{"product_id":"xian-mogao-depth-private-tour-2026","title":"Xi'an \u0026 Mogao Depth","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"background:#f5f1eb;border-left:4px solid #8b6f47;padding:24px 28px;margin-bottom:32px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cul style=\"margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8 days · pace: Eastern half, cave focus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;$5,420 per person\u0026lt;\/strong\u0026gt; based on two travellers (1-traveller and group rates available)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll-private throughout — your party only, no joining strangers or shared vehicles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes ChinaTourly's 24\/7 English-language support line for the duration of your travel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eXi'an four nights, Lanzhou one, Jiayuguan one, Dunhuang three. The eastern half with Mogao at its centre. This journey is designed for the kind of traveller who reads the wall labels — paced for eastern half, cave focus, with the operational specifics that make the days work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat you actually do on this journey\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMogao academic deep tour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamen Temple Tang reliquary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLanzhou Gansu Provincial Museum (Galloping Horse)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJiayuguan Ming fortress\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrescent Moon Spring at dusk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDay-by-day itinerary\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0.95em;margin:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 1\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArrival · Xi'an\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEvening Bell Tower.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eXi'an I\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTerracotta Warriors reverse-route.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 3\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eXi'an II\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShaanxi History Museum Tang vault. Famen Temple afternoon.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 4\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eXi'an III\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBig Wild Goose Pagoda. City Wall sunset walk.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 5\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eXi'an → Lanzhou\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRail. Gansu Museum.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 6\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanzhou → Jiayuguan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRail. Fortress.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 7\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJiayuguan → Dunhuang\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRail to Dunhuang.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay 8\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e0d9cf;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMogao + departure\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcademic deep tour morning. Afternoon flight.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSpecific timings, restaurants, and after-hours arrangements are confirmed in your final itinerary 14 days before departure.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat is included\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMogao academic deep tour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamen Temple specialist visit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSenior Silk Road art historian\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll rail tickets first class\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeritage hotel in Dunhuang\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat is not included\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternational flights to and from China\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChinese tourist visa (typically $140–$185 from a Chinese consulate)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTravel insurance (required)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDinners (unless specified)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlcoholic beverages at meals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePersonal shopping and souvenirs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTips for guides and drivers ($10–$20 per day each is appreciated but not expected)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhy book this with ChinaTourly\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eChinaTourly is a China-based boutique travel agency. Our team is in China, our supplier relationships are in China, and our guides have been personally interviewed before their first client assignment. Three operational specifics that distinguish this journey from a generic package:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNamed guide.\u003c\/strong\u003e We commit to the specific guide assigned to your trip, not \"an experienced English-speaking guide\". You receive a brief on your guide's background 14 days before departure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReal workshops where applicable.\u003c\/strong\u003e When your itinerary includes a craft workshop or master encounter, you are visiting a working studio with a verified practitioner — not a tourist demonstration with rotating actors.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFriction honesty.\u003c\/strong\u003e We tell you what does not work — the days that cannot avoid crowds, the seasons that cannot avoid weather, the sites that cannot be photographed inside — before you book, not after.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eQuestions you should ask before you book\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this journey actually private?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eYes. Your party is your party from the first transfer to the last. No joining strangers, no shared vehicles, no 'small-group' arrangements that are simply smaller buses. One licensed English-speaking guide, one vehicle, one dedicated driver across the full itinerary.\u003c\/dd\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does payment work?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eA 30% non-refundable deposit at booking confirmation, balance due 45 days before departure. For trips booked more than 90 days in advance, we offer a 30\/30\/40 payment schedule. All major credit cards and bank wire are accepted.\u003c\/dd\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the cancellation policy?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eCancellations more than 60 days before departure receive a refund minus the deposit and any non-recoverable supplier costs (typically minimal at that lead time). Cancellations 30–60 days before departure receive 50% refund minus deposit. Inside 30 days, refunds depend on supplier recoveries. Travel insurance covers the gap and is required.\u003c\/dd\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I customise the itinerary?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eYes. The structure above is our Signature version. Specific evenings, an extra day in one city, a craft workshop add-on, a hotel category upgrade — all of these are accommodated through a brief design conversation. Larger restructuring becomes a Bespoke itinerary; see our Bespoke journeys page for details.\u003c\/dd\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do I reach you with questions during the trip?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eOur 24\/7 English-language support line, answered within 90 seconds by a senior staff member based in China. Your guide and driver are reachable directly on WhatsApp. For medical issues we have direct hospital relationships in every major city we operate in.\u003c\/dd\u003e\n\u003c\/dl\u003e\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Is this journey actually private?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. Your party is your party from the first transfer to the last. No joining strangers, no shared vehicles, no 'small-group' arrangements that are simply smaller buses. One licensed English-speaking guide, one vehicle, one dedicated driver across the full itinerary.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How does payment work?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"A 30% non-refundable deposit at booking confirmation, balance due 45 days before departure. For trips booked more than 90 days in advance, we offer a 30\/30\/40 payment schedule. All major credit cards and bank wire are accepted.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What is the cancellation policy?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Cancellations more than 60 days before departure receive a refund minus the deposit and any non-recoverable supplier costs (typically minimal at that lead time). Cancellations 30–60 days before departure receive 50% refund minus deposit. Inside 30 days, refunds depend on supplier recoveries. Travel insurance covers the gap and is required.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Can I customise the itinerary?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. The structure above is our Signature version. Specific evenings, an extra day in one city, a craft workshop add-on, a hotel category upgrade — all of these are accommodated through a brief design conversation. Larger restructuring becomes a Bespoke itinerary; see our Bespoke journeys page for details.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How do I reach you with questions during the trip?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Our 24\/7 English-language support line, answered within 90 seconds by a senior staff member based in China. Your guide and driver are reachable directly on WhatsApp. For medical issues we have direct hospital relationships in every major city we operate in.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAbout ChinaTourly\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eChinaTourly is a China-based boutique travel agency designing private, tailor-made journeys for English-speaking travellers worldwide. Signature Tours from $2,000 per person. Bespoke Journeys from $3,999 per person with a 2-traveller minimum. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact\"\u003eSend us an inquiry\u003c\/a\u003e and we will respond within 24 hours with a draft itinerary and your guide already named.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eLiving Heritage Encounter — Dunhuang Wall-Mural Pigment Mixing\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt a private studio attached to the Dunhuang Academy, you sit with \u003cstrong\u003eMr. Du Yongwei\u003c\/strong\u003e, a third-generation inheritor of \u003cem\u003eDunhuang bihua linmo\u003c\/em\u003e — the traditional craft of copying Mogao murals using the original mineral pigments. Mr. Du grinds malachite (孔雀石 for green), cinnabar (朱砂 for red), and lapis lazuli (青金石 for blue) from the same Inner Mongolian and Afghan sources Tang painters used, mixing them with rabbit-skin glue. You watch him work for an hour on a partial Cave 220 Bodhisattva face, then attempt your own small mineral-pigment brushstroke on prepared paper. This craft is a Dunhuang City protected heritage practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eLiving Heritage — Yengisar Uyghur Knife-Forging\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Kashgar Old Town, you spend an afternoon at the \u003cstrong\u003eYengisar knife forge of Master Memet Imin\u003c\/strong\u003e, fifth-generation Uyghur knife-maker whose village tradition is on China's national intangible cultural heritage list. Master Memet works the cold-and-hot forging cycles used since the Karakhanid era, hammering a folded steel blade through fifty cycles to produce the wave pattern unique to Yengisar work. He shapes a small letter-opener blade in your presence, then his apprentice fits the carved-bone handle. You receive the unfinished knife handle as a workshop record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eLiving Heritage — Turpan Karez Underground Water Engineering\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOutside Turpan you spend a half-day with \u003cstrong\u003eMr. Ablat Hasan\u003c\/strong\u003e, an inheritor of the Karez underground irrigation tradition — a 2,000-year Uyghur engineering practice that delivered Tianshan snowmelt to desert oases without surface evaporation. The Karez system is a UNESCO-listed engineering heritage and on China's national intangible cultural heritage list. Mr. Ablat takes you into a working vertical access shaft, explains how the chain of 100-meter-spaced wells maintains the gradient, and shows the wooden tools his grandfather used in the 1940s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- ct-cache-bust-route-map-20260611 --\u003e","brand":"ChinaTourly","offers":[{"title":"Pay full","offer_id":55568122478760,"sku":"xian-mogao-depth","price":5420.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Pay deposit (20%)","offer_id":55596121030824,"sku":null,"price":1084.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0748\/7419\/2040\/files\/958c2e63833fd4d9760d02363f79cafb.webp?v=1780894605","url":"https:\/\/chinatourly.com\/products\/xian-mogao-depth-private-tour-2026","provider":"Chinatourly","version":"1.0","type":"link"}