Compare Yangtze River Classic by Audley Travel vs Journey on the Silk Road by Himalayan Glacier Adventure
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Price From | $ 4,507 | $ 3,499 |
| Price Per Day | $ 376 | $ 292 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Internal airfare and ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
The Great Wall snaking over the horizon, impassive rows of Terracotta Warriors, sacred mountains, giant pandas munching bamboo… On a tailor-made holiday to China with Audley, you’ll see the highlights — and much more — your way. We’ll design your ideal trip with you, paying close attention to your interests, your travel style and your budget. Our China specialists know the country inside out and can lead you to experiences you won’t find in a guidebook. |
The name Silk Road, introduced to the intrepid traveler’s vocabulary over a century ago by the Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, conjures up images of desert caravans, lush oases, snow-capped mountains, and colorful markets where exotic goods change hands amid the cacophony of even more exotic languages. A tour especially designed for real history lovers, Journey on the Silk Road promises enchantment and adventure and is one of the only few that covers all major points of the Silk Road. |
Day 1 : International outbound flight
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Beijing.
Day 2 : Beijing
On arrival in Beijing today you will be met and transferred to your accommodation. After time to freshen up, explore some of Beijing's historical treasures starting with the impressive Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
Day 3 : Beijing
This morning visit the Temple of Heaven, before exploring the lake, gardens and pavilions that constitute the picturesque Summer Palace.
Day 4 : Beijing
Take a full day excursion out to the magnificent Great Wall at its most dramatic, at the less touristy Jinshanling section.
Day 5 : Xian
This morning you will be taken to the station to board your bullet train Xian. On arrival you will be greeted on the platform and transferred to your hotel. Later this afternoon visit the bustling Muslim Quarter and Grand Mosque. The evening is at leisure.
Day 6 : Chongqing
In the morning see the Terracotta Army, before transferring to the airport for a flight onto Chongqing. There join your Yangtze cruise boat, setting sail early evening.
Day 7 : Chongqing
Your first day of the cruise includes on-shore excursions to see the villages and small towns nestled on the banks of this formidable river.
Day 8 : Chongqing
Today sees you cruising through the famed and beautiful scenery of the Three Gorges and then the Lesser Gorges. The day ends at the tremendous feat of engineering that is the Dam.
Day 9 : Shanghai
Victoria Cruise Day 4 - Morning arrival into Yichang, where you will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai. On arrival you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel.
Day 10 : Shanghai
Shanghai is a great city to explore on foot, using the sightseeing suggestions provided in your final itinerary pack.
Day 11 : Shanghai
A last day at leisure in Shanghai.
Day 12 : International return flight
You are transferred to the airport. Your return flight will arrive the same day.
Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing in Beijing
After your arrival at the Beijing airport you will be greeted by our guide who will drop you off at your hotel. After checkingin, you will have the rest of the day to tour Beijing. With more than 3000 years of history, Beijing has rich assortment of well-preserved cultural and imperial relics. Today we tour Tian’anmen Square, which is an extensive open area in central Beijing. Then walk north into the Forbidden City. For five hundred years, it served as home for the emperors of China. Later we visit the Summer Palace which was constructedfrom 1749 to 1764 and is the grandest imperial playground in China with elaborate Qing-style pavilions, bridges, walkways, and gardens scattered around the immense Kunming Lake.Overnight in Beijing.
Day 2: Fly to Xian and tour Xi'an Ancient City Wall and Shaanxi History Museum
After flying to Xian in the morning, you will spend the rest of the day visiting the city’s beautiful landmarks. The City Wall of Xian represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls and also is one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Next, visit the Shaanxi History Museum, regarded as “the pearl of ancient dynasties and house of Chinese treasures”. It gives a miniature overview of the thousands of years of Chinese history and the splendid ancient cultures of olden times. Overnight in Xi’an.
Day 3: Sightseeing in Xi’an
Believed to be the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century, the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horse Museum includes Pit 1, Pit 2 and Pit 3 as well the exhibition hall of the chariots and horses. After completing the tour at the museum, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. Later visit another archaeological site, Banpo, discovered in 1953, which contains the remains of several well organized Neolithic settlements carbon dated to 5600–6700 years ago. In the evening, enjoy the Tang Dynasty Song and Dance Show at Tang Yuegong Theatre. Overnight in Xi’an.
Day 4: Fly from Xi'an to Zhangye
Today we fly to Zhangye and tour its famous landmark, the giant Buddha temple which is a complex consisting of the Giant Buddha Hall, the Buddhist Classics Hall, and a Clay Pagoda. The Giant Buddha statue of 34.5m lying in the middle of the hall is the temple’s main attraction. It is also believed that the famous Italian traveller Marco Polo was very impressed by the magnificent architecture of the Giant Buddha Temple and by the prosperity of Zhangye city and lived here for more than a year. Overnight in Zhangye.
Day 5: Morning sightseeing then take a train to Duhuang
Today we visit the famous Matisi grottos or caves. The Thousand Buddha Caves are just inside the entrance gateway to the Matisi Scenic Area, and walking up the road is a pleasant experience, with the river rushing past on one side, and the decaying niches studding the cliff face on the other. Later we visit the temple of the legendary King Gesar. In the evening, you get to witness the excellent sunset over the picturesque landscape of Danxia. Later, take a train to Duhuang to spend the night.
Day 6: Sightseeing in Duhuang: Hechang Military Depot: 95km, 3-4 hours
Today we visit Hechang Military Depot, which is located in the northwest part of Dunhuang, about 20km away from Yumen Pass. The military depot was used to store food and clothing when fighting with the nomadic Xiongnu people during the Han dynasty. Overnight in Duhuang.
Day 7: Sightseeing in Duhuang: Crescent Lakeand Mogao Grottoes
We begin the day by visiting the beautiful Crescent Lake, which is a small pool of spring water between two large sand dunes. We even enjoy the beauty of the area with a camel safari. Next, you will tour Dunhuang’s famous Mogao Grottoes also known as the Dunhuang Grottoes. The site showcases China’s largest collection of Buddhist grottoes, the oldest ones dating back to as early as a thousand years ago. While touring the site you will also get to marvel at the murals that have Buddhist stories, folk culture, farming, and hunting as their main themes. Take a train to Yumen and finally to Turpan to spend the night.
Day 8: Sightseeing in Turpan
Begin sightseeing in Turpan with a visit to the Suleiman’s Minaret also known as the Sugong Pagoda. Built in Uighur architectural style, the Pagoda is an old brick tower dating back to 1778, almost as old as the United States! Next, visit the grape valley, a small paradise with a thick maze of grape trellises. Today you will also tour the Karez channels, which is a unique underground water system, invented and built by ancient farmers from various ethnic minorities of Turpan. Another highlight of today would be visiting the Astana Tombs from where thousands of priceless historical relics have been unearthed. End the tour by passing through the legendary Flaming Mountain, believed as the hottest place on earth.
Day 9: Drive to Urumqi
Drive to Urumqi after breakfast and visit the Terai Camp followed by Nanshan Grassland, both beautiful natural sites. Nanshan Grassland, also known as Mount Nan Pasture, is a large pasture region with many beautiful streams and a waterfall. While in Urumqi you can also enjoy a traditional meal of ethnic Kazakhs, who were traditionally nomadic, tribal shepherds and ranchers of cattle, sheep, goats, and horses.
Day 10: Fly to Kashgar
After checking in at your hotel in Kashgar, you will visit the Etigar Mosque, a famous mosque, which is well known among muslims in central and west Asia with the name of “Little Mecca”. Also visit the Tomb of Abakh Khoja, a much revered muslim leader and prophet of the 17th century. Next, enjoy strolling in the world’s livelest market in Kashgar, an oasis in the centuries-old Silk Road before calling it a day.
Day 11: Sightseeing in Kashgar: Karakuli Lake
You will spend the whole day enjoying the beauty of Karakuli Lake which is popular among travellers for its beautiful scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue. The lake lies at an altitude of 3,600m, and is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir, Tian Shan and Kunlun mountain ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are the Muztagh Ata (7,546m), Kongur Tagh (7,649m) and Kongur Tiube (7,530m). Overnight in Kashgar.
Day 12: Final departure
Your journey on the Silk Road ends today. You will fly to Beijing and board an international airplane to fly home. On the way, you can reminisce on your incredible journey on the Silk Road.
