Kashgar

Kuqa is a small city with largely Uigur population. The trade caravans brought wealth to the city, which subsidized giant Buddhist monasteries here. Nowadays the city is divided in an old and a new, mainly Han-populated, part. In the old city you will find mosques, bazaars and enjoy its central Asian atmosphere which is very different to Chinese towns.

The Taklamakan Desert is China’s largest desert and there is hardly any place in the world which is that far away from any ocean. As its rolling sand dunes stretch out over 3,376,000 square kilometers, Taklimakan is one of the eight biggest deserts of the world. The dunes may be up to 200 meters high and have almost no vegetation. The temperatures vary 20 to 30 degrees Celsius from day to night and although there are not many animals that can survive in this tough weather conditions, there is a great wild-life. So it is one of the last areas were wild camels can still be found.

Highlights

* Experience the Central Asian flair of a silk-road city and enjoy the impressing endlessness of the desert.

Suggested Itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1 : Fly into Urumqi / Kashgar
Fly to Urumqi in the morning around 08:30, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which has 1.6 Million people.
Other locales: we welcome those to join us from other locales and meet us in Urumqi.
Then take the flight to Hotan directly .After arrival , check in 4-star hotel for refresh.

Day 2 : Kashgar / Karakuri Lake & Mount. Muztagh
For centuries, Khotan was an important supplier of jade, silk, and carpets on the Silk Road. These goods - such as the traditional hand woven Aidelaixi silk, and intricately embroidered wool carpets - were treasured in China and Central Asia for their outstanding craftsmanship.
Visit a paper-making workshop, jade factory, and then ride camels in the desert and enjoy the desert scenery at afternoon.

Day 3 : Kashgar / Kucha
Today you’ll visit the Silk Factory and the Carpet Factory. Then take bus through the Second Taklamakan Desert Road to Aksu and need around 7hours. Enjoy the natural desert scenery on the way. Arrive in Aksu.

Day 4 : Kucha (Kuqa) - Great Canyon & Thousand Buddha Grottos
Driving 4.5 hours to Kuqa. Visiting the Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave on the way, cut the third century to eight or ninth century, is the earliest Buddhist art treasure trove in China, even one century earlier than the famous Mogao Grottoes. Then next to visit the Kuqa Museum.

Day 5 : Kucha (Kuqa) / Takalamakan Desert / Poplar Forest / Kurla
Today you’ll visit The Subaschi Ruins, located 23 kilometers northwest of Kuqa County, Xinjiang Province are the ruins of the Subashi Temple. The Ruins are divided by Kuqa River into eastern and western areas. and then visit Kuqa Great Mosque. Explore local bazaar after dinner.

Day 6 : Kucha / Urumqi / Fly out
This morning we drive to the Urumuqi airport and fly out.