A Silk Road Adventure Through China and Kyrgyzstan

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Urumqi.

Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel.

Sightseeing tour in Urumqi.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2, Su: Urumqi – Kashgar

Transfer to the airport. Flight to Kashgar. Our driver will meet you at the airport and transfer to the city.

Sightseeing tour: you will begin your tour around Kashgar City by visiting the Apak Hoja tomb, also called ‘fragrant concubine tomb’ (Xingfei in Chinese).

This is a very tranquil place and a beautiful example of Uyghur Islamic architecture.
Next you will head to the famous lively Sunday market renowned as the biggest bazaar in Central Asia.

It is said that you can buy anything you want in the Sunday market except chicken milk cow and eggs.
You will enjoy lunch in a typical Uyghur restaurant.

After lunch we will wander through the narrow winding streets of the historic old town.

Located at the spiritual heart of the old town, Id Kah Mosque is the largest mosque in China.

You will go inside the premise to acquaint yourself with the Islamic life of the Uyghur people.

You will have a walk in the Handicraft Street where you will see pots being hammered, wood craftsmen at work and traditional musical instrument workshops.

Day 3, Mo: Kashgar – Karakul Lake – Tashkorgan

Today we take a drive on Karakurum highway, renowned as the highest paved border crossing in the World and considered as one of the World’s most beautiful highways.

The first stop will be at Opal village located in an hour drive from Kashgar.

It is a great place to learn village life, traditional activities like bread making, and Uyghur food stalls. Half an hour drive from the village takes us to Oytagh Red Mountain.

Corner Lake (Bulung Kul) is a serene shallow lake where you can take very nice photos of the lake with stunning reflections of the sand mountains.

It is located between Mount Muztagata and Mount Gonger which are believed to be 2 of the 6 the most beautiful mountains in the World.

We will visit local Kyrgyz Yurts and listen to their stories about traditional nomadic mountain life.
Picnic lunch: You will enjoy fruits and fresh bread purchased in Opal village in a beautiful picnic spot overlooking the Karakul Lake. We will take 1.5-hour-drive from Karakul Lake to Tashkorgan.

It is an interesting small town located on the Pamir Plateau.

This area was extremely isolated until the construction of the Karakurum highway in 1987 and even today the local community leads a very traditional lifestyle with the only road to Kashgar, so it has retained a certain uniqueness.

This region is commonly known as the main road of the “old Silk Road”, the main route leading from China to West Asia.

Day 4, Tu: Tashkorgan – Kashgar

After breakfast we will visit the Stone fort, located in downtown Tashkurgan.

It has a history of more than 2000 years.

In times gone by it was the central palace of the Tajik kingdom.

Then we will hike around the Tashkurgan grassland and enjoy the scenery of Mount Mutztah Ata and Mount Pamir.

We take the Karakorum Highway back to Kashgar and arrive in the late afternoon.

Day 5, We: Kashgar – Irkeshtam – Osh

Transfer to Irkeshtam Pass.

Meeting with Kyrgyz guide and driver, and transfer to Osh. The view is “spectacularly amazing”, with the Pamir Mountain range covered with permanent snow and glaciers on the right-hand side and small hills on the left with summer pastures.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6, Th: Osh – Uzgen – Arslanbob

City tour in Osh.

As legends say that Osh was founded by King Solomon ages ago and had an important position on trading routes of the Great Silk Road.

Today you will visit Suleiman-Too (Solomon’s Mountain), museum, Osh bazaar located at the same place as in the times of Great Silk Road.
After lunch transfer to Arslanbob.

On the way you will visit a market and mausoleum in Uzgen.

Uzgen town was one of the capitals of the Karakhanid State in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Dinner and overnight at the home stay in Arslanbob.

Day 7, Fr: Arslanbob

Free day in Arslanbob.

Hiking to the waterfall and panorama.

Arslanbob’s scenic beauty and pleasant climate, as well as two impressive waterfalls attract tourists, pilgrims and other visitors during the spring and summer. Picnic lunch. Dinner with a local family. Night at the family run accommodation.

Day 8, Sa: Arslanbob – Chichkan

Transfer to Chichkan gorge.

On the way you will see one of the most beautiful reservoirs in Central Asia, Toktogul, that funnels Naryn River into a hydroelectric station. Overnight at the guest house.

Day 9, Su: Chichkan – Bishkek

Transfer to Bishkek.

You will drive over the Too-Ashu gorge and through Suusamyr valley.

Great view of Tian Shan mountains is guaranteed. On arrival sightseeing tour. Farewell dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10, Mo: Bishkek – airport

Transfer to the airport. End of the tour.