Day 1
Arrive Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, with more than 2 million of population, the geographical centre of Asian continent, the farest city from the ocean in the world.

Transfer to Hotel

Day 2
Morning visit Regional Museum, xinjiang grand bazaar, evening take flight to Khotan.

Khotan is one of the main oasis at the Trim Basin, among all of China it has been famous for its three pearls-silk, carpet and jade.

The silk is familiar with every families, There is a jade river which calls as Yurongkash River among the local people.

The carpets made by silk or wool with its beautiful and unique Uyghur design are very famous around in and out of China.

Arrives and transfer to Khotan Hotel.

Taklamakan Desert Map
Day 3, A to B

Leave for Kerriya (Yutian County,or Keriya, 290km) in the morning. It takes 4 hours by driving to get Kerriya, then do some short visiting before your lunch here. You continue your driving northwards into Taklamakan, following drive to the direction of Daheyan (Darya-boyi), road condition must be not good, most of the time we will drive by the road mixed with sand and stone ,but the view is so spectacular and unique .passing over several villages in this remote area, set up first camp at the foot of a beautiful sand mountain.

Day 4, B to C

Across a sandy landscape, punctuated by stands of poplar trees, stunted pine and scrubby bush. Drive to the last settlement in the valley, Tongguzbasti, where we set up camp. About 50 families manage to sustain their meager existence in this remote outpost.

Sightseeing in and around this unusual desert village. Most of the genuine desert families live away from the village and we will take the opportunity to go out to visit some of them. There are some brick-built dwellings and a school and village hall at Tongguzbasti(Chinese name is Daheyan), but, generally, the living conditions in this harsh corner of the world are very primitive. Most of the houses are constructed on a light wooden frame with lattice and mud walls and roofs. It is unusual for the houses to have any furniture or ornamentation of any sort, save for rudimentary cooking equipment. The people of this village have been called "the lost tribe of the Taklamakan."

Taklamakan desert is the biggist moving desert in the world and most of the people believe that it has buried most of good civilizations among the central Asia. It has occupied land more than 345,000 square km, Taklamakan in local Uyghur language means “Tha desert which buried some places under”, and after some western explorers explore this desert on the early of 20th century, they have given another meaning which is “One go, but never come back”. Today’s destination- Daheyan (Darya- boyi, which means by the river) is one of the lonely village among the Taklamakan desert, because it has been a parted from the main oasis by a long time ago and the people lived there is very local and for them to say the main oasis is just a dream some time. Stay and over night home stay with the local family

Day 5, C to D
After local-made breakfast, Today we will start the most famous adventure in the world, as soon as the western world started to knew about the Chinese Turkestan,they also started from Takalamakan, because it has hided a lot, now you can started to work and explore on it. About the explore among the desert, we usually do not give you a lot of details and happenings, because we come to there not for confirmations, but for the create our own expierence. sometimes we will see some wild plants and trees, but most of the time is just sand dunes. Tents is prepared according to the number of people and after dinner we could have camp-fire and drinking. The most exciting thing is see the blue and clear sky with stars; it will be your dreams a nowadays modern time.

Day 6, D to E ,then to Khotan
Trekking and arrive the most famous Mazartagh, the one of the famous station and caravan saray around Takalamakan desert at the ancient Silk Road times. Long time before the desert is not large and the land Silk Road still very flourished, Mazartagh was one of the very important place on the best connections between south and middle line of the Silk Road. Because it has just located on the line and by the river, and some times it has controlled the main trade, so it always been attracted by a lot powers. Today there still has some of the ruins from that time and with your own imaginations you could have some more feelings.

then drive to Khotan. Starting from last of 2006, there built another cross-desert highway from Khotan to Aksu, just by the river side and the landscape is very special which mixed with river and desert. Arrive and transfer to Khotan Hotel.



Day 7
Tour around Khotan, visit silk factory, which is located at the local village, Mulberry paper making which is only existed at Khotan now, Khotan mosque, after dinner take flight back to Urumqi, meet and transfer to hotel.

Day 8
Leaving Urumqi after breakfast.

PS:
This is only a sample outline of this trip. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. If you have any special requirements, please do not hesitate to let us know. customize your own trip according to your needs.

This price includes:
·Hotel accommodation (Double occupancy, AC, Independent bathroom and Hot water)
·Overnight at Tents, Yurts or Local family
·All transportation include: cars, Airfare,airport pickups and send offs
·Group meals (number of group meal will be determined according to the final schedule )
·Entrance tickets of sightseeing places
·Tour guides and local guides (small group sometimes don't need guides.)

Not includes:
·Visa fees
·Airplane tickets from your country to Urumqi and leave from Urumqi.
·Accidental medical insurance
·Personal expense such as laundry, drink, telex, telephone calls or overweight baggage charge, shopping and tips

Appendix : 2 routes for crossing Taklamakan Desert on foot:

Itinerary one:14 days Crossing Takalamakan Desert on foot from Tongguzbasti to Mazartagh

Itinerary two:15 days trekking journey into Takalamakan Desert on foot pass Yatongus and Endere village

Please email to Mark Zhong : markinfo@163.com , for more information if you are interested in any of our trips. Cars are available for trips through the Sonoran desert at Chevrolet Arizona dealerships near Phoenix.