Hotan Taklamakan Desert Hiking Tour
Overview
Looking for an adventure to the wild desert – riding a camel over sand dunes and trekking around to discover lakes, oasis and villages? Our 7-day Hotan Taklamakan Desert hiking tour is basically the answer to your wish. You will trek the desert with the local camel team, enjoy bonfire and camp in the wild, watch the sun rise and set, and the stars blinking all over the sky. Furthermore, you will experience a culture unique and exotic.
Duration: 7 days & 6 nights
Destinations: Hotan - Taklamakan Desert - Hotan
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Upon your arrival at Hetian airport, you will be met by your English speaking driver, and then transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is free for your own exploration.
For many people, Xinjiang is a sacred and unreachable place, and Hetian (also known as Hotan), a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, is even more so. At the edge of Taklimakan desert, Hotan is well known for its high quality of jade, the carpets and the silk, and now the view of desert. Taklimakan desert is the largest desert in China, and it’s also the second largest desert in the world. Among the world's deserts, the Taklimakan desert is one of the most mysterious. So far, numerous ancient city sites have been found here, and cotton prints and embroidery from the Eastern Han Dynasty have been unearthed at the Niya site.
Get up early because we will have a long drive today from Hetian to Daheyan village. It’s about 450km in total, taking 10-12hours. Of all we have to go for 250km which the road is paved with mud and sand and stone. We may not have enough time for breakfast and lunch, so we have packed meals along the way. For some parts of the road, there are even no road signs. We drive along the east coast of Kryah River, enjoying the spectacular view of river and desert.
Today’s destination - Daheyan village is one of the lonely villages among the Taklimakan desert. It’s said that their ancestors were from the main oasis. Over 400 years ago, they decided to move to here when they accidently found the small oasis where was rich in water, trees and grass.
Enjoy a nice dinner offered by a local family. Stay overnight at local farmer’s house.
Meal: B, L, D
After a local style breakfast, head for the meeting point with the camel team by jeep, which is 10km away. Meet the camel team and install the equipment (your bags, food, water, cooking staff, etc.), then follow the camel team hiking Taklimakan desert towards camp 1. Today’s hiking distance is about 6-8 kilometers. Have picnic lunch along the way. Between 17:00-18:00, we stop and set up tents. Enjoy a dinner at desert and the sunset over the desert. Later in the evening, start a bonfire and enjoy the unique evening in wild.
Meal: B, L, D
After breakfast, we install the equipments again and then start trekking with camels. Today's journey is about 10-12 kilometers. Lunch is a bit earlier than normal time at a proper place. Between 17:00-18:00, we stop and set up tents again, for dinner and bonfire, and a sleep.
Meal: B, L, D
This morning, we will have a visit to nearby Karadong site, which is about 4km away from the Camp 2. The area of the Karadong site is about 500,000 square meters. Surround Karadun Castle, there are many architectural complexes, including relics of pagodas, farmland, channels, etc. Archaeologists found red sand, gray pottery pieces, wood fragments, stone grinding fragments, glass fragments, coins, etc,. from this site. Return to Camp 2 for lunch. Later drive for 2hrs to a village with a stop at a lake along the way. Stay overnight at local farmer’s home.
Meal: B, L, D
Early morning, start the driving back Hetian. Have breakfast along the way. Visit local bazaar of Yutian town where you will have lunch at. Reach Hetian at around 6-7 pm. Check in hotel for a good rest.
Optional activity
- Visit night market, where you can feel and meet the local people with their traditions and their eagerness to have a good life
Meal: B, L, D
At an appropriate time, you will be transferred to airport for your flight to next destination.
Meal: B
