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Day 01
Urumqi
Turpan (200km)
Upon arrival to Urumqi transfer to hotel, check in. Afternoon visit Grand Bazar or Erdao Qiao Market. It means "second bridge" in Chinese and it is said to be the largest market in Central Asia. There are tons of stalls of people selling dried fruit, fresh fruit, handcrafts, people on the street selling delicious Nang bread, lamb skewers, meat, "cheese", pomegranates, etc. In Urumqi, a bazaar is more than just a place to buy things. It offers locals a place to enjoy the flavour of a festival, to have a rest and to meet with friends.
People barter goods, exchange information, and even gossip at the bazaar market. Later drive to Turpan, en route you will be able to observe Urumqi wind power station, is the biggest wind power station of Asia. More than 350 windmills work and provide electricity for the people of Urumqi. On arrival transfer to hotel for overnight. Overnight at hotel
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Day 02
Turpan
Half day visit picturesque Tuyoq ancient village (70 km) to see the oldest in Turpan area Buddhist caves dated back to the 4th c. You will visit local Uygur families, enjoy beautiful mountain and grapes sceneries. The ancient Uygur village of Tuyoq is a little patch of oasis located in the Tuyoq Great Canyon within the crimson and seemingly barren Flaming Mountain Range, 47 Kilometers west of Turpan. Characterized by maze-like alleyways, rustic mud brick homes and grape drying houses, shady grape vines, and a cool running stream, this is a wonderful place to explore traditional Uygur life and culture.
Many of the homes inside the village are at least 200 hundred years old. At the end of the day visit famous Grape valley (12 km), which is presenting a world of unique beauty, is a striking contrast with the hot, dry and barren outside. This green paradise of 400 hektares (988 acres) is covered with layer upon layer of grapes. Here you will have an opportunity to admire a pleasant park with vineyards and fruit trees, there are special places for relaxing and eating the grapes and melons. The charming Grape Valley is a valley which is about 7 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide.
The nearby man-made ditch from the Tianshan Mountain makes the grape valley fresh and alive. The hill to the side of the valley is green and is full of various fruits like peaches, apples, pears and so on. The houses for drying the grapes into raisin make the valley picturesque. The grapes in the valley come in various types such as Manaizi Grapes, Core-free White Grapes (also known as Small Grapes) and Red Grapes. Overnight at hotel
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Day 03
Turpan
Kashgar K9786 11:58-12:11
Morning visit the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (56 km) on the flanks of the Flaming Mountains, there are 67 caves dating from 317 to 1368, Bezeklik was an important center for Buddhist worship. These are superb murals many depicting Buddhist Sutras and Jatakas which were the part of Hinayana and Mahayana beliefs.
Bezekliq caves were part of Gaochang Kingdom present day ruins of Gaochang. Later transfer to the railway station to take train to Kashgar. On the way you will have an opportunity to see the Taklimakan desert. Overnight: train
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Day 04
Kashgar
On arrival to Kashgar, transfer to the old town to visit colorful unique chaotic Great Sunday bazaar where you will see numerous sections: silk and cotton, knives, hats, pots and pans, fresh vegetables and fruits, carpets and jewellery, there is a separate livestock and horse section located 6 km from the main market.
Sunday Bazaar is one of the great markets of central Asia. Various Moslem nationalities in colorful costumes arrive on foot, bike, horseback, modern motorcycles and donkey carts. Women are bargaining over flashy rayon fabrics and traditional Uygur designs. Men are trying to find just the right hat. Traditional instruments are for sale. Later transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel
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Day 05
Kashgar
Morning short visit of the largest mosque in China Idkah mosque (1442), grand Islamic structure located in the center of the city of Kashgar, has a history of more than five hundred years. Shakesimirzha, the ruler of Kashgar, had the mosque built here first in1442, where he would say prayers to the souls of his deceased relatives.
Extended and renovated time and again through the ages, it has finally reached its present shape and size,visit Apak Khoja’s Tomb – the holiest place in Xinjiang for Sufis (1640), located outside Kashgar was built in 1640 and, in addition to encompassing a larger complex that includes a functioning mosque and Qur'anic school, houses the coffins of five generations of the Apak Khoja family, including what is purported to be the body of the Fragrant Concubine. Afternoon drive to visit picturesque Atush village (30 km northeast of Kashgar) – which is exemplifying the typical Uygur style village. Here you will have an opportunity to catch a glimpse of rural Uyghur life. You will have an unrivaled insight into local Uyghur culture.
On arrival back in Kashgar walk through the colorful national Handicraft Street that has the verity of ceramic and wood carving workshops. Explore the maze of narrow streets in this oldest residential area of Kashgar. Houses were originally built along a natural slope, and extended over the years with many streets either fully or half-covered. Traditional Uighur life continues here in time-honoured fashion. Visit local families, see potteries, bakeries, embroidery, and local skills. Overnight at hotel
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Day 06
Kashgar
Tashkorgan – 300 km
Transfer to Tashkorgan via the famous Karakorum highway en route stop at Karakuly Lake located at the foothills of the beautiful Muztagata Mountain at 3600 meters above the sea level.
Visit Uygur traditional village Opal to see Mausoleum of the well known 11 c. Uygur philologist Mohammed Kashgari.
Visiting nomadic Kyrgyz ethnic people, who still live in felt yurts.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 07
Tashkorgan
Kashgar – 300 km
Morning visit local Museum with history, archeology and culture sections. Excursion to the ancient Stone Fortress around 7th century. Afternoon transfer back to Kashgar.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 08
Kashgar
Yarkent (180 km)
Morning transfer to the ancient Yarkent en route visit Yengisar village to see the traditional local knife making workshop. On arrival see the Golden Mosque (1533 AD), Amani Sahan Mausoleum (1526-1560), the cemetery of kings (1514-1682). Later see traditional local bazaar in Yarkent.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 09
Yarkent
Hotan (280 km)
Morning set out overland for Hotan. On arrival visit the Factory of handmade silk and woollen carpet workshop, Jade Factory, with an extensive jade showroom upstairs. You can watch jade crafters at work. (Hotan is world famous for its jade mines).
Overnight at hotel
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Day 10
Hotan
Urumqi CZ 6812 17:50-19:30
Morning visit the workshop of Mulberry Paper.
Afternoon flight to Urumqi. On arrival transfer to hotel. Check in.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 11
Urumqi
Heavenly Lake – Urumqi – 120 km (one way)
Full day excursion to Heavenly Lake (Tian Chi). You will have the picturesque drive up to almost 2000 metres above the sea level and see small beautiful waterfalls en route, the lake located at the foothills of Heavenly Mountains, where Kazakh families put their yurts in summer and graze their herds of horses, sheep and cattle. Late afternoon return to Urumqi.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 12
Urumqi
Departure flight
Day trip to the Nanshan Grasslands (Baiyang gou). This area, 70km south of Urumqi city is located at the base of the Tian Shan mountain range. This is a great land for hiking with gushing valleys and waterfalls falling down the hillsides and the ginseng herb growing on the hillside. Visit Kazakh-Nomads, meet local farmers. Drive back to Urumqi and transfer to the airport for departure flight home.
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