STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Along the Silk Road TRACING CHINA’S ANCIENT CARAVAN ROUTES August 31 to September 17, 2015 a program of the stanford alumni association STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Traveling the Silk Road is, without question, one of the world’s epic journeys—even to this day. Though named for its famous silk trade, the route also acted as a conduit for gold, ivory, and exotic plant and animal products. Traveling overland today from Beijing to Central Asia through China’s remote northwest is not an undertaking for the inexperienced traveler, though the rewards are great for those who are drawn to the prospect: art-filled Buddhist caves in Dunhuang, the oasis city of Turfan, Kashgar’s famed Sunday livestock bazaar, and an unforgettable mix of exotic cultures and fascinating peoples. Our caravan is led by Thomas Fingar, MA ’69, PhD ’77, a China specialist. This is a journey not to be missed! Brett S. THompson, ’83, Director, Stanford Travel/Study Highlights EXPLORE markets and DISCOVER the Buddhist MEANDER atop the mosques of oasis cities grottoes of Dunhuang and Great Wall of China, a along the route of ancient Bezeklik, caves filled with millennia-old architectural caravans, including the art that was commissioned feat that succeeded in vibrant Sunday market of by rich merchants looking warding off the Mongols Kashgar. to win favor with Buddha. some nine centuries ago. Cover: PRAYER WHEELS LAKE KARAKEL Urumqi MONGOLIA Turfan from San Francisco Kashgar Beijing Dunhuang Lanzhou Labrang Xian Shanghai C HINA to San NEPAL Francisco INDIA features recent archaeological dis- Spend the day exploring the Itinerary coveries from Han dynasty tombs. Labrang Monastery, which sits Walk through Xian’s old Muslim at an altitude of 9,500 feet in a Monday & Tuesday, Quarter where the Great Mosque remote mountain valley in Gansu August 31 & September 1 and the Chinese garden surround- province. Home to over 1,000 DEPART U.S. / ing it create an island of tranquility. monks, Labrang is a major BEIJING, CHINA Enjoy a dumpling dinner at the pilgrimage site and center of Depart the U.S. on flights bound renowned Defachang Restaurant. scholarship and is considered for Beijing, crossing the inter- HILTON XIAN (B,L,D) the most important Tibetan national date line en route and monastery outside of Tibet. arriving in Beijing on Tuesday. After Saturday, September 5 Continue to our hotel in Lanzhou. checking in to our hotel, enjoy XIAN CROWNE PLAZA (B,L,D) the remainder of the evening at Xian served as China’s capital leisure. GRAND HYATT BEIJING during the reign of Qin Shi Huang Tuesday, September 8 Di, the first emperor of China. LANZHOU / Wednesday & Thursday, The legendary, life-size, 6,000- DUNHUANG September 2 & 3 man terra-cotta army, created to Lanzhou, a former caravan stop BEIJING protect his tomb and China’s most on the Silk Road and an his- During our two full days in China’s breathtaking archaeological find, toric transit point for the wool, capital, visit the “Forbidden City,” was discovered in 1974 and is only silk and tea trades, is situated the Imperial Palace of omnipotent part of the treasure trove hidden on the banks of the Yellow River Chinese emperors. Visit the Lama beneath the low hills outside Xian. and is the present-day capital of Temple of Tibetan Buddhism and Visit the Shaanxi History Museum, Gansu province. Visit the Gansu the Confucian Temple nearby. which houses over 300,000 items Provincial Museum with its relics Stroll along the wondrous Great dating as far back as 1.7 million from the Silk Road, which provide Wall at Mutianyu and explore the years. HILTON XIAN (B,L,D) evidence that ancient traders Ming tombs. Enjoy a welcome made contact with a variety of civi- reception with fellow Stanford Sunday, September 6 lizations. Fly to Dunhuang late this travelers and a dinner of local XIAN / LANZHOU / afternoon. DUNHUANG HOTEL (B,L,D) specialties. GRAND HYATT BEIJING (9/2: XIAHE (LABRANG) B,L; 9/3: B,L,D) Fly to Lanzhou and, this afternoon, Wednesday, September 9 continue by coach on a fascinat- DUNHUANG Friday, September 4 ing four-hour cross-country drive Dunhuang was a major crossroads BEIJING / XIAN to Xiahe, passing mosques and Fly to Xian, the ancient starting on the Silk Road, where Indian, Hui Muslim villages en route. Chinese and Central Asian monks point for caravans leaving China for MINHANG HOTEL (B,L,D) the arduous trek west into death- and pilgrims mixed with merchants, traders and camel caravans, car- defying deserts and over almost Monday, September 7 rying with them in both directions impassable mountain ranges. XIAHE (LABRANG) / Visit the Yangling Museum, which LANZHOU their various forms of Buddhism. Urumqi MONGOLIA Turfan from San Francisco Kashgar Beijing Dunhuang Lanzhou Labrang Xian Shanghai C HINA to San NEPAL Francisco INDIA DYes in kashgar dunhuang temple Explore Dunhuang’s famous Mogao nearly 13,000 square feet and with for its dazzling blue-and-green- Thousand Buddha Caves, nearly cave murals dating from the 5th hued waters. At an altitude of 500 grottoes that contain 1,000 century. TUHA SHIYOU HOTEL (B,L,D) almost 12,000 feet, it’s the highest years’ worth of Buddhist sculpture, lake of the Pamir plateau and sur- art and murals. This afternoon, visit Saturday, September 12 rounded by even higher moun- the towering Mingsha (“Singing TURFAN / URUMQI / tains that remain snow-covered Sands”) sand dunes and perhaps KASHGAR throughout the year. Enjoy a walk take a camel ride across the desert. Today we drive to Urumqi where along the lake’s shore, perhaps DUNHUANG HOTEL (B,L,D) we visit the Xinjiang Provincial viewing the three highest peaks Museum to view its impressive visible from the lake: Muztagata Thursday, September 10 Caucasoid mummies discovered (24,750 feet high), Kongur Tagh DUNHUANG / in the Taklamakan Desert. This (25,088 feet) and Kongur Tiube URUMQI / TURFAN evening fly to Kashgar. RADISSON (24,698 feet). RADISSON BLU HOTEL BLU HOTEL (B,L,D) This morning, fly to Urumqi and (B,L,D) continue by coach to the oasis city of Turfan with its mix of Uyghur, Sunday, September 13 Tuesday, September 15 Han Chinese and Hui peoples. The KASHGAR KASHGAR / extremes of heat and cold in the The Kashgar market is one of the URUMQI / SHANGHAI desert landscape are mitigated highlights of our journey. Each Today we fly from Kashgar to by the ingenious underground Sunday thousands of people— Shanghai, stopping in Urumqi en karez irrigation channels that bring Uyghurs, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks route. HYATT ON THE BUND (B,L,D) melted snow from the Tian Shan and Han Chinese—converge on Mountains. This system is consid- Kashgar to trade and socialize. Wednesday, September 16 ered one of the three great ancient Goods and services of every de- SHANGHAI engineering projects in China, scription change hands. We also This morning explore Yu Gardens along with the Great Wall and the explore the Id Kha Mosque, built and tour the Shanghai Museum Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. in 1442, and the tomb of Abakh with its 30 centuries of art trea- TUHA SHIYOU HOTEL (B,L,D) Hoja, where many generations of sures. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure the same family are buried in an before our farewell reception and Friday, September 11 enclosed compound surrounded dinner this evening. HYATT ON THE TURFAN by shady gardens. RADISSON BLU BUND (B,D) Visit Emin Mosque with its 130- HOTEL (B,L,D) foot-tall minaret, one of the best- Thursday, September 17 preserved in China. Explore the Monday, September 14 SHANGHAI / U.S. Gaochang ruins, the remains of a KASHGAR / LAKE After breakfast, transfer to the major Silk Road trading post. Stop KARAKUL / KASHGAR Shanghai airport for our flight to for a view of the Flaming Moun- Enjoy a full-day excursion to Lake the U.S., crossing the international tains on our way to Bezeklik, an Karakul, one of the greatest natural date line en route and arriving the archaeological site encompassing sights in western China and known same day. (B) great Wall terracotta Warrior, xian dunhuang temple PASSAGEWAY, emin MOSQUE Gaochang RUINS Trip Information DATES AIR ARRANGEMENTS August 31 to September 17, 2015 International and U.S. domestic airfare is not includ- (18 days) ed in the program cost. Round-trip, economy-class airfare on Singapore and Cathay Pacific airlines from SIZE San Francisco to Beijing and return from Shanghai Limited to 36 participants is approximately $1,800 as of September 2014 and is subject to change without notice. Information on COST* recommended flight itineraries will be sent by our $8,795 per person, double occupancy operator. $10,195 per person, single occupancy *Association nonmembers add $200 per person WHAT TO EXPECT Participants must be physically fit and in good health. INCLUDED Due to China’s infrastructure outside of its major cities 16 nights of deluxe hotel accommodations such as Beijing and Shanghai, we consider this to 16 breakfasts, 14 lunches and 14 dinners Wel- be a strenuous program that is at times physically come and farewell receptions Internal flights within demanding and busy. Daily excursions involve one China Gratuities to guides and drivers for all group to three miles of walking, often on uneven terrain activities All tours as described in the itinerary and cobbled paths. Stairs may not have handrails, Transfers and baggage handling on program arrival and elevators are limited or unavailable. Some days and departure days Minimal medical, accident and require early-morning starts. We often have a full evacuation insurance Educational program with schedule of excursions, lectures and special events.