Silk Road Adventure 13 Days | Urumqi to Beijing

TRIP NOTES

Silk Road Adventure 13 days | Urumqi to Beijing

PRIVATE TOUR: Taking in Urumqi, • 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 10 dinners Day 1 : Urumqi Kashgar and Turpan in China's far • 10 nights superior hotels (deluxe upgrade Welcome to Urumqi, in Xianjiang, a massive west before heading east to the available on request) province which shares borders with eight • 2 overnight trains: Turpan - Jiayuguan dunes at Dunhuang, the UNESCO- countries! A number airlines service Urumqi and Xian - Beijing (4-berth soft sleeper and our tour starts at this point. Arrival transfer listed Mogao Caves, Yellow River cabin) from airport to hotel. Overnight - Urumqi and the Terracotta Warriors. Our • Touring of Urumqi, Kashgar, Turpan, Silk Road Adventure is a road less Bezeklik, Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Lanzhou Day 2 : Urumqi travelled. and Xi'an Urumqi - Kashgar. Capital of Xinjiang, a largely • Beijing - excursion to the Great Wall desert and grassland province fringed by • Lanzhou - Yellow River boat ride some of the highest mountains in the world, HIGHLIGHTS AND INCLUSIONS • Xi'an - bike ride on medieval City Wall Urumqi sits amidst beautiful scenery, with • Trip Highlights Economy class flights: Urumqi - Kashgar, the snow-clad Tian Shan range to the city’s Kashgar - Urumqi and Lanzhou - Xian east. Two thousand years ago a string of • Urumqi - Tian Chi (Heaven Lake), Xinjiang • Airport arrival in Urumqi and departure oasis towns were developed along the Silk Museum transfer on day 1 and day 13 from Beijing Road that skirted the surrounding deserts. • Kashgar - Id Kah Mosque, Aba Khoja Capital Airport Trade attracted merchants from Europe and Mausoleum • All transfers and transportation in private India and Xinjiang became a meeting point • Turpan - Grape Valley, Gaochang city, A/C vehicles between east and west. Bezeklik Caves, Astana tombs, Imin • Local English speaking specialist guides Minaret, Jiaohe Ruins and Karez Well at local sights This morning enjoy an excursion to Tian • Zhangye - the red gritstone area • Entrance fees to all included sites Chi (Heavenly Lake), which is 1,910 meters • Jiayuguan - Jiayuguan Pass and Fort above sea level, with an average depth of at the Western end of the Great Wall of What's Not Included 60 meters. Surrounding the Heavenly Lake China • International flights and visa are beautiful snow mountains, glacier forests • Lanzhou - Yellow River cruise and • Laundry, drinks, items of a personal and grassland alpine lake. Later visit the local Bingling Temple nature Xinjiang Museum before flying to Kashgar. • Xi’an - UNESCO-listed Terracotta • Tipping - an entirely personal gesture Overnight - Kashgar (B, L, D) Warriors, clay warrior workshop, Wild Goose Pagoda, bike ride along the City DETAILED ITINERARY Wall and the Muslim Quarter • Beijing - UNESCO-listed Great Wall What's Included

Silk Road Adventure - 13 days updated on 26-09-2021 12:13:21 www.onthegotours.com This information has been compiled with care and good faith. They give an accurate illustration of the proposed arrangements for this holiday. Circumstances beyond our control such as changes in local conditions, inclement weather or other reasons could force us to make changes to UK 020 7371 1113 [email protected] this itinerary. Any costs shown are subject to change, though are an accurate reflection of costs at time of writing. Please also note that visa AUS 1300 855 684 [email protected] requirements are subject to change and are the responsibility of the traveller and not that of On The Go Tours. NZ 0800 44 77 69 CAN 1 866 890 7038 - 1 - USA 1 866 606 2960 SA 0800 990 311 TRIP NOTES

Silk Road Adventure

Day 3 : Kashgar Day 5 : Bezeklik wall’s easternmost point at Shanhaiguan. This was literally the final defence of the Chinese Empire, the place where China ended and beyond which lay an uncharted wilderness. Situated between striking mountain ranges, everyone who travelled between the deserts of central Asia and the fertile lands of China had to file through the Jiayuguan Pass. From Jiayuguan you'll drive on to Zhangye. Overnight - Zhangye (B, L, D)

Kashgar - Urumqi. Lying at the foot of Today's excursion takes you to Bezeklik. Day 8 : Zhangye the Pamir mountains in the far west of You’ll visit the Bezeklik Caves which are Zhangye - Lanzhou. Zhangye has a unique Xinjiang, Kashgar’s importance grew from its situated in a desert gorge high above the and striking landscape of unusual coloured location as an oasis at the point where the Sengim River and once formed part of a rocks which are several hundred meters tall. northern and southern routes of the ancient Buddhist monastery between the 6th and 14th The rocks in the Zhangye Danxia range Silk Road converged, forming a gateway to centuries. Beyond here are the Astana tombs from red to yellow and green, with striking the mountains leading to India and Russia. and the impressive ruins of Gaochang city, contrasting bands of colour. Today we'll visit From the 10th - 18th centuries Kashgar was founded as a garrison city in the 1st century the red gritstone area before taking a high part of the Islamic world, until the Chinese AD. Overnight - Turpan (B, L, D) speed train to Lanzhou. Overnight - Lanzhou reconquered the region. (B, L, D) Day 6 : Turpan On day 3 visit the largest mosque in China, Turpan - Jiayuguan. This morning you'll see Day 9 : Lanzhou Id Kah Mosque, which is located on the the Imin Ta (Imin Minaret), constructed in 1778, central square in Kashgar City, and the Aba before heading beyond Turpan to the Jiaohe Khoja Mausoleum which is perhaps the finest Ruins. Occupying a spectacular position on a example of Islamic architecture in Xinjiang. steep plateau, the ancient street plan, thanks Enjoy a short visit to the local market before to the many ruins of this former garrison flying back to Urumqi. Overnight - Urumqi (B, town, is still evident. A stop is also made at L, D) some 2,000-year-old Karez water channels, an irrigation system that many Silk Road Day 4 : Turpan cities and towns relied upon; the idea for Urumqi - Turpan. Enjoy an excursion to which came from ancient Persia. Tonight the southern mountain pastures before take an overnight sleeper train to Jiayuguan. Enjoy a scenic boat ride along the Yellow continuing by road to Turpan. Located on Overnight - Sleeper Train (B, L, D) River today. The Yellow River is regarded as the northern Silk Road, Turpan is a rural the "mother river of China" and it's the second- Uighur settlement. The Uighur descended Day 7 : Jiayuguan & The longest river in China (after the Yangtze). from nomadic Siberian and Central Asian Great Wall Later today visit the Bingling Temple where tribes who settled the region in the 9th you can see a series of grottoes filled with century. Renowned for its grape production, Buddhist sculpture carved into natural caves you’ll visit Grape Valley, the heart of the and caverns in a canyon along the Yellow region’s massive grape production. Taking River. Overnight - Lanzhou (B, L, D) a walk along the grape corridor, you will find drying rooms on nearby slopes. Every Day 10 : Xi'an year over 300 tons of raisins are made here. Lanzhou - Xi'an. This morning you'll fly from Overnight - Turpan (B, L, D) Lanzhou to Xi’an. Discover the highlights of Xi'an on a city tour including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Great Mosque and the Jiayuguan - Zhangye. Arrive into Jiayuguan medieval City Wall. Take a leisurely bicycle this morning and visit the incredible Jiayuguan ride on top of the 9 mile Xi’an City Wall (no Fort at Jiayuguan Pass - the farthest outpost need to go the entire way around) perimeter of the Great Wall which was built here by peeking down upon the lively city beneath. the Ming in 1372, over 5,000km from the Then you'll visit Great Mosque and enjoy

Silk Road Adventure some free time at the Muslim Quarter before rock and its importance in Chinese culture. government, document No, name of Vaccine, driving back to hotel. Overnight - Beijing (B, L) date/s of vaccination. Overnight - Xi'an (B, L, D) Day 13 : Beijing Groups & guides Day 11 : Xi'an Hotel check-out and included transfer to Some of our group tours are sectors of a larger airport. (B) tour. Some travellers on your trip may only travel with you for part of your tour. It also KNOW BEFORE YOU GO might be that you end your holiday part way through a longer tour and others in the group COVID-19 Vaccination continue on. Requirements Guides: We believe the best way to see a As of 01 November 2021 it is a condition of country is through the eyes of a local and travel, as detailed in our Terms & Conditions as such we only employ tour guides native that all travellers over 18 years provide proof to the country you are visiting. Our guides of COVID-19 vaccination. Xi'an - Beijing. Xi’an in Shaanxi Province are passionate, caring, knowledgeable and is perhaps most famous for the discovery We recognise any vaccine that has been fun, and by travelling with a local you to get of Emperor Qin’s Terracotta Warriors. authorised for use in the country where to see the wonders of the country through Discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging the vaccine was administered. This includes their eyes. Tour guides will remain with groups a well, the 2,200 year old terracotta warriors vaccines such as AstraZeneca, Covaxin, of 6 or more. Where groups are 5 or less, comprise more than 7,000 life-sized soldiers Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer- travel between cities will be unescorted with which stand battle-ready in excavated pits BioNtech, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Sputnik. transfers at either side of the airport/train under the cover of a modern protective station and a local guide will conduct the hanger. Made of local clay, no two faces are In all instances, you must be fully immunised. scheduled sightseeing within each city. alike – each is said to be an individual portrait. This means you must receive the full dosage Today you'll visit the archaeological site of of the COVID-19 vaccine and allow a minimum Entrance fees the Terracotta Warriors before continuing to a of 14 days before travelling in order for Entry fees to most sites are not included workshop where crafts people make replicas immunity to take effect. Each COVID-19 although reasonably priced. In China, we’ll of the terracotta warriors. Board the overnight vaccine has different dosages and timeframes collect the entrance fees on Day 2 of the express train bound for Beijing. Overnight - for immunisation, so please check the related tour at the Welcome Meeting (the amount is Sleeper train (B, L, D) medical advice associated with your vaccine. noted under exclusions on the first page of Children under 18 years are not required to this document). A comprehensive breakdown Day 12 : The Great Wall provide evidence of vaccination to travel at of the entrance fees is provided upon arrival. this time. All funds collected in China for entrance fees and optional excursions (that you may wish If you are unable to be vaccinated due to undertake) are payable in local currency - to medical reasons, you may apply for an Chinese Yuan (CNY). exemption. Exemptions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. To apply, you must Note: If you are over the age of 60 at time provide supporting documentation from a of travel, a discounted ticket or free entry medical professional. to some sites may be possible (subject to change by the government). Entrance fees Proof of COVID-19 immunisation must will be collected in full on day 2, and your be provided to us no less than This morning arrive into Beijing, China's guide/s will attempt to get a discount at each 4 weeks prior to travel. We accept bustling capital city. Enjoy an excursion site on your behalf. If a discount is obtained COVID-19 digital certificates, NHS Covid beyond Beijing to the legendary UNESCO- your guide will issue a refund at this time. Pass or Vaccination Record Cards e- listed Great Wall at Badaling. Spanning Please make your guide aware of this (if you mailed to [email protected] or you rugged mountain ranges, lush green valleys are eligible) at the Welcome Meeting so that can upload your vaccination history and barren plains, it stretches as far as the the discount can be requested throughout the yourself via our traveller login. https:// eye can see - at least 6,700 kms. You'll have tour. time to explore the wall before visiting a Jade www.onthegotours.com/Login Carving Centre to learn about this ornamental The information you will need to upload Tipping kitty At the start of your tour at the Welcome includes: Administering national authority or Meeting, we’ll collect a small tipping kitty

Silk Road Adventure

(the amount is noted under exclusions on traveller and not On The Go Tours. Please also • A small daypack for your day-to-day needs the first page of this document) from all tour ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 • Plastic poncho to go over your jacket. Whilst participants to cover tips throughout your months from your planned date of departure site-seeing, you can be in the rain for an holiday. This saves you the hassle of knowing from China. extended period and even a rain jacket can when and how much to tip bellhops, luggage get soaked. You can purchase a cheap one handlers, bus drivers, train conductors and After booking your holiday, please provide locally, but we suggest taking one from home other support staff throughout the tour. us with your passport details as soon of a better quality that doesn’t rip easily as possible so that we can proceed to • If your tour includes an internal flight, most This amount does not include a tip for your book all services. Please be advised visa airlines have a 20kg baggage limit tour guide. For a job well done, we suggest requirements are subject to change, therefore • Note: The government has introduced USD$3-5 per traveller, per day. Tipping your it is essential that you check current a policy for the purpose of environmental guide is an entirely personal gesture and visa requirements with the embassy before protection, whereby hotels no longer supply ultimately the amount is up to you. travel. For information about visas, head to disposable items such as slippers, shower www.onthegotours.com/China/Visas caps, tooth brush/paste, etc

China Country Guide Please note: If you plan to renew your Porterage passport between now and your departure Pack as light as possible! In China, most often Welcome to China - Arrival date, please let us know as soon as possible porterage is not available at railway stations transfer (not your soon to be old passport details). and you will need to carry your own luggage. When booking accommodation, trains or For tours starting in Beijing A complimentary Bags with wheels can be a hindrance when airport arrival transfer is included when flights, we must have the details of the climbing several flights of stairs, though are arriving into Beijing Capital Airport. After passport that you will be carrying with you on a blessing when walking lengthy distances to attending to immigration and customs your trip. reach our awaiting transportation. formalities, please proceed to the arrival hall. If arriving to Beijing into Terminal 2, Health requirements & water Media restrictions when exiting immigration to the arrivals hall, You should seek medical advice for There are restrictions on all media, including please turn right where our representative vaccinations and about medications before social media and free press throughout China. will be waiting. If arriving into Terminal 3 you travelling. Whilst on holiday, you will have limited or will be met just outside the restricted area. As tap water is not safe to drink in China, only no access to social media channels such as The prominent sign depicting our company drink bottled mineral water which is readily Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google Plus logo easily identifies our representative. available from hotels, shops and restaurants. - so no Google Maps and no Play Store. Please have your Tour Voucher handy and Make sure bottled water is sealed. To bypass the firewall, you could look at make it available to our representative. downloading a VPN, which is much easier to Our representative will assist you with your Essential packing do before you go to China. luggage and escort you to our vehicle, for your Please check local temperatures so WeChat: transfer to your hotel. you can pack accordingly. Visit Communication between the group and Tour www.worldclimate.com If, for any reason you have trouble locating Guide or Leader is best via the app: WeChat. our representative after waiting 20 minutes • Food in China is very different and arguably Please install this App prior to your holiday (remember Beijing is a busy International better than your local takeaway! If you prefer as it is very hard to download the app once Airport) or your flight to China is delayed, western snack food, consider bringing a you have arrived in China. If you opt to open please call or send a text message (standard supply the WeChat account prior to arrival and it text message, not Messenger or WhatsApp) to • Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, swim costume, requests that you have to be contacted by the emergency contact number as stated on basic torch/flash light and umbrella for sun or someone already on WeChat before opening your Tour Voucher. rain your account, don’t worry, this can be done • Comfortable closed in walking shoes for locally with your guide (just have the app If you require a transfers from Daxing climbing the Great Wall etc downloaded ready to finalise opening your International Airport, this can be arranged at • DEET based mosquito repellent and account locally). an additional fee, please speak with your antihistamine cream reservations consultant for further details. There is also limited international calling • Universal travel adaptor options, so please check with your local • Tour Voucher and a copy of your travel Visas & passports provider before leaving home, to source the insurance policy, spare passport photos and a Visa requirements are subject to change and best roaming or online options to keep in visa procurement is the responsibility of the photocopy of your passport

Silk Road Adventure regular contact with family and friends during you will be sleeping in another carriage to that the holiday and experience the wonders and your travels. of those in the 6 berth carriages). amazing places within their own country.

Travelling by train Shopping in China During this time you’ll likely to encounter Fast and efficient, China’s first rail lines China is a virtual Aladdin's Cave. Government- a celebratory atmosphere, but an additional were laid in the 19th century, and today the run Friendship Stores in almost all cities level of patience, flexibility and understanding government continues to invest heavily in stock a range of fixed-price souvenirs and goes a long way so that you may enjoy your this crucial mode of transport which connects handicrafts and can offer a reasonable idea holiday. many parts of the country. When travelling of what is acceptable in terms of quality As tourists, you will be generally be during the day, ‘soft’ seats, that is to say and price. After a visit to the Friendship unaffected and your tour guide will ‘upholstered’ seats are provided. Store, visit private stores, craft shops and do their best to plan around these local department stores. However, the best events. Though when initially planning For overnight travel on some of our "Signature shopping is often at public markets. If you see your holiday, if you prefer not to travel Range" tours, clients are accommodated in something you want, buy it when you see it when sites are crowded or are concerned ‘soft class’ sleeper cabins. Aboard each - prices don't vary greatly, but selection can about delays, then travelling during these wagon are 9 compartments that comprise vary from location to location. of 4 bunks per compartment. Four people holidays is possibly not for you. For of mixed gender share one compartment. In the tourism industry it’s common practice more information: www.timeanddate.com/ On occasion, dependent upon group size, for commission to be offered in exchange for holidays/china/2021 you may be sharing with local people on recommending particular shops or suppliers. the overnight journey, though sometimes This can become an issue when clients feel It's not like home! dependent upon how the Chinese Railways obliged to purchase. We do our best to avoid Travel to far - flung corners of the earth Booking Office configure the bookings, this by monitoring all shopping experiences involves lifestyles and conditions that are the cabin may be filled with four of our offered. sometimes very different from what you passengers. are used to back home. You must come All shopping experiences on your tour prepared to cope with unusual situations, A dining wagon serves reasonably priced have been noted in the itinerary and they local inadequacies and unpredictable events Chinese food of the noodles and rice variety, been carefully selected based upon positive as and when they occur. Foreign travel is along with snacks and drinks. A very simple feedback from On The Go travellers. You definitely not suitable for people who expect menu is published in English. Each wagon are under no obligation to partake in a or demand everything to go exactly as offers a WC and hand basin facility. At one listed shopping experience and you are planned. With the greatest respect and in the end, is a Chinese squat-style WC, whilst at most welcome to wait inside or outside the interest of your ultimate enjoyment you must the other end is a modern Western-style premises. understand this. Things can and do change in WC. Cabins are lockable from the inside and foreign countries. luggage is stowed in overhead compartments Although we only visit reputable retailers, and under the bottom bunk. Bed linen and please note that we cannot explicitly Please visit www.onthegotours.com/China/ slippers are supplied, and often there is a guarantee the quality of their products. All Travel-tips-and-useful-info for what to wear, TV mounted on the wall at the end of each purchases made whilst on holiday with us are local customs, currency, WiFi and other bed that may even work. Most channels are at your own discretion. Please make sure that helpful information to prepare for your broadcast in Mandarin, excluding one English you are completely happy with your purchase. holiday. On The Go cannot be held responsible for Channel, which has little of interest on it! • Be prepared as the locals smoke any items that you buy if they fail to meet For overnight travel on budget "Essentials expectation, or any shipping arrangements. everywhere in China Range" tours, clients are accommodated in Proceed with caution. • The Chinese don’t have an awareness “open” 6 berth bunks. We try to get all of personal space, be ready to have people of our travellers in the same compartment/ Holidays & events standing very close to you, nudge you or even seating area so that you can have fun getting China has many important National Holidays walk into you, they are not being rude, it’s just to know each other better, playing games and events that are celebrated throughout the a very different culture etc. It is possible to upgrade to a four-berth country. During these times (the lead up to • Many tourists report scams in Shanghai, so soft sleeper on your trip, please contact us them and afterwards) there can be delays to be friendly but careful. Never ever follow a at time of booking for rates (upgrades are public transport, the roads can be much busier stranger anywhere only possible if the open class ticket has not and many sites are a lot more crowed as the • Spitting and snorting is common in China as already been purchased and please note that locals take this time to visit family, celebrate they see the use of tissues as unhygienic

Silk Road Adventure

• Some locals won’t queue and will often walk straight to the front of a line with no awareness or care of what they have done wrong • Chinese people are delighted if you make any attempt to speak Mandarin, even if it’s only a couple of words

Toilets/washrooms Public toilets, when found, are usually ‘squats’ - holes in the ground with footrests at either side and often don’t possess a door! They can be a novelty and are easy to use. The custom is to wash with water from a jug or little pipe attached to the toilet using your left hand. Doesn’t appeal? Here are some hints! • Time yourself with the accommodations you are staying at • If you are out and about, find the nearest hotel, restaurant, fast food outlet, or toilets at tourist attractions, which all tend to have Western style facilities • Ask your tour guide to make a stop • Always take some antiseptic hand gel or antibacterial hand wipes with you and BYO toilet paper as its rare in public toilets