Day 1 – Arrival in Xi'an

Upon arrival in Xi'an, you will be met in the arrivals area by your local guide holding a flag of "LEADTOCHINA". After a warm welcome and brief introduction, take a private transfer to your hotel for assistance with check-in. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to rest up for the following days activities.

 Overnight in Xi'an

 Meals: No Meals

Day 2 – Xi'an Tours

In the morning, you will visit the Terra-cotta Warriors, in which life-sized infantrymen, archers, officers and their horses guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang. (2 hours). Then stop at an Art Ceramic Factory.

After lunch, first visit Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, a large modern museum of the national level. Then, walk around the famous Muslim Street and enjoy the afternoon at your leisure.

 Overnight in Xi'an

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

• 

• 

• 

Day 3 – Xi'an Tours

Today you will visit the City Wall, one of the largest military defensive systems in the world, and the most complete city wall that has survived in China. Walk on the wall and get great views of the city below, or choose to take an optional bicycle ride along the wall. Then enjoy a leisure stroll at the Bell Tower and Drum Tower Square Area. Later, proceed to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well preserved ancient building and a must sightseeing in Xian.

 Overnight in Xi'an

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

Day 4 – Xi'an/Lanzhou/Zhangye

Transfer from Xi’an to Zhangye. On your arrival, you will be met and then transferred to the city.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Giant Buddha Temple in Zhangye, which is the largest architectural relic in Gansu Province of the Western Xia (1038-1227) period. China's largest reclining Buddha is well preserved in this temple. (1 hour)

 Overnight in Zhangye

 Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 – Zhangye Tours

Today you will have a full experience of Zhangye Danxia Mountains.

Binggou Danxia Park has totally different landscape and absolutely worth a visit. It is about an hour from Zhangye and the formations are quite interesting. These formations really do look like ice sculptures melting, which rings true to its name bing which means ice in Chinese. (2-3 hours)

Then enjoy your lunch in Kangle County. In the afternoon, you are suggested to visit the Kangle Grassland. Kangle Grassland is located in Sunan Yugur Autonomus County. The green grassland is dotted with colorful flowers, birds, and cattle and sheep scattered among the grasses. (2 hours)

Later, head to Rainbow Mountains China and enjoy the sunset of it.  China Rainbow Mountains has an unbelievable geological formation. You can see different layers and colors of the rocks. You may wonder how these rocks were formed. There are four viewing platforms, each offers unique views.  (4-5 hours)

 Overnight in Zhangye

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

• 

• 

• 

Day 6 – Zhangye/Jiayuguan/Dunhuang

Take bullet train to Jiayuguan. (About 1.5 hours) After you arrival, local guide will pick you up and drive to your hotel.

Today you will witness the “first pass under heaven” – Jiayuguan Pass. Along with Juyongguan and Shanhaiguan, it is one of the main passes of the Great Wall, as well as the pass where Great Wall of Ming Dynasty starts. Here, you will visit the Jiayuguan Fort, Overhanging Great Wall and Great Wall Museum. (2-3 hours)

In the afternoon, you will drive from Jiayuguan to Dunhuang. (About 5 hours)

 Overnight in Dunhuang

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

Day 7 – Dunhuang Tours

After breakfast, start your full day Duhuang culture and sightseeing trip.

Firstly, drive from the Dunhuang city to visit the Mogao Grottoes. It is famed as the "Louvre of East", which is outstanding for its exquisite mural paintings and statues. There are now 492 grottoes in which about 45000 square meters mural paintings and 2100 colorfully painted statues have been preserved very well.

Next proceed to visit the Echoing Sand Mountains. It is said, in the sunny days, the sand mountains echo like Orchestra music even if there is no wind. If you slide from the sand mountains, you can hear the echoing sound clearly.

The last attraction is Crescent Lake. Surrounded by sand mountains from four directions, the Crescent Lake is a beautiful oasis with some well decorated traditional Chinese architecture, some trees and flowers and a lake that has never dried up.

 Overnight in Dunhuang

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

• 

• 

• 

Day 8 – Dunhuang/Urumqi

Today's highlight is the Yardang National Geopark. Yardang has been created over time by the sort part of the earth surface having being eroded by wind and rain, with the hard part of the rocks remaining in the desert. You will drive from Dunhuang city westwards. On route, visit the Yumenguan Pass and Ruin of Great Wall of Han Dynasty.Then, transfer to the airport for your flight to Urumqi. Upon arrival, meet your local guide in the arrivals area for your transfer to the hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

 Overnight in Urumqi

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

Day 9 – Urumqi/Turpan

In the morning, drive to Turpan, an oasis surrounded by desert and dry mountains. Upon arrival, visit the mysterious ruins of Jiaohe city, which have traces of affluent ancient trading centers and military bases from around sixteen-hundred years ago. Later, visit the underground water supply, irrigation system and the Museum of Karez along with the Viair grape valley. Try some delicious fruit in Turpan, which is famous throughout China for its large grapes and gourds.

 Overnight in Turpan

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

Day 10 – Turpan/Urumqi

Start the day with a visit to the Sugong Pagoda, the Flaming Mountain and the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Grottoes. Have lunch with a local family, and in the afternoon, return back to Urumqi and travel to the Nanshan Grasslands, where you will visit Kazak, Uzbek, and Krgyztani minority families and chat with them in yurts while trying home-made snacks.

 Overnight in Urumqi

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

• 

• 

• 

Day 11 – Urumqi

Today, drive northeast to Heavenly Lake, at an elevation of 2600m. This beautiful lake is flanked by pines and cypresses, and its clear waters reflect the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Then, visit the Provincial Museum to see incredible mummies from 2,000 years ago. If time permits, explore Red Hill Park and the Bazaar, which is believed to be the largest outdoor market in Xinjiang.

 Overnight in Urumqi

 Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

Day 12 – Urumqi-Departure

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and at the appointed time by your local guide you will be met and then transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

 Meals: Breakfast