Ancient Traders & Travellers: China & Pakistan

This is a grand silk road tour - combination of Pakistan and China part of the Silk Road, good for those ready for long journeys and Silk Road adventures.

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DAY .1	Hong Kong
	On arrival in Hong Kong, we are met and transferred to our elegant hotel.
DAY .2	Hong Kong
	Our tour of this bustling hub of commerce and trade includes visits to the Sam Tung Uk, a historical museum in the New Territories; the fishing village of Lei Yue Mun; and the colorful flower and bird markets. After a delicious lunch, the afternoon is at leisure. Our day ends with a welcome cocktail and a dinner party hosted by A&K Hong Kong.
DAY .3	Hong Kong - Xian
	An informative briefing on our upcoming itinerary begins the day, followed by lunch and an afternoon flight to Xian, starting point of the Silk Road.
DAY .4	Xian
	Once a splendid imperial capital, modern Xian is best known for the celebrated tomb of the First Emperor of China, where an army of over 6,000 life-sized and uniquely-detailed warrior figures have been excavated to date. We also visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum.
DAY .5	Xian - Dunhuang
	A morning flight takes us to Dunhuang, arriving in time for lunch at our hotel. The "City of the Sands" is home to some of the finest Buddhist art, in caves cut into cliffs just outside the city. We visit the Dunhuang museum and take a camel safari to the "singing sand dunes" at Mingshashan.
DAY .6	Dunhuang
	After breakfast, we head out for a full day of sightseeing to the Mogao Caves, which honeycomb the cliff-face of the Mingsha Hills, to view some of the thousands of murals and pigmented stucco figures, preserved for over 15 centuries.
DAY .7	Dunhuang - Urumqi
	Today we board a flight bound for Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uyger Autonomous Region and center of ethnic Uyger culture.
DAY .8	Urumqi - Turpan-Urumqi
	Bezelik Caves, tour the ancient city of Gaochang and its necropolis, Astana. Wander the city bazaar before returning to Urumqi.
DAY .9	Urumqi - Kashgar
	Today we visit Redhill, the Uyger Bazaar and the Xinjiang Museum, known for its vast collection of Han and Tang dynasty treasures. This evening we board our flight to the oasis city of Kashgar, China's westernmost city.
DAY .10	Kashgar
	In ancient days, the Silk Road divided to skirt the Taklimakan Desert, and Kashgar was the point at which the two routes joined again, en route to the west. It remains an important trading center in a remote region. Our sightseeing includes the Great Bazaar at Kashgar, the Id Kah Mosque and the tomb of Abjak Hoja. Tonight's special dinner features a sampling of local delicacies.
DAY .11	Kashgar - Tashkorgan
	This morning we drive south along the famed Karakorum Highway, into the foothills of the mountain range from which it takes its name. This alpine world of the Kirgiz and Tajik peoples is one of the most remote outposts of the Chinese Republic.
DAY .12	Tashkorgan - Karimabad, Pakistan
	Today you will pass the famous Khunjrab Pass while enjoying the spectecular scenery on the way. Our conterpart in Pakistan will receive you on the border and asist with your custom & border clearance then transfer you to Karimabad.
DAY 13-14	Karimabad
	Karimabad is one of the best place on the world to live with lowest degree of polution, clean cool air,
DAY .15	Karimabad - Gilgit
	Karimabad to Gilgit is a short but adventurous drive
DAY .16	Gilgit - Besham
	Our journey continues on a scenic drive south to Besham, an important market town in the upper reaches of the Indus Valley.
DAY .17	Besham - Islamabad
	The final leg of the Karakorum Highway takes us to Islamabad, with some of the most breathtaking views of our journey.
DAY .18	Departure from Islamabad
	Today you will be transferrred to airport for homebound flights.