Are you ready for an adventure where the ancient route of the Silk Road meets modern luxury? Allow us to introduce our brand new tour, Legends of the Silk Road – an extraordinary, fully inclusive adventure through China’s lesser-explored northwest corner, featuring three unforgettable nights on the luxurious Silk Road Express train.
Not only does this tour include the brand new Silk Road Express train, but the whole itinerary has been carefully created to provide your customers with a getaway unlike any other, with culture-filled experiences, fabulous 4* and 5* hotels, and exceptional dining in exclusive restaurants.
Legends of the Silk Road
14 days from £13,390pp
Departing 15 September 2025
Includes return flights, 3 nights onboard the Silk Road Express, 4+/5* hotels, most meals, all transport in destination, expert guiding, all sightseeing & entrance fees, visas.
Maximum group size: 20
A Timeless Journey on the Silk Road Express
Your customers will travel in style along one of the world’s most legendary trading routes on the opulent Silk Road Express. Their fully inclusive journey aboard this private touring train will take them into the heart of the ancient Silk Road, where they’ll discover a rich heritage unique to this part of the world.
When they’re not exploring, your customers can look forward to the comforts that await on the beautiful Silk Road Express train. They can relax in their elegant private cabin, sit down for a Michelin-quality meal in one of the two dining cars, enjoy their favourite tipple in the sophisticated bar car or take it all in from the observation deck.
Your customer’s stay onboard the Silk Road Express will include;
- Gold Class cabin with private en-suite bathroom
- Complimentary beer, wine & cocktails from the Bar Lounge Car
- Complimentary dining in the Western or Chinese-style restaurant cars
- Complimentary laundry service
Explore the Silk Road Express Train
Tour Highlights
- Spend a day among the glorious nature of Tian Shan and enjoy a cruise on scenic Heavenly Lake before visit a local family in their yurt
- Witness the minaret studded skyline of Kashgar and explore the Old Town where you can see local artisans at work
- Explore ancient Yotkan, a city with a fascinating thousand-year history
- Visit Ruoqiang’s Loulan Museum which houses artifacts excavated from ancient the desert cities of the area
- Explore Xining’s sacred Kumbum, a Tibetan monastery set spectacularly in a narrow valley outside the city
- Visit Jiayu Fortress, the westernmost part of the magnificent Great Wall
- Wander the night market of Dunhuang, also known as the ‘City of the Sands’
- Expore Crescent Moon Spring, nestled amongst rolling sand dunes
- Discover the Buddhist paintings and statues hidden in the UNESCO-listed Magao Grottoes
- Explore the ancient city walls of Xian and spend a morning viewing the Terracotta Warriors with an expert
Guided by a master artisan in Xining, craft a traditional Tibetan artwork known as a Thangka, used for meditation and devotion, and have your name inscribed in an ethnic minority script for a special keepsake.
Itinerary
• Days1-2
Fly overnight to Urumqi
Fly to the modern city of Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China’s northwest. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel, where the rest of the day will be at leisure to relax or start your explorations. Meet your group for a welcome dinner in the evening.
o Dinner
• Day3
Cruise on Heavenly Lake
Leave the bustle of the city behind and spend the day among the glorious nature of Tian Shan, the ‘Mountains of Heaven’. This region of snow- and glacier-capped peaks, forests, meadows, rivers, and lakes is a stark contrast to the nearby desert – you’ll get spectacular views of it all on a cruise of Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), before visiting a Kazakh minority family in their yurt for insight into the nomadic lifestyle. Later, relax at your hotel or head out on a walking tour through the atmospheric alleyways of the Urumqi Grand Bazaar.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
• Day4
Fly to Kashgar
With a history stretching back over 2,000 years and long an important trading centre, Kashgar’s minaret studded skyline evokes the timeless spirit of the Silk Road. On arrival, your Silk Road Express experience begins, with a special welcome dinner this evening – the perfect introduction to the luxurious adventure you’re about to embark on.
o Breakfast
o Dinner
• Day5
Wander Kashgar
This morning, visit the Terraced Households, traditional Uyghur dwellings built of mud bricks, tightly packed down old, atmospheric lanes. Continue your explorations in the Old Town, where plenty of heritage crafts are still undertaken – enjoy a visit to a printing and clay pottery workshop to see the artisans at work. Board the Silk Road Express, settling into the classic grandeur of your cabin as your journey following the routes of the fabled Silk Road begins. Pulling out of Kashgar, sit back in comfort and watch the landscapes slip by as you travel deeper into China’s northern extremes. Tonight, enjoy a traditional Muqam dinner.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
o Dinner
• Day6
Discover Hotan’s Artisans
Enjoy a free morning making use of the train’s amenities, relaxing in your cabin or one of the lounge cars as you arrive into Hotan. After lunch, served on the train, disembark and drive to the Hetian Museum to view cultural relics of the local area then continue to a traditional handicraft workshop, a silk commune and a hand-stitched carpet workshop to visit the local artisans and watch them at their work. Then, explore ancient Yotkan, a city with a fascinating thousand-year history and strong links to the Silk Road. Return to the train and enjoy a delicious dinner full of regional flavours.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
o Dinner
• Day7
Explore the Ruins of Milan
Pull into the desert-bound town of Ruoqiang. Departing the train, strike out by road to visit the ‘Ruins of Milan’, a city that was once a major point on the Silk Road, providing shelter for trade caravans from the harshness of the desert. Returning to Ruoqiang, explore the artifacts of the Loulan Museum, excavated from ancient desert cities. Back onboard the train, enjoy a drink in the elegant bar car or take in the 270° panoramic views from the Observation Car.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
o Dinner
• Day8
Arrive in Xining
Spend a free morning on the train, savouring it’s comforts, as you cross a final stretch of starkly beautiful desert to arrive in the city of Xining. After lunch onboard, embark on an exploration of Xining’s sacred Kumbum, a Tibetan monastery set spectacularly in a narrow valley outside the city, then create a traditional Thangka with a master artisan. Your Silk Road Express experiences comes to an end this evening with dinner and an overnight stay at a five-star hotel.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
o Dinner
• Day9
Wine Tasting in Jiayuguan
Transfer to Xining train station and board a bullet train to Jiayuguan. Seen as China’s western gateway and home to the western end of the Great Wall, this desert city is the perfect place to get to grips with, and a feel for, your Silk Road history. On arrival, tour the renowned Zixuan Winery, home to the largest cellar in China, and learn about the wine-making process from harvest to bottling, complemented by a tasting of two regional varietals. Later, head to the Overhanging Great Wall for a leisurely walk and the chance to witness a breathtaking desert sunset – a truly magical way to end your day.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
• Day10
Dunhuang Night Market
Visit Jiayu Fortress, the westernmost point of the magnificent Great Wall, then drive to Dunhuang, known as the ‘City of the Sands’, located in a lush oasis on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. In the evening, wander the stalls of the bustling night market, where the streets come alive with vendors selling handicrafts and the aromas of sizzling meats and fragrant spices.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
• Day11
Mogao Grottoes
Begin the day at Crescent Moon Spring, nestled amongst rolling sand dunes, before exploring the Mogao Grottoes. This UNESCO-listed system of temples and sanctuaries is full of wonderful examples of Buddhist paintings and statues created between the 4th and 14th centuries. Showing its evolution over thousands of years, the grottoes are considered one of the most important collections of Buddhist art in the world.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
o Dinner
• Day12
Fly to Xian
Enjoy a free morning and later, fly to Xian, a treasure trove of age-old history and the easternmost terminus of the ancient Silk Roads. Transfer to your hotel, where the rest of the day is at leisure to relax, or you may wish to begin your exploration of this fascinating city with a guided walking tour through the winding streets of the lively Muslim Quarter.
o Breakfast
• Day13
Meet the Terracotta Warriors with an Expert
After their fortuitous discovery in the 1970s, the Terracotta Army of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, has intrigued visitors ever since. Spend the morning with an expert viewing the enigmatic ranks of these life-size warriors. Later, take a stroll on the beautifully preserved city walls that enclose Xian’s old town.
o Breakfast
o Lunch
o Dinner
• Day14
Fly Xian to UK
Fly to the UK, arriving home the same or following day.
o Breakfast
