8 Days China Exotic Desert Grassland Lake Train Tour

Day 1: Change flight in Beijing Capital International Airport to Hohhot

Program:

We book the domestic flight from Beijing to Hohhot for you according to your international flight schedule. You change the flight by yourself in the same Airport to Hohhot, and the guide will meet you in Hohhot Airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: N/A

Overnight in Hohhot (we could arrange you 3-5 stars hotel as your request)

Day 2: All day Hohhot tour to Gegentala Grassland

Program:

After breakfast, we drive to Gegentala Grassland. Spend the whole day on the vast plains and expansive grasslands, free walk and enjoy watching the traditional Mongolian style wrestling, horse-riding, camel riding, archery and etc.  

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight in Yurt Gegentala Grassland

Day 3: All day Hohhot city tour to Dazhao Temple, Zhaojun Tomb and Provincial Museum. Take overnight train to Yinchuan.

Program:

After breakfast, we will drive back to downtown Hohhot to visit the 400 years old Dazhao Temple, is located in the old town of Hohhot and the Zhaojun Tomb in memory of one of the four ancient belles; spend some time at the Regional Museum with over 44,000 objects relating to ethnic history in its collections.

After all program, we will take K195 2219/0603 (+1) from Hohhot to Yinchuan.

Meals: breakfast, lunch

overnight on the fast train, soft sleeper 1/4 cabin

Day 4: Arrive Yinchuan in the early morning. All day tour in Yinchuan for Helanshan Rock Carvings and West Xia Imperial Tombs

Program:

We will arrive Yinchuan in the early morning, after breakfast, we will dirve to Mt. Helanshan. Around the hillsides of the Helanshan, there are several tens of thousands of rock carvings by ancient nomadic tribes, which are known as Helanshan Rock Carvings. The carvings were drawn in various styles with profound connotation and scattered only in certain areas. Among the animal paintings, there are running deer, blue sheep, tigers and leopards, duckbills, and flying birds. The Helanshan was not only a place rich in old rock arts, but also the center for ancient nomads to hold sacrifices. Next, we continue to visit the West Xia Imperial Tombs, located on the eastern slopes of the Helan Mountains, about 30 kilometers west of the city of Yinchuan. It is unique among royal burials. The layout is patterned after the celestial bodies. Onboard the train to Capital of Inner Mongolia - Hohhot, which is in Mongolian for "Green City", dates from 306 B.C. and has been an important cultural center of the region.

Meals: breakfast, lunch

overnight in Yinchuan

Day 5: All day Yinchuan tour to Shapotou. After all day tour, take overnight train to Xining.

Program:

After breakfast, we drive from Yinchuan to Zhongwei City, proceed to Shapotou Scenic Spots, is the biggest natural sand slide field in China. It is also one of China's Four Resonant Sand Fields, and also been praised as 'China's top 10 fun place' by the China Geographic Magazine. When the weather is great, you are able to sliding down the sand hill can hear the sound of sand underneath them, like tolling bells. The experience there is quite adventurous and breathtaking.

After all program, we will drive back to Yinchuan for your train K815 2240/1003 (+1) for Xining.

Meals: breakfast, lunch

overnight on the fast train, soft sleeper 1/4 cabin

Day 6: Arrive Xining about 10:00 am. In the afternoon, visit Kumbum Monastery.

Program:

We will take a short rest after arrive Xining. After lunch ,we will visit Kumbum Monastery, whose name means '10,000 Buddhas'. Its construction began in the Ming Dynasty during the Jiaqing period. In 1560AD it was one of the six principal temples of the Tibetan Buddhist Yellow Sect. Don't miss its three treasures, which are of high artistic value. Buttered figurines, sculpted from colored butter, are lively and realistic depictions of stories, nature and humans, while colorful murals adorn the monastery's walls. The third treasure is satin appliques in the shapes of Buddha and nature subjects, which are filled with cotton or wool and sewn on large fabrics.

Meals: lunch

overnight in Xining

Day 7: All day tour from Xining to Qinghai Lake/Kokonor Lake.

Program:

After breakfast, we will drive 100 km fromm downtown Xining to Qinghai Lake, This is China's largest inland saltwater lake, covering an expanse of 4,583km.

Meals: breakfast, lunch

Overnight in Xining

Day 8: Transfer to Xining Airport for your next destination. End of service.

Program:

Transfer you to Xining Airport as your flight schedule. End of service.

Meals: breakfast