Tailor Made Holidays in The Silk Route, China: Highlights

Admire the spectacular Oytagh Glacier

Off the Karakoram Highway outside Kashgar, the Oytagh Glacier forms the base of a sheer wall of white that is the face of Mt. Oytagh. Approached via a very bumpy road, the mountain suddenly appears ahead of you, the scale of which is simply breathtaking. It is possible to walk up to the edge of the glacier for even closer views.

Read more about: The Karakoram Highway
 
Discover the glorious Mogao Caves at Dunhuang

Set in the Gobi Desert, Dunhuang is an oasis in the otherwise endless sands. About half an hour from the city are the Buddhist Caves at Mogao which has been the site of Buddhist worship since the middle of the 4th century BC. The numerous caves also house two of the world's largest statues of Buddha, which lay untouched under the shifting sands of the Gobi for hundreds of years.

Read more about: Dunhuang to Turpan
 
Enjoy the scenery of the Torugart Pass

The 3,752m Torugart Pass that forms one of the main border points between Kyrgyzstan and China, is one of the most spectacular border crossings in this part of the world. The Kyrgyz side of the pass is the most beautiful, and with golden eagles and Himalayan vultures circling overhead as you drive across mountain-ringed pastures this really does feel like the top of the world!

Read more about: The Torugart & Irkeshtam Passes
 
Find serenity at Xiahe Labuleng Monastery

In Gansu province, a couple of hours drive from the city of Lanzhou is the Tibetan community of Xiahe. The town is dominated by the Labuleng Monastery, home to around 1000 Yellow Hat Sect monks. The town is the most important religious town outside of Lhasa itself. The 3km Pilgrims' Walk with its 1174 prayer wheels is particularly interesting, and is where most Tibetan pilgrims can be found.

Read more about: Xiahe
 
Rub shoulders with the locals at Kashgar's famous Sunday Market

The population of Kashgar almost doubles on Sundays to over 150,000 people, as Tajiks, Afghans, Pakistanis, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Chinese and the majority Uighur peoples converge on the town for the world-famous market day. The highlight of the market is arguably the vibrant livestock area, as cows, horses, donkeys, sheep, goats and all manner of carts and equipment are bartered for and traded, surrounded by crowds of onlookers.

Read more about: Kashgar & Southern Xinjiang
 
Take the Karakoram Highway to Lake Karakul

From Kashgar, the Karakoram Highway climbs steeply, twisting through the mountains towards Tashkorgan on the Pakistan border. The road passes the stunning Lake Karakul at 3,600m reflecting the image of the massive Mt. Muztagh (7,546m), with Mt. Kongur (7,719m) visible in the distance. This is one of the most famous border crossings in the world, and at Tashkorgan Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan are all within a few miles.

Read more about: The Karakoram Highway
 
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