Private Journey - 14 Days

Silk Road Long - 14 Days

A private China route with day-by-day pacing, hotel logic, seasonal pricing, and guide support confirmed before payment.

Route Overview

A route designed for depth, not distance

Pace built around energy, not a checklist. Star-level hotels confirmed privately. One real local culture thread on every route.

14 daysPrivate route length
Xian to XianStart and finish
5-star where availableHotel style
Private guide + driverDaily support

What makes this route specific

  • Built around Xian, Dunhuang, Turpan, Kashgar, not a generic template.
  • Every day specifies where you stay, what you do, what is included, and what remains optional.
  • Holiday price logic is visible before payment: Golden Week and Spring Festival +50%, other national holidays +20%.
  • Route rhythm protects arrival day energy, station or airport friction, guide timing, meals, and hotel comfort.

What is included

  • Private English-speaking guide on touring days.
  • Private vehicle transfers for the confirmed route.
  • Hotel breakfast and route-standard hotels as listed in the final proposal.
  • Entrance and ticket planning for named included sites.
  • In-China support for weather, timing, and local adjustments.
Pace

Private timing beats checklist speed

The guide can move a stop earlier, shorten a crowded block, or preserve an afternoon when the traveler needs recovery.

Comfort

Hotels are chosen by route logic

Location, transfer time, stairs, breakfast timing, and evening access matter more than decorative hotel names.

Culture

One living culture thread each day

Food, craft, neighborhood, monastery, market, or family workshop context turns sightseeing into a readable story.

Day by Day

The shape of the trip

A representative shape. We finalize each morning during the planning call so the route reflects your interests and pace.

ChinaTourly route map

Silk Road Long - 14 Days

City stops, day ranges, and the main movement between anchors are shown before you ask a planner to confirm the route.

14D Duration Stops City anchors Mixed Transport
City stop Route segment with animated transport

Tap any day to open the full plan — where you stay, what you do, meals, what is included, and traveler notes. All 14 days are shown below.This route is fully customisable — adjust it with a specialist →

Day1 Xian — Terracotta Warriors with early arrival🚄 Airport or rail arrival transfer🍵 Biangbiang noodles, Muslim Quarter snacks, dumpling dinner🏨 5-star heritage or modern city hotel

Touch down and just breathe — no rush today. Xian is a soft landing, and your guide quietly spends the first hours working out your rhythm so the whole trip bends around you, not some script.

Where you stay

Inside the city wall or near South Gate for evening walks - 5-star heritage or modern city hotel

What you do

Terracotta Warriors with early arrival

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around biangbiang noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Xian connects early capitals, Silk Road exchange, and living food culture in one compact route.

Day2 Xian — City Wall walk or bike ride🚄 Private vehicle and short city walks🍵 Biangbiang noodles, Muslim Quarter snacks, dumpling dinner🏨 5-star heritage or modern city hotel

Today leans into City Wall walk or bike ride. No stopwatch — your guide reads the crowds, the light, and frankly your mood, then shapes the hours around it. Food-wise, hold out for Biangbiang noodles. And here is the bit that is properly ours: Shaanxi shadow puppetry (piying) and Qinqiang opera — a private shadow-play performance and a puppet-carving demo. Most tours cannot get you in that room — we can.

Where you stay

Inside the city wall or near South Gate for evening walks - 5-star heritage or modern city hotel

What you do

City Wall walk or bike ride

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around biangbiang noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Xian connects early capitals, Silk Road exchange, and living food culture in one compact route.

Day3 Dunhuang — Evening market🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Yellow noodles, apricot tea, market snacks🏨 Best available desert-city hotel

Slow start or an early one, your call. Evening market sits at the heart of today, with plenty of breathing room so nothing feels rushed. Yellow noodles sorts the eating when you are ready.

Where you stay

Dunhuang city hotel near evening market access - Best available desert-city hotel

What you do

Evening market

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around yellow noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Dunhuang connects Buddhist art, desert trade, and careful ticket logistics.

Day4 Dunhuang — Mogao Caves with timed entry🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Yellow noodles, apricot tea, market snacks🏨 Best available desert-city hotel

We build today loosely around Mogao Caves with timed entry, at your pace and nobody else's — expect a small surprise or two your guide pulls depending on the day. Yellow noodles when the appetite shows up.

Where you stay

Dunhuang city hotel near evening market access - Best available desert-city hotel

What you do

Mogao Caves with timed entry

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around yellow noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Dunhuang connects Buddhist art, desert trade, and careful ticket logistics.

Day5 Dunhuang — Mingsha dunes and Crescent Spring🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Yellow noodles, apricot tea, market snacks🏨 Best available desert-city hotel

This is the kind of day you will be showing people photos of later: Mingsha dunes and Crescent Spring, with the freedom to slow right down the second something catches your eye. Lunch or dinner usually circles back to Yellow noodles. And here is the bit that is properly ours: Dunhuang mural-painting and clay-statue restoration craft — a copyist studio. Most tours cannot get you in that room — we can.

Where you stay

Dunhuang city hotel near evening market access - Best available desert-city hotel

What you do

Mingsha dunes and Crescent Spring

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around yellow noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Dunhuang connects Buddhist art, desert trade, and careful ticket logistics.

Day6 Turpan — Grape valley if season fits🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Grapes, hand-pulled noodles, local flatbread🏨 Best available regional hotel

Ease into Grape valley if season fits today. Nothing is rigid — your guide flexes around the weather and how you are feeling, so it stays comfortable start to finish. And Grapes is exactly what you will want by then.

Where you stay

Turpan city hotel for heat management - Best available regional hotel

What you do

Grape valley if season fits

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around grapes when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Turpan is best planned around heat, shade, and Silk Road engineering context.

Day7 Turpan — Karez wells🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Grapes, hand-pulled noodles, local flatbread🏨 Best available regional hotel

Honestly? This is one of those days people still bring up years later. The centrepiece is Karez wells — and because the day is entirely yours, you linger where it grabs you and drift off when you are ready. When hunger lands, Grapes is the move, the version locals actually queue for. And here is the bit that is properly ours: Uyghur Muqam music and karez irrigation craft — a Muqam session. Most tours cannot get you in that room — we can.

Where you stay

Turpan city hotel for heat management - Best available regional hotel

What you do

Karez wells

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around grapes when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Turpan is best planned around heat, shade, and Silk Road engineering context.

Day8 Kashgar — Livestock market if operating🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Laghman noodles, kebabs, naan, tea house stop🏨 Best available Kashgar hotel

Today leans into Livestock market if operating. No stopwatch — your guide reads the crowds, the light, and frankly your mood, then shapes the hours around it. Food-wise, hold out for Laghman noodles.

Where you stay

Old town edge or best available international-standard hotel - Best available Kashgar hotel

What you do

Livestock market if operating

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around laghman noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Kashgar requires current logistics checks and respectful pacing around markets and prayer times.

Day9 Kashgar — Id Kah area and bazaar🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Laghman noodles, kebabs, naan, tea house stop🏨 Best available Kashgar hotel

Slow start or an early one, your call. Id Kah area and bazaar sits at the heart of today, with plenty of breathing room so nothing feels rushed. Laghman noodles sorts the eating when you are ready.

Where you stay

Old town edge or best available international-standard hotel - Best available Kashgar hotel

What you do

Id Kah area and bazaar

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around laghman noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Kashgar requires current logistics checks and respectful pacing around markets and prayer times.

Day10 Kashgar — Old town craft lanes🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Laghman noodles, kebabs, naan, tea house stop🏨 Best available Kashgar hotel

We build today loosely around Old town craft lanes, at your pace and nobody else's — expect a small surprise or two your guide pulls depending on the day. Laghman noodles when the appetite shows up.

Where you stay

Old town edge or best available international-standard hotel - Best available Kashgar hotel

What you do

Old town craft lanes

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around laghman noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Kashgar requires current logistics checks and respectful pacing around markets and prayer times.

Day11 Kashgar — Livestock market if operating🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Laghman noodles, kebabs, naan, tea house stop🏨 Best available Kashgar hotel

This is the kind of day you will be showing people photos of later: Livestock market if operating, with the freedom to slow right down the second something catches your eye. Lunch or dinner usually circles back to Laghman noodles. And here is the bit that is properly ours: Uyghur Muqam, atlas-silk (etles) and Kashgar pottery — a silk-weaver and a potter workshop. Most tours cannot get you in that room — we can.

Where you stay

Old town edge or best available international-standard hotel - Best available Kashgar hotel

What you do

Livestock market if operating

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around laghman noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Kashgar requires current logistics checks and respectful pacing around markets and prayer times.

Day12 Dunhuang — Evening market🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Yellow noodles, apricot tea, market snacks🏨 Best available desert-city hotel

Ease into Evening market today. Nothing is rigid — your guide flexes around the weather and how you are feeling, so it stays comfortable start to finish. And Yellow noodles is exactly what you will want by then.

Where you stay

Dunhuang city hotel near evening market access - Best available desert-city hotel

What you do

Evening market

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around yellow noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Dunhuang connects Buddhist art, desert trade, and careful ticket logistics.

Day13 Dunhuang — Mogao Caves with timed entry🚄 Private vehicle🍵 Yellow noodles, apricot tea, market snacks🏨 Best available desert-city hotel

Honestly? This is one of those days people still bring up years later. The centrepiece is Mogao Caves with timed entry — and because the day is entirely yours, you linger where it grabs you and drift off when you are ready. When hunger lands, Yellow noodles is the move, the version locals actually queue for.

Where you stay

Dunhuang city hotel near evening market access - Best available desert-city hotel

What you do

Mogao Caves with timed entry

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around yellow noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Dunhuang connects Buddhist art, desert trade, and careful ticket logistics.

Day14 Xian — City Wall walk or bike ride🚄 Departure transfer🍵 Biangbiang noodles, Muslim Quarter snacks, dumpling dinner🏨 5-star heritage or modern city hotel

Today leans into City Wall walk or bike ride. No stopwatch — your guide reads the crowds, the light, and frankly your mood, then shapes the hours around it. Food-wise, hold out for Biangbiang noodles.

Where you stay

Inside the city wall or near South Gate for evening walks - 5-star heritage or modern city hotel

What you do

City Wall walk or bike ride

Food plan

Breakfast at hotel; lunch or dinner built around biangbiang noodles when timing fits.

Included today

Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast, and standard route coordination.

Optional / extra cost

Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening show, special craft purchase, and any activity outside the confirmed route.

Traveler note

Guide reconfirms pickup point, pacing, tickets, and weather before the day starts.

Cultural context: Xian connects early capitals, Silk Road exchange, and living food culture in one compact route.

Dates & Pricing

Choose a tentative date - see your seasonal supplement

Base price for standard non-holiday departures. Chinese national holidays add a supplement automatically.

Silk Road Long - 14 Days

14 daysPrivate pace

Choose a date window below, or set an exact start date here.

Private quote ready 1 traveller
Planning total $11,500.00
Season window Selected window

Base per traveller$11,500.00

Seasonal supplement+0%

Trip value before offer$11,500.00

Pay in full today: 20% off$2,300.00

Full payment due today$9,200.00

Deposit plan: 10% off trip value$1,150.00

Deposit plan total after 10% off$10,350.00

20% deposit due today after 10% off$2,070.00

Deposit balance after planner confirms$8,280.00

Refund terms before capture Planner confirms within 24 hours
Accepted secure payments
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Holiday supplement is shown before checkout. Final guide, room, and rail availability is confirmed by a planner.

Trusted private travel framework

LOCAL GUIDE Network Private China specialists
ROUTE DESK Reviewed Planner confirms first
PAYMENT 20% Deposit option
SEASONAL Clear Holiday supplement shown
ON TRIP 24/7 On-trip support
PRIVATE TEAM Tailored Guide, driver, hotel timing
POLICY Refund Terms visible before payment
PACE Human Comfort over checklist routing
Licensed CNTA guides 24/7 in-China support Refundable per policy

Plan Notes

Practical setup before arrival

Is this a fixed group tour?

No. This is a private journey framework. Dates, hotels, exact guide timing, and some daily details are confirmed around your traveler profile before payment is captured.

What is free and what is extra?

Standard guide service, private transfer, route planning, hotel breakfast, and listed included sites are covered. Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, optional shows, premium upgrades, and route changes remain extra.

Why can holiday pricing change?

China national holidays affect guide availability, hotel rates, rail tickets, and scenic crowd controls. The selector shows likely supplements early so the traveler can choose a calmer date if needed.

Can you adjust food, walking, or hotel style?

Yes. Tell us dietary limits, walking tolerance, sleep style, photo priorities, and hotel expectations. The final route balances those details before the booking is confirmed.

When is the earliest realistic departure?

We normally plan private China routes at least two months ahead so visa, permits, hotel rooms, guides, rail tickets, and any restricted-region logistics can be checked properly.

Related planning guides