The Silk Road - 22 days

Drifters Price: £883.50

RRP: £930.00

Trip Code: INTTSR

Local Payment: USD$300.00

Days 1-3 Beijing

Travellers will be arriving at all times during the day and night, from all corners of the world, so there are no activities planned for Day 1. For those who arrive early, a great way to get started is by renting a bike and venturing onto the streets to get a feel for this enormous city. On Day 1 we will have a group meeting in the evening, followed by dinner - check the noticeboards in the foyer of the hotel for a note from your leader detailing the time and place to meet.

Note that your group leader will collect your local payment (USD300) at the group meeting on Day 1. Please bring new USD bills/notes in large denominations.

We start our epic adventure in the Chinese capital of Beijing. We include a visit to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square and there's some free time to explore other city sights such as the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the Lamaist Monastery.

From Beijing we take a day excursion out to the Great Wall, one of the must-see sights of China. An incredible piece of engineering, it ranges over 6000km and follows the mountain ridges north of Beijing to the far west. We visit a remote section of the wall at Simatai (approximately 3 hours from Beijing) and then depart on an overnight train to Xi'an in the evening of Day 3 (approximately 14 hours).

Days 4-6 Xi'an

Xi'an is the historical starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Warriors. We make a day's excursion to the Terracotta Warriors (approximately 45 minutes from Xi'an), an amazing sight - 6000 life-size warrior statues that were buried for over 2000 years, until being discovered in 1974 by a farmer digging a well.

There are also many other attractions in Xi'an. The Great Mosque in the Muslim Quarter is a wonderfully serene place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and the city walls that surround Xi'an can be climbed to gain an impressive view of the city, especially at sunset. The food market in the evening is also superb.

Days 7-8 Jiayuguan

We head off on our journey west, following the path of the past traders on an overnight train to Jiayuguan (approximately 26 hours). Our train journey takes us through some amazing landscape through the Hexi Corridor, the geographical boundary between China proper and the west, before we reach Jiayuguan.

It will be a delight to stretch our legs when we disembark the train at this former Ming Dynasty garrison town on Day 7. Situated at the very end of the Great Wall, Jiayuguan was considered the western frontier of the empire during the Ming Dynasty. The town's impressive fort is a remarkable sight, with 17m-high towers flanking the main gates. We have a full day to visit the fort and the last remnants of the wall.

Days 9-11Dunhuang

We board an early morning local bus for a full day's travel (approximately 8 hours) to Dunhuang on Day 9. Stark, fascinating desert scenery compensates for the rather bumpy journey and before you know it we are entering the cultivated fields surrounding the oasis town of Dunhuang. A pre-dawn climb to the crest of the massive sand dunes is essential for a stunning desert sunrise. Set into cliffs above a dry river valley, the 4th-Century Mogao Caves contain some of the most extraordinary Buddhist art to be found in China. The art illuminates a time when Dunhuang was a major centre of Central Asian culture and the main contact point between China and the rest of the world. In the evening of Day 11 we board an overnight train to Turpan (approximately 11 hours).

Days 12-13 Turpan

Turpan is a beautiful oasis town famous for its vineyards, stone fruits and the nearby Flaming Mountains. Once an important staging post on the Silk Road, Turpan is our first stop in East Turkestan or Xinjiang (New Frontiers) as the Chinese choose to call it. The country roads are lined with poplars and lovely old mud brick dwellings of the Uygur people. We visit some of the many attractions surrounding the town. These include the beautiful Emin Minaret, the ruined city of Jiaohe, the famous Karez underground irrigation system and the famous Grape Valley, to sample the grapes and wine of this region.

Days 14-15 Heavenly Lake

A chartered bus (approximately 8 hours) takes us high into the Tian Shan mountains to Heavenly Lake for a relaxing break in our journey. We have time to explore the alpine wilderness, savour the fresh air and the brave can venture a swim in the refreshing waters of the lake. This area is home to the Kazak people and we spend some memorable nights in a local yurt (tent). This is basic accommodation, but a wonderful experience. We enjoy an evening spent feasting on local Kazak food and sitting around the fire.

Days 16-17 Taklamakan Desert

On these 2 days we make a remarkable journey through the world's second-largest desert, the Taklamakan. In the local Uygur dialect, Taklamakan means 'go in and you'll never come out', fortunately for us, modernity has brought a highway to this remote location.

We break the journey at Korla on Night 16 (approximately 10 hours' drive) before continuing onward through the endless dunes to the tiny oasis of Minfeng on the southern edge of the desert (approximately 12 hours' drive). A welcome stop, Minfeng is a place where time appears to have stood still. An evening stroll around town is likely to be a fascinating experience for both you and the locals!

Days 18-19 Hotan

We continue along the Southern Silk Route to Hotan (approximately 5 hours), which is famous for jade, locally woven carpets and vibrant Atlas silk. We take a day to explore some of the local cottage industries hidden in the city's narrow alleyways and scattered through the nearby countryside. In the evening, the lively night market provides a great opportunity to sample the local culinary delicacies.

Days 20-22 Kashgar

Our final destination is the trading town of Kashgar (approximately 8 hours from Hotan by bus), a fabulous place to wander around. The main landmark of the town is the famous Id Kah Mosque with its surrounding square and bazaar. Here you will encounter some of the many different nationalities bringing their wares into town for trade; Uygurs, Han Chinese, Kazaks, Kirgizs, Tajiks, Pakistanis, and Afghanistani!

Every Sunday, including the second-last day of our journey, around 100,000 people gather in the enormous Kashgar Bazaar area where you can buy anything from goats' heads and hooves to colorful painted wooden saddles. The traditional costumes and food give it an almost medieval feel and bring alive the legends of our trip along the Silk Road. It is in this giant oasis, near the westernmost tip of China, that our epic overland journey ends.

Please note: Most flights out of Kashgar leave in the early morning of Day 22.

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