China Silk Road Travel Tours
The great Silk Road has beckoned ancient merchants, traders, caravans, missionary, and today’s history buffs and intrepid travellers for more than three millennia, who come promoting trade, culture and ideas exchange between the East and the West, and seeking traces of the powerful empires lost in the sands of desert.
Easy Tour China is a specialist for the customized Silk Road tours. We have been working with a professional archaeological tour company based in USA for years. On Easy Tour China’s Silk Road tours, follow in Marco Polo’s footsteps to unveil the most legendary ever trading route in history. Embark on the epic road trips, riding through stark gobi deserts, to discover abandoned trading posts, Buddhist cultural heritage, ruins of the Great Wall, historic sits of ancient passes and frontiers, and take in breathtaking landscapes and wilderness quite different from those of the inland. Besides, we won’t miss the wonderful Silk Road adventure stories.
Old Silk Road Trade Route & History
The history-rich Silk Road brings together several major civilizations in human history, and is a great combination of natural, historical, cultural and religious resources. To understand the Silk Road history, its importance in archaeology, and to study Sino-Western exchange and trade, and the geographic diversity, you need best Silk Road tours led by a local expert guide.
How long was the Silk Road?
The ancient Silk Road trade route stretches nearby 6,500 km (4039 miles) from China, via Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, reaching the Mediterranean regions and ends in the Ancient Roman Empire. China and Rome were the two greatest civilizations at the time.
The Silk Road in China extends more than 4,000 km (2485 miles) on the sparsely populated regions of Northwest China, a vast, untamed and untrodden land mainly of desert, with part of grassland.
What are the three main routes of the Silk Road?
Since its opening up by Zhang Qian in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the Silk Road made the international trade flourish in the vast territory of Eurasia. According to Marco Polo, the most famous traveler of the Silk Road, merchants from Europe, Central and West Asia brought large quantities of gold and silver, jewelry, medicine, strange birds and animals, and other goods to China or sold them along the way. What they bought from China were mainly silk, tea and porcelain.
The three main trade routes all started from Chang’an, today’s Xian, and all traversed the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Our guided Silk Road tours are crafted mainly based on the three routes.
The North Route: Xian - Dunhuang - Hami - Urumqi - Yili - the former Soviet Union - the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea - Rome.
The Central Route: Xian - Dunhuang - Hami - Turpan - Yanqi - Korla - Kuqa - Aksu – Kashgar (the last stop of the Silk Road in China) - Pamirs - West Asia
The South Route: Xian - Loulan - Qiemo (Cherchen) - Hetian - Yutian - Shache - Kashgar - Pamirs - south to India and Southeast to the direction of Afghan.
Best China Silk Road Tours Experience
Embark on one of the classic China Silk Route tours, from Xian to Dunhuang in Gansu Province and further afield to Xinjiang, with expert guides who know the Silk Road history and local culture inside out, to explore the highlight attractions, archaeological sites, exotic villages, bustling markets and desert landscapes. Have an in-depth study of Silk Road Buddhism while experiencing traditional and disappearing ways of life. The camel riding in the desert is also a must. All our private Silk Road trips are tailored to your interests.
- Destinations: Xi'an - Dunhuang - Turpan - Urumqi - Kashgar - Urumqi
- Best for: first-timers, senior, couple, family
- Age range: 18 to 70 years old
- Travel style: classic, private, fully guided
- Destinations: Beijing - Xian - Lanzhou - Zhangye - Jiayuguan - Dunhuang - Turpan - Kashgar - Urumqi
- Best for: first-timers, couple, adventure
- Age range: 18 to 70 years old
- Travel style: rail, private, fully guided
- Destinations: Xian - Dunhuang - Turpan - Urumqi - Khotan - Kashgar - Kucha - Xian
- Best for: first-timers, couple, culture, history
- Age range: 18 to 70 years old
- Travel style: private, fully guided
- Destinations: Lanzhou - Alxa Youqi - Bandain Jaran Desert - Alxa Youqi - Zhangye - Jiayuguan - Dunhuang
- Best for: couple, culture, desert adventure
- Age range: 18 to 70 years old
- Travel style: private, fully guided
- Destinations: Xian - Zhangye - Dunhuang - Turpan
- Best for: couple, family, senior, culture
- Age range: 18 to 70 years old
- Travel style: private, fully guided
More Guided China Silk Road Tours by Length
3-7 days China Silk Road Holiday
More than 12 days China Silk Road Adventure Tours
Top Destinations & Highlights on the Silk Road of China
A life-time journey through this ancient trade route, travelers should not miss the top destinations and highlight attractions. Travel the Silk Road key cities in China including Xian, Dunhuang, Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar, where there are iconic Silk Road sites to delve into.
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Xian
Starting point of the Silk Road
Starting point of the Silk Road
In Xian, visit the world-famous Terracotta Warriors, bike on the old city wall dating to Tang Dynasty, the heyday of old Silk Road. Other famous sites include the big and small Wild Goose Pagoda, Xingjiao Temple, Zhangqian Tomb listed on the UNESCO-protected program of Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor.
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Luoyang
East End of the Silk Route in East Han and Wei Dynasty
East End of the Silk Route in East Han and Wei Dynasty
The ancient capital Luoyang further promoted the development of the Silk Road. In addition to the trade route sites like Luoyang Old City site in Han and Wei dynasties, make sure you visit Shaolin Temple, Baima Temple and Longmen Grottoes.
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Dunhuang
Playing a key role in the Silk Road
Playing a key role in the Silk Road
A Silk Road tour with Dunhuang takes in the site of Yumen Pass, as well as the magnificent Buddhist art showcased in the Maijishan Grottoes and Mogao Grottoes. Moreover, there are extraordinary Gobi Desert, and close to the amazing “Rainbow Mountain” of Zhangye Danxia Landform.
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Jiayuguan
The westernmost pass of the Hexi Corridor
The westernmost pass of the Hexi Corridor
Jiayuguan city connected Chang’an and the west region via Hexi Corridor. It witnessed the hardships and dangers of the Silk Road and left us the Jiyuguan Fort, Overhanging Great Wall and the First Beacon Tower of Great Wall.
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Lanzhou
An important trading post on Hexi Corridor
An important trading post on Hexi Corridor
An iconic city on the upper reach of Yellow River, and capital of Gansu, Lanzhou is modern, vibrant yet traditional. The highlight is Bingling Si Grottoes, with a history of over 1600 years, a masterpiece of the Silk Road Buddhism.
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Urumqi
Witness of the renaissance of Silk Road
Witness of the renaissance of Silk Road
Once a transport hub of the old Silk Road, Urumqi is thriving again in nowadays. Travel to Urumqi to understand the history of Xinjiang, meet friendly Uyghur people at the bazaar, and delight in the beautiful landscape of pasture and lakes.
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Turpan
Historical town with ruins of oasis cities
Historical town with ruins of oasis cities
In Turpan, marvel at the protected Silk Road sites: Jiaohe Ruins and Gaochang Ruins, once thriving on the harsh gobi desert, originated in the 2nd century BC and 4th AD. The city has more to offer, from lush Grape Valley, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves to Karez Irrigation System - the great water conservancy project of Xinjiang in ancient China.
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Kashgar
The last point of China Silk Road
The last point of China Silk Road
Kashgar is the most western city of China, with Tianshan Mountains to the north, the Pamir Plateau to the west, the Karakoram Mountains to the south, and the Taklamakan Desert to the east. On a Silk Road tour to Kashgar, savor up authentic Muslim culture and enjoy a picnic beside heavenly Karakul Lake.
