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Silk Road Suitcase Seminar TRACING CHINA’S ANCIENT CARAVAN ROUTES September 5 to 25, 2011

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Silk Road Suitcase Seminar TRACING CHINA’S ANCIENT CARAVAN ROUTES September 5 to 25, 2011 STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Silk Road Suitcase Seminar TRACING CHINA’S ANCIENT CARAVAN ROUTES September 5 to 25, 2011 a program of the stanford alumni association URUMQI MARKET One of the world’s most epic journeys is without question the fabled Silk Road. Though named for its famous silk trade, the route also act- ed as a conduit for the gold, ivory, and exotic plant and animal trade. Traveling overland from Beijing to Central Asia through China’s remote northwest is not an undertaking for an inexperienced trav- eler, though the rewards are great for those who endure: art-filled Buddhist caves in Dunhuang, the oasis city of Turfan, Kashgar’s famed livestock bazaar and an unforgettable mix of exotic peoples and cultures. Our caravan is led by Travel/Study’s modern-day Marco Polo, Professor Lyman Van Slyke, veteran of over 35 Stanford programs in Asia and the driving force behind this itinerary. This journey is not to be missed. BRETT S. THOMPSON, ’83, DIRECTOR, STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Highlights E XPLORE markets and D ISCOVER the Buddhist S TAND in the shadow of mosques of oasis cities grottoes of Dunhuang and Da Fo (“Great Buddah”), along the route of ancient Bezeklik, caves filled with a 235-foot-high statue caravans, including the art that were commissioned of Buddah carved into a vibrant market of Kashgar. by rich merchants looking cliff face in the Leshan to win favor with Buddah. mountains. PRAYER WHEELS AT LABRANG MONGOLIA Urumqi Turfan G o b i D e s e r t Kashgar Beijing Dunhuang Xiahe C HINA Xian Shanghai gtze River an Chengdu Y NEPAL BHUTAN INDIA TAIWAN starting point for caravans SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 leaving China for the XIAN / LANZHOU / Itinerary arduous trek west into XIAHE (LABRANG) Fly to Lanzhou. This MONDAY & TUESDAY, death-defying deserts and afternoon, continue by coach SEPTEMBER 5 & 6 almost impassable mountain on a four-hour drive to Xiahe, U.S. / BEIJING, CHINA ranges. Visit the Yangling passing mosques and Hui Depart the U.S. on flights Tomb Museum, which Muslim villages en route. bound for Beijing, crossing features recent archaeological LABRANG HOTEL (B,L,D) the international date line and discoveries from Han dynasty arriving in Beijing on Tuesday. tombs. Walk through Xian’s MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Enjoy the remainder of the old district where the Great evening at leisure. XIAHE (LABRANG) / Mosque and the Chinese LANZHOU GRAND HYATT BEIJING garden surrounding it create Spend the day exploring the an island of tranquility. Labrang Monastery, which WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, Enjoy a dumpling dinner at SEPTEMBER 7 & 8 sits at an altitude of 9,500 feet BEIJING the renowned Defachang in a remote mountain valley During our two full days restaurant. in Gansu province. Home to in China’s capital, visit the SOFITEL RENMIN SQUARE (B,L,D) over 1,000 monks, Labrang “Forbidden City,” the Imperial is an important pilgrimage Palace of omnipotent Chinese SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 site and center of scholarship emperors. Visit the Temple of XIAN — and considered the most Xian served as China’s capital Heaven, a complex of three important Tibetan monastery during the reign of Qin Shi main structures: the Hall of outside of Tibet. Huang Di, the first emperor of Prayer for Good Harvests, the SUNSHINE PLAZA HOTEL (B,L,D) China. The legendary, life-size Imperial Vault of Heaven and 6,000-man terra-cotta army, the Circular Mound Altar of TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 created to protect his tomb Heaven. Stroll along the won- LANZHOU / and China’s most breathtak- drous Great Wall at Mutianyu DUNHUANG ing archaeological find, was Lanzhou was a caravan and explore the Ming tombs. discovered in 1974 and is stop on the Silk Road and Enjoy a welcome reception only part of the treasure trove an historic transit point for and a special duck dinner. hidden beneath the low hills the wool, silk and tea trades. GRAND HYATT BEIJING (B,L,D-8/7; B,L-8/8) outside Xian. Visit the Shaanxi Situated on the banks of the History Museum, which hous- Yellow River, it is the present- FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 es over 300,000 items dating day capital of Gansu province. BEIJING / XIAN as far back 1.7 million years. Visit the Gansu Provincial Fly to Xian, the ancient SOFITEL RENMIN SQUARE (B,L) Museum with its relics from MONGOLIA Urumqi Turfan G o b i D e s e r t Kashgar Beijing Dunhuang Xiahe C HINA Xian Shanghai gtze River an Chengdu Y NEPAL BHUTAN INDIA TAIWAN DYES IN KASHGAR DUNHUANG TEMPLE the Silk Road, which provide THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 evidence that ancient traders DUNHUANG / URUMQI / TURFAN made contact with a variety of TURFAN Visit Emin Mosque with its civilizations. Fly to Dunhuang This morning, fly to Urumqi 130-foot-tall minaret, one of the late this afternoon. and continue by coach to the best-preserved in China. Ex- DUNHUANG HOTEL GUIBINLOU oasis city of Turfan with its mix plore the Gaochang ruins, the (B,L,D) of Uyghur, Han Chinese and remains of a major Silk Road Hui peoples. The extremes trading post. Stop for a view of WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 of heat and cold in the desert the Flaming Mountains on our DUNHUANG landscape are mitigated by the way to Bezeklik, an archaeo- Explore Dunhuang’s famous ingenious underground karez logical site of almost 13,000 Mogao Thousand Buddha irrigation channels that bring square feet, with cave murals Caves. Dunhuang was a major melted snow from the Tian dating from the 5th century. crossroads on the arduous Silk Shan Mountains. This system TUHA SHIYOU HOTEL (B,L,D) Road, where Indian, Chinese, is considered one of the three and Central Asian monks and great ancient engineering SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 pilgrims mixed with merchants, projects in China, along with TURFAN / URUMQI / traders and camel caravans, the Great Wall and the Grand KASHGAR carrying with them in both Canal. TUHA SHIYOU HOTEL Today we drive to Urumqi directions their various forms (B,L,D) where we visit the Xinjiang of Buddhism. The nearly 500 Provincial Museum to view grottoes contain 1,000 years its impressive Caucasoid of Buddhist mummies discovered in sculpture, art the Taklamakan Desert. and murals. This evening fly to Kashgar. This afternoon, INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (B,L,D) visit the tower- ing Mingsha SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 (“Singing Sands”) KASHGAR sand dunes and The Kashgar market is one of perhaps take a the highlights of our journey. camel ride across Each Sunday thousands the desert. of people — Uyghurs, DUNHUANG HOTEL Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and GUIBINLOU (B,L,D) Han Chinese — converge on Kashgar to trade and socialize. Goods and services EMIN MINARET DUNHUANG TEMPLE GREAT WALL TERRACOTTA WARRIOR, XIAN of every description change TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 a UNESCO World Cultural hands. We also explore the KASHGAR / URUMQI / Heritage Site. Return to Id Kha Mosque, built in 1442, CHENGDU Chengdu this evening. and the tomb of Abakh Hoja, Fly to Urumqi this morning SHANGRI-LA (B,L) where many generations of and connect with our after- the same family are buried noon flight to Chengdu, the FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 in an enclosed compound southern terminus of the CHENGDU / surrounded by shady Silk Road and known for its SHANGHAI gardens. Sichuan silk. Visit the Panda Research SHANGRI-LA (B,L,D) INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (B,L,D) Institute before our flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival in WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Shanghai, transfer to our CHENGDU KASHGAR hotel, then enjoy an afternoon Enjoy a full-day excursion In Guanxian, 25 miles north- at leisure. This evening, after to Lake Karakul, one of the west of Chengdu, visit the dinner on our own, attend a greatest natural sights in Dujiangyan Irrigation Works, magical performance by the western China and known for an ancient water project de- Shanghai Acrobats. its array of blue-and-green signed in 250 BC. In concert HYATT ON THE BUND (B,L) coloring. At an altitude of with modern technology, this almost 12,000 feet, it is the engineering marvel irrigates SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 highest lake of the Pamir 16.5 million acres. This after- SHANGHAI plateau and surrounded noon discover the archaeo- This morning explore Yu by even higher mountains logical wonders on display in Gardens and tour the that remain snow-covered the Sanxingdui Museum. Shanghai Museum with its SHANGRI-LA (B,L,D) throughout the year. Enjoy a 30 centuries of art treasures. walk around Lake Karakul, Enjoy a free afternoon before perhaps catching sight of the THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 our farewell reception and three highest peaks visible CHENGDU dinner this evening. This morning visit the Da Fo from the lake: Muztagata with HYATT ON THE BUND (B,D) (“Great Buddha”) overlooking an elevation of 24,750 feet, the confluence of the Dadu Kongur Tagh (25,088 feet) SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 and Min rivers. This 235-foot- SHANGHAI / U.S. and Kongur Tiube (24,698 tall Buddha, carved into a After breakfast, transfer to the feet). cliff face by local residents to Shanghai airport for our flight INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (B,L,D) subdue the dangerous river to the U.S., crossing the inter- currents, is the largest stone national date line en route and Buddha figure in the world and arriving the same day. (B) Information DATES professional tour manager to assist you physically demanding and busy. Daily September 5 to 25, 2011 (21 days) throughout the program excursions involve one to three miles of walking, often on uneven terrain and S IZE NOT INC LUDED cobbled paths. Stairs may not have Limited to 36 International and U.S.
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