Xinjiang Silk Road Highlights and Trekking Tour

Sightseeing and Trekking in Xinjiang

This tour will lead you through the "Wild West" of China and is specially designed for people, who want to have a unique experience in this special part of China with its deserts, lakes, mountains and glaciers. Visit ancient towns along the Silk Road, the biggest bazaar and observe the different minorities' ways of life amidst impressive scenery. Do not expect 5 star comfort though, as you will travel on foot, by bike, by boat, on donkey carts, on horsebacks and sleep in yurts.

Booking
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Quick Introduction

Lying in northwestern China, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, also called Xin for short, was referred to as the Western Region in ancient times. It has an area of 1,66 million square kilometers, roughly about one-sixth of the total territory of China. Xinjiang is the largest and has the longest boundary line among China's provinces and autonomous regions. It shares 5,600 kilometers of frontier with Mongolia in the northeast; Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirghiszstan, and Tadzhikistan in the west; and Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India in the southwest. Xinjiang is divided into two basins by Mount Tianshan, Dzungarian Basin in the north and Tarim Basin in the south. The Karakorum highway links Islamabad, Pakistan with Kashgar over the Khunjerab Pass.

Xinjiang's lowest point is 155 metres below sea level (lowest point in China). Its highest peak is 8611 metres above sea level on the border with Kashmir. The Xinjiang-Kyrgyzstan border is marked by the Tian Shan mountain range. The Torugart Pass (3752 m) is located on this border.

In Xinjiang live 1,073,300 people from 46 ethnic minority groups, or 61.42 percent of the total population, and 6,601,000 Han people. Thirteen of the 47 ethnic groups - the Uygur, Han, Kazak, Hui, Mongolian, Kirgiz, Tajik, Xibe, Ozbek, Manchu, Daur, Tartar, and Russian - have lived there for generations.

In a short period of 9 days, you will check out three major post towns along the silk road to trace back thousands years of history and minorities (some parts involve cycling and donkey cart exploration), in between which we will bring you to the alpine lake on the Pamirs down the snow mountain and glaciers where you can relax yourself in the embrace of the purest nature and peacefulness, and fresh up away from the human noise and the dry hot weather. The 3-day trekking tour gives the traveler an opportunity to access the Bogda peak, Heavenly Lake, alpine pasture and observe the Kazak shepherds in an ecological way.

Xinjiang is vast, while enjoying its exoticism and wildness, people often complain about the time spent on transfers. But with careful planning and under the guidance of our professionals, the traveler will enjoy this journey, as you will not only travel by car or plane, but also trek, ride and cycle, which makes this trip so unique.

Every Sunday the Uygurs head for the biggest bazaar in Kashgar on donkey carts. There you can see thousands of vendors, all kinds of crafts, the veiled Uygur women and their special way of bargaining, using their hands instead of words.