QUICK QUESTION

SUMMARY: 

The Silk Road is a historic trade and cultural exchange route that connects Eastern and Western civilizations. Here is a classic 7-day Silk Road travel itinerary that takes you through the natural scenery, historical sites, and diverse cultures along this ancient trade route. This classic 8-day, 7-night Silk Road travel route covers important cities such as Xi'an, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye, and Lanzhou, allowing you to fully appreciate the natural beauty, historical sites, and diverse cultures of the Silk Road, making it an unforgettable travel experience.

TOUR OF SILK ROAD IN CHINA

(Silk Road in China, 8 days 7 nights)

Day 1: Depart from the Starting Point and Kick Off the Silk Road Exploration Journey
Day 2: Visit the Terracotta Army and Conquer Mount Hua, the Western Great Mountain
Day 3: Bid Farewell to Xi'an and Journey Westward to the Silk Road Key Town of Dunhuang
Day 4: Appreciate the Art at Mogao Caves and Stroll around Crescent Lake & Mingsha Mountain
Day 5: Leave Dunhuang and March Towards Jiayuguan, the First Mighty Pass Under Heaven
Day 6: Say Goodbye to Jiayuguan and Set Off for "Golden Zhangye" to Start a New Chapter
Day 7: Depart from Zhangye and Make Your Way to Lanzhou, the City by the Yellow River
Day 8: Return from Lanzhou to the Warm Starting Point

PLEASE BE NOTED: Unless otherwise specified, all default hotels are four-star or five-star hotels; hotel price refers to a standard twin or double room, if a single room is needed , please specify; transportation withincity defaults a limousine or an air-conditioned cab as needed; transportation between cities defaults a bullet train with class-2 seats or an airplane with economic class; please confirm your itinerary at least 15 days in advance for us to lock down all agenda; the final contracted itinerary and price shall prevail.

ITINERARY IN DETAILS

This eight-day westward odyssey traces the fabled Silk Road from the ancient capital of Xi’an to the rainbow cliffs of Zhangye and the Yellow River’s embrace in Lanzhou. Bullet trains, desert highways, mountain cableways and camel caravans link imperial mausoleums, Buddhist cave art, frontier fortresses and kaleidoscopic geology. Each day is triple-split into Morning, Afternoon, Evening, with expanded narrative yet no hotel details—only time-of-day guidance for a seamless, memory-rich journey.

Day 1 Departure Point – Xi’an
Morning – Arrive by air or rail at Xi’an North; breathe in the scent of steamed buns and persimmon cakes drifting from station stalls. Drop bags and pedal or stroll to the Xi’an City Wall—rent a bicycle and circle the 14-kilometre rampart, watching tiled rooftops and pagodas glide past while drum towers echo across the moat.
Afternoon – Descend into the ancient city and weave through souvenir alleys to Tang Paradise. Lotus ponds reflect golden pavilions, costumed dancers re-enact courtly rituals, and pipa music floats over incense-scented gardens.
Evening – Savour Shaanxi street food under lantern strings—juicy roujiamo stuffed with cumin-laced pork, silky liangpi noodles showered in chili oil, and sweet osmanthus rice wine that warms the cool plateau night.

Day 2 Xi’an – Terracotta Army – Mount Hua
Morning – Board a tourist coach east to the Qin Emperor’s mausoleum. Descend into Pit One and stand face-to-face with thousands of life-size warriors—bronze swords still sharp, every visage unique—then circle Pits Two and Three where archers, chariots and generals stand frozen mid-march.
Afternoon – Drive south to Mount Hua; ascend by cable car or tackle the vertiginous plank-walk bolted to sheer cliffs. Pine-shrouded peaks drop away beneath your boots while prayer flags flutter against a cobalt sky.
Evening – Descend to the foot of the mountain for a hearty bowl of hand-pulled biang-biang noodles and steaming bowls of mountain mushroom soup under star-studded silence.

Day 3 Xi’an – Dunhuang
Morning – Fly northwest across the Hexi Corridor; watch ochre plains ripple into dunes and the snow-capped Qilian Mountains glint like distant blades. Land at Dunhuang Airport amid the scent of dry desert air and fresh melons.
Afternoon – Enter the Dunhuang Museum; trace silk-route maps, Han-dynasty bamboo slips and delicate Tang figurines that whisper of caravans long gone.
Evening – Wander Dunhuang’s night market—sizzling lamb skewers, apricot-kernel candy and sweet jujube tea—while the call to prayer drifts over mud-brick rooftops and the Milky Way spills across the desert sky.

Day 4 Dunhuang – Mogao Caves – Crescent Lake & Mingsha Mountain
Morning – Board a shuttle to the Mogao Caves; follow guide lamps into caves where flying apsaras swirl across ceilings and Bodhisattvas smile from lapis-blue robes; exit blinking into bright desert light.
Afternoon – Mount gentle camels for the swaying ride to Crescent Lake—a jade-green crescent cradled by towering dunes—and climb Mingsha Mountain for sunset; the sand sings beneath your feet while the lake mirrors rose and gold.
Evening – Sip hot butter tea in a desert camp, watch stars ignite above the dunes and listen to the soft chime of camel bells carried on the night wind.

Day 5 Dunhuang – Jiayuguan
Morning – Board a west-bound train; watch dunes flatten to scrub desert and the Great Wall rise like a stone dragon across the horizon. Arrive at Jiayuguan Fort—“the First and Greatest Pass under Heaven”—and climb ramparts where frontier soldiers once scanned for nomad dust.
Afternoon – Drive to the Overhanging Great Wall, a narrow wall clinging to sheer cliffs; hike its steep steps for sweeping views of the Hexi Corridor and distant snow peaks.
Evening – Share platters of hand-pulled noodles and cumin lamb with fellow travellers while the desert sunset paints the fort walls blood-orange.

Day 6 Jiayuguan – Zhangye
Morning – Coach east across rolling loess hills to Zhangye; the air turns crisp and pine-scented as the Qilian range rises ahead.
Afternoon – Enter the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geopark; walk wooden boardwalks that zig-zag through rainbow-striped hills—vermilion, ochre and emerald layers sculpted by wind and time—while shadows shift like living watercolour.
Evening – Visit the Giant Buddha Temple; stand beneath the 34-metre reclining Buddha, its serene face framed by Western-Xia murals, then wander night markets for rose-petal jam and sweet fermented rice.

Day 7 Zhangye – Lanzhou
Morning – Board a bullet train south-east; watch Danxia cliffs fade into fertile Yellow River plains. Arrive in Lanzhou and head to the Mother Yellow River Statue—a towering bronze mother cradling the river—symbolising the lifeblood of Chinese civilisation.
Afternoon – Stroll the Waterwheel Exhibition Garden; watch antique wooden wheels creak as they lift river water into irrigation channels, and listen to guides explain engineering that fed Silk Road caravans.
Evening – Slurp authentic Lanzhou beef noodles—hand-pulled to order, topped with chilli oil, pickled radish and fragrant coriander—while the riverfront lights shimmer on the dark, swirling current.

Day 8 Lanzhou – Return to Departure Point
Morning – Enjoy a last breakfast of sweet jujube bread and salty soy milk while watching the sunrise paint the Yellow River gold. Pick up final souvenirs—rose-petal jam, Danxia-coloured scarves and miniature waterwheels.
Afternoon – Board your onward flight or high-speed train; carry memories of desert dunes, rainbow cliffs, frontier fortresses and the endless murmur of Silk-Road caravans echoing across the centuries.