Tour the Northern Silk Road
The Silk Road is the legendary trade network of centuries-old caravan routes that connected China with East Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. This trip takes you along the northern route from East to West, highlighting a range of highlights, from unique colorful rock formations and singing dunes to historic forts and talking murals. Trek through the most diverse landscapes and visit cities that still breathe the atmosphere of Thousand and One Nights, of sultans and harems, mosques and madrassas, camels and caravans. Where the world can't find you...
Tips and tops of Tour the Northern Silk Road:
- Zhangye Danxia Geopark is known for its colourful rock formations as one of china's most enchanting landscapes
- In the Jiayuguan Pass, visit the Jiayu fort that was guarding the Han-China border at the time of the Ming Dynasty, the western terminus of the Great Wall
- The 1400 stone Weijin Tombes together form the largest underground art gallery in the world; the murals are a representation of life at the time of the Wei and Jin dynasties
- Listen to Dunhuang's singing sand dunes
- Yueyaquan, also known as Crescent Lake, is a small, crescent-shaped natural lake in an oasis on the edge of the desert. The wonderful thing about it is that it was never buried in sandstorms.
- The 1000 meters long (!) Shazhou Evening Market is famous for its most delectable snacks and local specialties
- The Mogao Caves - or the Thousand Buddha Caves - are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at the beautiful murals and sculptures in the caves that were built by various dynasties spanning over 1000 years.
- Find the red dragon in the flaming mountains of Turpan on the northeastern edge of china's 'Oven', the Taklamakan Desert
- Visit the Tuyoq Valley,an oasis and a living museum of Uighur history in The Turpan Valley, an oasis and a living museum of Uighur history
- Donkey wagons driving through the narrow alleys, craftsmen hammering and chiseling with abandon and negotiating traders in noisy bazaars; in the old part of Kashgar, time seems to have stood still
