Meet your private guide and driver upon arrival at Xi’an airport or train station. Transfer to your hotel and enjoy free time to rest or explore the surrounding area at your own pace.

Visit Shuilu’an Temple, known as “Little Western Paradise,” famous for its well-preserved Ming Dynasty clay sculptures depicting Buddhist figures, heavenly guardians, and vivid narrative scenes. The temple is also recognized as a filming location for Black Myth: Wukong.

Explore the Terracotta Army Museum, where thousands of life-sized clay warriors, horses, and chariots were buried to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor. Learn about their construction, military formations, and historical significance.

Visit the only Tang Dynasty imperial tomb jointly buried by an emperor and an empress, Wu Zetian. Walk along the Spirit Way lined with stone statues and learn about Tang burial customs.

Explore Famen Temple, one of China’s most important Buddhist sites, known for housing the finger bone relic of Shakyamuni Buddha. Visit the underground palace and modern temple complex.

Discover ancient bronze ritual vessels and artifacts that illustrate the origins of Chinese civilization and the development of early dynasties.

Visit the Maijishan Grottoes, carved into a sandstone cliff and connected by walkways. Admire expressive clay sculptures and murals reflecting early Buddhist art styles.

Visit one of northwest China’s most important museums, featuring Silk Road artifacts, Buddhist relics, ancient manuscripts, and the iconic “Flying Horse of Gansu.”

Visit the Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, an active place of worship that reflects the long-standing Muslim presence in northwest China. The mosque features a large prayer hall and Islamic architectural details, offering travelers a glimpse into the region’s religious traditions and daily community life along the historic Silk Road.

Walk across the Yellow River Iron Bridge, a historic landmark in Lanzhou that once served as one of the most important crossings over the Yellow River. The bridge highlights Lanzhou’s strategic role as a transportation hub along historic trade routes connecting central China with the northwest.

Learn about the Western Xia Dynasty through stone inscriptions, Buddhist sculptures, murals, and artifacts that reveal its culture, religion, and history.

Visit one of the best-preserved Confucian temples in northwest China, reflecting Wuwei’s historical role as a center of education and scholarship.

Explore the temple dedicated to the renowned Buddhist translator Kumarajiva, who played a key role in spreading Buddhism from India to China.

Visit Mati Temple, a scenic grotto complex set in the foothills of the Qilian Mountains, known for its cliffside caves, Buddhist sculptures, and the blend of Han and Tibetan cultural influences.

In the evening, explore Ganzhou Night Market, where you can stroll through lively streets, experience the local atmosphere, and sample regional snacks at your own expense.

See the Giant Buddha Temple, home to Asia’s largest indoor reclining Buddha, and learn about its religious and artistic significance.

Explore the colorful Danxia landforms, known for its naturally layered, multicolored rock formations.

Visit the Jiuquan Western Han Dynasty Site, also known as the West Han Dynasty Jiuquan Park. This historic garden and cultural scenic area preserves ancient landscape features and traditional Han‑era architectural elements, including springs, lake views, pavilions, and classical walkways. The site highlights the historical importance of Jiuquan in the Western Han period and offers insight into local cultural development along the Silk Road.

Begin the day at Jiayuguan Fort, the largest and best-preserved military pass of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Explore its inner city, gates, and defensive walls while learning how the fortress controlled trade and military movement along the Silk Road.

The overhanging Great Wall was built along a steep mountain ridge. Unlike the flat terrain of the main fort, this section demonstrates how the Great Wall adapted to rugged landscapes and served as a strategic lookout point.

Visit the First Beacon Tower, marking the point where the Great Wall meets the ancient Silk Road routes. From here, learn how beacon towers were used for signaling and early warning across the desert frontier.

Explore the ruins of Suoyang Ancient City, a key Silk Road military and administrative center from the Han and Tang periods. Walk along remnants of city walls, watchtowers, and gates, and learn about its role in protecting desert trade routes. The site is also historically connected to Buddhist pilgrimages, including the journey of the famous monk Xuanzang (Tripitaka).

Visit the Yulin Grottoes standard caves, a series of Buddhist cave temples with murals and sculptures dating back to the Tang Dynasty. Admire the well-preserved artwork reflecting religious, cultural, and artistic exchanges along the Silk Road.

Stop at the “Son of the Earth” sculpture and memorial to Emperor Wu of Han, commemorating the region’s historical significance and cultural legacy during the Han Dynasty. The open-air sculptures provide insight into local art and the Silk Road heritage.

Visit the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring extensive Buddhist murals and sculptures carved into desert cliffs. Explore selected caves with your guide and learn how Dunhuang became a major center of religious art and cultural exchange along the Silk Road. Travelers may also choose to explore additional special caves for a deeper experience. This is an optional activity and tickets can be purchased onsite.

Stop at the White Horse Pagoda, a historic monument commemorating the white horse that carried Buddhist scriptures brought by the monk Kumarajiva. The pagoda reflects Dunhuang’s important role in the transmission of Buddhist teachings along the Silk Road.

In the afternoon, visit Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, where towering sand dunes surround a natural desert oasis. Walk on the dunes and enjoy panoramic views of the crescent-shaped lake below. Optional activities such as camel riding or ATV experiences may also be available at the scenic area for travelers who wish to participate.

Private transfer to Dunhuang airport or train station for departure.