When to go
Usually May, June and October are regarded as the best time to visit the Silk Road. At Gobi desert, it is freezing cold in winter and terribly hot in summer. But in April, July, August and September, some people also choose to go there to avoid flocks of tourists in the high season.
What to wear
 Warm clothes are required even in hot summer as temperature during the day and night varies considerably in desert area on the route. To better explore the attraction sites, please wear comfortable shoes for outdoor hiking.
In the scorching hot weather, please use sunscreen, sunglasses and lip creams to protect your eyes and skin, especially go to the edge of the desert area.
Accommodations along the Silk Road
Generally speaking the hotels at major cities in Gansu Province and Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region like Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumqi and Kashigar are of no problem at all, ranging from basic comfort to mild luxury. If you extend the tour to some small towns like Hotam, Korla, the hotels (or guesthouses) are designed for catering to the needs of local people, which may not be up-to-standard in the Western sense. The staff speaks little English, hotel facilities are simple, and sanitary condition is not what we have at modern world.
Meeting local people
 If your tour starts from Xian heading for Urumqi and Kashgar, you will see the gradual transition from Buddhist culture to Islamic culture. To respect the religious belief of local people is very important during the tour. Eating pork (even talking about it) is not allowed based on the Muslim canons. When visiting the temples or Mosques, please follow the advice of your local guides: don’t touch or deface any religious artifacts or utensils, don’t talk loud and make any comments on their religious activities.
Food
Some local hotels in the small towns can’t offer coffee during breakfast. If you can’t open your eyes without coffee in the morning, please bring some coffee with you.
In Xinjiang region, mutton is the main dish during the meals. Some people may get muttoned out (tired of mutton) after 4 or 5 meals. But this is the fact. The staple food of local people is called Naan, a baked bread with sesame seeds or onion; greenish naan made from dough mixed with chopped Chinese chives; sweet naan sprinkled with sugar and chopped nuts or seeds. Local yogurt is a delight to western tourists along the way.
In summer time, all kinds of fruits are available on market. Please keep in mind: Don’t drink hot tea soon after eating lots of fruits, this may cause diarrhea.
Safety
 Please do not talk about sensitive issues and express your points of view in public such as religions and politics when traveling in Xinjiang.
During the tour, you are recommended to leave your valuables in the safe of hotel. Be careful of your wallets and cameras in crowded public areas like bazaars, bus and train stations. Wearing jewelries in those places is not good timing.
Time Zone
Although in Xinjiang it is 2 hours late compared with Beijing, the whole country adopts the same Beijing Standard Time (GMT+8). Therefore, the timing for the tour programs there is usually postponed 2 hours later from 09:00 to 20:00. |
