13 days, 12 nights
From 36999 cny
22 Dec. 2023 - 3 Jan. 2024
Train
Train and well-selected hotels
Experiencing the Xinjiang Silk Road on the New Orient Express is a captivating adventure that blends culture, history, and nature. This remarkable train ride follows the legendary Silk Road, a historic trade route connecting East and West, offering a journey through time and diverse cultures. You’ll be treated to stunning Xinjiang landscapes, including vast deserts, towering mountains, and white oases. This journey ensures an unforgettable, immersive experience, providing deep insights into the meeting point of civilizations.
• Experience a magical white Christmas in Hemu Village, China’s first village, complete with a festive feast and captivating performances. Santa Claus will also be there to surprise you with a special gift!
• Horse drawn plough ride through Hemu Village’s enchanting forests and snowy landscapes.
• Explore Hemutuwa and Tuva culture through visits to their homes and mesmerizing artistic performances.
• Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Kashgar’s historic city in southern Xinjiang, with a grand party.
• Welcome the New Year with a spectacular sunrise at the Stone City on the Pamir Plateau’s westernmost point.
• Benefit from knowledgeable gold medal tour guides and attentive professional team leaders.
• Receive an exclusive New Oriental Express handletter as a special memento.
In Urumqi, you'll receive a warm airport welcome before checking in at the hotel and enjoying a welcome dinner.
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Urumqi Fuli Wanda Mandarin Hotel or equivalent
The journey begins at Tianshan Tianchi Lake, a stunning natural wonder in the Tianshan Mountains. These mountains stretch for 2,500km, separating the Tarim Basin from the Junggar Basin. Tianchi Lake sits on the mountainside of Bogda Peak, the highest in the eastern Tianshan range. Our next visit is Da Bazaar, a vibrant hub of Uyghur culture. It's the world's largest agricultural market, blending Islamic culture, ethnic commerce, entertainment, and delicious cuisine. In the evening enjoy a special Captain's Welcome Dinner on the train.
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New Orient Express
Today we experience the Kanas Scenic Spot in the Altai Mountains, known for its stunning Kanas Lake and Monster legends. In winter this region becomes a snowy wonderland. Afterward we head to Hemu Village for a unique white Christmas celebration, featuring alpine beauty and rich Kazakh culture. Enjoy a festive feast, performances, and gifts from Santa Claus!
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Hemu Villa or equivalent
Hemu Village features traditional wooden houses and offers a unique opportunity to experience horse-drawn plowing through forested snowfields, a practice of the Hemu Tuva herdsmen. The village is the inhabited by the Tuva people, known for their traditional grazing livelihood.
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Hemu Villa or equivalent
Free time in the morning with the option to visit the Hemu Observation Platform to watch the magical sunrise over the village. After breakfast we make our way to the fairy tale town of Burqin for a local fish feast for lunch. Afterward we travel to Altay train station to board the train to Yining.
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New Orient Express
Today we visit Sailimu Lake, the highest and largest mountain lake in Xinjiang, known for its stunning beauty with crystal-clear waters and majestic peaks. Next we stroll along Liuxing Street, an ancient block in Yining City, designed in the 1930s based on Xinjiang's government policies. In the evening savour a local Ili Kazakh specialty dinner.
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Yili Hotel or equivalent
Before boarding the train to Kuche, we make a stop at the Kazanqi Folk Tourism Area, the prime Uyghur cultural and ecological spot in Xinjiang. Immerse yourself in Uyghur heritage through music, dance, cuisine, and art.
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New Orient Express
Today we travel to the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, a geological wonder in the Tianshan Mountains with dramatic terrain and intricate rock formations, providing insight into Earth's history. We then make our way to Kuqa Prince's Mansion, a well-preserved complex featuring Uyghur architecture, royal living spaces, lush gardens, and historical exhibits about Kuqa's vibrant history.
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New Orient Express
We continue our journey to Baisha Lake, a pristine oasis offering a serene escape into the untouched wilderness. The crystal-clear waters mirror the azure skies, creating a breathtaking landscape. In the evening enjoy a Yak Meat dinner on the Pamir Plateau.
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Tashkurgan Guesthouse or equivalent
On this day we visit Stone City, a 2,000-year-old fortress on the ancient Silk Road, showcasing impressive stone walls and a blend of Persian and Central Asian influences in its architecture. Afterwards we explore Xiangfei Garden and the Tomb of the Fragrant Concubine, a significant tomb of Islamic saints' descendants. In the evening we celebrate the New Year in style with wonderful performances at the grand New Year's Eve banquet to welcome 2024!
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Radisson Hotel Kashgar or equivalent
Your New Year's Day activities start in charming Kashgar Old Town, with its narrow alleys and traditional architecture. As you wander through, you'll encounter shops on Handicrafts Street where you can admire intricate crafts and even try exotic musical instruments. In the afternoon, we visit a century-old teahouse, a local hub for lively conversations, music, dance, and tea. You'll also admire Xinjiang's largest mosque, a grand showcase of Islamic architecture.
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New Orient Express
On your final day, we travel to the ancient Jiaohe Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back over 2,000 years, showcasing advanced urban planning and its role as a bustling Silk Road trading hub. After lunch we explore the Karez Well System, a 2,000-year-old underground irrigation network vital for desert settlements along the Silk Road. To conclude your journey we enjoy a farewell dinner in Urumqi.
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Wanda Wenhua Hotel in Urumqi or equivalent
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight home.
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Step onto the luxurious Gold Diamond Carriage where each carriage boasts four suites, ideal for accommodating two guests. These spacious cabins cover an area of approximately 10m2 and feature expansive viewing windows, premium 1.5 x 2m mattresses, a well-appointed desk, a wardrobe, a secure safe, and a private shower and restroom with separate wet and dry areas.
Each Blue Diamond Carriage features 7 private rooms designed to accommodate up to 4 guests, although it's typically recommended for 2-3 occupants. In the case of families and friends travelling together, a maximum of 4 individuals can share a room. Each room is furnished with an extra-wide lower berth measuring 0.9 x 1.95m and an upper berth measuring 0.7 x 1.82m, both equipped with damping devices for comfortable use and easy storage against the wall when not in use. Additionally, public restrooms and showers are conveniently located at both ends of the carriage.
Few important details to frame the experience:
13 days, 12 nights
From 36999 cny
22 Dec. 2023 - 3 Jan. 2024
Train
Train and well-selected hotels
All tours and services can be booked directly with our office in China
A TRAILS CHINA / DAOCHENG
Beijing Office
Suite 810, SunFlower Tower
#37 Maizidian Street Chaoyang District, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100022, P.R. China
Tel: (86-10) 6515 9259
Fax: (86-10) 6515 9293
Email: info@atrails.cn
All reservations are confirmed by return with the up-dated booking status within 2 working days. Due to occasional delays in communication with more remote destinations, it may take a few days longer to get confirmation.
All rates are quoted in RMB and are subject to change without prior notice. Inclusions and exclusions in the tour packages are indicated at the end of each itinerary. Commonly our package tour rates include accommodation, transfers, certain meals, and other tour related services. Domestic or international airfares are included where mentioned. Our tour itineraries do not include visa fees and expenses of a personal nature. The validity of our rates is November 01, 2018, until October 31, 2019, unless otherwise specified.
Local English speaking guides are accompanying tours and transfers in each destination. German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian and Chinese speaking guides are available on request in major cities and subject to confirmation.
A delivery fee will be charged according to the distance traveled, if any train tickets are required to be delivered to clients’ hotel.
Full pre-payment by bank transfer is required 30 days before the commencement of services.
Our bank account details are:
Bank Name: Bank of China Beijing JianGuoMen Wai Sub-Branch
开 户 行：中国银行北京建国门外支行
Account Name：ATC TRAVEL SERVICES (BEIJING) LTD.
账 户 名：北京道成国际旅行社有限公司
Account No.：3259 6908 9747
账 号：3259 6908 9747
Swiftcode : BKCH CN BJ 110
For itineraries operated outside China
Account Name：BEIJING GLORY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICE CO, LTD.
账 户 名：北京千乘假期国际旅行社有限公司
Account No.：3211 6010 0100 1577 67
账号：3211 6010 0100 1577 67
Bank Name: Industrial Bank Co., Ltd Sanyuanqiao Sub-Branch
开 户 行：兴业银行三元桥支行
For children aged between 2 and 11 years following rates will apply:
A maximum of two children per party is granted such a discount. Besides this general policy, specific conditions may apply case by case.
For cancellation of confirmed reservations, following general cancellation charges apply :
Special conditions apply for cruises, beach resorts as well as for some of the boutique and landmark hotels. Expeditions and specific products may have different conditions.
Domestic and international air tickets are non-refundable once issued. You are obliged to pay full airfare (inclusive of any tax and fuel surcharge) of any cancelled tickets based on the contract rate.
We reserve the right to re-arrange the order of any tour program, to cancel or substitute elements of any tour itinerary without notice, when local conditions require such changes. All itineraries depending on domestic flight confirmations are subject to changes.
Any increase in taxes or fuel surcharges imposed by the authorities will be advised as soon as we are informed of them, and they will be added to the invoice.
Flight and train details mentioned in our itineraries are for indicative purposes only.
This agreement, its contents and all related documentation sent over to the customer/tour operator are strictly confidential and must not be disclosed to any third parties.
We consider complaints as valuable feedback to improve service delivery levels. We request that service delivery failures or customer concerns, be reported during the customer’s stay, to one of our representatives. It is the aim of the company to solve any irregularity on the spot. The company reserves the right to refuse to take action on perceived irregularities submitted to the company 14 days after the customer returns back home.
During the term of this agreement, neither party shall be in default of its obligations to the extent that its performance is delayed or prevented by causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to, acts of God, natural disasters, bankruptcy of a vendor, strikes and other labor disturbances, acts of war, or civil disturbances, or other equivalent or comparable events.
The client agrees to indemnify and to save A Trails – Daocheng from harm and against all damage or injury (including death) to property or person(s) resulting from intentional or negligent acts or omissions from their respective officers, employees, agents, contractor or subcontractor in connection with the performance of this agreement.
This agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China (and/or applicable in relation to the country it is legally represented) for the time being in force and the parties agree to submit any dispute arising between the parties under this agreement to arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the respectable Arbitration Institute, Office of the Judiciary applicable at the time of submission of the dispute to arbitration and the conduct of the arbitration thereof shall be under the auspices of the specific Arbitration Institute accordingly.
Images displayed on the website have a promotional intent only and are not necessarily reflecting the actual destinations and service conditions. These may belong to ATrails staff, customers, photographers we are collaborating with or retrieved from websites such as Pexel, Pixabay, Unsplash or Originoo. While trying to be the most accurate as possible, is agreed that those images do not necessarily depict the actual services promoted.
We act as an intermediary between the concerned airlines, hotels, all transport operators and local tourist offices providing the services. The Company is therefore not responsible for any loss, injury or damage sustained by the tourists, including those occurring outside the touring programs. Additional expenses incurred due to delay, accidents, natural and disaster, political actions and unrest must be borne by the tourists. Programs and prices, services and conditions are based on those valid at the time of printing and are therefore subject to change without advance notice before or during the tour. Acknowledgment and confirmation of the above-mentioned conditions is active, once clients participate in one of the provided services via us. The itinerary of the excursion, package and/or tour cannot be altered or changed without prior permission from us. We cannot be held liable if you amend the excursion and its content in your brochures or give wrong descriptions to clients that are travelling.
The Company is not responsible for any last-minute closure of specific regions or tourism sites caused by decisions taken by local or national authorities to restrict access hereto. We will provide alternative itineraries where necessary and reduce cancellation fees to a minimum, however, such imposed closures are beyond our control and constitute a case of force majeure.
The areas concerned include but are not restricted to : The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, minority regions in Qinghai and Gansu provinces.
Travel breaks down borders and brings people together: The nearly 900 million people who travel every year make the sector one of the biggest in the world, a major employer and a key element in the global economy. But this has its downside, too: increasing pollutant emissions from the tourist traffic, loss of coastlines and other landscapes through excessive building development and sexual exploitation of children are just some of the negative consequences of the growth in global tourist travel. In order to minimize the negative impacts and enhance the positive ones, our Corporate Responsibility Strategy focuses on four prime issues:
