| DAY .1 |
Beijing |
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Arrive in Beijing today. Met by your guide and transferred to the Hotel. |
| DAY .2 |
Beijing Sightseeing Tour |
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Today we have a full day excursion to the magnificent Great Wall, the only man-made object visible from moon by naked eyes. After a very traditional northern Chinese style lunch served at local restaurant, we return the city via the valley of Ming Tombs. |
| DAY .3 |
Beijing Sightseeing Tour |
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After breakfast, you are off for sightseeing tour of Beijing, the tour includes the vast Tian An Men Square, and Ming treasures adorning the imperial palace in the once Forbidden City. In the afternoon, more Ming extravagances are evident as you tour the exquisite architecture and vivid embellishment of the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. |
| DAY .4 |
Beijing/Xian |
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Explore this exciting city on your own today. Transfer to the train station for your overnight train trip to Xian. |
| DAY .5 |
Xian Sightseeing Tour |
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Once a splendid imperial capital, modern Xian is best known for the celebrated tomb of the First Emperor of China, where an army of over 6,000 life-sized and uniquely-detailed warrior figures have been excavated to date. We also visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. |
| DAY .6 |
Xian - Dunhuang |
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A morning flight takes us to Dunhuang, arriving in time for lunch at our hotel. The "City of the Sands" is home to some of the finest Buddhist art, in caves cut into cliffs just outside the city. We visit the Dunhuang museum and take a camel safari to the "singing sand dunes" at Mingshashan. |
| DAY .7 |
Dunhuang Sightseeing Tour |
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After breakfast, we head out for a full day of sightseeing to the Mogao Caves, which honeycomb the cliff-face of the Mingsha Hills, to view some of the thousands of murals and pigmented stucco figures, preserved for over 15 centuries. |
| DAY .8 |
Dunhuang - Urumqi |
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Today we board a flight bound for Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and center of ethnic Uygur culture. |
| DAY .9 |
Urumqi - Turpan-Urumqi |
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Bezelik Caves, tour the ancient city of Gaochang and its necropolis, Astana. Wander the city bazaar before returning to Urumqi. |
| DAY .10 |
Urumqi - Kashgar |
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Today we visit Redhill, the Uygur Bazaar and the Xinjiang Museum, known for its vast collection of Han and Tang dynasty treasures. This evening we board our flight to the oasis city of Kashgar, China's westernmost city. |
| DAY .11 |
Kashgar Sightseeing Tour |
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In ancient days, the Silk Road divided to skirt the Taklimakan Desert, and Kashgar was the point at which the two routes joined again, en route to the west. It remains an important trading center in a remote region. Our sightseeing includes the Great Bazaar at Kashgar, the Id Kah Mosque and the tomb of Abjak Hoja. Tonight's special dinner features a sampling of local delicacies. |
| DAY .12 |
Kashgar - Tashkorgan |
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This morning we drive south along the famed Karakorum Highway, enroute we will stop over at the stunning Karakul (Karakuli) Lake then continue the drive into the foothills of the mountain range from which it takes its name. This alpine world of the Kirgiz and Tajik peoples is one of the most remote outposts of the Chinese Republic. |
| DAY .13 |
Tashkorgan - Karimabad, Pakistan |
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Today you will pass the famous Khunjrab Pass while enjoying the spectecular scenery on the way. Our conterpart in Pakistan will receive you on the border and asist with your custom & border clearance then transfer you to Karimabad. |
| DAY 14-15 |
Karimabad Sightseeing Tour |
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Karimabad is one of the best place on the world to live with lowest degree of polution, clean cool air, |
| DAY .16 |
Karimabad - Gilgit |
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Drive from Karimabad to gilgit after visiting Altit Fort and baltit fort in Karimabad,Hunza. |
| DAY .17 |
Gilgit - Besham |
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Our journey continues on a scenic drive south to Besham, an important market town in the upper reaches of the Indus Valley. |
| DAY .18 |
Besham - Islamabad |
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The final leg of thes Karakorum Highway takes us to Islamabad, with some of the most breathtaking views of our journey. |
| DAY .19 |
Islamabad Sightseeing Tour |
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An excursion to Taxila, founded in the 6th century BC, includes the museum which houses an impressive collection of Buddhist art. Tonight, A&K hosts a farewell dinner at our hotel. |
| DAY .20 |
Departure from Islamabad |
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Today you will be transferrred to airport for homebound flights. |
