8-Day Silk Road Gateway Tour to Xining, Qinghai Chaka, Zhangye, and Dunhuang

• Hampton by Hilton, Kunlun, Xining
• None

Arrive at Xining airport/train station, meet your guide and take the private transfer to your hotel.

• Qinghai Lake Hotel
• Breakfast

Meet your guide in the hotel lobby after breakfast. Today you will visit Ta'er Monastery, the largest monastery of the Gelug Sect, and stroll to see its exquisite artwork and religious ornaments, as many Tibetan people pray there.

Continue the trip to Qinghai Lake, take a 30 minutes boat trip on the lake offering an opening view of nature's beauty.

• Hampton by Hilton, Kunlun, Xining
• Breakfast

Before having breakfast, you will go to the lakeside and wait for the stunning sunrise.

After that, our guide and driver will escort you from Qinghai Lake to Chaka. Pay a visit to the most famous Chaka Lake, renowned as one of the largest salt lakes in China. The lake is covered by salt, the sky and lake merge into one color that looks like a sky mirror.

• Qianxi Silu International Hotel, Zhangye
• Breakfast

In the morning, we will drive from Xining to Zhangye. The highlight today is spending a day for explore Zhangye Danxia Geopark.

Be prepared for some good hikes, so it's a little challenging to walk at different spots as they offer different views of the park.

• Tianrun Yibo Hotel, Dunhuang
• Breakfast

We will head to see the historic sites of the Wooden Tower of the Sui Dynasty and Grand Buddha Temple (Dafo Temple) in Zhangye before going to Dunhuang.

Amaze by the great miracle of no rivets for the connecting of woods to build the wooden tower, and see the largest statue of the reclining Buddha in China.

Transfer to Zhangye Train Station and take an onward train to Dunhuang.

• Breakfast

Today will go to see the highlight of the trip - Maogao Cave. There are about 30 caves open to the public, but usually, the tour consists of 10 which provide a representation of the total.

Visit Echoing Sand Mountain for an Incredible view from the top of sand dune, a great experience to take a camel ride through the desert.

• Breakfast

A long day trip starts from the ancient ruins of Yumenguan Pass, appreciating Dunhuang Museum exhibits historical relics, folk art, and local human and geographic artifacts.

In the afternoon, we will go to see the typical Yadan Landform Park, with its peculiar shape and layout, considering a natural Sculpture Museum. Complete the trip by visiting the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty.

• Breakfast

Hotel picks up and transfers to Dunhuang airport or train station for the onward trip.