Travel from Kyrgyzstan to China: The Best of Both Worlds

Arrive in Bishkek and transfer to a hotel where you can drop off your luggage and freshen up. Afterwards, go on a sightseeing tour around Bishkek. Places you will visit include: Oak Park, Ala Too Square, Bishkek's Concert Hall, Manas Statue, and Victory Square. Overnight stay at a hotel or guest house. B _ _ Hotel/Guest House

Transfer from Bishkek to Kochkor. En route visit Burana Tower, a Silk Road minaret which marks the original site of the Karakhanid town, Balasagun. Upon arrival in Kochkor, visit a local shop that produces and sells handmade felt carpets where you will be able to see the process of how they are made. Eat a homemade dinner at a Kyrgyz family's guest house. Overnight stay at the guest house. B _ D Guest house

Transfer to Lake Song Kul. Lake Song Kul is one of the highest lakes in Kyrgyzstan (3016 m asl). The area surrounding the lake is dotted with the yurt camps of Kyrgyz nomads, giving you the opportunity to experience nomadic life and even sleep in a yurt (portable round felt tent). You will have the opportunity to go horseback riding, see edelweiss flowers, camels, yaks, golden eagles, as well as see how local women make the Kyrgyz national drink – kymyz (fermented mare’s milk). B L D Yurt Camp

Transfer to Naryn via Kurtka Pass (3,173 m), where you will enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramic views in Kyrgyzstan. Naryn is a small city engulfed in mountains. Overnight stay at a guest house or B&B. B _ D Guest House/B&B

In the morning transfer to Tash Rabat (115 km) located near the Chinese border. Tash Rabat, an 11th century caravanserai, served as an inn for travelers along the Great Silk Road. This is a carefully restored stone building. Overnight stay in yurts. B L D Yurt Camp

After an early breakfast, transfer to Torugart Pass. Meet up with a Chinese travel company at the Kyrgyz-Chinese border. Drive to Kashgar. Overnight stay at a hotel. B L _ Hotel

After breakfast we will take the China-Pakistan highway to visit Lake Karakul and enjoy the Pamir landscape. Lake Karakul sits at an altitude of 3,600 m. It is the highest lake on the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir, Tien Shan, and Kunlun Mountain Ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are Muztag Ata (7,546 m), Kongur Tagh (7,649 m), and Kongur Tiube (7,530 m). The lake is popular among travelers for its beautiful scenery and the water's range of color, which can change from a dark green to azure to light blue. After going for a walk around the lake, we will drive to Tashkorgan. This is an interesting frontier town that was famed for its old fortress. Take some time to walk around. Overnight stay at the Kashgar International Hotel. B _ _ Hotel

Spend the day at the Sunday market. Marco Polo once wrote the following description about Kashgar: “It is an eastern Cairo, where there are mountains of goods and people swarm like bees.” The Sunday Bazaar is believed to be the largest outdoor market in the world. B _ _ Hotel

Today we will visit the Id Kah Mosque. It is the largest mosque in China as well as the most famous mosque in Xinjiang. Construction of the mosque first started in the mid-fifteenth century and has gradually developed to its present size. The Id Kah Mosque, encompassing a 16,800 square meter area, contains the following: a prayer hall, Koran teaching hall, corridor, arches, and other buildings that are attached to it. The prayer hall of the mosque can hold 4,000 people and is supported by 140 carved wooden pillars. The Id Kah Mosque looks magnificent, solemn, and provides an exquisite example of Islamic mosque architecture. After finishing up at the mosque we will continue to Apak Hoja.

The Apak Hoja Tomb is a mausoleum that is considered the holiest place in Xinjiang as well as an architectural treasure. Built in 1640 it is reminiscent of the Central Asian artistic style of Samarkand or Isfahan. A handsome blue and white tiled gate leads into the compound, which includes a small religious school and the Abakh Khoja family tomb. The latter is domed and faced with multi-colored tiles. It is said that it is the most complete Islamic tomb of the Qing Dynasty in all of China!

Afterwards we will drive to Old Town, Kashgar's historic district. Kashgar is an ancient city, and while walking along the streets of Old Town, you will get a sense of what this legendary Central Asian hub was like in the days when the Silk Road was at its peak. Five hundred-year-old remnants of city walls, narrow lanes, and colorful multi-ethnic crowds combine to make Kashgar's historic district a highlight of any visit to the city.

Next we will continue on by exploring more of Kashgar, more specifically, the famous Yakshambe Bazaar (the Sunday Market.) First we will visit the famous animal market. Here we will spend the morning watching locals trade everything from woodwork to sheep, donkeys, cattle, horses and camels before heading to the covered bazaar, believed to be the biggest in Central Asia. In the afternoon we will fly to Urumqi. Overnight stay at Hotel Tumaris.

B _ _ Hotel

In the morning we will fly to the capital of China and then go on a tour of several fascinating destinations. First, visit the world's largest city center square, Tiananmen Square, which can hold millions of people at one time. Next we will cross the Golden Water Bridge and enter the well-preserved imperial palace complex, the Forbidden City. Forbidden to the common people in ancient times, this mysterious imperial palace was first unveiled to the public in 1925 as a museum to display the lives of royalty, magnificent constructions, and precious historical relics. Since then, it has been a top travel destination in China. Unlike many agencies, it is our practice to avoid cheap tourist eateries; that is why you will enjoy an a la carte lunch of Cantonese cuisine at a famous local restaurant. In the afternoon, explore a pearl factory and the Summer Palace, a summer resort used by royal families 300 years ago. Now it is a fantastic place for visitors to admire the area's amazing landscape and delicate architecture. Overnight stay at a hotel in Beijing. B _ _ Hotel

After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Fly home. B _ _ _ _ _