Urumqi: An Ethnic Journey, Past and Present|travel package

Urumqi: An Ethnic Journey, Past and Present
travel package - 4 days / 3 nights

Embark on a voyage of discovery into the cultural domain of the Uygurs and other minorities in northwest China! An initial visit to the Xinjiang region's museum will give you an ethnic preview of your enriching encounters on subsequent days - an old Silk Road city, music, dance, food, and ancient irrigation works. Visits to exquisite Heavenly Lake, encircled by snow mountains and pine forests, and to Asia's largest wind power station in the Gobi Desert will also prove to be amazing and memorable.

Travel date: Daily departure

Day 1 Beijing / Shanghai - Urumqi (L, D) Fly to Urumqi in the morning, where you will meet your friendly tour guide upon your arrival. .
Transport will then be provided to the Xinjiang Regional Museum, (closing time 16:00), where you can get an insightful view into the folklore and customs of about 12 ethnic minorities in the area. Also, more than 10,000 cultural relics are on display inside, including about 11 natural corpses in a very good state of preservation!
Overnight in Urumqi Day 2 Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Turpan (B, L, D) Drive about two hours to the Heavenly Lake, This pristine lake is situated at a refreshing height of 1,980m and is surrounded by jagged snow-covered peaks, forests of pine trees and green meadows.
After coming back, drive to Turpan, with views of the Gobi Desert and the largest wind power station in Asia on the way.
Enjoy an Uygur music and dance performance in the evening.
Overnight in Turpan Day 3 Turpan - Urumqi After breakfast, visit the ancient city of Gaochang. This was the capital of Uighurs when they moved into the Xinjiang Region from Mongolia in the 9th century. Gaochang Ancient City became a major staging post on the Silk Road. It was a printing and Buddhist centre during the Tang Dynasty. Enjoy a meal at a local restaurant near the Tuyuq Valley.
Visit Tuyuq Valley, which is located in the Tuyugou Canyon, 40,000 metres west of Shanshan County seat and 55,000 metres east of Turpan City.
Another stop of interest is the Karez Underground Irrigation System. These underground channels rate among ancient Chinas greatest public works projects, along with the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. The city of Turpan owes its existence to these vital wells and channels, some of which were constructed over 2000 years ago.
Then we drive back to Urumqi.
Overnight in Urumqi Day 4 Urumqi - Beijing / Shanghai Visit the Erdaoqiao International Bazaar in the morning.
Then drive to the airport for flights back to Beijing or Shanghai. For travel package bookings and more information please contact Hotline Beijing: +86-10-8519 8999(phone)