This outstanding trip combines four of the most important countries along the ancient Silk Road, not only to experience the history and culture but also to discover the landscape as well as the local people and their lifestyles. It is specially designed for Silk Road travelers.
Start your tour from Xi'an, the eastern end of the Silk Road, to the trading center of Kashgar in China, cross the Irkeshtam border to Kyrgyzstan and explore the handicrafts center, Osh, then continue to Uzbekistan and explore the splendor of Samarkand and Bukhara. Finally, travel to Turkmenistan and unveil the mysterious and historical Merv, one of the great emporiums of the Silk Road.
Highlights
- Visit the Terracotta Army in Xi'an and make a terracotta warrior yourself.
- Discover the much-photographed Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye.
- Stay overnight in a local family's house in Osh and live like the locals.
- Immerse yourself in the historical mosques, mausoleums, and madrasahs, and find out about their diverse culture.
- Experience the unique atmosphere of the different local bazaars along the ancient Silk Road.




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I have never hear of this company…
I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions. More
orge alvarez,
May 2023
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Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…
From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods More
Debbie Woods,
May 2023
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Sharon from Asia highlights has been…
Sharon from Asia highlights has been amazing. She offered her amazing ideas to other tours I wanted. We have planned the perfect 9 day itinerary to Thailand. She worked in my budget and was very flexible when I had to change my flights. Thank you sharon. Can’t wait for the trip. More
Heather Stern Wilensky,
Apr 2023
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Ms. Ning first review 4-2023
Ms. Albee Ning has been doing a great job accommodating my requests and itinerary changes. Remember the first itinerary is a rough draft and you may modify it to suit your tastes. Remember you can not do it all and see everything in 3 weeks. If the flight wasn't so long I would visit Southeast Asia more often. I will update my review in a few months. We don't leave for 9 more months. Asia Highlights is working well for me so far! More
Chiefray,
Apr 2023
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Perfect Trip To Thailand…
We had so much fun in Bangkok with Tanni and Tom as they kept laughing at all of our silly jokes. Paul, our guide and Chiang Mai was really thoughtful, fun and full of great information about the temples and sights. Thanks so much! Brian and Michelle More
Scott Orchard,
Mar 2023
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I highly recommend Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I worked with Alisa and she is fantastic! I was planning my honeymoon trip, and I changed the destination multiple times. Each time, Alisa provided me an updated itinerary with activities that matched my interests. Whether I had a small change to an activity, a question about one of the arrangements, or a change or destination, Alisa was helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable, providing me with updated options in an extremely timely manner. In the end, despite the fact that I changed my mind on location multiple times, I ended up booking a 17 day trip to Thailand for this upcoming November. I am extremely excited to experience everything that Alisa planned for us. I recommend Asia Highlights to everyone and look forward to using them again on any other trips to Asia in the future. Thank you Alisa and Asia Highlights! More
Britt Rosen,
Mar 2023
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Three weeks encompassing Vietnam
A special shoutout to our last guide in Bangkok - Ms. Ka-Noon who spoiled us with her kindness and then got us through check in and security for our flight home in record time at that huge Bangkok airport. More
Deby,
Feb 2023
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Over the last 5 years we've used Asia…
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia highlights twice. And both times we've had fantastic vacations. Would not want to do it any different when we travel to Asia from now on. Sharon was fantastic. She was a wonderful agent who helped us nail down our trip and make everything go as smooth as possible. More
Todd Atwell,
Feb 2023
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Family Trip to Thailand
Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves. So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back. More
Roger Pyle,
Feb 2023
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Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights!
I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia More
Nancy Parker,
Feb 2023
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Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended
Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip More
AZ,
Feb 2023
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5 STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE BY MONICA
Monica is a very sweet young lady who speaks excellent English via email/WhatsApp, and knows the importance of excellent customer service. More
Trent,
Jan 2023
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We had an awesome experience with Asia Highlights
We started our trip in Bangkok, where Mr. Prassert our tour guide, met us. He was on time and the van was clean and well-maintained. Mr. Prassert was our guide for the 4 days we spent in Bangkok. He was helpful, kind, and willing to accommodate our pee and coffee breaks. The driver was safe and punctual. Next, we went to Chiang Mai.Gemma exceeded every expectation we had for our tour of Chiang Mai! She had a great attitude that made exploring the city fun and exciting, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience. She was always spot on with figuring out logistics and coming up with unique ideas that suited our interests and schedules. Gemma was incredibly generous with her time and even walked us to security at the airport to make sure we could carry all of our luggage. That’s just one example of how far out of her way she went to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. Gemma was sincerely interested in making every minute of our trip count. We’re very grateful to have met her and feel like we have found a friend in Gemma! Our driver in Chiang Mai was also great and very accommodating to our changes in schedules. More
Lois Paskow,
Dec 2022
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Thailand & Cambodia 2022
Albee went above and beyond to make our trip perfect. She rearranged flights due to a mistake of mine. She made sure we were still picked up and escorted to the airport. I felt comfortable and safe with all our reps. She did an excellent job and I highly recommend her booking your next trip. Thank you, Albee. More
Karen Brooks,
Dec 2022
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Perfect vacation thanks to Albee we…
I can’t say enough about how much we appreciate all the efforts, attention to details and immediate responses to all questions that Albee and her team provided. The Asia Highlights team deserves more stars than the maximum allowed because of continually going above and beyond all expectations. Thanks Albee for making our vacation through south east Asia absolutely perfect!!! More
Michael Sharp,
Dec 2022
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2023 Chiang Mai CAD Yipeng Festival
We got early bird ticket and Bella was assisting us through whatsapp. Easy, competitive price, front row tickets. Thanks Bella, for being patient explaining everything to me. Highly recommended. More
lily hartati,
Dec 2022
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Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep. She was responsive and knowledgeable. Buying tickets from their website was super easy and the whole process was straightforward. Highly recommended. More
Khai,
Nov 2022
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I was ever so grateful to have a point…
I was ever so grateful to have a point of contact while in a foreign country for the first time, alone, that helped me through the Ins and outs of getting to and from my destination. Albee was readily available which brought me much comfort and feeling of safety. If in this part of the world again, I will not hesitate to use your services.. More
Omega,
Nov 2022
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Memorable Experience!!!
I booked tickets to the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Nov 2022. Bella was extremely responsive and helpful!! More
Bowen,
Nov 2022
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Personalized
It is the attention to detail and what we specifically wanted to see that made the reservation experience so exciting. More
Peter Bongiovanni,
Nov 2022
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Suggested Route
Itinerary in Detail
This sample itinerary is designed for reference. Follow our tailor-made guidelines to create your ideal Silk Road tour.
After arriving in Xi'an, you will be met by your local guide and driver, who will drive you to your hotel and help you to check in. If you would like to explore the city in the rest of the day, your travel advisor and guide are ready to help with ideas for things to do.
Xi'an, as the eastern end of the Silk Road, is known for its history. It was an ancient capital city during 13 dynasties and is considered to be the cradle of Chinese civilization.
In the morning, you will visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. There, you will find an incredible army of over 7,000 soldiers, archers, horses, and chariots in full battle array in several large pits. You may have a few questions about how the warriors were made, what the most difficult step was, etc. You will have the opportunity to visit a workshop in a cave dwelling and learn how to make a terracotta warrior. You may get the answers to your questions once you have finished making your warrior.
After lunch, you will return to the city and visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It is part of the Silk Road route and was built to preserve the Buddhist materials that Xuanzang (Tripitaka) brought back from his epic journey to India.
The evening is free for you to explore as you please.

In the morning, you will visit Xi'an City Wall, which is one of the oldest and most complete city defenses in China. You can walk on the wall for a while or rent a bike to ride along it.
Continue to visit the Great Mosque, which lies in the heart of Xi'an's Muslim Quarter. This Islamic mosque is still an active place of worship for the Hui descendants of Silk Road traders and travelers.
Spend some time in the Muslim Quarter - try some local food and buy some souvenirs before being driven to the airport for your flight to Zhangye.

On arrival in Zhangye, your guide and driver will meet you at the airport and drive you to your hotel. If you need help exploring the city, we're at your service.
Zhangye was a key town on the Silk Road and has a long history. You will visit the colorful hills - Qicai Danxia landforms - in Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park. It is one of the best places for photographers and nature lovers to visit. Geologists call this area, which is very dry and has no vegetation, "window lattice and palace-shaped Danxia topography".

Before transferring to the train station, you will have lunch in a local restaurant and visit the Giant Buddha Temple where you will admire China's largest indoor reclining Buddha.
You will arrive in Dunhuang after experiencing a bullet train ride and then be driven to your hotel in Dunhuang.
The ancient Silk Road routes from China passed to the north and south of the Taklamakan Desert and Dunhuang is perfectly located at the junction. It became a crossroad of the two major trade routes. Being an important trading post, Dunhuang is rich in historical sites, cultural heritage, and natural scenery.
In the morning, you will visit the Mogao Caves and enjoy the beautiful murals in about 10 caves. There, you will find an abundant amount of Buddhist manuscripts, wall paintings, and statues.
Enjoy your lunch in a local restaurant before being driven to the Singing Sand Dunes and the Crescent Spring. Ride a camel to reach the top of the sand dunes and enjoy the beautiful wavy shapes of the smooth yellow dunes against the clear blue sky. Imagine you are an ancient merchant riding a camel along the Silk Road. You will reach the oasis in the desert, a crescent-shaped spring, and enjoy the stunning views of the sunset in the desert.

The morning is free for you to explore Dunhuang.
Later, you will be driven to Liuyuan Railway Station along the Gobi Desert where you will catch your bullet train to Turpan. On arrival, your Turpan guide and driver will take you to your hotel. Contact us or ask your guide for free time ideas.

Turpan was another important trading post along the Silk Road, and it is known as China's fruit basket.
You will visit the Emin Minaret, which stands by the Uyghur mosque. It is the tallest minaret in China and was built in honor of a general who served there, Emin Khoja. The minaret is especially beautiful in the morning with its shadow falling across the mosque.
Then, you will visit the Karez Well System and discover the ancient underground irrigation channels, which are still maintained and functioning today. It's also a great place to escape from the heat of the sun.
Turpan is famous for growing grapes. Instead of going to the touristy Grape Valley, you will visit a local family-run vineyard to get an authentic experience. There, you can walk around the farm and talk to the local people to learn about their daily lifestyle.
The last stop for the day is a visit to the ancient city of Jiaohe, the capital of the former Cheshi State with a history of over 2,300 years. You can walk between some ruins and listen to your local guide talking about its history and location along the ancient Silk Road.

You will be driven from Turpan to Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang. You will pass a big wind farm and enjoy seeing windmills in rows.
After lunch, you will visit Xinjiang Museum. You will enjoy a variety of artworks, crafts, and relics as well as the well-preserved collections of corpses, which have a history of over 4,000 years. Before being driven to the airport, stroll around and shop in Erdaoqiao Market, which is the biggest bazaar in Xinjiang selling various goods, such as folk costumes, ethnic caps, knives, jewelry, instruments, and carpets.
After arriving in Kashgar, your guide and driver will take you to your hotel so that you can check in.

Kashgar was the trading center and cultural exchange along the ancient Silk Road. Nowadays, Kashgar serves as a hub to Central and South Asia.
After breakfast, you will be driven to Abakh Khoja Tomb to visit the impressive buildings and gardens and learn about the Islamic Mazar (shrine) culture.
Then, you will visit the biggest mosque, the Id Kah Mosque, and walk along Handicrafts Street where you will find all types of handicrafts, including copper, metal, and porcelain.
The last stop for the day will be Kashgar Old City. Wander in the winding alleyways and discover the local people's way of life.
If you happen to visit Kashgar on a Sunday, you will have the chance to visit the Livestock Market (Sunday Market). It will be interesting to learn how the local people bargain and make deals. You will take a taxi there, accompanied by your guide.

You will depart early in the morning and drive along the main artery of the ancient Silk Road to the Irkeshtam Pass (233KM) where you will say goodbye to your guide. The boundary pass formalities will take about 1? hours.
Your guide and driver will meet you on the Kyrgyzstan side. You will be driven along the winding road of the high Pamirs and reach Sary-Tash (70KM). It is a small village but an important crossroads between Osh, Kashgar, Murghab, and Sary Mogol. From there, you can get a spectacular view of Lenin Peak.
You will stay in a local guesthouse overnight.
After breakfast, you will be driven to Osh (186KM) through the picturesque mountain route. You will stop at Taldyk Pass, the Kyzyl-Suu River, and Chyiyrchyk Pass to take pictures and enjoy the breathtaking view of the mountains and rivers.
After arriving in Osh in the evening, you will be taken to your homestay where you will enjoy a local traditional dinner.

Osh is the second-largest city in Kyrgyzstan and was an ancient trading town and handicraft center on the Silk Road.
After breakfast, you will visit Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain (Solomon's Throne), a site of huge Islamic importance and the only World Heritage Site in Kyrgyzstan. From there, you will find caves and petroglyphs and have a panoramic view of Osh. Then, you will visit the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex Sulayman and enjoy collections of archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, handicrafts, paintings, sculptures, and graphics. Afterward, you will visit Jayma Bazaar, the largest market in Central Asia, which has a history dating back to the ancient Silk Road period.

After lunch, you will be driven to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan border where the boundary formalities will take about 1? hours. Then, you will continue to Kokand (218KM) through the Fergana Valley. If you are interested in silk, you can ask your guide to take you to Yodgorlik Silk Factory, located in Margilan, a 2,000-year-old city located along the Silk Road route. There, you will discover how silk is produced. This factory has preserved a manual method of silk production that was once was used during the Silk Road times.
Kokand was known for its endless traders arriving from Russia, China, and India. The traders sold spices, textiles, teas, and silk. This made Kokand the most important trade center in Uzbekistan along the ancient Silk Road.
In the morning, you will visit the 19th-century Palace of Khudayar Khan and learn about the history of the Kokand Khanate. Then, you will visit the Jami Mosque, which has a single minaret in the middle and 98 columns that were brought back from India, and Norbut-Biya Madrasah.
In the afternoon, you will be driven to Tashkent (235KM) through the Kamchik Pass. The rest of the day is free for you to explore as you please.

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, is a city mixed with modern and Soviet-era architecture.
You will start your Tashkent city tour by visiting the Old City of Tashkent. You will pass the Khast-Imam complex and Chorsu Bazaar with its blue dome. You will continue to the city center to visit Amir Timur Square and Independence Square.
In the late afternoon, you will be driven to the train station to take the high-speed train, Afrosiyob (18:50-21:00). When you arrive in Samarkand, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Samarkand is more like a cultural crossroad along the ancient Silk Road. The city is full of magnificent architectural monuments.
After breakfast, you will be driven to the city's cultural center, the Registan Square, and visit the three madrasahs surrounding it. Next, you will visit a masterpiece of architecture, the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, which is the final resting place of the Turco-Mongol emperor, Timur. Continue to visit the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, which is the largest Islamic mosque in Central Asia, and Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, which is famous for its turquoise and blue mosaic-tiled mausoleums.

After an early breakfast, you will catch the high-speed Afrosiyob train (09:50-11:19) to Bukhara. Upon arrival at the train station in Bukhara, your guide and driver will transfer you to the old city area to start your visit.
First, you will visit a massive fortress, the Ark of Bukhara. You will enjoy a collection of museums and mosques there. Continue to visit Bolo Hauz Mosque, known for its skillful wood carvings and amazing ceiling paintings. You will visit a small brickwork building, the Samanid Mausoleum, and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum to learn about the irrigation system used in ancient times.

You will take a walking tour to further explore Bukhara. Starting from the Lyabi Khauz square, you will visit the nearby Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasah, Divan-Beghi Khanaka,and Kukeldash Madrasah.
Then, you will pass by the trade route and visit Magok-i-Attari Mosque, an Islamic mosque built on an ancient Zoroastrian temple and older Buddhist temple. It is now a museum of carpets. You will spend some time at the Trading Domes, a shopping area highlighting what trade was like during the ancient Silk Road period.
Afterward, you will walk to Poi Kalan. You will visit the Islamic and oriental architectural structure, Mir-i Arab Madrasah, and the landmark of Bukhara - the Kalon Minaret.
You will stop at Chor Minor to take some pictures on the way back to your hotel. Different from other mosques, which normally have one minaret, this is an oddity in Bukhara as it has four minarets of different shapes.

After breakfast, you will be driven to the Farap border post (123KM) with a stop at the Chor-Bakr necropolis. It is a peaceful and sacred place with the necropolis of family tombs and courtyards enclosed within walls.
It might take about 2 hours to complete the boundary formalities and cross the 1.5-kilometer neutral zone (transportation is not available) to meet your Turkmen guide. Then, you will be taken to Turkmenabat for lunch. Afterward, you will be driven to Mary (270KM) for your overnight stay.
After breakfast, you will be driven to Merv (30KM) for sightseeing.
Merv is a World Heritage Site. It was a major center of international trade and crafts on the Silk Road and is home to numerous walled structures from various periods.
The ancient Merv is comprised of four sections: Erk Kala (6th century BC), Gyaur Kala (3rd century BC), Sultan Kala (8 - 11th century AD), and Abdullah Khan Kala (15th century AD). You will visit the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar who was the last ruler of the great Seljuk Empire, the Great Kyz Kala and Little Kyz Kala, and the Mausoleum of Mohammed ibn Zeid.
After the tour, you will take an evening flight (18:10 - 18:50) to Ashgabat and be transferred to your hotel for your overnight stay.

Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan, a city with white marble buildings and grandiose national monuments.
In the morning, you will visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (21KM). This archaeological site was one of the earliest and most important cities of the Parthian Empire. Use your imagination to see what the site would have looked like before Genghis Khan destroyed it. Learn about the history of Turkmenistan from your guide.
You will return to the city for lunch and then visit the Gypjak Mosque, the Ashgabat National Museum of History, the Arch of Neutrality, and Independence Park.

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Our Service Includes:
- Private transfers and English-speaking tour guide
- All guided sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary
- Hotel accommodation mentioned in the itinerary
- Breakfasts at hotels and lunches for every guided day
- Governmental taxes
Tour code: ah-cn-6
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
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