Recommended Silk Road Travel Routes in China

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The ancient Silk Road, also known as the Silk Route by historians, is the ancient network of trade routes that ran from the ancient capital of China, Xi’an (formerly Chang’an) to the ports of Europe on the Mediterranean Sea. Forged between the great Roman Empire and the Han Empire in China, the Silk Road was the major trade route for silk, gold, jade, wool, and even slaves for more than 2,000 years.

Now, the Silk Road in China is a popular tourist route that draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, eager to explore this ancient trade route that crosses some of Asia’s most inhospitable regions. Traveling the Silk Road can be done in a number of ways, and you can even take a camel caravan for part of the route, riding on the backs of the camels as they traverse this ancient route.

4-7 Days Short Break in One or Two Cities on the Ancient Silk Road

The Silk Road in China includes many beautiful cities and towns, from Xi’an in Shaanxi Province to the ancient city of Kashgar in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Prefecture in the far northwest of China. One of the most popular ways to visit this ancient route is to spend up to a week in two or three different cities, exploring the delights and attractions that each city contains.

If your time and budget is limited, then a short tour of 2-3 main cities along the ancient Silk Road is an ideal vacation, covering the best parts of the attractions of the Silk Road.

Short Break in Dunhuang, Gansu Province

You can travel to Dunhuang, one of the most popular stop on the ancient Silk Road, and visit the Mogao Caves, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, which consists of a system of caves and grottos that contain around 492 small Buddhist temples. Located to the east of Dunhuang, the caves are a major attraction of the China Silk Road tours, and is just one of many cave systems in the area.

Mogao Caves in Dunhuang

Mingsha Mountain, also known as Echoing Sands Mountain, and the Crescent Lake are also a great place to visit whilst in Dunhuang, and the shifting sands of the mountain make a sound much like dulcet tones of music. Located close to the city center, the Crescent Lake that lies below the mountain is a beautiful oasis of life, with crystal clear waters and beautiful palm trees.

Join the Recommended Dunhuang Tours
>>4 Day Jiayuguan Pass and Dunhuang Silk Road Short Break
>>6 Day Lanzhou Zhangye Jiayuguan Dunhuang Tour

Short Break in Kashgar, Xinjiang Province

If you want to travel further west for your trip, how about a few days touring around the area of Kashgar, in Xinjiang. Starting in Urumqi, in northern Xinjiang, the city has many sights of interest, including the Xinjiang Museum, where the largest collection of Silk Road artifacts is kept, including ancient Roman coins, stone Steles, and many paintings of the Silk Road during its height.

Xinjiang Museum

In Kashgar, the farthest end of the Silk Road in China, the sights are amazing, and as a major Islamic city in China, places like the Apak Hoja Tomb and the Id Kah Mosque are stunning places to visit. You can also see the lively bazaar markets of the region, including the Sunday Bazaar in Kashgar, renowned as one of the largest markets in Central Asia. Locals say that you can “buy anything in the market that your heart desires, except for chicken milk and cow’s eggs”.

With so many places to start and finish a short tour of the Silk Road, you are going to be spoiled for choice, and the decision on which to visit may be harder than you think.

Join the Recommended Xinjiang Tours
>>5 Day Urumqi City Tour Highlights Tour
>>5 Day Urumqi & Kashgar Classic Tour

8-15 Days Long Vacation along the China Silk Road

A longer vacation is a much better way to see more of the Silk Road’s ancient sites, and if you have the time and budget, you can tour the entire length of the route, from Xi’an to Kashgar, almost 4,000 kilometers apart. Alternatively, you can tour the area from Xi’an to Dunhuang, or the area around Kashgar and Urumqi, including the stunning cities of Hotan, Minfeng, and Turpan.

8 Days Lanzhou Xiahe Jiayuguan Dunhuang Silk Road Tour

Great Wall

For the shorter trip, from Lanzhou to Dunhuang, you can explore the stunning Gansu Province in northwest China, a leisurely tour that can be done all year round thanks to the milder weather in this part of China. Along the route, you get to visit some of the most amazing sights in China, including the world-famous Great Wall, the only man-made feature that can be seen clearly from space.

>>Join 8 Days Lanzhou Xiahe Jiayuguan Dunhuang Silk Road Tour

11 Days Luxurious Silk Road Tour from Xian to Kashgar

If you have much time, the 11-day longer trip, from Xi’an to Kashgar, is highly recommended to you. It covers the whole length of the Chinese Silk Road, traveling over 4,000 kilometers to the farthest part of China. From the ancient Chinese capital to the Uyghur capital, he trip takes you to some of the most historic sites of the Silk Road, through extraordinary landscapes and amazing sights.

>>Join 11 Days Luxurious Silk Road Tour from Xian to Kashgar

Extend to the Tibet Plateau

After traveling all the way from Xi’an to Kashgar, the next obvious step would be a little overland jaunt to take in the delights and treasures of Tibet, the land of snows and the roof of the world. From Kashgar, the Xinjiang Tibet Highway extends southeast towards Tibet Autonomous Region, where it joins with the G318 Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway, and continues on to Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.

The route to Lhasa from Kashgar runs along the western border of China, and is well known for being one of the highest roads in the world, as well as one of the most remote. The highway links the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with mainland China, via Tibet, and is a major route for transporting goods to and from the region.

The Road from Xinjiang to Lhasa

Covering more than 2,000 kilometers from Kashgar to Lhatse, where it joins the Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway, the route is an arduous journey through vast deserts, past stunning glaciers, and traversing five high mountain passes over 5,000 meters above sea level. And while the conditions along this route may seem harsh and hazardous, there are many adventurers that make this trip from the farthest corner of China to the center of Tibetan Buddhism, in Lhasa.

You will need to book a tour for this leg of your Chinese adventure, as independent travel in Tibet is not permitted. Tour operators such as Tibet Vista can provide you with all the requirements for your journey, including a guide and private vehicle, and can secure the Tibet Travel Permit that you need to enter Tibet from Xinjiang. We can also make sure your trip to Tibet is an amazing and awesome one, taking you to all the stunning sites you can imagine on this high-altitude plateau.