SILK ROAD【All Confirmed dates】Dunhuang to Xining + Qinghai Lake

✨ 7 Days Trip ✨ 

Type: Sightseeing / Join-in group tour

Dates: all confirmed departures!

- June: 19, 26

- July: 5, 26

- Sept: 20

- Oct: 4

An incredible 7 days 

following the ancient Silk Road, 

to discover China’s culture & hidden wonders

🌈Amazing sceneries: Rainbow mountain, Qinghai and Chaka Salt Lake,  Gobi Desert...

🐪 Fun experiences: sleep in Yurt, ride a camel...

🤩Culture: meet Buddhist monks and nomads, visit Tibetan temple..

⛺️ Historic: Silk Road, Wester Great Wall, historic city of Dunhuang, Mogao Grottoes (366 AD)

◻️ Day 1: Arrival -  Dunhuang

◻️ Day 2: Dunhuang

◻️ Day 3: Dunhuang > Jiayuguan > Danxia

◻️Day 4:  Rainbow Mt >  Mati Temple

◻️ Day 5: Mati Temple > Xining

◻️ Day 6: Xining > Qinghai > Chaka Lake

◻️ Day 7: Chaka > Xining & Departure 

Arrival - Dunhuang

Today, you may arrive in Dunhuang at any convenient time. There will be a free airport pickup for the flight arriving at 16:10. The guide will meet you at the airport and drive to the hotel for check-in.

Free time in the evening.

🚗 Transportation: 1 airport pickup at 17:00

🛌 Accommodation: 4* Hotel in Dunhuang

🍚 Meals: None

⛰ Altitude: 1138m

Dunhuang

Highlight: Mogao grottoes and Echoing Sand Mountain & Crescent Lake

This morning, we will go to the Mogao Grottoes. These caves were carved by hand (the first one in AD 366) as places of Buddhist meditation and worship and contain the world's largest collection of Buddhist art. Not surprisingly, they have been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and area great artistic and religious wonders of the World.

After lunch, we will head to the Echoing Sand Mountain and the Crescent-shaped Lake - an oasis in the Gobi desert. Get ready for boundless desert, mysterious sand-echoing, breathtaking desert cape, and azure blue sky. There, you can ride a camel (at extra cost) following part of the Ancient Silk Road.

Free time in the evening.
We recommend going to the Shazhou night market. This is the perfect place to try local specialties (such as Yellow Noodle,  Dunhuang Rang Pi, Apricot Peel Water...) and buy some local craft & souvenirs. 

🚗 Transportation: Private Car (1h drive)

🛌 Accommodation: 4* Hotel in Dunhuang

🍚 Meals: Breakfast

⛰ Altitude:  1138m

Dunhuang > Jiayuguan > Danxia

Highlight: Western end of the Great Wall 

This morning, we will drive to  Jiayuguan City (~4h), in northwestern Gansu Province. It has a history of more than 600 years and is famous for the Jiayuguan Fort as well as the western end of the Great Wall. 

We will first go to the Jiayuguan pass and then walk through the Western Part of the Great Wall, up and down the wall. Can you believe that this part was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)?

If you're interested in knowing more about the history and culture of the Great Wall you can even visit the Great Wall Museum there. Very interesting and comprehensive.

We will then drive to Danxia National Geological Park (~2h). Tonight, we are staying in a very special accommodation: a traditional Kaoshan Tent, similar to a Yurt!  

Free time in the evening. 

🚗 Transportation: Private Car (~6h drive) 

🛌 Accommodation: Kaoshan Tent

🍚 Meals: Breakfast

⛰ Altitude: 1400m

Danxia >  Mati Temple

Highlight: Rainbow Mountain, Mati Temple

Today, we will get up early to catch the sunrise on the "Rainbow Mountain!" 🌈These famous Chinese mountains are known for their colors that mimic a rainbow painted over the tops of rolling mountains. 🤩 Amazing!

If you're wondering where these colors come from, it's basically layered sandstone and minerals built up over millions of years; when tectonic plates moved, the colors began to appear.

We will then drive to Mati Temple (~2h) for a nice visit. Mati temple was built in the Jin Dynasty. It is said to be a series of horseshoe prints left by the legendary heaven horse, which then became the treasure of the temple. 

We will stay overnight in a hotel at the foot of the mountains. The hotel is basic but full of the local style. 

🚗 Transportation: Private Car (~2h drive)

🛌 Accommodation: local hotel in Mati temple

🍚 Meals: Breakfast

⛰ Altitude: 1400m

Mati temple > Xining

Highlight: Ta'er Monastery 

After breakfast, we will drive (~5h) to Xining along the Qilian Mountain with its splendid scenery. 

In the afternoon (~16:00), we will visit Ta'er Monastery - also known as Kumbum Monastery. It is one of the two most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside Tibet itself. It presents a beautiful landscape of both Han and Tibetan architecture temples and residences nestled in the peaceful hills of Xining's suburbs. 

Free time in the evening. 

🚗 Transportation: Private Car (~5.5h drive)

🛌 Accommodation: 4* Hotel in Xining

🍚 Meals: Breakfast

⛰ Altitude: 2261m

Xining > Qinghai Lake > Chaka

Highlight: Qinghai Lake 

Today, we will drive to Qinghai Lake (~2h) which is the largest saline lake in China.  We will find nice spots on the way to wander and admire the beautiful views of the lake, mountains, and grassland. If you're interested, you can have a bike ride (1 hour ride,  price included) at Qinghai Lake. 

We will then drive to Chaka (~2.5h), where we will stay for the night.

🚗 Transportation: Private Car  (~5h drive)

🛌 Accommodation: Hotel in Chaka

🍚 Meals: Breakfast

⛰ Altitude: 3059m

Chaka > Xining & Departure

Highlight: Chaka Lake

Time to visit Chaka Lake! Chaka is unique because it has both solid and liquid salt, which makes the scenery particularly beautiful. Many people rename this lake the “Mirror of the Sky” because the snow-white bed of the lake contrasts with the deep blue of the lake, giving it a mirror-like impression. 📸 Prepare your camera! 

We will take a tourist train (one way, included)  to go to the center of the lake and walk back, two very different unique experiences. 

We will then head to Xining Airport. Time to go back home, head full of wonderful memories! You may take any flight after 19h.

🚗 Transportation: Private car (~4h drive)

🛌 Accommodation: /

🍚 Meals: Breakfast

⛰ Altitude: 2261m

*Note that this itinerary is for referral only. Actual timing might be flexible depending on the weather or other organizational factors.

Confirmed departure dates > price per person

- June 19 to 25 > 7300rmb

- June 26 to July 2 > 7300rmb

- July 5 to 11 > 7600rmb

- July 26 to August 1 > 7600rmb

- Sept 20 to 26 > 7600rmb

- Oct 4 to 10 > 7600rmb

Group size:  Max 15 ppl

Deposit: 2000RMB

Balance: to be paid 7 days before departure

- Accepted payment methods: Alipay, Wechat, or Bank transfer

- Airport pickup on day 1 ~16h10

- Airport drop off on day 7 late afternoon

- On-site private transportation with AC 

- English-speaking local guides (one for Qinghai area and another for Gansu area)

- Accommodation: as listed in the itinerary. 2 persons sharing one room*

- Meals: daily breakfast

- Day 6: Qinghai lake bike ride

- Day 7: One way tourist train

- Entrance fee listed in the itinerary

- Water: 2 bottles per person per day

- Travel insurance

*Price is based on shared room occupancy, please let us know your sharing preferences upon signing up. If you’re a solo traveler or don't have another person to share the room with, M2adventure will do its best to help find a roommate whenever possible but if no one is available to share, please note that you will have to take the single room supplement (see price below). Thank you for your understanding.

- Flights arriving to Dunhuang / leaving from Xining

- Meals not mentioned (lunches and dinners)

- Personal expenses and tips to the guide and driver 

- Invoice 

Optional:

- Single room occupancy: 1700rmb

- Activities such as boating, camel riding, culture show, etc.

Arrival:

Airport: DNH Dunhuang Airport

When? Day 1: free airport pickup for the flight arriving at 16:10

Departure:

Airport: XNN Caojiabao Airport

When? Day 7 after 19:00

Suggested Flights:

Cancellation fee

- Between booking and 14 days prior to departure: 300rmb

- Between 14 and 5 days prior to departure: 2000rmb

- Between 4 and 1 day(s) prior to departure: 50% of the price

- On departure day or no-show: 100% of the price

Cancellation Policy

If the weather is really bad and represents a risk for people's safety, we would cancel the trip up to 1 day in advance. Deposit would be fully refunded. Note that we are NOT responsible for flight cancellation fees. This would need to be dealt with by the airline company directly. 

All forms of outdoor recreation (including hiking) have a higher level of risk than most ordinary activities.

By participating in M2adventure's hike, you acknowledge and accept the responsibility for making your own determinations as to the suitability of the activity and for their own safety, conduct, and well-being and agrees to participate solely at your own risk.

M2adventure, its organizer & hike leaders will not be held responsible for any loss or injury which you may sustain as a result of your participation in any of these activities.