An Expedition from Kashgar to Lhasa
Retrace the path of ancient traders and adventurers on this comprehensive overland journey across Western China. Why end might the legendary Kashgar Sunday Animal Market, where merchants sell everything from ducks to sheep. Make your way east to visit Turpan’s lush Grape Valley, watered by a 2,000-year-old irrigation system, and Dunhuang’s UNESCO-listed Mogao Caves, frescoed and carved with a thousand images of the Buddha. Ride the high-altitude train from Xining to Tibet, and explore the Tibetan Plateau on a splendid route that embraces the sacred cities of Gyantse and Shigatse, as well as Lhasa, “City of the Sun.”
18 Day Trip
18 Day Trip
MIR Signature Why end mights on this Tour
-
Tour UNESCO-listed Mogao Thousand Buddha CavesRead More
Tour the UNESCO-listed Mogao Caves, which present a thousand-year study in the development of Buddhist art in China.... -
Skirt the Taklamakan Desert on camelbackRead More
Follow in the tracks of Silk Road explorers as you skirt the Taklamakan Desert on camelback. ... -
Browse the animal section at the Kashgar Sunday MarketRead More
Browse the fantastic animal section at the Kashgar Sunday Market, where you can find anything from a herd of fat-tailed sheep to a single camel ready for a test drive.... -
Circumambulate the structural mandala of Samye MonasteryRead More
Circumambulate the structural mandala of Samye Monastery, built in the 8th century: the complex contains beautiful temples and stupas placed in specific sites...
Why Travel with MIR on this Tour

- Over two decades of China and Tibet travel experience
- Travel programs such as the California Agricultural Leadership Program and the American Museum of Natural History have chosen MIR to guide them to Tibet
- Twice named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”
- On-the-ground support and quality you can trust
- Personalized travel planning from start to finish
- Guides and tour managers that clients rave about
Itinerary & Highlights at a Glance
Days 1-5: Kashgar, Turpan
Begin in 2,000-year-old Kashgar, the fabled city that greeted Marco Polo as he entered the Middle Kingdom. Browse its Sunday Animal Market, where locals purchase livestock for meat, milk, or transportation. Board an overnight train to Turpan, a welcome oasis on the northern Silk Road. The sweet wine grapes cultivated in Turpan are irrigated with a 2,000-year-old gravity-fed system. Explore the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, begun in 366 AD, and investigate the underground tombs of Astana.
Highlights
- Kashgar Sunday Market and its unrivaled animal bazaar
- 17th century Abakh Hoja (Fragrant Concubine) Tomb
Days 6-8: Train to Liu Yuan, Dunhuang
Depart by fast day train to the city of Liu Yuan, the gateway to Dunhuang, where the Mogao Buddhist Caves were created. Marvel at the incredible frescoes and painted statues of this UNESCO-listed wonder, and take a short camel ride at the foot of Echoing Sands Mountain.
Highlights
- Mogao Thousand Buddha Caves, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dunhuang
- Bactrian camel ride at the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert
Days 9-11: Xining, High-altitude railway
Catch the train to Xining, located high on the Tibetan Plateau in remote Qinghai Province. Admire the brilliant blues, golds and reds of Ta'er Monastery, and browse the grand Tibetan Medicine and Culture Museum with its fascinating collection of artifacts and information about ancient Tibet. Board the high-altitude train to Lhasa, passing by the world’s highest railroad station, Tangula.
Highlights
- Buddhist Ta'er Monastery, with its Great Hall of the Golden Roof, constructed from hundreds of tiles with embedded precious gems
- Tibetan Medicine and Culture Museum, documenting the history of ancient Tibet from 4,000 years ago
Days 12-18: Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse, Shigatse
Spend a night in Lhasa before continuing to Gyantse’s celebrated Kumbum Stupa and turquoise Yamdrok Lake, said to be a goddess incarnate. In Shigatse, discover gold-roofed Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded by the first Dalai Lama in 1447. Back in Lhasa, visit the massive UNESCO-listed Potala Palace, rising in splendor above the city, and Jokhang Temple, Tibet's most sacred site. Wander Barkhor Market, bargaining for yak-wool boots or Tibetan fur hats. Venture into the valley where Chupsang Nunnery is hidden, then celebrate the journey's end with a festive farewell dinner in Lhasa.
Highlights
- Sacred turquoise Yamdrok Lake, a place of pilgrimage
- Gyantse, almost two and a half miles high
See Dates & Prices for more details or to see suggested extensions.
Tour Dates & Prices
Land Tour Price, Per Person
based on double occupancy
- 6-16 Travelers $6,395
- Partial Single Supplement $1,095
2018 Dates
- May 11-28 - Program updated for 2018, please call for details!
- September 7-24
- $6,395
- Max 16 Travelers
Land Tour Price, Per Person
based on double occupancy
- 6-16 Travelers
2019 Dates
- May 10-27 - Provisional dates.
- Call for Pricing
- Max 16 Travelers
Group Size
Small Groups – Never More than 16 Travelers. Guaranteed!
What’s Included
On Your Tour
- Shared accommodations in well-located superior tourist-class hotels in the major cities and best available hotels elsewhere. See notes below regarding accommodations on board the sleeper trains.
- Tibetan travel permit fee.
- 17 breakfasts, 16 lunches, and 17 dinners.
- Restaurant tips for included meals.
- Services of an experienced, English-speaking MIR Tour Manager with local guides at specific sites.
- Arrival/departure transfers. MIR will arrange for all travelers to be met on arrival and seen off on departure whether we make your airfare arrangements or not, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates in the tour start/end cities.
- Ground transportation throughout itinerary by private coach or van (size of vehicle depends on group size)
- Train tickets, overnight sleeper trains Kashgar-Turpan and Xining-Lhasa. (Up to four travelers per compartment, sharing with other group members. Shared compartments may be of mixed sexes as is the standard on trains in this region.)
- Train ticket, day train Turpan-Liu Yuan (for access to Dunhuang).
- Train ticket, day train Liu Yuan-Xining (when departing Dunhuang).
- Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in itinerary.
- Special events, excursions and cultural performances per the itinerary.
- Baggage handling where available.
- Gratuities to local guides and drivers.
Before Your Tour
- Complete pre-departure information including detailed packing list, reading list, insurance information.
- Touring with MIR handbook with country-specific information, maps, and travel tips. Customized visa application and instruction kit (please note, visa fees are not included in the tour price).
- Final document packet including luggage tags, final updates, and more.
Prepare for Your Trip

International Airfare
MIR's in-house, full-service air department will gladly assist with your air travel needs.
More Info
Reading List
MIR recommends reading up before you leave home. So settle back in your armchair with some of our favorite books about our favorite places.
More Info
Visas
Most MIR programs require one or more visas, and each visa requires a completely blank page in your passport. Visa information for this particular tour is listed in the Detailed Descriptive Itinerary.
More InfoTravel Insurance
Stay a Little Longer…
MIR can arrange for an extended program in China, Tibet, or Siberia. All of MIR’s destinations are open to you, and all can be attached to this program. Please contact MIR for more details about exciting options for extended travel.
Or, choose from one of these suggested itineraries:
Is this Trip Right for You?
While the accommodations are as comfortable as possible, they will vary from superior tourist class hotels to very basic and simple accommodations. Western China and Tibet may not be up to the standards North American travelers expect.
A full list of details about the rigors of this tour are explained in the Detailed Descriptive Itinerary.
Read our Travel Journals
MIR's Travel Journals offer first hand accounts of MIR's fascinating destinations.
-
Chinese Turkestan & Central Asia: Exploring the Silk Road
Andrew Barron, MIR's Director of Scheduled Group Tours, visits the ancient Silk Road in Western China and the 'Stans with the Chinese Turkestan & Central Asia scheduled group tour. Read about his journey from Almaty to Urumqi, Kashgar and Bishkek.... Read More
-
From St. Petersburg to Beijing: Adventures with Middle School Students
Michele Rice, a former journalist, has been to Russia six times. She's proud to admit that she has been followed by the KGB. Currently she is the costume shop manager at the Denver School of the Arts. ... Read More
MIR in the News
International Travel News Spotlights New MIR South Caucasus Small Group Tour
April 18, 2018
International Travel News recently featured one of MIR’s newest small group tours, Village Traditions of the South Caucasus, in its monthly roundup of recommended tours. The 21-day tour takes travelers on an in-depth explor... Read More
MIR Vice President Talks “Edgy” Travel in TravelAge West
April 1, 2018
MIR vice president Annie Lucas was recently interviewed in TravelAge West about traveling to off-the-beaten-path destinations. MIR’s specialized expertise with destinations that ordinary travelers may be wary of were highli... Read More
From the Blog
The Timeless Appeal of the Republic of Georgia
April 10, 2018
MIR’s Vice President, Annie Lucas, loves Georgia and shares her insider's list of reasons that Georgia has everything a traveler could ask for in a destination. ... Read More
Traveler Spotlight: Bill Altaffer, One of the World’s Most Traveled People
April 2, 2018
Bill Altaffer, MIR traveler extraordinaire, had the honor of being named the “World’s Most Traveled Person” in 2005, on the website Most Traveled People.com. The website has calculated that “…the land area on Earth ... Read More