fly Xi’an first, then Shanghai, no time for lunch.

4 Dunhuang Night Market Commercial Street

If you choose to end your tour in Dunhuang, then you can choose to visit Shazhou Night Market during evening, where is on behalf of Dunhuang Nightlife and regarded as a “nightlife landscape”. It is highly popular among the tourists all over the world with its featured local specialties as well as strong flavor of local culture. After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Dunhuang.

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast Lunch

There are discounts in the off-season, please call us!

Free cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours before your travel date and get a full refund